TNBankFishing

That was the IMZ. More a prototype than a viable fishing product. I personally despise the DC whine, but even if it was silent I’d still prefer an SV spool for dealing with backlash prone techniques.

It’s not small for sure but when I pack up for the season i can fit all my remaining spinnerbaits, buzz baits, and bladed jigs. Lets me keep track of what I might need to buy before spring.

Not the person you asked specifically, but I’d absolutely buy a Titan 12.5 again. I felt incredibly safe even in white caps on the TVA system. The boat with rudder upgrade was nimble and responsive. Slow is more about your comfort level and fitness. It’s a big boat. No lying or sugar coating it. If you can pedal a bike solid for 15-30 minutes your going to be ok. If it’s your first time out all year you’re going to feel it in your thighs, but after a couple trips you won’t even notice. I used a bed extender and had no issues loading or unloading as an American sized IT professional. I’m not in shape, and haven’t been in 20 years. As 5by3 said it’s an amazing platform. I went from bone stock for a year to ending up with a spot lock bow mount and graphs by year 4 and the rig was just as stable and great to fish from.

The warranty and actions should drum up more interest but the big boys steal the show. I’ve fished a couple JWR rods in the line and were impressed.

Im the kind of fisherman that wants my gear to last more than a couple seasons. I fish the TVA system of reservoirs so I get all sorts of cover and vegetation. This means I lean towards non graphite frames. While I’m not dealing with Florida or Texas level of matts I’ve still got a decent level of heavy duty applications. $100 whatever used or discount aluminum frame reel I can get my grubby paws on. Last gen LFS, Tat, SLX. I can repair something if it breaks but the frame won’t warp if I drag up a 3lber plus 6lbs of slop. $200 used Zill. Done and done. If I’m feeling frisky and I come across a Bantam in good shape with an upgraded handle I’m also all in. $300 - $600 nothing here is heads and shoulders above the $200 price point. While it might shine and bling until there is a better workhorse than the brass geared Zill I won’t spend the money. Reality is a more expensive reel will not increase your bite detection or retrieve torque so I won’t spend money on marketing.

Fish what you like and much more importantly can afford to damage or lose. Fishing gear as a whole is a tool designed to assist you in catching fish. My old Lews LFS still slings a frog with the best of them, it just sounds like a can of nails jangling around on the retrieve. I prefer using my zillions but I’m not going to toss a perfectly good reel just because it’s not a “good” brand. Find out what you like to fish and buy more of that. Price point and brand can kick rocks.

Most folks never realize they already have this sort of protection and “waste” the $2. I find it shady and unnecessary.

Flambeau zerust max blade krate. I love mine. Works perfectly.

That’s not doing what they have to to stay in business. It’s poor choices driving away their customers. I’m sorry but if TW has a sale on something (even secret where it only shows up on your receipt) you had better match it. I’ve switched to copperstate tackle and haven’t looked back.

That’s the exact rabbit hole so many of us go down regardless of which platform we fish from. Does a power pole on a yak or talons on a fiberglass boat actually equate to more fish per season? Probably not much. Do we have to have them because we can? Of course.

I don’t see how it’s yak owners bashing on boat owners. You have two wildly different groups explaining their choices.

It’s like I said in my post. Your boat is almost overkill for fun fishing. You don’t even need that large of an engine. If you were tournament fishing it might put you at a disadvantage where less than a pound separates money bags.

The big caveat to this is what type of fishing you want to do the most. I absolutely prefer tournament fishing vs fun fishing. I love the competition and it makes a sport I adore genuinely more exciting. Before I moved three times in the last year and a half I was fishing 3 events a month from March-October in and around Tennessee. If I wanted to do that competitively in a boat I’m looking at minimum 40K. Even for a more affordable used fiberglass boat plus scope, talons, graphs, and associated odds and ends I’d be in trouble keeping the total under 50. A fully decked out yak with motor, graphs, power pole, scope I was in less than 14k. That price difference alone is what sells me on kayaking. I can fish more water, more tournaments, and travel pulling the entire rig with a lightweight trailer on my wife’s SUV.

I thought that was for a pair of them.

I imagine if you palmed it your right hand fingers would interfere with the ability to wind the handle. I fish left and palm my zillions 99% of the time. The only time I fish like that is rapid fire dock skipping.

If you’re using a captains bridge I think they assume you’re under power. If so the drive might not even be in the kayak or stowed on the back. When I had a trolling motor setup I ditched the pedals and my backup was paddles.

I understand some of the reasons for the choices you made, but have you thought about making a YouTube video talking about each line? I personally have never heard of the Outlier line and if you have one explaining the pros and cons could be useful for some folks.

And you still catch fish. It’s never the gear that gets it done. It’s the human on the end of the line that matters. OP, don’t feel pressured to use baitcasters. Fishing is about fun. Have fun.

Long game. Become a priest or minister in training. Work your way up and eventually take over the parish. Defeat demons and fish to your hearts content.

4/0 with the XL beast hook keeper. Early spring and late fall weightless because I’m moving it more slowly and the colder water lends itself to more bites. Summer I go 1/16 or up to 1/4 weighted hook depending on depth. While most folks fish it in less than 3’ I’ve had a ton of luck at 10-15 on the 1/4oz hook on deep dock pillars, submerged laydowns, and rock piles. I don’t think most bass see a fluke at those depths so it gets bit. I prefer the do-live stick or dshad because of the density of the baits and they both seem to shimmy on the way down. Caffeine shad 100% in less than 3’. I can’t put my finger on it but the caffeine in the shallows is money.

Zillion HD isn’t really anything but a normal brass geared Zill with a different spool and larger handle. While it’s neat you’re not getting increased drag or anything. And I’m not speaking out my backside, I own a Zill HD and love it for big speed cranks and anything frog related.

Had a Titan 12 for a number of years. Just use the scupper plugs. Problem solved. I don’t know how some people just live with soggy feet throughout a full 8 hour tourney.

I’d pass only because it’s a graphite frame and I don’t like separating reels based on their heavy/light use.

I’m unable to assist on finding a local alternative that isn’t more than 25% of the cost of the reel. Sorta wish they came standard on all reels. It would be incredibly strange to not have it on a spinning rod.

Technically there are 5.