Angry John

Bring extra drinks. The boater might not need it but its a great way to break the ice. I love gatorade and having a spare has never been an issue. Its hot right now so a buff. full brimmed hat and a long sleeve shirt would be a great idea. I also did not see a life preserver on your list. I have my own from Kayak fishing and you are required to have one. You could check with the boater to see if he has one for you but it might not be one that you want to wear. I spent the money on a mustang hit vest and wear it all day while in the boat.

Owner makes a flashy swimmer in a 1/0

The resistance is the same so your speed and the amount of effort to move the boat remain the same. If you bow mount a motor then you may get a shorter turning radius but all other factors remaining the same it makes no difference. If your dealing with swells then the bow mount may come out of the water easier than a stern mount.

I have a simluar situation on a pond here in memphis. The only topwater bite i have got was during a high water period in the spring when i threw it way back into the bushes. None since then and i have put some serious hours in trying to get one. Maybe its just the heat and i will continue threw the seasons to see if thats the issue. This pond is very clean compared to others in the area and that may be part of the issue but i have done very well in other states in water just as clear...

10 lb braid is to light and if you get a backlash it will break off. I have used mine on 30 pp, 14lb xl or 10lb yhb. They all work just fine.

Fishing equipment is just like cars. Will a Ferrari (megabass) or a vw bug (Shakespeare) both catch fish. Yes. But if you were a Laguna scca which one would you want to have. Having high sensitivity helps you to feel what is going on. I cant say that it's not always better, or that it matters at all. If you are not used to fishing a very Sensitive rod your reactions may not be correct for the situation. Sensitive crankbait rods are nice for me because I can tell if there is a small piece of grass on the bait by its change in wobble. That extra feel makes some people trigger happy and they yank the bait away. I like Sensitive rods for everything and I feel it helps me know what is happening.

Based on the date it's new so should be covered by warranty.

There are all types of depression issues and causes. When my child died it wrecked me for a long time. Sometimes good friends can help you talk through it. In my wife's case it took meds and therapy. Not a one size fits all thing. Don't spiral before seeking help, as it is much more difficult to undo bad choices later. To me depression is like cancer the sooner you start treatment the better.

Crankbaits have been the only recent producer for me.

We do give rides to seals who are the real special forces. But second place ribbons for ground pounders are being handed out.

Pond pirates and bluewater navy is not even the same game. Submarines are great white sharks in a pool full of sea lions. GI JOE was cool when I was 8 but we all have to grow up some time

Got excited about the new small craws from raid until I saw the price. Never heard of them before but dam they are trying to get rich of us.

A dash of color really looks nice imo

This is my new major effort for this year. I have done a few night trips in the past but I got ac new yak and I am rigging up for serious night time fishing. Can you say red lights.

No the boat does not make you better. It does provide you the opportunity to learn more which in the end can result in a better angler. Your skill is learned and refined by experience on the water. The same can be said about a boat with all the best sonar. Does it make you better, why only if you know how to use it and then using it to catch more fish.

Upgrade is subjective but change yes. A spool change can totally change how a reel performs. Drop a deep zonda spool in a sol or alphas and its amazing how much better you can cast small crankbaits. I could have just bought a pixy spr but I accomplished the same thing with just a spool. Bearings are a feel good thing in most cases and I won't call it a waste but modern quality reels have good enough bearings unless you're turning off the brakes and still need more distance. I treat a reel like my truck, if I like the look of a new tires or trims I buy them. Same is true for knobs handles or any other part on a reel. I get what I like, and it makes me happy.

First off real men are in the navy and true heroes are submariners. Now that we got that out of the way. 20 is just ever so slightly thicker but I end up with less wind knots. It is my go to basic spinning reel recommendation unless people are chasing pan fish or trout the maybe 15 or even 10. If your going salt then I cant comment on that as I have zero experience in that area, but may be the source of your braid storage worries. My smaller reel comments are also fresh water based so if your hunting stripper and reds I again don't have any experience there. Drag and line capacity is not an issue imo in fresh water species. In salt it's a different game.

My opinion--- you could use a much smaller lighter reel if your main line is going to be braid. A smaller reel will also use less line to fill. In Japan they run a lot of shallow spools and i don't know why the usdm has not caught on. 15lb is what I use currently on my dropshot rod and 20 on the regular multipurpose setup. For a worm setup in dirty water i would use 20 no leader. Never heard or experienced any issue leaving braid on for years at a time. You might have an issue if you store reels used in salt water with braid without a good rinse.

Chargers are very different depending on battery type. How an agm battery charges compared to led acid is totally different. Be very specific with your question and provide as much detail as possible. For your current use a lot of stores now sell a 10ah lioh battery with charger for a hundred bucks. Migh be a good deal to start over and get a matched charger and battery taking out the guess work or required research. I am getting a u1 deep cycle for my helix 7 and a 5ah smart charger. That may be a good area for you if your running lights a cell charger and cameras.

The three basics black blue, green pumpkin and watermelon red will get it done anywhere in the country. Above that add a color or two for your area. Junebug or plum works well in stained water, and I am a big fan of the California 420 color. More colors is not better just makes your boat heavy and the choice harder. If you have the strength to pull it off 3+1 will be the cheapest easiest route.

I think the steez is amazing for bottom contact and what i have on my jig rod. I have not honestly used the high end shimano's so i cant say which is better so i will not vote.

I fish for long hours in my yaks 3-8 hours at a time. The fall is the longest because the temperatures are lower but not cold yet as it gets dark. I would so go used and see if you can find a classic nucanoe. I just sold mine after 8 ish years and it was great. No bells or cool features but rock stable and ready to rig your way. I spent a ton of time standing in that yak and I feel it's just as stable as anything around.

Megabass white python. Most versatile stick there is.