FishTax

90 here, water around 80. Bass are smashing bait against the banks still. Haven't been out on kayak recently to find out what's going on off shore but I'm sure there are some chilling out there waiting to laugh at my attempts to catch them.

This wouldn't necessarily be for fishing. That's what my old town is for. This would be for wife, kids, and friends to go on lake. If fishing, one or 2 rod holders would be nice but there won't need to be tons of storage or anything. They'll be kept in the woods locked to a tree..

Great thanks! I've been wanting to try one, not sure if I'll like it or not. Feel like I'm constantly adjusting to do a quick couple flips and then a bomb cast so it seems like it'd be useful.

Who uses a reel with a flipping switch? Do you like it? What is a good value one that doesn't cost a kidney? The bait monkey tells me I need to give this a try...

Not to derail this, or let too much secret sauce out, but you didn't necessarily need huge grass mats or tons of frogs in the region to be successful frog fishing. They can look like many things to a bass and are just another topwater option that happens to be super weedless..

My local lakes are water supply and charge a fee. Kayak used to be $5, just increased to $7, to load your own. $20 to rent one, or a Jon boat. Boat cost $10. It's well maintained and has big bass, so I'm ok paying it. Tons of pressure. I'm not happy that they just used my money to buy 300 grass carp. There goes what's left of the hydrilla 😔

I was thinking under $500 price point, probably under $400. The seat is probably most important and I think I can get a stadium seat model around $400 on sale new. Maybe less used. Maybe I'll get a 'nice' cheap one for my wife, with good seat and such, and a really cheap one for kids. I'll definitely watch some YouTube videos. Pelican and lifetime are both in the target price point with various models, pelican stands out as better features from a quick glance but I need to research more.

I'm looking to get a couple of cheap paddle kayaks to keep in the woods near the lake. Basic stuff, low budget, but functional enough and comfortable for up to 2 hours of use. Academy has a good sale right now, and I'm always watching FB market also. Any recommended brands or models, or anything you'd recommend avoiding from personal use? Keep in mind I have an old town 106 and am very experienced kayak fishing, these will just be for friends and kids.

Academy has strike King hard baits BOGO free, which means red eye shad is 50% off @Pat Brown bait monkey says time to restock 🐒

I would find the one piece of wood in the slop, hit it with my jig, think it's a fish, set the hook like a boss, and spend 20 minutes trying to retrieve my jig while ruining the spot.

I wear the store brand one from academy and am very happy with them. Light weight, great pockets with zippers that can hold a couple bags of plastics on each side, fast drying, etc. Zip fly should go without saying.. I didn't get the convertible ones but they do make them. This review is for the regular ones. Magellan hickory canyon stretch cargo pants. $30 but sometimes on sale for less...

That's what I'm worried about re: paths. There is not an easy way to the water without a truck ride. I'm thinking maybe a switchback trail that hits the back of the cove at an angle so it isn't very visible. And maybe a few signs on the land about 15 yards up off the water, and a game camera. Definitely still chewing on it.

I'm under contract to buy a house in the woods that has a lake on 1.5 sides of the land (there is a cove so I'm on a point sort of). Currently the water is barely visible and mostly inaccessible. My challenge is to create a path (or 5) to the water so that I can fish, and load kayaks in. I'm trying to decide if I'm comfortable giving up privacy for lake views, as any view of the water gives the water a view of me. The lake is open 4 days a week and is electric only, so there are lots of kayaks in the area during warm weather. I know there is a lot of detail and personal preference involved, but I'm curious on what everyone here would do with the thick woods obstructing lake access? My initial thought is just one good path and can pull a kayak down and load in from.

I keep my boxes in a tackle bag. Things get hot, but I think more likely to be damaged leaving them in hot truck than on my kayak while fishing. Moving around, in and out of shade, etc.. I've had a few things melt but usually only when exposed for an extended amount of time.

@Siebert Outdoors order arrived. I couldn't be more pumped!

I tested skipping a pad crasher this morning and it worked like a charm. To me they are more forgiving because they bounce off the water from being hollow. I'd say just get out there and practice with it, and I bet you get it down in 10 min.

I'm definitely interested in a single hook rooster tail. The trebles basically hang every time it touches bottom where I fish most of the time, so much submerged wood.

I wonder if the 'popper' is the issue, catching the water, and if a walking frog would do better? Not too much to skip under around where I fish outside of some brushy banks, but I can skip a frog ok. I'll be out throwing a pad crasher in the next 24 hrs, not popping version, and will see if my memory is correct that it'll skip ok. If you can skip a jig ( I struggle), I'd think you could a frog though.

That is actually what I was throwing Saturday at the tournament with @Pat Brown. Turns out, beetlespin on 6lb test loses the battle fast to the tree fish. But right now that's about the only lure I'm comfortable throwing on it, so I'm with you on that!

just bought some new frogs I'm planning to get bit on tomorrow, we'll see how they hold up but I anticipate them being as good as about any frog under $10. I have a rod/reel, it's definitely very budget, but seems to be holding up for what it is. I have a reel and feel like it's got a lot of flex, haven't thrown it enough to wear it out yet or caught many fish so I'm not sure my testing on that specific setup is worth noting. just bought some new frogs I'm planning to get bit on tomorrow, we'll see how they hold up but I anticipate them being as good as about any frog under $10. I have a rod/reel, it's definitely very budget, but seems to be holding up for what it is. I have a reel and feel like it's got a lot of flex, haven't thrown it enough to wear it out yet or caught many fish so I'm not sure my testing on that specific setup is worth noting.

So I'm just dipping my toes into BFS, and one thing that always worries me is breaking off. Are you able to set the hook on a spinnerbait without it breaking? I assume you're running with light drag but I'm nervous about having enough pressure on a spinnerbait to get a hookset without breaking off. Maybe I'm anxious for nothing, but I break off on 10 lb line regularly (switching to 12+ this week actually) so my 6lb line on BFS is sure to be in danger!

When I bank fish, definitely!

Yesterday at the pond tournament Jake lost his live minnow and asked what I had in my pocket. All I had that would fit on an Aberdeen hook was a zoom speed worm.. He took that and promptly caught a bass right in front of me on it. I was pumped to witness it! He's a young hammer and I definitely hope he maintains the interest and stick with it.

Sounds like you learned a lot, which is super important. I have found I learn way more on clear water than dirty just because I can watch the fish react and learn so much from that. Keep it up, you're on the path! I don't think colors are the most important thing, profile and presentation first, but regarding color I highly recommend catching it at least looking at some crawfish in your area to match color to. We've compared here before but the colors of them vary greatly between regions and even bodies of water. Where I fish they are green pumpkin blue, but look black and blue under water when crawling around rocks.