Turkey sandwich

Welcome to the forum... that's a heck of a post. As for your argument, I think that cultural differences between your average guy with a spinning rod and trout fly fisherman aside, I think both have really moved toward social media marketing. Between youtube, Facebook, and Instagram, there are tons of pages with guys showing crap content with lots of energy offering give aways, etc. That's not unlike a lot of other businesses. Social media is super cheap and reaches everyone. As for the way things work for sponsored guys in competition, that's a whole other conversation. Also, lots of us on here also like chasing bass with a fly rod, and there are usually at least a few fly fishing threads rolling in the smallmouth forum.

Great fish! River smallies are a blast.

So, I started taking video notes on fishing trips this summer because, well, it's easier for me to talk to a camera than take the time to write things down when there's a bite on. This past Sunday I got out on the Susquehanna after some crazy weather (90s earlier in the week, the morning I got on the water the air temp was 35 degrees). I wasn't sure what to expect since I've seen this turn fish on in the fall, even though it usually means a rough day any other time of the year. I had kind of a mixed day and tried more to fish for larger fish and get notes than go super finesse trying to pull numbers. Ultimately, I got on a few patterns and was able to get some of the catches on video. One of my favorites was the hatch pattern later in the day/evening. There were several mayfly, a tan caddis, and some sort of gnat/small black fly hatch going on as the sun started going down that saved my day in terms of smallmouth fishing and lead to several 14" and a 19" smallie to close out the day. The last section of the video is little but me talking as current brought me back to the ramp, so if you just want to see fish, you can bypass that part. However, if you want to hear me ramble about patterns, there's a solid 8 minutes of it that may or may not be as useful to you guys as it is to me. More than anything, I'm glad I was able to get out. I've been having back and neck issues again, and that can make a day on the water feel like rolling the dice. Getting on the water on good health days has been a nice therapeutic escape from medical craziness Oh yeah, there's a surprise musky in there that almost stuck a size 2 treble hook in my hand, too!

Your friend is braver than I am! My Lure 13.5 on top of my car, on a highway with any cross wind is absolutely terrifying.

Agreed. A simple way to cover a lot of bases without going nuts is to keep at least 1 jar of dip'n'dye/JJ's around (if you only have one, make it chartreuse). It's amazing how some days they want glitter/sparkle and others white with chartreuse to accent and another will only bite watermelon or pumpkin under virtually the same conditions. That said, even when smallmouth get particular, the basic color rules regarding clarity and sunlight hold up.

What does your Ride weigh? Car topping a heavy kayak is difficult, and can also be dangerous at highway speeds. I actually avoid highways altogether with my Lure on top with the Thule folding rack up top. It might be more stable with a rack that allows it to sit flat, but I'd imagine that'll be a less than quiet ride. Also, good roof racks are stupid expensive. I just bought a trailer because I'm not getting on a highway with mine up top. Also, my Lure weighs d**n near 100lbs without the seat.

Yes. They tend to run a bit heavier and a bit faster than most other makes. Also, a fast or extra fast action rod is only going to load at the tip, not halfway down the blank, like for example a fiberglass rod, a moderate action crank bait rod, or a lot of lower end graphite. Based on your description, I would roll back the breaks a bit when roll casting and use your thumb to control the spool. The problem is casting distance, ultimately, right?

Most Cabela's stores will carry Avid X and E6x lines.

Definitely buy breathable. There are lots of good manufacturers - Sims, Reddington, Patagonia, Orvis, etc. @J Francho for suggesting LL Bean. That lifetime warranty seems incredible.

Handle the rods you can. As mentioned above, every manufacturer (and even lines within each manufacturer) will be different in power and action. For example, generally, St. Croix is known for having a slightly heavier and faster build than say, Fenwick. Fenwick, however, also produces the Aetos line which tends to run much faster than most lines from most manufacturers. Ultimately, it comes down to the type of feel YOU like while fishing Senkos. Should I assume you're also looking to fish other finesse soft plastics on it as well, I would suggest something on the faster side because you aren't going to have a lot of weight dragging the bottom, and being able to drive a hook set at distance is much much easier with the stiffer/faster rod. What gets sacrificed? Maybe some casting distance and faster rods tend to be a bit more brittle at the tip and have narrower lure weight ratings. If you're responsible, and buy from a company that offers a strong warranty, this isn't a problem, but broken tips are the biggest complaint I've heard regarding X-Fast tips from fishermen in general, and it's 95% user error. For that price range, Avid/Avid-X, LTB, and possibly used Legend Elites are available from St. Croix. If you ask enough people on here, you'll get answers ranging from Shimano to Powell, Dobyns, Daiwa, etc. Figure out how fast an action you like, and then go from there.

@Mjmj yeah, that's weird. Is it only when you roll cast? Might it be something with the mechanics of the cast? If there is a legit problem with the blank, St. Croix has awesome customer service.

The Adirondacks are one of my favorite places. It's beautiful, there's a wide variety of fishing, and the trails are amazing. I'm jealous!

That's a pretty peculiar problem to have. What lures are you throwing, and have you matched them with the lure weight and line diameter ratings for the rod? That rod is build on a similar blank to the Premiers, which have always been quality entry level rods that cast and handle well.

I've been fishing St Croix for nearly 20 years and love their rods. However, these two are nowhere near comparable quality. The Bass-X, while technique specific and a decent bang for the buck rod, does not handle nearly as well as the E6x line that was introduced to compete with the Avid/Avid X lines. With this said, I agree with the above post. If possible, save up and invest in the higher end options from G. Loomis.

The Avid and Avid X rods are both awesome for $200 or so. I also own Fenwick Aetos rods in that price range that are also really, really good.

Welcome to the forum! And I have no idea what that is, but I don't like it.

I don't fish jerk baits a lot, but I've never really had hook up issues with them. I don't usually have an issue either feeling the initial strike or seeing my line move (especially since switching to braid). I also think the treble hooks don't hurt in that the fish are likely to stick themselves either on the initial strike or trying to spit trebles.

I have a Feelfree angler fiberglass paddle that I don't hate. No, it's not carbon fiber, but it also doesn't get uncomfortably hot or cold like aluminum and has no issue with flex and they sell for around $100.

I have at least half a dozen SC rods and will likely own a lot more. The Mojo is a great rod, and very difficult to beat for $130.

please punctuate your posts.

I'm on the North Branch a lot and have built out my Lure 13.5 for it. Between electronics and rigging, I probably have $2500+ into it without including my trailer. The only negative is that paddling upstream on a wide kayak or into a strong headwind is a legit workout, and by next year I'll probably rig a trolling motor on the stern. Other than that, I have absolutely zero complaints about the kayak for river fishing, and absolutely love mine. Pedal drive can make some of this easier, but the Susquehanna has tons of shallow riffles, boulder fields, and ledges to mind with a pedal drive. Have you fished from a kayak before? Paddled on the river? I'd suggest visiting that nearby shop and having a conversation about what your needs are. Personally, I prefer the kayak over anything other than a jet boat on the river.

From what I've heard, that boat's a great option to get you onto more water. A few things to consider - towing (what kind of vehicle do you have?), what kind of water are you fishing? (that's an aluminum hulled boat and could be fit with a jet for fishing rivers like the Susquehanna, Juanita, etc), and ultimately budget. You're 16, so a job may be an option to cover some cost, and while I don't know your parents' financial situation or willingness to help, if you're going to get a loan, you're going to want their help. Also mind that if you plan on going away to college in a few years, that's going to have a big impact on how much you can work. Are you planning on buying new or used?

I'd say that at least 50% of my fishing is smallmouth with largemouth and trout making up most of what's left. I don't get as many opportunities as I'd like with the fly rod, but I've really begun to love it. I have been out in the past year for flounder, amberjack, and barracuda, and have caught a ton of other species along the way. This winter, I'm hoping to get a tarpon in Mexico and by this time next year a variety of salmon, dolly Varden, and grayling in Alaska.

I don't personally see the same return on investment in a $300+ cranking rod as I do, say, jig, worm, or finesse bait rods. My cranking rods are both Veritas rods and I like them quite a bit for the purpose (despite not loving foam grips). I have a 7'6" MH gen 2.0 paired with a Revo winch that rocks for getting bigger crankbaits down, throws them a mile, and still gives a great feel for the bottom. The only cranks I have that I really haven't thrown on it comfortably are the giant 10XDs, but they also aren't something I fish all too often.

I don't do a lot of heavy punching, but my hook ups do tend to be pretty good when I am pitching thick stuff. The biggest thing that I try to remember is to be patient and make sure I'm feeling the fish and to remove any slack before setting the hook. Depending where the hit takes place a hard vertical set or a fast reel down and set will usually do the trick. The good news is that generally hook sets are free. As for gear, again I don't pitch heavy cover often, but for all but the thickest stuff I have a SC Legend Elite MH F 7'3(?) worm/jig rod that does the job well. If you're fishing dense stuff more often, it may make more sense to pick up something heavier and longer, but for me, space is a premium on the kayak and I typically don't need the bigger rod.