Bankc

This time of year, I'll often have a lot of rods rigged up for topwater, so I can quickly switch between them. My preference is a M/MF casting, but I'll use a ML/F spinning or a H/F casting just as well. Whatever rods I have lying around will work. I don't lose too many fish on topwaters once hooked. I tend to ski them back so they never get a chance to fight.

Not really. Though I don't see why it wouldn't work if you wanted to try. Though, especially with Keitech's, the plastic is so soft, that usually the rest of the bait gets destroyed before the tail does. And if you want to fish a paddle tail without a paddle, then why not use a fluke? Keitech's aren't cheap, so I wouldn't go about destroying them on purpose. However, I've been known to reuse damaged plastics as long as they'll stay on my hook and catch fish. I've caught a lot of fish off craws without any claws. And I've caught a lot of fish off of the back half of worms and lizards. So if you fished it right, I don't see why it wouldn't work.

A kayak can be hung from the ceiling in your garage. look to get a truck bed extender and get a larger kayak (11.5ft. or more). That way you'll have more room and be more stable so you can easily stand up in it. Storing any plastic boat outside will greatly reduce the lifespan, especially if it's out in the sunlight. And with a tarp, you've got to worry about mold and animals. A pond prowler is not a bad idea, but they're going to be very heavy and much harder to transport by yourself. Plus, they're really not good for areas with more waves and wind. A kayak can handle wind and waves a lot better. I've had mine out in a big lake in 40mph winds. I don't recommend it. It was scary and dangerous (pop up storm that wasn't predicted). But it proved to me that the kayak can handle more than I feel comfortable taking on. The advantage of a pond prowler is if the weather and water are stable, then you've got a much more stable and open platform to fish from and you can take a buddy along. But you don't want to be in one if the wind kicks up. And if your trolling motor dies, you're going to be in trouble. They're very slow and hard to paddle, should you even remember to bring one. They're really just made for small ponds. But if that's all you'll ever fish, then they're a pretty good solution. In your situation, I'd consider a jon boat and trailer. You can store it outside without issue (being made of aluminum), it'll be big enough and stable enough for you, and you won't be limited by the places you can take it. Find a used one, and you'll be pretty close to the same price range of a new kayak or pond prowler.

Flukes and Spooks!

There might be a problem with the module on your car/truck. A lot of new cars and trucks use a pulsating digital signal to control the LED lights of your vehicle. So they're not directly compatible with bulbs in most trailers. So you need a specialized control module to convert that pulsating digital signal to a steady DC signal that will operate the bulbs. The reason I say this is usually the same signal is sent for brake lights and turn lights. So if the turn light works, but the break light doesn't, that says to me that the wiring and bulbs on the trailer are likely fine. However, as noted, it could also be a ground issue, as there might not be a strong enough ground connection to run both brake lights at once, but still a strong enough ground to run just the one at a time.

I like them for working topwater and just general, rapid fire, precision casting. You have to combine them with a short rod though. But from the bank or my kayak, they make working a top water or jerk bait a lot easier that the longer rods where you have to fight to keep the tip out of the water or the position it to keep the butt from hitting your body. That's less of an issue from the high ground of a boat deck. And if you're just cruising the bank and roll casting to cover with something like a square bill, it makes it a lot easier on your body to make those medium distance and accurate casts. You can get a pretty quiet entry with them too. Like most things, they have their time and place. It's hard to beat the shear distance these split grip 7'+ rods can provide.

Oklahoma! Where some of the best bass fishing in the country is just one state away! Seriously though, we have a good variety of lakes. Not a lot of big bass, and not a lot of good bass fishing lakes, but we've got just about every conceivable type of lake and all within a few hours drive. So if you wanted to train to become a well-rounded professional, I imagine here would be a good place to do it. That, and our lakes almost never freeze over!

There are days when matching the size of the baitfish really matters. There are days when using a different sized lure than the baitfish works best. And there are days where it doesn't matter either way. In my personal experience, Wednesdays that occur on odd numbered dates are the days where you should match the hatch. And the third Thursday and first Monday of the month are the days you should contrast the hatch. Unless the full moon takes place after the 13th and before the 23rd then you do the opposite. In other words, the only thing I'm sure of, is that I can never be sure until I've tried.

Sounds like a SOT (sit on top) kayak is the way to go. But be warned. An SOT kayak is a lot heavier than a sit in kayak. And good ones tend to be pretty large, and paddle like a barge. So it may not be that much easier to transport than your canoe. Plus, lots of people fish by themselves out a canoe, and don't have issues with that. So I'm not saying don't get one. But don't expect it to be the perfect marriage of the two you already have.

Medium Light for drop shots. You don't need much force to set the tiny hook of a drop shot, and you'll gain casting distance with those light rigs. It'll also be good for ned rigs.

That happens a good bit around here, especially this time of year. I keep a collection of Shad Raps and crappie/trout oriented crankbaits for that. In a month, they'll get bigger and I'll be able to throw normal squarebills and other normal sized crankbaits.

I got nothing. The Norman Fat Boy in chartreuse and black is my fallback when nothing else it working, along with a jig and Berkley Creature Hawg. But even those work less than half the time.

That's what I was thinking. And those aren't good.

Here's a better picture of my setup.

Maybe... It depends on how heavy the boat is and how hydrodynamic the hull is. Most trolling motors run at about the same speed. So you don't actually gain prop speed by going to a higher thrust motor. Higher thrust motors just don't bog down as easily. However, if you're using an undersized motor for your boat, then you will have to run it at a higher speed just to maintain the same speed you would with a proper sized motor. And in that case, you will consume more power because the power curve of a motor is logarithmic. A 5 speed motor typically doubles the current draw for every speed setting you go up, but sees diminishing actual speeds the higher you go up. But so long as the motor has enough torque to properly propel the boat, then moving up to a larger trolling motor won't net you any more speed, but will consume more power at the same speed. It's a balance thing. Too small and you're having to run the motor higher to achieve the same results. Too big, and you're burning extra electricity needlessly. Most manufacturers tend to over-estimate the size of boat that their trolling motors can handle, in my experience. So when it doubt, it's still usually a good idea to go bigger. But you don't want to go bigger just because.

I got mine for less than double the cost. A new 100 AH lead acid is about $180. I paid a little over $200 for a 50AH LiFePo4 lithium battery (Weize brand). It sounds like half the battery capacity, but remember, you're not supposed to drain a lead acid below 50%, and a lithium battery can pretty much be drained until the BMS stops it. So you're actually getting 50 amp hours out of each battery. Also, you get a slightly higher voltage, so you get more power, which means more distance because you're running the same speed at a lower setting. And, in a light boat like a kayak, you're pushing a lot less weight, which ups your efficiency a good bit. I sat out of the lithium game for a while too. But I think now is a good time to get in if you're replacing our battery.

You gotta get your sea legs! Seriously though, learn to absorb the waves with your hips and legs. After a while, it'll come naturally. Keeping your head still in space while letting your body move will stop that from happening. Of course, the waves can still get too big and you won't have enough range of motion to counteract them all. But if you keep your knees bent pretty good in bad weather, you'll give yourself a lot more range. With enough time on the water and experience in high waves, your brain will adapt and you won't feel it even when you're knocked around more than you can counteract. This used to happen to me a lot. But it's always windy here, and I'm always out on a kayak, so eventually my brain has adjusted to the point where it doesn't affect me. And oddly enough, this is something that I recently thought about. A while back I remember being on the water for a long day in really rough weather and was afraid this would happen to me when I got back to the ramp. But no. I remember being impressed with my ability to stand up in pretty bad weather on my kayak, and not being uncomfortable at all. I was even peeing over the side and not concerned about the big waves and wind coming up behind me, which would have frighted me something fierce a few years ago.

You have to find your cast. Just like every NBA player's shot is different, and every PGA player's swing is different, you have to find the cast that works for you. Whatever you do, it should be smooth and easy. If it requires a lot of effort or puts strain on your body, you're doing it wrong. Balance is key. Remaining balanced means you won't have to make corrections. Casting distance is all about smoothness. You want to smoothly accelerate the rod tip so it reaches maximum velocity at the moment of release. Even if you're short casting, you want that point of release to be the maximum velocity. Casting accuracy is all about repeatability. If you can do it the same way each time, you'll get better at it, as it will become highly predictable. And repeatability is all about simplicity. So doing what feels natural and try not to move unnecessary body parts (adding unnecessary complications). Try not to focus on what your body is doing. That's a good way to get lost in your head and mess things up. Focus on the lure. Think of the lure as an extension of your body. As long as your body stays relaxed and balanced, you're doing it right.

I'd look into a lithium deep cycle battery. They're much lighter, and you don't have to worry about draining them below 50%. Which means you can get by with a battery with half the rated capacity, and get the same run time, or one with the same rated capacity and double the run time. Sure, they're more expensive. But, they last about twice as long. And your kayak will run faster due to both having less weight and having a slightly higher voltage output. I have a Minn Kota Endura C2 30 as well, and gained 0.5 mph just from the switch from a lead acid to lithium battery. It literally weighs about 50 lbs. less (65lbs - 12lbs). There are lots of cheaper brands you can find online that work just as good as the more expensive ones claiming to be made in the U.S. if the price seems too high. The sad truth is, no one makes the cells or BMS boards in the U.S. so basically all they do is a final assembly here so they can double the price for a sticker with a flag on it. Of course, you're supporting a handful of domestic jobs and you get actual customer support should something go wrong. But I can buy two of my batteries and still save money over one of theirs. The Endura C2 isn't a PWM controlled motor. So unless you swap out the speed controller on it, it shouldn't interfere with your sonar. At least not in a way that would require the use of a second battery. And the sonar unit's power draw is pretty minimal, so you won't gain too much extra run time with a separate battery. The reason the Sonar died first is because it has a higher minimum voltage.

I gotta agree with this. I get a ton of breakoffs with the Palomar and fluorocarbon. It won't unravel, but it will pinch the line at the top of the knot under pressure. And fluoro does not react well to being pinched. So you'll see a clean break just above your knot, with no twisted line. I prefer the Berkley Braid knot for fluorocarbon. It doesn't kink the line and has almost twice the knot strength in my experience.

Thanks for sharing, and I'm glad you're all right. This is a scary thought. I don't know what I would have done. I've been stuck on tree stumps before, but never so bad that I couldn't wiggle my way free. You might want to pack a signal flare or a horn. I know there wasn't anybody else on the water, but there might be someone near the water that can call for help.

With any new technology, there will be stumbling blocks. EV's are still in their infancy. But they will come around. The first ICE vehicles were much worse than a horse in virtually all aspects imaginable. But with time, they came around. It took people who could see past the limitations and problems and instead envision the possibilities to bring us to where we are now. Love it or hate it, EV's are the future. There's no way around it. And it's not just because of environmental issues, which are severe, but also geo-political and economic ones. The law of nature is adapt or die. If you don't change with the world around you, you go extinct. That's the way it's always been, and the way it always will be.

Not a good one. If I can remember, I'll take a photo next time I'm out. I've been meaning to take some photos of it fully rigged since I've done a bit of work to it. But here's one of it on my SUV, and you can kind of see it from behind.

Fast. When the bass are biting a fast presentation, I'll usually catch a bunch. When the bass will only bite a slow presentation, I may just catch a few. One good day when they're biting a fast retrieve will equal maybe ten days of a slow bite retrieve.