Axle

Haha definitely! I was fishing last summer...threw my jig out (didn't land where I wanted it to), then my kayak drifted into some branches. It seemed like a good stopping point, so I took a little break and ate a sandwich. I went to reel in my jig (didn't even know where it was anymore) and I had a fish on.

I haven't tried this knot, but have watched a lot of this guy's videos. He tests most of the popular knots out there in a scientific way, with much better equipment then I have access to. If you like to nerd out about fishing line and knots, you will love his channel! You can just fast forward to the comparison charts if you want. He also has good tips for number of wraps for various types and weights of line. One of the most surprising things I have learned from his videos is how weak most of the braid to leader knots really are. I have no affiliation with him, but have learned a lot more from his videos then I have from the endless "which knot is best" threads.

I just tried it with my wife so far. She ordered some stuff from academy, and we each got a $40 credit in our accounts.

Thanks for this! I had never heard of Rakuten. It was easy to sign up for. It already shows the money in my account from my academy order. If anyone else wants to try it, pm me for a link and you can get $40 back from your first order.

If you are looking for someone to help you dispose of those extra gift cards that are just laying around, I can send you my address!

Thanks, looks like a nice option!

Thanks! You helped me (s)save(s) spend some money.

+1 to this. I have caught a lot of fish on their jigs this year.

They have reels out like usual at my local Cabelas-but your store may be different

I think all the big names sell a good solid reel for around the $100 price point. The big differences come down to the style of brakes and how they feel in your hands. I would recommend holding them in the store if you can, because they all feel a little different. The Lews lfs feels a little smaller to me then the shimano slx, which feels a little smaller then the diawa tatula/fuego. I like the mag force brakes on the Daiwas. They are easy to use and pretty forgiving.

Hey, just curious what you think of this net by now? I was looking at them tonight at Cabelas and they seem pretty decent.

If you want short and stable, you need more width. This will be slower to paddle. It is always a compromise when picking a kayak. I would highly recommend trying a few out before you buy.