bralexander

Columbia is definitely a great brand for this stuff. I buy all mine at goodwill and over the years have saved hundreds on columbia shorts and shirts. However, make sure you try on the zip offs both in pant form and "unzipped". All the ones I have tried have been way too long when they are "shorts". Also, if you think you will wear them in pant form the majority of the time, like most guys have responded here, just buy the regular pants only version. They are noticeably more comfortable to me than the zip offs. Just my $0.02 Bruce

Another vote for palomar...

Along with everyone else, I was surprised at how much a difference the long sleeve "fishing" shirts make. I stay noticeably cooler, even in the super humidity and heat here in central florida. I just started wearing them a couple years ago and now I have picked up a few at the goodwill. I have a hard time paying retail for anything, but if I had to, it would be worth it for a good columbia fishing shirt! Personally the off brand ones are not as comfortable either. My only other tip, I actually learned from a more intense sport. It is to start hydrating before going out. If you know you will be on the water, start drinking water a couple hours ahead of time. Bruce

I'll just back up what everyone else is saying. I have a 14' old town flat back canoe I use a 32# minn kota on. I have also extended the wires with a cheap set of jumper cables to place the battery in whatever position levels out the canoe, according to passenger(s) load. I get 3-3.5mph which is good for small lakes but not so great in a river or larger lakes. I bought the largest marine deep cycle battery I could find locally and am pretty happy with how much time I get between charges. I rarely use an anchor, but I do carry one. It is an old window weight. In my opinion, these are perfect for canoes and kayaks. You can find different sizes and they already have a molded in loop to attach you anchor line. I tried a small dumbell at one point, but the window weight is easier to use. Make sure you research your state laws before going out, because some places you must register/title as soon as you put a motor on.This is the case in Florida, where I am at. Bruce

I don't know what the market is like in your area, but I would only use a pelican canoe if it was given to me! There are many great used canoes in the $300 range that are so much better than than a pelican. I am not try to put down anyone who has one, but man, make sure you try that canoe out before considering purchase. The only good thing I have seen about pelicans is that they are close to indestructible. I have had fiberglass(4), aluminum (3), plastic (1) canoes and a few kayaks also. They all have their pros and cons so you really need to research about the specific models you are looking at and how it fits with what you are going to be using it for. Bruce

I'm with Darren on this one. For budget reels, shimano has always been the best for me. I have a Sienna 1000 size that is super smooth and problem free along with some other even lower end shimanos that are great. Right now you can get the Sienna for under $35 and spend the rest of your budget on some nice braid! Bruce

Ha! Occasionally I will fish with my sort of father in law. I am often in the back of the boat, But I like it! I know that he is getting the better cast and opportunities, but I see it as a trade off. I do not enjoy running the trolling motor and fishing at the same time. Maybe your partner in the back actually likes it better and you could be worrying for no reason. I think communication is key here. Bruce

Hey man, the last time I fished there was about 5 years ago, but Secret lake park was very nice. All the lakes were full of bass and you can rent a kayak to fish from if you get tired of bank fishing.The lake closest to the golf course (I don't remember exactly what it was called but it is the least accessible part on the opposite side from a the "park" area) was almost overpopulated with bass. I took my kayak out there a bunch and could catch a bass every other cast for hours! I also caught a 7-8lb one from the boat ramp over there. Bruce

I keep a lumbar pack with a shoulder strap in the trunk. This has 2 bottles of water, medium size plano box, pliers, and a bandanna. The plano has a bit of everything, worms, jigs, spinners, crank baits, bobbers, hooks, weights, etc. To go along with this I have a Dock Demon deluxe and Shimano 500 spinning reel spooled with 15lb braid. This setup can handle 95% of fish I could catch locally. The 36" rod is great for hard to get to spots. Bruce

This.... I currently live on a small lake and although most of the fish I am catching with the Ned rig are small, the numbers I catch are 2-3 times more than all other tackle I have tried. Not saying it will absolutely work on "your" specific spots, but it could be a game changer. My other tip is even more specific. I am not a huge fan of the Shroomz heads that are most often part of the Ned rig. However I really like the Bass Pro 1/16oz weedless shroom head with the Zman trd. Bruce

The Fiskars kid scissors are the real deal. I saw them recommended a little while ago on this forum and picked up a pair. They work great on every line I have tried. I keep them in my canoe, exposed to the elements, and so far (a month or so) they are rust free. I think they were like $3 Bruce

Tedderx, I think everyone here has felt your pain! I do have to caution you though about bank vs boat fishing. Sometimes having a boat is not going to help. Don't get me wrong, a boat changes the game, and can be awesome but it doesn't make the fish bite. Just yesterday, i went out for about 3.5 hours on my local river on a boat and was totally skunked. This is the second time in this river I have went out for a good amount of time and not caught a single fish. I don't know what I am doing wrong, and I don't know anyone who fishes this spot either, so I get no advice. All I can say is just keep with it, and change up your game. Fish your spots at all different times, as this can be the difference between no bites and catching everything. Also I enjoy trying literally every different bait I can, as you never know what the fish like! Bruce

This is a good topic, that I have been thinking about lately. If anybody has any other tips and tricks for night fishing, especially on a small lake, I would be interested. Bassin407, I picked up some Strike King mini pro buzz in black recently and I like them. I haven't caught a bunch of fish on them, but they seem like good quality and "run" well. Bruce

I liked your first post design better than the "blue" ones. As others have said, I would not use something without a place to hold pliers. The only other thing that jumps out at me is that whatever design used, there needs to be a wide clip to attach to your waistband. I rarely wear belts, so the "box" would have to attach securely to any waistband and be comfortable. Bruce

Hey man I am a little south of you in Ocklawaha. I just started using a ned rig and am impressed. Catching way more fish than anything else I have tried locally. Mostly real small but a couple 2-3lb. Using green pumpkin and coppertreuse zman trd with the 1/10oz shroomz jighead. Bruce