greywalls

Honestly, it sounds like the Backwater Assassin paddle would be perfect for what you need. I have a buddy with one, and he likes it. It seems pretty danged durable, and he uses it in ways that I wouldn't risk chipping up my own paddle (which is featherweight awesome, but somewhat fragile) to attempt. Anyway, you likely could find the Backwater Assassin for less than $150 -- so, might not be a bad option for a knockaround yet pretty-decent option... https://www.yakgear.com/product/backwater-assassin-carbon-fiber-hybrid-paddle/

My father has several full-cork USA-made All Stars, including a couple sitting on his rod racks still brand new / unused. Not sure what models, as I admittedly haven't paid attention to them before -- however, seem to recall that several are casting rods in the charcoal / maroon color-band (knowing him, they probably are 6'6 to 7' M or MH)... I'll have to check them out next time. He has tons of stuff from the 80s and 90s that is packed away brand new (reminds me of a time capsule!)...

Jackson Bite, without question, if you are looking for more of a throw-n-go creek boat... The Outlaw is a beast. It weighs in at ~80lbs, which is similar to my Bonafide SS107. The Outlaw I handled actually felt heavier or perhaps more cumbersome than my Bonafide. ...Basically, I'm thinking that your experience with the Outlaw will be more akin to your pedal yak... While the Bite is definitely not a "light-weight," itself, it does weigh in a bit lighter, and it is a more nimble boat... Given that you already have a pedal yak, have you considered something much lighter, such as a Crescent Ultralight or Native Falcon 11? Both would be great "grab and go" boats...

I have a Bonafide SS107 and love it; however, it is definitely more of a fishing rig than a family rec rig... Of the boats you are looking at, I'd go with the Crescent Ultralite (or the Crescent LiteTackle for any larger folks) without question. I'm in the process of ordering Ultralites for my wife and kiddos. The hull design on the Crescents is really well-done -- the rocker of the Ultralite makes it a super-"fun" boat, while also stable. Every component on the Crescent is made in the USA, too... But, in any event, it comes down to personal preference, and you and your family should demo as many options as possible. Also, check out the Headwaters Kayaks channel on YouTube for some great honest reviews...

My problem with the Levante is that if I were to purchase one, then I'd have to pick up an Exsense to put on it. Aesthetically, that is one sweet looking setup.

I have a spinning setup that I use on what sounds to be a very similar environment. I have a nearby stream that runs 1' to 6' deep, and it's only ~30' wide -- but, it's loaded with smallmouth, and I love to wade it upstream with spinners and small crankbaits... A few years ago, I picked up on a whelm a spool of Silver Thread AN40 (6lb, for my ultralite application). It's copoly and inexpensive... However, I could not be more pleased with the line, and it's all I use now on my small stream spinning reels. It casts nicely, holds a knot perfectly, and has never broken despite being hung and abraded on countless rocks. And, I've had zero memory issues (although I've only used lower pound test).

You could do much, much better for a little bit additional investment. In my experience, there are few things more likely to frustrate a budding angler -- or a first-time baitcaster user -- than learning on extremely inexpensive and usually poorly constructed gear. That's not to say that anyone needs to drop a ton of cash, though -- rather, I think that you'll save yourself a ton of frustration by purchasing a better reel. For example, if I were purchasing a setup for my young son (he's too young currently, as he's only 5 and is still "mastering" his Zebco spincaster, but the same rationale applies), I wouldn't be at all concerned about the rod (plenty of $25 decent graphite rods to be had on sale at the big box stores); however, I wouldn't skimp on the reel, itself (which, IMHO, means that I'd be looking into Lews, Abu, Shimano or Daiwa offerings @ the $50+ pricepoint). If you're stuck on purchasing a matched combo, I would recommend the Lews American Hero combo or the Abu Garcia "Max" combos (there are SilverMaxes, BlackMaxes and ProMaxes). I think if your budget allows you $70-$80, then you'll find a setup that ultimately should be much better quality and make you much happier in the long run.

Hey, look on the bright side... You have good taste!

Not to side track the thread, but... Hello from Powhatan, just down the road from you!

~15yds is where I cast most often, working the edges of smaller Virginia reservoirs from an aluminum bass boat with a weightless fluke.

Wasn't joking, and I no longer think it's a gimmick... Worth a shot, and I'm excited to try 'em.

Okay, I'm sold. Just now put $500 on my AMEX. Can't wait for Spring!

I know. I'd like to think that Randy's success was more specific to his judgement and angling skills and his selection of a crankbait that ran true at his desired depth and presented his desired coloration than it was owing to a microchip inside the crankbait. I don't at all mean to argue. I think Livingston makes fine crankbaits. They were not the first to market electronics inside crankbaits, though -- and my generalization wasn't targeted at them.

C'mon... You can't say that with a straight face, can you? Maybe the color and trueness of the crankbait, or the luck of an experienced angler, had something to do with it? Or, maybe... We've figured out how to embed into a crankbait an intelligent chip that computes in real-time all physiological information from largemouth bass weighing in excess of 6lbs w/in a 10' perimeter of the lure and presents accordingly a biological stimuli lab-proven to elicit predatory responses from each of the largest and most proximate bass? Still a gimmick, IMHO.

How about the electronic crankbaits that purportedly emit baitfish sounds? Similarly, how about the LED lighted lures that "catch fish in low-light conditions"? Someone already mentioned the Color-C-Lector -- man, that brings back memories... As a teen I wanted one SO badly when they came out. Also already mentioned: the Banjo Minnow. Yes, it's probably a somewhat of a decent soft plastic, but, man oh man, did that company overdo its TV marketing! Flying Lure -- it glides backwards beneath docks where the "hawgs live!" Helicopter Lure -- money-back guaranteed... to twist your line into a mess. Gator Bait -- synthetic fish attractant... The Bionic Minnow...

Lots of solid advice here. I have several All Star rods, and they are fantastic for the price. The Cabelas Tournament ZX rods (white with Winn grips) are, IMHO, the best deal on the market when they go on sale. Also, check out the Berkley Lightning Shock rods. Re: reels, can't go wrong with an aluminum frame -- and, in the long run, I think you'd be much happier with AL over composite. I received a Revo S from my in-laws for Christmas last month -- but, I'm a Daiwa magforce Z guy, and I can't return the reel to Dick's as I don't want to offend my father-in-law by asking for his receipt... So, it's sitting new in box in my office. If you'd be interested in it, let me know.

Improved clinch. Simple and effective over my 30yrs of fishing.

It's encouraging to hear that yours have held up well. I have owned only a single MG reel (a spinning reel, at that), and I made the mistake of using it during an inshore fishing trip with a friend. I also failed to rinse it afterwards, and I unfortunately had some corrosion when I took it out of storage. Admittedly, this was user error -- and it's possible that I would have had similar issues with ANY of my reels. So, I spoke too strongly, I guess. But I do feel that aluminum is a little more "worry free." That being said, I want to like MG in a baitcast format for the possible sensitivity enhancements noted above... I'm just not yet sure whether the rave reviews across the web are as much a function of the material as they are of the fact that most MG offerings are higher-end models that also are inherently well-constructed (and therefore a pleasure to fish).

There are so many fantastic rods on the market that it would be difficult to make a poor decision, really. Ergo, for me, I will choose to exert the tiny amount of influence I have by forcing myself to fish only Made in the USA rods going forward. Trouble is, while several companies offer rods assembled in the US, very few and far between are any companies that offer currently a born, bred, corn-fed 100% USA rod. It's embarrassing that we've lost our manufacturing supremacy, and I'd gladly pay 3x for gear that doesn't carry a made in Korea, China, Thailand, Japan (JDM is special, WHY?), or Mexico sticker... My firearms aren't made in Asia -- so, why can't I say the same about my bass fishing gear? I'd love to take the same stance with my reels; however, I'd end up relegated to a spool of US cotton on my thumb, unfortunately. Just my $0.02.

I don't like mag. owing to its propensity to look like crap if it's within 50 miles of water, generally, and especially so within 5 ft of anything that even smacks of salinity. IMHO, mag. = marketing... Not functionality. I'm sure many will disagree with me...

Check out the Abu Revo S... It's tiny, and might be ideal for him. Kudos, BTW, for investing in good gear for our next generation!!!!!

Hard to go wrong with the FX... Check out the Daiwa Alphas SV, as well. I like Daiwa, but it's a coin toss.

Define "a whole lot" of money. Suggestions @ the $50, $100, $150 and $200 price points (all, commonly regarded as "not a whole lotta cash") will vary...

Not to digress, but is it possible that your rods/reels are available at Tackle Warehouse (see their JDM Tackle links)? If it's in stock, I'd have a lot more confidence in them, in light of your time frame.... What are you getting, by the way?

You did great, and I think you'll be very happy! And, that Nighthawk is a very pretty rod, to boot (love the split cork and EVA aesthetic).