Bankc

For me, it depends on the reel, the rod, the line, and the lure. Some reels can be dialed in so that you don't have to use your thumb except to stop the spool as the lure hits the water. Some reels always require some thumb (especially older reels). Sometimes if the lure is really light, you need a soft rod to get much distance without having to cast too hard to the point where you have to back off the spool tension and compensate with breaks and your thumb. Whatever works for you, that's what you should do. I try to set up my gear for maximum distance with minimal thumb. I get a lot of tiny backlashes this way, but I can often clear them out by just lifting the rod while the lure sinks into the water. I could ease up the spool tension to get a bit more distance, but then I'd have to use more thumb, and I tend to be more focused on how I plan to retrieve while the baits in the air and don't like having to pay attention to the spool. I typically like to leave the breaks alone once I find a good setting for most baits, and only really adjust for wind and unusual circumstances.

As for getting pushed around close to a bank, I just drop anchor or use a stakeout pole. Trying the maintain a position like you would in a bass boat with a trolling motor is too much work. A pedal kayak would be slightly better, but really, just anchoring yourself is probably the best method. My kayak has a transducer hole, but you can't use it for side imaging, if that's something you want. It blocks the transducer's line of sight, and in my case (Lowrance Hook2 5), the transducer is too long to fit anyway. As for trolling motor vs pedal, you really just have to try both to see which you prefer. Same with the kayak itself. There's always a trade off with any features you choose, so you kind of have to figure out your own balance. That's a large reason why people tend to buy one, and then upgrade a few years later. It's not because there was something wrong with their old one, but because as they've gotten more experience using their kayak, they figure out what features they prioritize. With stability, you gain weight and lose speed.

It wasn't overfilled. Probably 100-125 yards of 30lb. I bought a 150lb spool and had a bit left over. I didn't have to cut any out. I usually keep my thumb just above the spool and can feel it start to fluff up, so I can slow it down or stop it. With my Abu 5000D's, which require some thumb to keep under control, I usually just have to give it a quick touch to keep it under control. With this reel, it was like an instant explosion of line. I hadn't ever seen anything like it. It wasn't so much flying over the top as the whole spool was just fluffing out. I'm thinking it might have been a combination of problems. It was probably a grease/oil issue where the spool ran inconsistently until it flung enough junk out to run properly, and me not getting the line on tight. Whatever the case was, it's fine now. I'll probably clean it out and relubricate it this winter, if not sooner.

Better than my luck. On more than one occasion, I've waited for the sale, only to find it's sold out. Then I find out the old model is discontinued, which is why it was on sale, and the new model is $20 more and winds up being less reliable. If you were okay with the price when you bought it, and you like it, then you got a good product at a good price.

suffix 832 this time. But I've also used various other brands of braid, like Spiderwire. And that might be it. I fill the spool and hold the spool the line comes on with a pencil, so it tends to go on pretty loosely. I put a bit of tension on it with my fingers, but between the heat from the friction and the mess it makes, I don't put a lot of pressure on them. I might want to find a better method of that's what's causing it. I usually spool my older reels in mono and my spinning reels in fluoro, so that is a common thread between all of the reels I've had problems with. And I've been known to use the same braid for years. I don't respool braid until the spool starts to run bare from constantly retying knots (and sometimes cutting off the last few feet that get frayed).

I just got a new BPS Tourney Pro 2 reel and took it out for the first time today. It was my first time with a dual brake reel, though I've used both magnetic and centrifugal brake reels before. I don't own many reels, and most of the ones I use are quite old (for instance, a couple of Shimano B-100 Mags, three Abu Ambassador 5000Ds, etc.). Anyway, for the first hour or two, it wanted to backlash on every cast! The only way I could get it to stop backlashing on me was to make the centrifugal brake completely engaged (all six pins) and set the magnetic brake to Max. Also, I had to tighten the cast control down so far that the lure wouldn't even drop under its own weight. Without those settings, or some extreme use of my thumb (which I was trying to avoid as only my 5000D requires much thumb) it would backlash almost immediately when I cast. I was angry and thought for sure that the reel was broken. But, a few hours later, I was able to cast normally using more normal settings (three pins on the centrifugal, magnetic at three, and cast control where it just started to slow the drop). By the end of the day, I was quite happy with it's performance. I seem to remember having a similar issue with my Tatula CT and when I replaced the bushings with hawgtech bearings in my B-100 Mag (and cleaned, polished, and lubricated it). At the time, I just chalked it up to learning the new reels, so I didn't really think anything of it. And I won't rule out user error. But seeing as I don't buy (or super tune) reels that often, I also don't have a lot of experience breaking in new reels. So my question to you is, has anyone else had a similar experience? Where the first several casts on a new reel don't represent what the reel will act like after a few hours of fishing? Do reels need to be broken in?

I just recently replaced some 30 year old Spiderwire. Nothing was wrong with it, other than the spool had gotten thin and the line lost its color. I had some 30 year old mono that I found still on the factory spool that had been kept in a tackle box this whole time. It was also fine. I used it for a while, but switched it out because I wanted to spool the reel with fluoro. If it's kept dry and out of the sun, and not baked in high temperatures, this stuff will last a really long time. It's plastic, after all. And plastic doesn't break down easily without some assistance.

I had a Tourney Special. Lost it last weekend. It was okay. It was a MH/fast 7'. The line guides were crap. The rod was a bit stiff and not as sensitive as I'd like, but it wasn't too bad. Especially for the money. But you could do better. When I went to replace it, I got a Tourney Pro 2, which is a lot nicer, but out of your price range. I have to use 2 piece rods, which always limit my selection. What I recommend is a Kastking Perigree II. I have one of them, and it's as sensitive as the Tourney Pro 2, but a fraction heavier. It also came with a MH and M tip, which is really nice! The only issue I have with it, is theres a mark to align the two rod sections that's off. It still aligns straight, you just have to ignore the mark. Otherwise, it's a tremendous value and a really good rod, regardless of price!

The price of the lure isn't an issue for me. If it's too expensive to lose, then I don't buy it. But I'm not above climbing a tree or walking out into the water. And the cost of the lure isn't a factor. I don't like losing stuff, especially if I can get it back. But I won't go swimming for it. About as far as I'll go is as deep as I can get with my shoes off and my pants rolled up as high as they'll go. I won't get my clothes wet for one. But I will climb a tree, so long as I think I stand a good chance of reaching it. I like climbing trees. Always have.

As a man without a confidence bait, I can tell you that you're not missing much. Unless you like tying knots. In my opinion, most of the time when the bite is on, it's on because of factors that go beyond the bait itself. What kind of lure you're using is far less important than when, where, and how fast you work it. The big reason I rotate out lures is to try a different area or depth.

My guess is, most manufacturers limit the amount of drag on purpose to protect the gears inside. Making a reel with more drag is easy. You just increase the size of the drag washers. More surface area equals more friction and greater heat dissipation. There's you're more drag. And there's plenty of room inside the reels for bigger drag washers. Those main gears are huge these days! In other words, it would probably cost the manufactures just a couple of pennies more per reel to more than double the max drag on most reels. So the reason they don't do it (because they would probably sell a lot more reels if it had double the drag of the competition and only cost a nickel more than it does now) is probably to protect the gears and other parts inside the reel. And any extra profit they'd reap from increased sales would get eaten up and more by warranty claims. So increasing the max drag beyond what it came with from the factory will likely shorten the lifespan of the reel. These engineers typically know what they're doing. And you can rest assured that the accountants and marketing department are doing everything they can to sell the maximum number of product at the maximum profit margins.

Thrust is a measure of how much weight the motor can pull, not how fast it pulls it. If your motor doesn't have enough thrust to pull the boat, then it won't be able to reach top speed, or it'll take a long time to do it. Increasing the thrust of the motor beyond the minimal amount necessary to pull the boat efficiently won't gain you any top speed. It might gain you a bit of acceleration though. Speed is controlled by the pitch and RMP of the prop. Trolling motors aren't typically designed for speed. So adding a new one won't likely get you much more speed, unless of course the old one is severely underpowered for you boat and the new one is the correct or better power. And even then, the speed increase will likely be minimal. What you need is an outboard motor. They make electric outboard motors. You might look into one of them, though they're not cheap for a good one (compared to a trolling motor). But they will get the RPM of the prop up considerably higher than what a trolling motor is designed to do.

Yes. Anything that can be done, can be overdone. Basically, the soap in the water acts as a surfactant. It's purpose is the break the surface tension of the water, and make it "thinner". That way, it more easily breaks up the gunk that comes off as you sand, and prevents that gunk from clogging up the sandpaper, making the sandpaper more effective and last longer. That gunk will also cause scratches in your finish. It's kind of the same idea as using a light oil. You're not trying to reduce friction on the surface, so much as trying to float off particles to increase the overall friction. It's often called a "lubricant" in this context, but that's not really a good term. You don't want a real lubricant while sanding, as that will reduce the effectiveness of the sandpaper. Imagine covering sandpaper in lithium grease and trying to sand. It won't work well. It'll sit between the sandpaper and your work and won't really let the two surfaces interact. If anything, you're trying to lubricate the gunk you've already sanded off to fall away, not lubricate the sandpaper and surface you're working. If you use too much soap, the soap becomes the bad kind of lubricant and the sandpaper doesn't do as good of a job. Though, I'd think you'd need a lot of soap to make the water thick enough to cause this problem though. Straight soap would do it. But you've got a fair amount of leeway to play with here. Still, it doesn't take too much soap to break the surface tension of water. And since even straight water should work pretty well, it would probably be better to err on the side of too little soap than too much. If you're having problems with the sandpaper clogging and scratches, try using more water as you sand. Sometimes, especially with really fine grits, you have to keep it flooded, and still be prepared to switch out sandpaper sheets often. Now, having said that, let me say that I've never actually sanded a boat. I've wet sanded a ton of things in my life though, mainly wood, metal, and occasionally plastic. Never fiberglass. So I won't claim to be the authority here or have direct experience with what you're doing. I'm just passing on what I've learned. I had a college professor tell me once that sanding was good for your soul (a sculpture teacher, one of my degrees is in art). He was crazy, for sure. But he had the right idea. When you get to the sanding stage, especially if you're trying to get a super smooth finish, you really have to prepare yourself to take it slow, be methodical, and not try to rush it. Know it's going to take forever, and be okay with it. Treat it like meditation; a chance to clear your mind. Trying to rush it will always lead to a subpar job. Just accept that it will be long, hard work, and find a way to enjoy the work.

I guess it could be an issue on some. A fish finder transducer is just a speaker and a microphone. I believe they're piezoelectric speakers and microphones, due to the need for efficiency at such high frequencies (although I could be wrong, I haven't looked it up). If they're not overbuilt for the task, I could see how they might overheat, and need to be submerged in water to help assist with cooling. Water has good thermal conductivity and exceptionally high specific heat capacity, making it an excellent choice for convective cooling. That's why they use it in everything from automobile engines to nuclear power plants. That being said, you could also just overbuild the piezo speaker so that under normal operating circumstances, you're not pushing it anywhere close to it's limits. In such a case, it would be fine to run it in open air, as it would never build up enough heat to require being submerged in water. So if the manufacturer says it's alright, then it's probably alright. The transducer is probably overbuilt enough to not need the extra cooling effects of water. If nothing else, that TS transducer is huge, so it might have enough surface area to effectively cool on it's own. But other than cooling, I can't think of any logical reason why it would need to be in water. I own several other piezoelectric speakers and microphones that operate fine in air, and will actually get destroyed if you submerge them in water.

Not a phone, but close... https://chillnreel.com/shop

That looks like a good price to me! One thing that I learned about buying kayaks is the price of the kayak itself is like half the price of what the whole set up is going to cost you. You get nickel and dimed like crazy on these things! With that in mind, you'll probably have to spend a little more on some other stuff. Like you'll need a way to store it (maybe a ceiling hoise for the garage?). For reference, I spent $500 on my Lifetime Yukon. I spent another $700 on all of the other stuff to go with it. And I never saw a deal that good where I live, or I would have jumped on it. Of course, that might just be my area, as I often see used kayaks missing seats and UV faded that people ask more for than I could buy brand new with a seat.

So many, I don't even know where to start. I've been chased by cottonmouths more times that I can remember. I've been hooked on the cast by plenty of novices (mostly kids). I've watched my uncle struggle to get the door to his truck open as the brakes failed and the boat slips into the water on a boat ramp while trying to load a boat. And I watched my grandfather hit his submerged truck with that boat and nearly knock himself unconscious on the windshield. I've been caught in a heavy storm in the Chesapeake Bay in a small ski boat (huge mistake) with swells higher than the boat and many miles out. But the one that sticks out in my mind the most isn't a fishing story. My dad ran me over with his ski boat while bringing the rope back to me while I was waterskiing. I was maybe 14 and I remember the pull of the water sucking me under the bow of the boat with such force that even though I grabbed the rail on the top as he hit me (going maybe 3-5 MPH), I didn't have the strength to hold on. And I remember kicking at the V of the hull to try to push myself away from the coming prop that I was being sucked towards. I don't know how I missed it, but I did. And what really got me was popping up, out by the stern, and hearing my dad laughing at me. If you want to mess up your relationship with your kid, almost killing him and then immediately laughing about it is a good place to start. I've got quite a few near death, and some involving death on the water stories (luckily none of the death stories involved people that I really knew). After all I've seen and been through, if you really want to tick me off, get in my boat and tell me you don't need to wear a life jacket. I will literally fight you over it.

That's more or less my experience. While there is a noticeable difference in gear ratios, you can easily adjust your retrieve to match any speed you want, or at least I don't have a problem doing it. I fish everything from a 3.8:1 to an 8.1:1 and I never really feel that one is too fast for any application, or one is too slow. I mean the 8.1 is just a fraction over twice the speed of the 3.8. The only time I worry about torque is if I get hung up and I'm trying to winch a bunch of vegetation up. And even then, I'm using the rod more than the reel for the torque. I think it might matter for more for saltwater anglers, but for stuff like bass, you usually have the drag set low enough that any torque advantage isn't all that important. I do notice that shorter handles will wear out my forearms though. However, I do sometimes like short handles on crankbait reels because I have a tendency to jerk them a bit on the retrieve (from spinning the handle in too small of a circle for comfort), which gives the lure a bit more of an erratic pace. It seems to generate more strikes, especially if you're running them in the middle of the water column. Or maybe that's just all in my head. Then again, I never fish for like 16 hours straight like some people will, and maybe its on the back half of that that those little details start to become more important. So it's just my personal opinion that with things like gear ratios, while they do make a difference, are more luxury than necessity. And tiny differences in gear ratios, like 6.1 to 7.1, are more mental than practical.

Facebook, Craigslist, Letgo, etc. The usual places for finding used items are probably your best bet. Kayaks are large and heavy, so shipping costs will probably kill any chance at saving money buying used from non-local sellers. You might look for any kayak specific stores near you. The only one near me does sell used kayaks. But they mostly deal in higher end kayaks, so even their used kayaks are over a grand. For me, the cheapest places to find kayaks were big box stores like Walmart, Dick's, BPS, etc. Most of the individuals on the internet selling their old kayaks near me were all asking for more money for a used kayak than I could find that exact same model for new. I'm not sure if they got ripped off when they initially bought them and then over estimated their worth, or if they just didn't believe in depreciation. Either way, I wound up buying new after a few months of looking at used ones. Your area might be different, however.

I have a Lifetime Yukon. It's a pretty decent little kayak. The seat is really comfortable! I can stand up in it, but the primary stability isn't all that good, so you have to shift your weight so that it tilts into secondary stability to feel stable enough on it to fish. I've found that I don't stand up on it too often, due to the fact that it's almost always windy here. I don't trust it or myself enough to try to stand in winds higher than about 10 MPH. I don't worry about it flipping, I doubt it would ever flip, but I do worry about losing my balance and falling out. In any case, I'm glad it's stable enough to stand in, because it makes fishing while sitting down a lot easier when you're not constantly having to balance yourself. It tracks well, but it's pretty slow. I rarely take it more than a mile out, and if I do go out that far, I'll be sure that I'm paddling into the wind (if it's 8+ MPH) on the way out so the current and wind can assist me on the way back. I get worn out pretty quickly on it, though I'm not the best paddler so that's probably a large reason why. Like most kayaks that you can stand up in, they're not very fast in the water. I've seen guys on peddle kayaks run up and down for much longer distances without the strain, but a peddle kayak isn't an option for me. So if you're planning on making longer trips in the water, or have to deal with wind or current a lot, you might consider a peddle kayak, or a trolling motor. Also remember that with a kayak, you don't need a boat ramp to launch, so it's a lot easier to launch next to where you want to fish, and make the distance you have to cover on water a lot shorter. I usually take 3 rods with me. Two stored in the rod holders, and one stored in the hull (accessible from the front bay). You could install more rod holders if you want, but I find I usually only use two. I have a Lowrance Hook2 5 TS, which is plenty big enough for a kayak. You could install a bigger one, but I don't think you'd need the bigger screen, since it's always within arms reach anyway. But as long as you positioned it in a place that was out of your way, I don't think it would be a problem using a 9+" screen. The TS transducer is too big to fit in a scupper hole, so I have to rig it over the side using a Scotty transducer and display mount. Since the transducer is off to the side and so large, it does create quite a drag which pulls my kayak off to the side while it's lowered. Not a big deal, but it is kind of annoying. So I usually lift it out of the water for longer treks. So I can fully recommend the Lifetime Yukon. I will say, however, that with anything kayak, there is always a tradeoff. So you have to base your decision on where your priorities lie. If you want stability, you lose speed and distance. If you want peddles, you lose shallow water access, loading weight, and money. If you want to paddle, you lose the ease of traveling greater distances at faster speeds. If you want lots of accessories, you lose space. If you want a longer kayak for more space and stability, you lose maneuverability. About the only thing that you can ignore the comprise on is the seat. Get one with a comfortable seat, or add one to it. No one ever complains about having too comfortable of a seat! Also, be sure to budget all of the other stuff you'll need. I find a kayak cart indispensable, as well as an anchor and anchor trolley. Plus, you'll need a place to store it when not in use. The HDPE plastics that most are made of deteriorate pretty fast in the UV light of the sun, so you won't want to store it outside in the open. You'll also want a good paddle, and good ones aren't all that cheap. Plus, you'll probably want a kayak specific PFD. An inflatable one would probably be fine, but if you go with old style life vest, you'll want one with an exposed lower back so that you're not leaning on the back of the seat with your PFD in the way, and with open shoulders so they don't chap your torso and arms while you paddle. Plus kayak gloves and shoes are pretty nice. Just something to keep the blisters away and keep your feet from getting water logged while still protecting you from sharp rocks that you might have to stand on while loading and unloading.

Have you tried updating the software for it? Lowrance released a newer version of software, and while it wasn't made to address the issues you're having, if the old software is corrupted, it would fix that. That would be the first thing I would do, as that would also reset any weird settings you may have accidentally engaged that could be causing those issues. From there, I'd try cleaning out the connectors for the transducer with some electrical contact cleaner and reseat it a bunch of times.

I've repaired lots of plastic by welding. Most plastic boats these days are made of HDPE (high density polyethylene). The photo looks like HDPE, but it's hard to tell from a photo. I would see if you can verify from the manufacturer the type of plastic used, just to double check. If it is HDPE, you can find scrap plastic pretty easily. Just look for the recyclable number "2" marked on the plastic. Usually, milk jugs, water bottles, and some mild household cleaners are sold in HDPE bottles. However, if the boat isn't made of HDPE, then you'll want to find out what kind of plastic it is, and match that. The trick to plastic welding is to use the same type of plastic as what you're trying to fix. Mixing plastic types can cause issues. I use a 30 watt soldering iron to weld plastic. Be sure to apply too much to begin with. Then use the back side of a large spoon to smooth it over, and sand paper to sand it down. It's really easy to do, assuming your welder doesn't get too hot and burn the plastic, or not hot enough to melt it. But it's really hard to do in a way that doesn't look like it was welded. In other words, it'll be functional, but probably not pretty. Another trick you could try is to solvent weld it. That's where you take a glass jar with a lid, like an old pickle jar, and fill it with acetone. Then put some ground up shavings (or small pieces) of HDPE plastic into the jar, and let it sit for a while (it could take a few days). Check it periodically to see when the plastic is liquidized into a soft paste. Don't let it dissolve into a runny liquid, as that will be too hard to control. Then, apply the HDPE paste to the area you wish to patch. In your case, you'll probably want to back the hole with something to keep the HDPE paste in place until it dries. Also, you way want to do several thin layers, giving each layer time to dry completely before beginning the next layer. If you do too thick of a layer, it'll skim over and the insides won't dry out and harden. It's also good to wet the edges of the holes with acetone several times a few hours before you begin the patch, to help soften the old plastic so it'll melt a bit and bond with the new plastic. For something as thick as what you have, I'd recommend the heat welding method, as it'll be easier and quicker for you. But the solvent method has it's advantages, and they can both do what you need.

Not necessarily. There's some science behind how to charge a battery. The cheapest ones use what's called a "trickle charge". This is just a low voltage charge that slowly charges the battery. It doesn't require any special circuitry, and it's relatively safe, as it doesn't tend to overheat the battery too badly. A battery maintainer is basically an advanced trickle charge, that can cycle on and off. It prevents the battery from generating unnecessary heat, which will shorten the batteries lifespan and generate heat and waste electricity, yet maintains a steady charged state. The more fancy chargers, often called "smart" chargers, will run a 3 stage system where they'll run a high voltage at first and then gradually lower the voltage until it reaches the trickle charge state. What this does is it not only charges your battery faster, but it can put a deeper charge into your battery, making it last longer, while also extending the overall lifespan of the battery (because it prevents he battery from overheating). Now when I say it puts a deeper charge into the battery, it's not a night and day difference. It's a difference for sure, but it's not going to perform miracles. They used to make "fast chargers" which just did the high voltage stage charging on a timer, and then dropped to a trickle when the timer ran up. You don't see these as often, as the smart chargers cost about the same or less to make, and offer better performance and safety. Now in practice, does any of that mean anything to you? It all depends on how you plan on using the charger. I'd get a trickle charger with a battery maintainer if you plan on just leaving it hooked up all of the time when not in use. I'd get a cheap trickle charger if you're okay with hooking the battery up a few days (give or take depending on the current state of the battery) before going out on the water. If you need it charged faster, or will be pushing the limits of your battery (i.e. if you have completely drained your battery before), then a more advanced smart charger might be worth your money. So they're all different. And different chargers may have a mix of these features. But to be honest, I think most people could probably get by fine with any of them. As long as you follow the directions and don't overheat your batteries, yet give them enough time to reach a full charge, they'll likely all work well enough. Just make sure to remove your battery from any small, confined areas before charging so any gasses it releases and heat it generates can escape.

Definitely replace all of them. If you have batteries of different capacities, brands, or different ages, then you have batteries with a different internal resistance. What happens when you run them in series is you get some of the batteries being tasked to push harder than the others, because the load is not equalized between them. If the difference is great enough, this can cause you to have batteries that overheat, and in some cases, explode. The last thing you want is to have a hydrogen gas explosion that spews sulfuric acid on a boat in the middle of the water. I'm not saying that that is the most likely scenario, and I'm sure other people have mixed batteries and never had a problem. But it is a realistic possibility. I've seen it happen before, and more than once. Luckily, never on a boat.

I've been lucky. I've quit shopping in stores and started doing a lot more shopping online if possible. But that's about it. Work only slowed down for two weeks and all of my family and close friends have managed to stay safe. I don't even miss being out in public all that much because I'm an introvert, just like my wife. Sure the lakes are more crowded, but the lakes are always crowded. The difference between "too many people" and "more than too many people" isn't a practical difference. In any case, I try not to complain about that type of stuff. I mean, if I'm there too, then I'm just as guilty as everyone else. We all have the same right to be there.