Marty

I've used mono for many years. If stored properly, no problem.

I have a couple of the Bass Pro Shops Tuning Tool Key which I find much easier to use than pliers. http://www.basspro.com/Tuning-Tool-Key/product/52284/-1003709

Everything. There is always a snap on my line, stemming from laziness and a tendency to change lures more often than some others might. Anticipating some disagreement here, I have never lacked confidence with the snap. A Senko wiggles on the way down, a crankbait wobbles, a worm tail flutters, etc.

I use snaps, but that's neither here nor there. I cut braid with Fiskar's Kid's scissors, which are widely available.

Let me say, with all due respect, that it would be extremely difficult to determine if one lure outproduces another. You'd need to catch a lot of fish, over a long period of time, under controlled conditions, to make that determination. That's a lot different, of course, from having confidence in a lure. I've been using crankbaits for 40+ years and have seen plenty of fish caught on modestly priced lures like Rapalas, Norman, Bombers, Mann's and many others. I'd be first in line for the $20 baits if I thought they'd get me more and/or bigger fish, but that just doesn't compute for me. Maybe the expensive lures have better hooks, finishes that are works of art (more for our benefit than the fish's), but I just can't see them attracting more strikes when I see the action on the lures I mentioned.

I'll just throw my 2¢ in and agree with everything Grey Wolf said.

Before you buy anything without knowing much about kayaks, I'd recommend renting one if you have access to a place that rents them.

Reel size could be a factor. The smaller the diameter of the spool, the shorter the cast assuming an equal number of line revolutions.

I don't know anything about this reel, but I'd get the larger model if you plan on using line stronger than 6#. Don't forget, all other things being equal, a larger diameter spool will cast farther and cause fewer line problems.

The App Tabs feature allows you to keep multiple sites open all the time while taking up very little space on the Tabs bar. All the sites open when the browser is opened. My question is, is there a downside to having multiple sites open all the time? Or, in other words, are there any reasons to not use this feature?

I haven't, fortunately. That reminds me of informercials and their irresistible promises: lose weight fast, get rich quick, develop washboard abs, etc. Of course, we've seen a number of fishing infomercials as well. The thought of catching more fish is equally irresistible to us and many of us are vulnerable to such ads as, "this is the lure than won the Classic!" I've been fishing for 42 years and I learned a long time ago that you just can't buy your way to more and bigger fish (if we could, I'd be first in line to buy it ).

I downloaded FF 4 about a week or so ago. I like some things and dislike a few things, but am not having any problems.

A 5" worm should serve you very well.

Welcome. I can't help, but good luck on that May trip.

I use both MalwareBytes and SuperAntiSpyware.

I think the previous poster summarized the conventional wisdom on the subject. You probably can't go wrong by starting out using those guidelines. However, I've seen so many colors work well in so many water clarities that I wonder how much difference it makes. At a minimum, I think color is overrated as a factor in what to use.

Certainly small fish take big lures and big fish take small lures, but I wouldn't want to use a one-size-fits-all approach. If I'm after a small-mouthed fish like bluegill, the small lure will catch more. If I'm after bass I'll usually want something bigger because aggressive fish might more readily hit the larger lure plus I think I'd lose fewer fish than I would on the lure with the small hooks.

Pickerel will readily hit any lure in your arsenal. If I had to pick one, it would be a spinnerbait by a small margin. However, I have no experience with them in water as cold as you're asking about.

I have a bag in the Cabela's Advanced Angler series and have been very pleased. I made my purchase based on what bag best suited my needs with respect to size, number of pockets, pocket configuration, etc.

My fishing partner started off with a 12' john boat and trolling motor. He has since bought a bass boat, but still uses the john boat for ponds. That little boat and motor opened all sorts of opportunities that he didn't have before. If you're shorebound, this can make a huge difference in your enjoyment of the sport.

Same thing happened here in Rochester on one of the Lake Ontario tributary ponds within the past week.

I agree with the previous poster. Besides, is there any reason to believe that the faded color should be any less effective than the original? Not that I can think of.

Using a pencil with the spool vertical is the recommended method from the manufacturers for reels with anti-twist line rollers. The traditional way with the spool on the floor is correct, except the position of the label is meaningless, because there is not consistency among manufacturers; in fact, there are inconsistencies within a manufacturer's products. The line should come off counterclockwise to offset the clockwise way that it goes on the reel.

Great fish John!!

I use spinning gear and when I used mono and now when I use braid, I use enough backing such that there's room for 50-60 yards of the line I actually fish with. When my casts start getting close to the knot I remove the rest of the line and respool with a fresh 50-60 yards.