NYWayfarer

Great advice. Not easy to do but still great advice.

I was having the same issue this weekend with the Ned Rig. The juvenile river Smallies were inhaling it. Like A-Jay suggested hemostat pliers enabled me to get almost all unhooked. I did have what I believe to be one casualty. He swam off but I don't think he made it, really sad.

Kastking Assassin arrived in the mail last night. Spooled it with 12lb Trilene XL and put it on my *** rod. The weather was iffy for Kayak fishing today so I went to the local pond to break it in. Got 3 Bass and a Chain Pickerel on a Zman Chatterbait Greenback Shad color with a Yum Warning Shot in watermelon candy color as a trailer.

All you need is a Kastking Stealth...sorry couldn't resist. I am violating #4 and #5 of the above advice with my choice. Seriously though check out the fishing articles, tackle review section on this site. There are reviews on rods and reels from many trusted sources of Bass Resource. Some of those rods and reels are budget friendly.

Your in luck, the Shimano Caenan is on sale for $79.99 at Dick's and Cabelas down from $99.99

For river smallies I like the 6' Fenwick Eagle or a 6' 7"

Love my Shimano's. Great quality products from a company with a long standing reputation.

My dad always says there is nothing wrong with your money so there should be nothing wrong with what you purchase with it. You did the right thing getting a new one.

I would say the Big TRD was created to combat the argument that the Ned Rig doesn't catch big fish. What catches big fish? Big baits hence the big TRD. Like you said it's not the Midwest finesse style anymore.

Impressive list of brands. Made the bait monkey grab me by the throat. I am going to go buy an Arbogast Jitterbug and Hula Popper this week for some nostalgia fishing.

Ahhhhh that explains Booyah missing as well.

What happened to Yum? -----------------------------> I don't see them on the side anymore.

Stop making sense. This is a fun thread

You forgot, 21. Kastking reels are inferior as they cost under $100, unless you tried one.

Happy Birthday A-Jay. Here is hoping for tight lines on your day!

When is a Ned rig not a Ned rig? When it's not a mushroom head jig with a half a Z-man Zinkerz crazy glued on? That's the one Ned talks about in his video on the subject. Then Z-man made Shroomz head jigs and TRD's regular and big sizes. I consider those Ned rigs as well. I fish the small Shroomz head jigs with all sorts of trailers (3" Yum Dingers, Arkie Curly Tail grubs and Salty Chicken Feet, etc) I don't call them Ned rigs though. They all work and they all catch fish.

I bought a cheap Swiss Cargo carrier kit from Dick's Sporting Goods when I purchased my kayak. It works for the short trip I have to take to get to water. Anything further I would have to upgrade to something better. You would need something in the 12' range like the Field and Stream Eagle Talon or Shadow Caster they carry 450-500lbs but weigh closer to 100lbs. Car topping will be impossible without help. My Pelican angler kayak carries a max 275lbs and weighs 38lbs so it's easier to car top by myself. Anything heavier would have defeated the purpose of getting on the water easy and solo for me.

The Stealth is a great reel. If it was available when I first picked up a baitcaster I would have never gone back to spinning gear. Stick with the Stealth you will not be disappointed. Its light, casts a mile and is virtually backlash proof once brakes are set. As far as the rod I would upgrade to a Ugly Stick GX2, Berkley Cherrywood HD, Lightning rod Shock or Abu Garcia Vengeance. They are much better than the Agility.

I have had Bass hit my wacky rig senkos while retrieving them on the surface. That's my indicator to switch to a topwater bait.

I agree with this. I have learned the fine art of downsizing and I am happier for it. After many trips where my tackle box was, for the most part, untouched I have learned to take less.

I do the same. I also add a chatterbait into the mix.

Ditto. Bait-casters right, spinning reel left for this right handed man. I would have never even thought about switching my spinning gear from left to right until I read this thread. And I still won't

it's definitely in the Cichlid family.

Considering the pollution levels of some of the waters I fish (cough, Hudson River, cough) I won't be eating or kissing any fish.

The Doritos commercial with the pregnant lady and her husband eating chips in the hospital while she is getting an ultrasound. They all notice the baby on the ultrasound following the chip. The wife gets fed up with her husband and hurls the chip against the wall. The ultrasound then shows the baby springboarding out to get the chip while everyone is screaming!