Rucksack

Update. Threw the popping cork with a artificial shrimp lure this morning. Weird conditions (multiple storm systems over multiple days), very shallow water, and heavy weeds. Was throwing from shore, with really little structure at all, and had a lot of trouble getting out of the submerged weeds. This was going to be a rough day no matter what I did clearly. Stuck with the cork and caught a nice little 1.5 lbs largemouth bass! The fact I caught anything at all makes me think this technique has real promise. Key was trimming the leader and getting the popping cadence right. ☝️ If it wasn't for this challenge, I'd have given up. It forced me to adjust until I got something on a technique I had no experience with. It also has gotten me excited to try it in pure fresh water.

I'll accept. I already only take one combo kayak and bank fishing. I also mostly only take two or three lures with me while out anyhow. This is just further streamlining. My lure of choice, for a while, with this challenge is going to be a little unorthodox. I've decided I'm going to master the popping cork this summer. I'll be fishing mostly brackish, so wanted something multi-species. I've heard everything from a largemouth to a flounder will hit it. It also seems to fit the bill, at least in freshwater, of throwing a presentation a bass probably has never seen before. It might have legs when I move back to the middle of the state then. Is this going to be the secret juice to end all juice? A disaster? I'll report back.

Changing lures too often. Broke myself of that by strictly limiting the lures I take with me. My catch rates went way up after that. It allowed me to really focus on presentation and location by getting the mental clutter of "Am I throwing the right thing??" out of my head.

Glad you're here and glad you're learning how to fish as a family!

I see you're a fellow southerner. Honestly, most of our water bigger than a retention pond holds bass (they're hardy critters) and the patterns stay pretty consistent. Look on Google earth. Investigate any water near you of appropriate size with access. Apps like Fishbrain work too. All the suggestions about your local wildlife and tackle shops are great too. However, I don't think you're going to ever replace just putting some time on some local water yourself. You'll probably find some real great unknown spots that way too. Like I said, bass aren't exactly rare beasts here. Most water has them, so go throw a line in a high probability spot! My advice in finding those: You want to eliminate most of the water if you're trying to get on fish quicker. For me, I'm not bothering with featureless flats, middle of the lake, etc. I'm going high probability. I also don't fish with electronics so I'm all observation fishing. I usually start out at isolated hard cover points and bank irregularities. Think fallen trees, cuts in the bank, or changes in bank make-up (sudden rocks, change in vegetation, etc). I next hit up soft cover like lilly pads and grasses. I'm also looking for bait and bird sign. The best is when multiple of these things combine. See a bunch of birds around a big fallen tree in a lilly pad patch in a bank cut, etc, and you're really in the bass likely hot spots. I usually throw a weightless stick bait around these places or a bladed jig/spinner to see what bites.

Thanks all! I'm ordering the Yak Attack system. Their instructional video made it clear it's within even my redumentary skill set to do. 🤞 At least I think it is. I feel like if I can take apart and reassemble a spinning reel, I should be able to drill a few water tight holes into a kayak hull.

Thanks for the vote of confidence. This led me to doing some research and I think I'm convinced to get a trolly system. Is there a brand to get or avoid?

I currently have a set of Perception Access 9.5s. They're no frills recreational kayaks and I'm pretty happy with them. My biggest current challenge fishing from them is dealing with wind. I fish mostly shallow water with soft bottom and wind conditions that are often in the teens and rarely drop below 10 MPH. Do you have a suggestion for an anchoring solution? I was considering tying a folding kayak anchor to the bow/stern carry handle. Pole anchors look appealing as well, but I don't really have a good storage solution for what feels like a very long pole when not anchored and paddling. I'd rather not drill into my kayaks as I am not very handy and I worry about water coming into the hull.

I love that you traveled across the globe and got on some gorgeous fish your first day. Shows your high skill and commitment! I hope you have a great trip and keep us updated.

I love a bladed jig, but that looks mighty interesting. My number one issue is bladed jigs love getting hung up in wood. Does that come through wood more like a spinner?

Welcome! Always glad to see a new member!

I got skunked earlier this week. Even managed to fall in the water trying to free a lure, from the shore, and cut my leg. Sometimes the fishing gods need a good laugh.

Love this idea! I've always been intimidated in terms of keeping a fishing log, but felt like it would be good to do so. Recording only the bigger ones seems super manageable. I'm going to start doing this too.

I hope you do! Really enjoyed my time in Tuscany (mostly waaaay out in the countryside) and would love to get on some bass whenever I go back. Where are the hot spots and how do you fish for them?

Popular, but not for me: - Baitcasters. I respect their role in our hobby. I just don't like fishing them. - Braid. It's off all my gear now. Not useful for how I fish. I like, but not popular: - "Short" rods. I like a 6'6" rod or smaller. I mostly bank and kayak fish. It helps me work tight spaces between trees and obstacles. I still get plenty of distance. - Mono line. I'm a full convert due to my braid experiences. - Travel rods. All of my rods (including surf gear) can break down and be stowed easily. I like throwing them in backpacks or my car for fishing anything interesting I might see. Also lets me easily cover a lot of ground to reach a fishing spot on foot. - Taking only one combo on the bank or water with me. It helps me focus and really dial in my technique. I can be mobile. I can select a new lure, re-tie, and get in the water pretty quickly, so see few disadvantages.

I agree with the previous North Carolina framing of over five pounds is a big LMB. Bigger ones are lurking here, but that's about the point where I send brag pictures to my buddies. I have no idea how long one would be. I only weigh my bass.

The nostalgic feel of mono is a real part of the joy of it for me. Totally agree.

Great looking fish!

I start on around 4-5" and move down from there if I'm not getting bit, but seeing replies here, I'm going to start smaller next outing and see how that goes. Less so size, and more so weight, seems to be the difference maker for me. I mostly flip and pitch structure. The fall rate difference of more/less weight is key. Also effects how likely I am to get hung up. I try to start as light as I can get away with.

He's been listed a couple times in lists already, but wanted to call him out specifically: Brian Latimer. Great on the water instruction without using a lot of jargon. Seems very focused on what works, versus what's currently hip. Seems down to earth as well. I've learned a lot watching him. Obviously he gets bonus points as fellow native Carolinian as well. 😂

Welcome from the old north state!

I'm using it as a shock leader on my surf casting equipment. So, I'm casting it, but on a big reel and not a ton of it. I also build cut bait rigs out of it.

I watch the Windy app like a hawk if I'm kayak fishing (for days ahead of time, because predictions change) to figure out a good launch and return window. If I'm bank fishing not so much, mostly just to see if conditions are at all predicted to be fishable.

In terms of salt. I am surf fishing the outer banks for red drum, so I'm setup for needing to toss up to 6 oz weights (some folks go higher, but I just walk home if conditions are that bad) that can hold against the current and wind. I'm doing that on 20 lbs mainline with 50 lbs shock leader. My shock leader tends to be twice rod length and I run 8 through 12 foot rods. It works for everything I will probably tangle with. Even blues mostly (they're maniacs, so you never know) don't bite through my 50 lbs. If I were in-shore fishing for drum, I'd probably go 12-20 lbs depending on conditions and what size you're targeting. You're fighting them mostly on drag so you don't need to be insanely heavy. My wife brought in a 36" red drum last week on gear in that range. My freshwater medium heavy spinning is 12 lbs. My freshwater light spinning is 8 lbs, I'd drop down to lighter, but you can't find lighter in tackle shops around here because they don't cater to us freshwater folks much. So I guess the common range is 12 lbs-20lbs ish for general purpose for me.

I was thinking the same thing. We're probably one YouTuber "discovering" the joys of mono away from it becoming premium product. 😂