Darren.

Mostly finesse here. Pretty sure that'll surprise @A-Jay Reason, it catches me more fish. Started out power fishing back in the day before I fell in love with the ol' Senko. Since then, it's fish in the net more often than not.

1) Get out more than I did this year 2) Add saltwater to my repertoire seeing how I'm surrounded by it, and my boys have a lot of success. 3) Use my depth finder more, don't think I used it at all in 2016 4) See #1 !!!

Welcome aboard! Wow, some awesome bluegill!

Merry Christmas in November from your favorite lake!

You can actually buy kits at Dick's Sporting Goods and other stores like them that are for carrying yaks on your roof. They come complete with straps and instructions.

As far as keeping a yak strapped on a roof, yes, it can be done. I believe you can buy locking mechanisms to keep it secure. Yakima, others make some very good racks, but they can be expensive. Personally, I go the DIY route. And in that vein, I bought a truck and it's a perfect transport, easy on my 47 year old back... I'd suggest you look for used Native Ultimates, Wilderness Systems Ride, Commander models in your price range, or close to it. These provide very stable platforms for standing and fishing. I suggest these as they've been around a while and you should be able to find reasonably priced used models on Craigslist or such. At least I hope you can.

Welcome aboard, Charlie! At a $500 price point, you will want to look for used kayaks from Wilderness Systems, Native, Moken, etc. What are your requirements for yakking? Is standing a must-have? Almost all of us would recommend going with a SOT - Sit On Top kayak. Better for fishing, by most standards. Best to get yourself to a local kayak outfitter and "test drive" some yaks they have. As far as transport, how much are you able to lift? Reason for question is you can go light or heavy depending on what you're looking for. Being in college, I assume u can lift a bit Storing while at school? Does your college have an area for storage?

Overthinking is your enemy. It will cripple you and keep you from experimentation and building confidence. Starting simple is the best method. Trying to progress from "newbie" to "seasoned" too fast will lead to overthinking. So as said, enjoy fishing! Just get out there and throw baits. If something doesn't feel right, change it up. Try the lure on a different rod combo.... I've been there (overthinking) and done that. And I've gone back to the simple because I'm interested in enjoying the sport, not competing with others. This doesn't mean I don't experiment! I simply cannot afford being a technique-specific angler. Even if I could, I'm not sure I would... .02 cents.

The difference is that the 15# measures in 1/4# increments The higher models in 1/2# increments

There still offered at TW! http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/BogaGrip/descpage-BOGA.html I love mine, have the 15# model.

Heh, I was also going to compare your speed junkie-ness to your upgrading to a power boat from a canoe... I consider my kayak like a stick bait, LOL. Works well for the amount of places I get it to.

Based on a lot of what you like throwing, you are a speed junkie like KVD! I am less inclined to such things...perhaps a deficiency on my part.

@A-Jay, takes a real fisherman to admit stick baits work well!

Nice work! Don't own a boat, but I DIY the heck outta my kayak.

It is sad to hear so many people say "law says I only need one in the boat". While technically true, it is still risky, as proven by stories like these.

Here in VA, a kayaker died this weekend, no PFD. Needless tragedy. http://www.dailypress.com/news/traffic/dp-suspicious-object-reported-at-monitor-merrimac-bridge-tunnel-20161123-story.html @A-Jay, @Sam, others here beside myself constantly urge the wearing of PFDs all the time. There's a reason, and here is another example why. Whatever the cause of his death, barring a catastrophic stroke or heart-attack, he stood a greater chance of survival if he had a PFD on.

Welcome aboard! I like spinning best for soft plastics, though I have casting gear that can cast almost as light bait as my spinning setups. That said, in dicey conditions, and all around for skipping under bushes, docks, etc., I prefer spinning. So I like Shimano reels primarily, but am also a fan of Daiwa, and Pflueger gets a lot of love. For rods, the Bass Pro Micro Lite in a ML power is an excellent rod for around $60 (on sale now for $50) which leaves you about $60-70 for a reel. Pflueger President, probably the best bet for the $, but if you hit up ebay you can find great deals on other brands.

Would be nice to get out, but not sure it's gonna work out for me. I'll definitely try, going to be a balmy 62º here

Albright/Alberto variants uni-to-uni (I'm tying this 99% of the time now, simply the quickest to tie when I'm out in my yak)

Thanks and likewise!!

Agree with @J Francho, these are two brands you can really "take your pick". I have a Lexa and a Chronarch 50e, the latter of which feels better in my hands. Actually gave the Lexa to one of my boys, but it is a solid reel, and I caught a lot of bass on it, including a 14# Striper. Just happen to be moving away from casting and back to spinning these days...

Welcome aboard! Good advice from @A-Jay to get you started.

Actually, yes I do. On one of my Carbonlites I cut about 3" off the butt end so it is now around 6'3" and it works pretty well. That said, longer handles don't bother me too much overall, especially when standing....

Welcome aboard, Matt!

Can't help, but I can welcome you to the forums!