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Sadly, I don't think they would. At least not much. I know I've had several incidents where a power boat was heading right for me and not paying attention. Either their watching their graphs, or watching the skier/wake boarder they're pulling, talking to a friend, or in one case, didn't know how to set the trim and was running around with the nose pointed almost straight up in the air! You'd think they'd see a 6'2" man standing up with a bright orange PFD, but they sometimes don't, and I have to take action. I think there's just too many power boaters who don't understand how dangerous their craft can be. I've even had a few buzz me on purpose to swamp my kayak because they thought it was funny or something. I'd like to see more patrols on these lakes, or at least make people pass a test and get a separate license for boating. Even if it's just an online, written test. But regular patrols would be ideal. I'd say less than half of all boaters around here seem to respect the No Wake buoys and many will drink openly, as if it were legal. And it might as well be, because there's no enforcement on the water, and everyone knows it. And on the opposite end, there are too many small vessel operators who don't understand just how vulnerable they are. You've got to keep your head on a swivel and always assume no one else sees you. If you hear a motor, find it and keep an eye on it. It doesn't matter how far away it is. In my experience, nine times out of ten, a close call can be predicted a full minute or more before it happens, which is enough time to make it not a close call. And keep a signaling device like a horn or whistle on you and at the ready.

The biggest bass will get the best spots. They can push off the smaller bass, if they want. Now, what constitutes a best spot? Because on a highly pressured lake, the shallow cover might not be the best spot. In my experience, the more pressured a lake is, the deeper the large bass will often go. In that situation, they are both predator and prey. Of course, there are exceptions abound. But on a small, private pond that rarely gets fished with no natural predators, you'll often find the biggest fish near the shallow piece of cover where all of the baitfish congregate. In that case, they're the top of the food chain, and not worried about being exposed or hunted.

Changing wheels is a easy as pulling a pin and swapping them out. As long as your kayak isn't on the cart at the time you do it, it should be really easy and take less than a minute. But I wouldn't worry about changing wheels. Either wheel will do fine on hard surfaces. No real difference there. The beach wheels will do better on loose sand. But on compacted sand, they'll perform the same. The airless tires won't need to be filled up, so there's one less thing to worry about there, and since they're slimmer they'll get through thick weeds and around large rocks easier. But for 99% of the stuff you encounter, they'll likely perform the same. Even if the beach wheels start to get low, so long as they aren't really flat, they'll still pull fine. You're not traveling huge distances or at high speeds, so it's typically not a big deal. And the wheels don't generate thrust or turning forces, so it doesn't really need grip. What is a big deal is getting everything balanced and secure.

I'd look up all of the lakes you plan to fish and see which of the two offer the best maps of those lakes. I know a lot of people love the Navionics, and I'm sure it's great for them. But for my local lakes, the C-Maps have much more detailed maps. Some of these lakes are only available on C-Maps. Navionics will just show you floating around on dry land. So, for me, the choice was clear.

It's the impact of bears in Canada catching fish out of streams that feed into U.S. lakes where we use the imperial system of measurements. It makes the bass more skittish and less likely to bite.

It's the speed and direction of the change that matters, not the raw number. Barometric pressure also changes with elevation. It's a lot higher at sea level (29.92 is considered "normal" there) than up in the mountains. For instance, Denver's average is about 24.9. Now, if you look up Denver's air pressure on the internet, you'll likely see a number listed closer to 30. That's because they use a "corrected" number that assumes the average air pressure for any elevation to be 29.92. But if you had a barometer on hand, you'd get a much lower number than that. And it's kind of like that everywhere. So the number you see published is very rarely the real number, unless it's a coastal town. And just like how we can get elevation sickness by rapidly ascending or descending a mountain, if we gradually climb a mountain over a period of several weeks, our body will adapt and we'll never notice the effects. Same with fish. It's not the degree of overall change, but the speed and direction that matters.

A hundred-bass day isn't even close to realistic for me. It doesn't even sound setup for a fairy tale where I'm from. Like if someone at the dock told me they did that, I'd probably flip them the bird. I'd be that insulted that they thought I was that dumb. A 25 lb. bag is possible. Though not very likely in these lakes. Though, there are lakes I could go to that aren't too far away where that could raise the chances of that happening up to an achievable goal. The DD bass is what I'm going for. It probably won't happen as there aren't many in these lakes near me. But every year, a handful get caught in these lakes, and one year it will be my turn!

It's all personal preference. I've switched back and forth many times. Whatever's best is whatever's most comfortable for you. Reeling isn't a fine motor skill, so you don't need to do it with your dominant hand if you don't want to. Switching will take some getting used to, but it's something you can adapt to pretty quickly. There are small advantages and disadvantages either way. But nothing big enough to make one or the other the obvious choice. Hence why so many people will do it different ways.

Yeah. Like just about any new technology, the first few generations have a lot of bugs to work out. In particular with planes and boats is the weight of the batteries, which is significantly higher than that of an equivalent amount of gasoline. In cars and trucks, the weight is less of big deal since the increase in torque largely makes up for it, and you're not trying to keep it suspended in or on a fluid medium. Still, solid state batteries are on the horizon, and once they go into mass production, this will likely become a much more viable technology for the average person. You can recharge quickly and easily, they'll weigh much less, and probably be even safer than gasoline. This is the direction we're all going and in probably 10-15 years it'll just make more sense than the old gas engines. They'll be cheaper, faster, and much more reliable. But we're not there yet. And where the tech stands now, it's really more of a toy for wealthy people to play with than a practical solution for the budget conscious. And that's a good thing, because it sustains the sector and keeps money flowing in to allow for more development and gradually larger scales, where it will inevitably become the standard. So I'd say, if you're looking for a practical way to get your boat around a lake, then stick with the tried-and-true gas engine, for now. But if you have the money and want to be a part of the next wave and don't mind working around a few bugs, then go for it!

Yup. My answer to that is some good insurance. Good insurance will make you quickly flip from feeling like a victim to feeling excited about getting a new boat.

Although lithium batteries are excluded from the video, I think it's important to point out that you need to be careful about leaving them plugged in all of the time. The reason being that you don't want to try to charge them outside of their normal operating temperatures. You don't want to charge them above about 140°F, which sounds high, but if they're out in the sun on a hot day and heating themselves up from the act of charging, you can surpass. Also, you don't want them to charge below 32°F or freezing. On a good battery, the BMS will shut the battery down before those temperatures are met, but it's best not to test it if you can. So it's okay to leave the battery on a lithium charger with a maintenance mode, but only if you're temperatures aren't going to be swinging into the extremes. Also, lithium or lead acid batteries both do best when stored at around 80% charge. So if you're planning on not using the battery for a long time, it's better to take it off the boat and not keep it on a charger (even with a maintenance mode), but instead to top it off once a month or so, so it doesn't drop too far either. However, if you are using the battery often, you want it to be fully charged when you're ready to use it, and it won't shorten the lifespan of the battery by that much to keep in on a maintenance charger, so that's a good compromise.

I have a good buddy who was a locksmith for many years. I got to watch him do his job on many occasions (since he was always on-call). Trust me, if a thief wants your stuff, they will get it. He would unlock cars, storage facilities, houses, safes, you name it, in seconds. Even if the lock was rusted shut, he could cut it off before anyone around took notice. Here's what he'd say about security. There are two kinds of thieves, the ones who steal something because the opportunity presents itself, and the ones who intentionally steal something specific. You can't stop the latter. They will plan around any measures you put in place and come prepared. But you can stop the former with literally anything that makes your stuff harder to steal than the stuff next to it. In the case of a tire, get some wheel lock lugs. They're easy to remove for a thief, but not as easy as regular lug. And keep the key in your boat. That way you'll always have it. Sure, it'll make it easier for the thief to find it, but having to look for it will move them to the next trailer over.

Shaky head. It's the closest thing to a written and notarized guarantee that you'll find in your tackle box during the prespawn.

I'm firmly against Costas because they're owned by Luxottica now, which has singlehandedly ruined the eyeglass market and made the whole process largely unaffordable (in my opinion, of course). There are plenty of documentaries and articles online if you want to know the details. But the gist is you can get a pair of sunglasses as good or better if you buy from another manufacturer, because there's no patents or technology out there that significantly places them ahead of anyone else. It's a marketing hype machine. Again, in my opinion. As far as glass versus polycarbonate, I actually prefer acrylic. It's more scratch resistant than polycarbonate, and while not as impact resistant, it's still plenty impact resistant for fishing. It might not stop a bullet, but it'll stop a 1oz. bullet weight with no problem. It's also clearer and transmits light better than polycarbonate. It's honestly the superior product, but polycarbonate is more expensive and actually bullet proof (at least with a .22), so some brands will use that instead and pretend it's a superior material so they can charge more. It also doesn't last as long due to the scratches, so they get more turnover from customers and can sell more glasses. The glass uses in glass glasses is crown glass. It's actually a lot more impact resistant than the standard glass you'll find in windows and cups. It too should stop a bullet weight (if in the right thickness), be a lot more scratch resistant than pretty much anything short of sapphire, and be clearer than any plastic lens. The reason why they're not used much anymore is because they're very heavy and acrylic did a good enough job at a cheaper price while significantly reducing weight. And on a pair of sunglasses where you're going to be sweating a lot and looking down, weight is probably a bad thing.

I am in the process.

When fishing barbless, I always try to ski the fish back to the boat. Just reel them in as aggressively and quickly as you can. If you can get ahead of the fish pull them in before they get a chance to fight, you stand a pretty good chance of landing them. If you've got a big one that's peeling drag, then I don't know what to do. Pray?

I'm not old and can still see just fine, but I like hi-viz braid because with the wind here, it can be hard to see that moss green against the waves and constantly changing reflected light unless you get the sun in right position. With a T-rig, it's less of an issue because it's usually heavy enough to pull the line straight and feel for bites. But with a ned rig, wacky rig or shaky head, it can be really hard to fish without it.

Most sealed batteries should handle getting splashed. The vented (flooded) lead acid batteries won't handle getting submerged, but they won't like getting turned upside-down or on their sides either. And some lithium batteries are rated IP67, which is probably about what most battery boxes will be rated. And even most lithium batteries not rated as waterproof will come in the same sealed housing as the ones that are rated as being waterproof, hinting that maybe most will have some water resistance capabilities. It's probably just that the manufacturer doesn't want warranty against it, so they don't advertise it. IP67 is only for submersion up to 1 meter deep and for only up to 1/2 an hour. And keep in mind that's calm water with a soft immersion. If you drop it from a height or subject it to waves, you'll be exerting a lot more force onto it than a simple 1 meter submersion. So a quick roll over should be fine. If your kayak rolls over and stays that way for a while, it could be a problem. If it falls off the kayak and sinks to the bottom of the lake, then it's probably toast.

Why do you need a battery box? The same technology that keeps the electrolyte from leaking out of the battery keeps the water and gunk from leaking inside. And at 12v DC, shorting from water exposure shouldn't be a problem. And certainly not in freshwater. I have one for a 7AH SLA battery that I DIY'ed out of an ammo box. I still use it because it's designed to mount to my kayak behind my seat. But for the various deep cycle batteries that I've used for my trolling motor, I just leave them as is and have never had a problem. Now if you need one for some reason, especially if your looking at a 20Ah which is a weird size that might be hard to find an aftermarket battery box for, DIY is probably your best option.

Exactly. You want them tight, but you don't want to stress the leader line. So if you're using 6# leader, don't pull harder than maybe 3 lbs of pressure. If you keep it tight after each wrap, you really don't have to pull very hard at all. Also, be wary of overtightening your wraps. If you pull them too tight, or tighten them at the wrong angle, you'll have a situation where one set of warps overlaps the previous. Then you get a small bump in the knot that acts as a weak spot for the knot to become unraveled. If you pay attention, and with some experience, you can usually feel when this happens, as it can be a bit hard to see with tiny diameter lines. Just make sure your lines always come out the back of the knot and don't stick out of the sides just in front of the rear of the knot.

I mean, if you enjoy obsessing over things, then why not? A lot of people love doing research and learning all of those tiny details and figuring out how all of the pieces fit. That can be part of the hobby too. But your wife is right in that the whole point of any hobby is make your life rich and your bank account poor. It's easy to get lost in the pursuit of getting better in a hobby and lose sight of what drew you to it in the first place. And it's good to step back every once in a while and take stock of where you're at. A little self awareness through reflection never hurts.

You can catch fish pretty much any way. But generally, it's best practice to push the hook all of the way through the plastic bait, and then bury just the point of the hook back into the bait, with just the tiniest bit of plastic over the top, so that it breaks free easily. This is often called Texposed or skin-hooked (not to be confused with skin-hooking a bass where the hook just penetrates the skin of the mouth. However, if I'm pulling through heavy weeds, I'll usually bury it in a bit deeper. This keeps it from popping out as easily and getting fowled up in the weeds, but it also keeps it from popping out as easily and getting hooked into a fish. So the compromise is the harder you make it to get hung up on things, the harder you make it to hook a fish. Also, with me it can depend on which type of hook I'm using. With an EWG hook or something with the point of the hook inline with the eye, I'll typically not bury the hook as deeply into the plastic, since the hook is less likely to get caught up as it's pulled through stuff anyway. But if I'm using a standard hook, I'll typically bury it further when fishing in heavy weeds, as the point on it sticks out beyond the eye of the hook and is thus more likely to get hung up. In some situations, I'll even not push the hook all the way through, and just bury the hook about halfway through the worm. It's not best practice for hooking fish, but when fishing through something like reeds or water willows with a standard hook, it might be the only way to get the bait cleanly through.

If 5 worked, then it worked. Though typically, I start off with 5 minimum, and increase the wraps with thinner diameter lines. With 8# fluoro and equivalent diameter braid, I'd probably go for around 6-7 wraps. More important for the braided side than the fluoro side. Around 12# and above is where I hit the 5 wraps minimum.

Lack of speed. Lack of casting control. Lack of high drag. Inability to use high pound test fishing lines. Wind knots. These would be the big disadvantages of going to all spinning reels. None of them are insurmountable. You can just crank the reel faster to make up for the speed. Skill will determine casting control more than gear, and you may have enough control already with spinning gear. You may not need more drag than you have. And you may not use higher pound test lines anyway. If none of those downsides matter to you, then you're all set!

Use your confidence bait. On a lake you've never fished before, you'll get yourself skunked trying to figure out lure AND location. Narrow that down to just trying to target big bass, and you've pretty much guaranteed failure, barring a random stroke of good luck. It would be best to stick to the lures you're most comfortable with and focus on finding the best spots. Or better yet, look for the best spots in the worst areas. That often does me well. The locals will know all of the best spots and will likely beat you to them. But sometimes finding a really good spot in an area that's easy to overlook will produce a good fish or two. Like at the boat ramp, would be a good example.