the reel ess

I get the opposite from tourney fishermen. Tourney fishermen hate for you to keep any because they have been trained to accept catch/release as the Gospel with no gray area. I DO eat bass. But I fish a lot of smaller waters where they will get stunted if someone doesn't take them. One place I fish they are already badly stunted. It goes against the grain to keep twenty 3/4 lb bass. But if I don't they will never reach any real size. I know they're stunted because many were females on the bed. I just match the tackle to the size of the bass and catch as many as I can. You need to take so many/acre/year even if you don't eat them. SACRILEGE!

I have a relatively cheap Perception Sport Pescador SOT. I have a fish/ski boat that I don't use because it's just too much trouble. I only drag it out when the water gets too cold in the fall. I didn't get into kayak fishing to go broke buying a boat and rigging and wiring this and that. I love the simplicity of it. I do have a homemade milk crate with three rod holders, but usually I leave it at home so I can put a Playmate cooler in the back to take some fish home. I've caught a lot of fish in places others can't or won't go. That's the reason I bought it...so I could be alone and not compete with others every time out.

Yeah, scour Craigslist for a SOT in your price range. If you see one above your range it doesn't hurt to lowball them. They might compromise. One you can stand in is probably not in that range. I have a $500 one I wouldn't try that in. You can craft some cool DIY outriggers from cheap PVC pipe and caps.

This may not answer the question. But I read recently that bass in captivity preferred crawfish to bluegill something like 9:1. But if you're trying to present a lure that resembles a bluegill in the proper location, I'd say find the bass and you'll be most of the way there. They won't be too far from the food source unless they aren't eating at all. If they're on the bed, a bass won't tolerate a bream near its bed. Then again, I catch bass on a lime colored Trick Worm in a small local lake. There are no 7.5" lime colored worms swimming in that lake.

Gamakatsu and Fireline. Then half the hookset will get the job done.

I fish small waters too. It seems the smaller the hole, the sooner they spawn out. Try a prop bait like a Torpedo at lower light times. Try a Senko during the day. I'm not far south of you and they're still doing OK here.

I hear that. I have friends who won't throw anything back. They can't seem to understand conservation or management. I fish other people's private ponds a lot. They're kind (and wise) enough to want me to take a good bit of their small fish. I want to keep fishing there, so I'm not so rude and ignorant as to take any trophies home. My rule is not to keep any larger than 3 lbs unless I KNOW there are only small fish. Then I won't keep any over 2 lbs. Little ones taste a lot better. If someone doesn't want me to keep any, I won't. Better to catch and release than not be invited back.

The guy who thinks Shakespeare spinning combos will do everything as well as the Johnny Morris BC combo. BTW, this is my FIRST post.