Bankc

I'll be sure to let you know the reason if I ever do change my braid. If it fades, then it fades. The fish don't care. If it frays, then it frays. It'll get cut off eventually as I retie lures. If it gets low on the spool, I put some more mono backer on it. I like old braid. It's more supple than new braid.

Geese can be straight mean! But you do have to respect their devotion to family. Also, turkeys are the same way, if not meaner.

That's electronics for you! You can run into the weirdest problems with the simplest solutions. I'm glad you got it figured out.

Quoted for emphasis. Otherwise, just get whatever is cheap and will fit some place that's out of the way and yet still accessible. You don't need anything special.

I think I'd rather take two hooks to the nose (assuming small hooks like in the picture) every day than go to work, assuming they both paid the same and had the same benefits. Now, I've had some good days at work that would definitely come out on top in that scenario, but I think in the long run, it would still easily average out a net positive. Though, I would probably switch to barbless hooks.

If the light on the switch works, but the switch doesn't turn anything on, chances are good your problem lies after the switch. Check the connections on the switch and on the nav lights. Check the grounds and check for any inline fuses. It might also be a good idea to check the switch itself with a DMM to make sure it's passing power. But since the light works, it most likely is fine (assuming the cable running to the light didn't work it's way free). Also, double check the power at any junction between switch and the lights with a DMM.

Try Ace Hardware if you have one. They usually stock stuff like brass sheets and strips in various sizes.

I only use two colors. Realistic and high contrast. Sexy Shad is a good compromise between the two. I don't focus too much on matching the baitfish. I've gotten plenty of bites on trout or perch colored lures in lakes that have never seen a trout or perch. And for high contrast, it's always something like chartreuse, white, bone, fire tiger, or something along those lines. I've never tried black, though I imagine it would work.

I'd go glue gun as well. Rubber cement is great for soft, flexible, and porous stuff. It's not so great for hard and nonporous stuff. I bet you'd have problems with it holding up under strain. Hot glue is better for that. And, you can easily remove it with rubbing alcohol. Something like Marine Goop might also be a good idea.

No one fishes crankbaits enough. The only reason they even make any other type of bait is to help with the conservation of the species.

This sounds exactly like what I do. Works every time! Takes a minute, but is foolproof.

Is that a hard $100, or a "there abouts" $100?

I bet they'll tell you in that safety course not to enter waters that you can't safely navigate. If it's unsafe for you to slow down, and you can't navigate it at slower speeds, you probably shouldn't be there in the first place.

I use the Fish N Fool knot most often. It's basically a uni knot, only with a few more wraps (for braid, especially thin braid), and a double loop through the eye. It holds about as well as anything out there, is easy to tie, and doesn't produce a lot of waste (because I'm cheap).

Medium light as well. Also, St. Croix's tend to be a hair stiffer than their rating. So their medium light should fall between some other brand's medium light and medium. So it would be a good compromise.

If I'm fishing something that's constantly moving, like a swimbait, I don't even mess with a leader. The only time I find leaders worth the hassle is with slow moving or standing still style finesse baits, where the fish has time to take a look at your line. A reaction style bait shouldn't need one. And if you need fluoro or mono for some reason, it's better to fill the whole spool up with it. As for the FG and 8 strand, it should still hold just as well. As noted, you're probably not keeping it tight enough while you tie it. What I do is give it a little cinch after each twisted pair, and pinch the knot between my fingers. Then when I go to give it the big cinch after wetting the knot at the end, it moves very little, since it's already very tight.

Buying used is your best option. I'd forget the idea of looking for a true beginner's kayak. All they'll do is waste your money and leave you looking for an upgrade quickly, or hating the experience so much you abandon the idea all together. Beginning kayaks are also going to be less stable, and especially with alligators around, you don't want that. Look for something at least 12' long with a stadium style seat. Preferably 32" or more in width. Something with a flat floor that was made to stand up in. Even if you never stand up in it, you'll appreciate how less likely they are to roll over on you, should you hook a big fish. Also, the molded seats aren't comfortable, and you'll hate spending more than an hour in your kayak if you do. Take your time and search CL and FB for locals putting their old ones up for sale. That'll be your best value, as they'll often come with some upgrades that you would have probably gotten around to anyway, and they'll still be cheaper up front.

Ah. Yeah. I don't have spot lock (but that would be nice). And there's not much vegetation around here, since most of these lakes are man-made water reservoirs. They spray for grass so they don't clog the drainage pipes. And that extra 0.4mph give me about 30 more minutes of fishing time across the course of a day. There's a reason Minn Kota chose their prop geometry the way they did. It's a good overall balance between the most common needs. I'm just not their typical customer who's using the trolling motor for what it was originally designed for.

I'll might have to buy a batch of plane props. We'll see how long they last. But the speed and reduced noise make them worth it to me. Plus, they're about 1/3rd the price of the Minn Kota props, which admittedly do last forever.

Yeah, there are those types out there. For me, it's a local police officer. On one hand, it's hard to blame him because we have all of these different rules for different lakes in the city, and they're not well posted so you kind of have to do your own research. On the other hand, this guy is a power-tripping, extremely aggressive jerk and really loves to try to escalate things and intimidate people. The last time we talked, he tried to convince me that electric motors aren't allowed on kayaks shorter than 12' (mine's 11' 9"). But that only applies to one lake in the city, and not the one we're on. So he's screaming, chewing me out, stepping into my face and I'm calmly trying to explain to him how he might be mistaken, because I have the city ordinances memorized by number, and it just made him furious to have anyone question his authority. So I finally just told him I was a lawyer (a lie, but a legal one), and if he thought I was wrong then he should just write me a ticket and we'll continue this conversation in front of a judge. He let me go "this one time" but told me never to do it again. I've seen him several times since at that lake, and now he avoids me. He must have done his research after we talked.

My main lake is right next to an Air Force base, so we get tons of low flying jets flying overhead. So music would probably be okay, but you'd have to pause your podcast every 10 minutes or so, or risk getting lost.

I do. But that airplane prop is sturdier than it looks. It's fiberglass reinforced nylon. But the old prop just weighs a few ounces, so there's little reason not to bring it. Plus, unlike in a big boat, it's no big deal to break out the paddle.

I've been upgrading my kayak over the years for more speed from my trolling motor. I started off with a 30# Minn Kota C2 mounted off to the side, behind the seat. Max speed was about 2.9mph. Then I tuned the motor by rotating the housing slightly. Gained about 10% and was up to 3.2mph. Next, I experimented with the depth of the motor and found it worked best with the centerline about 12" below the water. However, I couldn't turn to the right without striking the hull, so this was no good. Later I mounted the motor on the stern and was able to get the appropriate depth and center the propulsive force and gained another 10%, going to 3.6mph. Next, I upgraded to a lithium battery which reduced my weight by 50lbs and upped the voltage slightly. My new top speed was 3.9mph. About another 10% increase. Lastly, I installed an RC airplane prop (APC 10x5 LH) and gained another 10%, bringing my new top speed to 4.3mph. I had to install a 3/8x3/4x3/8 nylon washer on the back of it to get the nut to secure it. I lost a lot of acceleration doing this, but it still only takes about 5 seconds to hit top speed. It's also quieter and I believe slightly more efficient. All in all, I went from 2.9 to 4.3 mph using the same motor and kayak. That's almost a 50% increase in speed! I don't think there's much more room for improvement without switching out the motor for a torqeedo or installing a planetary gearbox transmission. And while the speed is nice, with it came greater efficiency for longer outings and allowing me to cover more distance.

I prefer headphones or earbuds. It keeps other people from having to listen to my music, which is most definitely in the "aquired taste" category. Plus it helps not to scare the fish. That being said, a small, cheap Bluetooth speaker would be the way to go if you don't want to go through the cost and hassle of installing a permanent system. They sound pretty decent and if it gets destroyed, you're not out much money. Plus it would double for other uses like gardening or working on your car.

Everyone's different. Sometimes, I think it's hard for us to see that. We tend to view our personal needs as basic or fundamental, and therefor want to extrapolate that to society at large. But just because something is critical to our wellbeing, doesn't mean it's even helpful to someone else's. Take the recent pandemic as an example. I know a lot of people who experienced great distress by not being able to get out in large social groups. But for people like my wife and I, it was a blessing to not have to participate in all of that stuff. So while extroverts will look at people like my wife and me and think it's sad that we don't have more friends or get out more, we tend to think it's sad how many extroverts rely on others to make themselves happy or to give their lives fulfillment and meaning. But the truth is, we're all just different people with different needs. No one's right or wrong, and people different from us aren't missing out.