Bankc

Black/Blue Junebug Chartreuse Pepper I've wasted a lot of money on Green Pumpkin, but the waters around here are just too dirty for them to be of much use.

This is my experience too. I've caught them down to 25' this way. It's tough fishing and you have to cover a lot of water for very few bites. I will typically troll for them once they're down this deep, as it allows you to cover more water and keep your crank down lower in the water column for longer. You might have to try a couple of different sizes, shapes, colors, and rattle/silent crankbaits before you key in on the one they'll bite. Jigging a spoon can also work, but I get more bites of crankbaits, probably just because I can cover more water. I typically avoid going after these fish this unless everything else has failed on me first. It's a desperation move for me. I find these methods catch more white bass and hybrids, but you can land a few black bass from time to time as well.

My understanding is that the bite drops off once the water temperature has dropped below about 55, not 65. Of course, that's not the only factor involved. Bass can decide to bite or not bite based on all kinds of different things. But just going by my own experience, I'd say you've still got a good ways to go before they slow down strictly due to the temperature.

Doyo, a Korean brand, makes the BPS PQ2 and several, if not all of the Johnny Morris low profile reels. They also make Abu, Lew's, Pflueger, and probably more. It's pretty easy to tell. They all use the same basic frame, so you can usually tell without opening them up, if you train your eye to look for those details. The shape of the bar above the level wind usually gives them away. They're not 1:1 copies of each other though. They're all built on the same platform, and within that platform there are various options you can have switched in or out. Hence why they can have different braking systems, different drag ratings, different ball bearing counts, etc. So nothing is truly "rebranded", but they're also not truly unique. A lot of the internal parts are interchangeable between them. So if you go to repair or upgrade one of these reels, you may have to look for parts sold as being specified for several different reels than the one you are working on.

Length is important. The longer the rod, the more leverage you have to cast it with. Though, the longer the rod, the heavier it is. So at some point the longer rods will start to work against you, as you won't be able to cast them with as much speed. Another important aspect is how the rod loads. This is where lure weight comes into play. But it's not just the power of the rod that's important (lure weight rating). It's also the action. Typically, slower action rods will load up further down the rod and allow you to cast further. You get more bend in the rod, and more snap back on the cast. However, if the lure is too heavy to properly load the rod, then the slower action works against you, as the rod isn't able to snap forward during the cast. The rod turns from a rubber band into a wet noodle, so to speak. So there's no one right answer here, other than to say the rod that casts the furthest will be the rod that loads up and releases the best on the cast. The weight of your lure and your technique will determine how all of that works or doesn't work for you. There are several other factors to consider. Heavier lures can have more momentum, which means they can be cast further. However, there's a limit there, as at some point it weighs too much to cast effectively (depends on how strong you are and your technique). Also, smaller lures and more aerodynamic lures will cast further. A spoon will typically cast further than a spinnerbait of the same weight for this reason. Also, spinning rods tend to cast further than baitcasting rods (when matched with the appropriate reels, of course). This is because a baitcaster has to peel line of a spool by moving the whole spool, while a spinning rod can just let the line slip over the lip of the spool. The force required to spin the spool on a baitcaster will eat into your casting distance a bit. And thinner line tends to cast better than thicker line, as it's more aerodynamic. And the more supple a line is, the further is will usually cast. And lastly, technique matters a lot. It's not all about how strong you are or how fast you can whip the rod tip. A lot of distance comes from how smoothly you can cast it, as well as controlling how the rod loads and releases it's flex. So there's not really a magic answer that will apply across the board. It's all a balancing act.

I definitely recommend the drift sock, eventually. But I'd get the anchor first. Being able to anchor can be a safety issue. I was once stuck out on the water when some high winds kicked up. I was trying to paddle back to the ramp, but didn't have the strength to make it all in one go. I had to paddle really hard to overcome the wind and waves. When I stopped to catch my breath, the current took me back to where I started. I quickly figured out I had to make a sprint, drop anchor, catch my breath, pick up the anchor, and then make another sprint, etc. It was kind of scary, and it still took me about an hour to travel maybe a quarter mile. Having to anchor in such heavy winds and waves was not ideal. But if you anchor off the front (not the side), then when waves crash over your bow and you just get wet, instead of flipping the boat. The weather here is unpredictable and can change instantly. But the good news is that I learned how to survive in bad weather, and learned the limits at which I am comfortable kayaking (15mph winds tops, though I can survive in at least 30 mph). I poked some holes in the rear opening of my drift sock and lined them with brass grommets. I use a carabiner to control the size of the opening, which has an effect on the speed of my drift. I usually hold the drift sock near me and open it up in the water. Then I slowly let the line out. I don't have issues with it staying open that way. I don't worry about collapsing it to pull it back in. I can easily pull myself and the kayak on a rope. I usually have to do that when I want to pull the anchor up anyway. Just be careful with a drift sock. It can grab on stuff and when it does, cause you to lose your balance. Just keep an eye out for it. The hardest part about using a kayak is having to keep your head on a swivel at all times. At any moment, you can get surprised by a large boat's wake or submerged tree or a boater not seeing you. Danger can sneak up on you in a matter of seconds if you lose consciousness of your surroundings. It's not so bad once you get used to it. After a while, your head just naturally scans the environment non-stop. You're always looking for danger and better places to cast to. With that in mind, I'd start off on a smaller body of water. Preferably one where motorized boats aren't allowed. The waves are usually smaller, and the traffic is slower. It'll help you to learn to keep your head on a swivel, without punishing your too hard for mistakes.

Pretty much straight Rapala, except for KVD squarebills and Berkley dredgers. I've tried many, many others, and while most of them will get bites, I find the Rapala brands to be the most effective and get hung up the least. I'm not a fan of the Rapala scatter raps or squarebills though. But pretty much every other crankbait they offer is at the top of my list. And the Berkley dredgers are my favorites for deep cranking, below 16 feet.

Gimmie three cranks. A squarebill, a medium diver, and a deep diver. I don't throw them as often as I'll throw other lures. They're not my most productive presentation when the bite is good. But when the bite gets tough and nothing else is working, I can usually get something in the boat with a crankbait.

My topwater/occasional crankbait rig is a Abu 5000D made in 1974 on a 5'5" Daiwa Apollo pistol grip rod made in the mid 90's. I also have another Abu 5000D on an old Abu fiberglass rod from the same period, and a few other rods and reels from the 90's, but they don't see much use. I did use an old Shimano B100 Mag for a while for my main crankbait reel, but recently replaced it. That topwater rig gets used almost every time I go out. It's a challenge not to backlash and the handle spins backwards when the drag is engaged, but it still works and those quirks make it fun to use.

I get what you're saying. And I'm not disagreeing with your logic. In fact, I'm the same way. I'm actually the kind of guy that if something's broke, I learn to fix it myself, even if I have the money to take it in to an expert. I enjoy the learning new things, and repairing things is a great way to figure out how things work. I'm just saying that we gain nothing by judging others, but we gain a little bit of our own humanity when we try to empathize with them. Even if their actions don't make sense to us, they're probably still based on some kind of logic. And by showing a little compassion for others, especially others that we disagree with, we stand the chance to grow a little ourselves.

There are many reasons why. It could be that they can't afford to have it fixed and don't have the knowledge to fix it themselves. A lot of people who own boats, especially older boats that would need repairs, are going to be under a lot of financial strain as it is. It's a risk just owning a boat. And maybe it's a risk they're willing to take. I've known quite a few people who buy old boats, run them into the ground, and then park them in their yard and buy another used boat that runs, only to repeat that cycle. It's not because they like having old, worthless boats litter their yard. It's because they can't afford to keep up with the regular maintenance, but do occasionally find themselves in the situation where they can afford another used boat (maybe they got an inheritance or bonus check at work). Then again, some people are just lazy and irresponsible. Maybe they can afford the repairs, but they don't want to spend the time and effort to find a shop or do it themselves. Or maybe they have high anxiety issues and really don't like the idea of taking their boat to a mechanic. It involves putting yourself at the mercy of a stranger. Some mechanics will rip customers off, as we all know. So maybe their fear of that is getting in the way of better judgement. There are many reasons why. Most probably won't make sense to you until you find yourself in a similar situation. One things for sure, most people would rather have a new boat in perfect working order given the chance.

I learned from my grandfather and great grandfather. The later was born in 1903 and had been fishing his whole life, and lived until the ripe old age of 93. That's not only a lot of knowledge, but there were some serious transitions in the sport during that time! And his father before him taught him what he knew. One thing they all had in common, they farmed for a living, and fished just about every spare moment they had. They taught me to carefully observe nature. Pay attention to everything. The direction of the wind, the changes in the water, the sounds of the animals nearby, what they were doing, the color and size of the plants... It's all interconnected. If the cows in the pasture out back weren't eating, then save yourself the trip and stay home, because those cows were always eating unless something was wrong. They taught me how to catch or use all different kinds of bait and make your own fishing poles, hooks, etc. I've caught a lot crappie on hominy kernels and grasshoppers. They also taught me the importance of technology. Even though they knew the old ways of doing things, and still enjoyed fishing with cane poles and homemade hooks, they also enjoyed using all of the new lures, equipment, and techniques. And they encouraged experimentation. My grandfather might poke a bottle cap through a hook on a jig and I'd say something like "does that actually work?". Then he'd say something like "I'll let you know in a bit". I learned a lot of techniques from those two. But much more importantly, I learned a mindset, a passion, and patience.

It's a moving part that subjected to stress. Like pretty much all parts that move, bend, and deform, I'm sure there's some kind of break-in. I mean, a rod can warp, can't it? If nothing else, that proves that it can change without being destroyed. And there have been many studies done to measure the fatigue resistance of graphite materials, though I don't know of any done specifically on fishing rods nor the exact kinds of graphite used in them. But the general picture they paint is that graphite materials can change over time. That being said, graphite is known to be fairly resistant to fatigue failure when compared to similar materials. So I would expect any "break-in" to be extremely minimal. Perhaps even below what you'd be able to detect without specialized equipment. The more logical answer here is you getting used to it. The more you use it, the more you'll learn about how to use it, and the more subconscious your efforts to correct for it become. Or it could actually be breaking-in, and you're just sensitive enough to these subtle changes to detect them whereas most people cannot. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised either way.

Get used to the kayak first, without worrying about fishing. Just get used to moving it around, loading and unloading, and practice falling out and getting back in while on the water. Doing that will help establish your balance and get a feel for how to control the kayak with your balance. Once you learn to balance, which usually doesn't take all that long, then you'll see that you set the hook like normal. The only difference is you balance your body more with your core than with your legs, like in a bass boat, mainly because you're sitting down rather than standing up, and because your balance effects the movement of the boat more. You'll learn primary and secondary balance points. The primary balance point is where the kayak is centered and your weight is centered over it. Kayaks aren't very steady like this, so you have to really control your body to maintain this, especially if the kayak isn't moving. The secondary balance points are were the kayak is leaning over to the side, yet your weight is still centered over it. Kayaks are more stable when placed into the secondary balance points. You're closer to tipping over, but you have more control and stability here. Learn to transition between them. Do all of this stuff, and practice getting back into the kayak, without gear before you attempt to fish from it. I'd recommend an anchor, though I rarely use one anymore. I prefer to drift while I fish to cover more ground. Though, sometimes you need an anchor to hold up in a location to work an area, or for other reasons. The type of anchor you need will be determined by the type of water you fish. Some anchor styles do better in mud, and some do better in sand, and others do better in rocks, some do better in shallows and some do better in deep water. I also recommend an anchor trolley because where you tie your anchor is really important in a kayak. Also, make sure it has a quick release or keep a sharp knife on you that's easy to access. If a large boat passes by with a huge wake, or you get caught in high winds or strong currents, it can submerge your kayak and roll it if you're anchored in place. So being able to quickly release your anchor is really important. As for rod length, I don't think it matters much. Shorter rods do have some advantages on kayaks. But you can certainly use longer rods too. The longer the rod, the more likely it is to get in the way, but if you have a system to keep it out of the way (like rod holders) then longer rods will still work fine. Just use what you have now, and as you get used to it all, you'll figure out what your preferences are, and if you actually need shorter rods. I prefer about a 7' rod in my kayak. But then again, I prefer a 7' rod for just about every situation. The kayak doesn't change that.

Keystone is a fairly deep lake by Oklahoma standards. It's also not the clearest. As such, at this moment, I'm betting your best bets are gonna be topwater poppers in the shallows in the low light hours and deep diving crankbaits and lipless cranks during the sun. Those are easy to fish. You might have to troll the deep divers to get it down far enough (at lake Stanley Draper, which is similar in depth, water temperature, and clarity, the fish were suspending at around 25-35 feet yesterday). And you'll want to let the lipless cranks sink before reeling it in. The popper takes some practice, but you can see and hear it, so the instant feedback will make it easy to learn. Once the water cools down a bit (which should be starting soon) and the fish come back to the shallows, I might look at some spinnerbaits and mid depth crankbaits. I'd look for lures that are either black and blue, or chartreuse. I'd also look for lures that make noise, so the fish can locate the lures. EDIT: Nevermind the color and noise recommendations. I forgot how sandy it is up there and how much clearer the water is compared to the lakes in the OKC area. They might still work, but your water is clearer than mine, so you have more options.

That's it right there. If you're looking to add some stretch, you'll need more leader than if you're just looking to decrease visibility. And if you're looking to add stretch, you have to figure out how much stretch you want. And if you're just looking to hide your line, you'll want to consider the clarity of the water. Plus, you'll want to add in some extra for retying lures if you don't want to mess with that on the water. For me, it's usually about 3-6.5 feet. I don't like the knot making its way onto the spool, as it rubs against my thumb while casting. And the water clarity here is pretty bad, so 3 feet will still hide the braid. Any shorter than 3, and I don't have enough to tie on new lures without defeating the purpose of a leader. I like softer powered rods and slower actions than most people, so line stretch isn't something I'm looking for.

Use a mono backing. That's about all I can say. I have a few reels that are 30+ years old, and a pair that are 50+ that still get used. I either have braid, or have had braid on all of them. The only real difference I notice between them and newer reels is newer reels tend to have textured spools so that the braid doesn't slip around the spool. The older reels tend to have smooth spools, and benefit from a layer of mono to keep the braid from slipping.

Try a jitterbug. For topwater, night fishing, they're tough to beat. Just do a steady retrieve with them. Maybe a few pauses. Their subtle wiggle mimics bugs pretty well. Black ones are especially good at night.

Tradition is why they still do it. It's pretty much the reason why we do everything. Creatures of habit and all. But this would be my guess for why it started off that way. You're basically looking at negative time, i.e. the past, and below the surface of the water/air barrier. So in the traditional graphing layout world, you're looking at the lower, left quadrant. My guess is engineers designed it this way to begin with because this is what made sense to them. If it ran from left to right, it would be suggesting that it's showing what it predicts the bottom to look like in the future. Just put a little sticker of your boat over the top, right corner. Now it looks like all of that info on the graph is what is behind you, which if you're traveling forward, is going to be what the graph is showing.

I remember when I was younger, all of the older anglers would get mad at people who used electronics for fishing. They'd call it cheating and say it takes all of the fun out of the sport. Much like what people today say about people who use live bait or go trolling. Oddly enough, they didn't mind the live bait or trolling as much back then. I don't know if it would be any more exciting to watch on TV. I mean current televised tournaments are just a bunch of hooksets, reeling in fish, and weighing fish, then cut to the next guy doing the same (yawn). It's a bit like watching golf where the only shots you see are shots of the ball falling into the hole. I don't think any of that would change if you took out the fish finders, unfortunately. And you'd lose out on a bunch of potential sponsors. But maybe a bank fishing tournament, or wading, or unpowered kayak/canoe tournament would be interesting to compete in.

I've never had much luck with a buzzbait. Poppers, frogs, propbaits, etc. are what I prefer. It seems like the bass in my waters need that pause to want to strike. I've also had better luck with spinnerbaits just bulging the water at the surface than I have with buzzbaits that actually break it.

The FG knot is an easy knot to learn. It's just two steps repeated. What's difficult is learning how to hold four strands of line and keep them all tight. What I usually do is hold one end in my mouth, let the weight of the rod (or my foot) hold the other end, and then keep the knot tight with my left hand by pinching it, and use my right hand to tie it. I've never had one fail on me, and it took me all of an hour to learn and get good at. What helped me was I watched a few videos of how to tie the knot itself, so that I understood what the line needs to do to make the knot. Then, I watched this video, and it gave me the clearest picture of the body mechanics involved to do it efficiently. https://youtu.be/5G0FO7Iy-60 You don't want to try to learn the knot itself from that video. I'd use other videos with closeups of the line for that. But what it does show you is how to use your body to keep everything tight, while doing it quickly and securely. I saw several other videos that show you how to tie it with just your hands, or other supposedly simplified methods. And I'm sure they all work. But for just starting out, I'd recommend not trying to learn "the easy way". Instead, do what that guy does to make sure you learn how to keep it tight while tying it. Keeping the knot tight, or tightening it many, many times along the way, is really important to this knot. It's too long to try to tie it loose and cinch it up at the end like most other fishing knots. You have to treat it a bit differently. But, it's not really that hard of a knot to learn or tie right once you get it down. I have more problems with the Palomar on a long lure with treble hooks or a skirt and weed guard than I do with the FG. I just need more room to tie the FG, which means I usually do it a home while watching TV before going out, versus trying to tie it on in the boat.

I think he means that voltage meters designed for lead acid type batteries won't be accurate with Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePo) batteries, which is the type of Lithium battery used for trolling motors. LiFePo4 batteries have a very flat discharge curve, so they'll pretty much read a steady voltage until right before they die. The discharge curve on Lead Acid is closer to linear, making a standard voltage meter style gauge easier to use to measure remaining capacity. To get a good idea of the life left in a lithium battery, you have to have a device capable of constantly measuring and recording the amperage draw as well as the amount of time that the draw occurred over. In other words, it has to measure the actual amps and hours to get the AH remaining, versus just taking a voltage reading to infer the AH remaining.

Daiwa Fuego CT. The brakes alone make it a better reel than either the LFS or SLX. And, you can often find it for around $90 (they pop up about once a month at those prices these days, so if you don't see any, wait a few weeks. I just bought one last week on Amazon for that price.). The SLX is a bit smaller, if that matters to you. Otherwise, between the two, the choice really comes down to your preference between centrifugal or magnetic brakes. Both are well made, budget reels. I don't think you'd be disappointed with any of them. But the braking system on the Fuego is just about as good as it gets, and in my opinion, is even better than a dual brake system. Plus you keep the aluminum frame. And it you can often find it for about $10 less. All of that makes it hard to pass up.

About the only vegetation in the lakes I fish are water willows. There's also not many rocks. So I almost exclusively pitch a jig. They typically come through the trees and willows better for me.