CaptPete

it's kinda far, but Wacky Worm in Gilbert is excellent. It's a few hours from me, but I make sure to stop in a few times a year. Awesome selection and his prices are competitive even with TW. Mom and Pop owned.

Kistler Zbone 7'3" MH

I won't say you need 30hp, but I'd highly suggest a boat wider than 36" unless you plan on small water (with minimal pleasure boaters). PS. Jon boat is the way to go, keep your eyes open, season is winding down (sorta, lol), deals will pop up. I picked up a 1438 with trailer and 20hp for $750 very close to you a couple years back, the first day it snowed that season.

Perfect! I was just gonna suggest that rod or the 7'3" version. I have that H3, and the MH, and H versions, the LMH will best suite what you are asking for. The MH is more a 3/8-1/2oz rod imo. Enjoy it! (Do yourself(wallet) a favor and never try a zbone though )

Just try it, as long as the lure weight is within the rod's rating. Worse case you find out you are in for a fight! I use a similar rated rod and fish weightless roboworms in pads all the time. I run 10-15lb braid, sometimes with 8-10lb flouro leader. I'd call that overkill for perch here, a 2lb perch around here is a very large perch. My guess is perch will like baits that are smaller than what we normally throw for bass, this will allow for a lower power rated rod, imo.

I have a canoe and a kayak... I'd still much rather fish from a jon boat, just way more flexibility of use. a used one around 14' won't cost any more than many of the kayak/canoe options. A cheap trolling motor and a battery, and I'm way more happy than paddling. I'm not as big as you, but not far off, I much prefer a jon.

I use my Dx744 for 1/4-3/8oz t-rigs almost exclusively. One of my favorite techniques. I could see where someone would say it's a "little" soft for 3/8 + plastic, but I rarely if ever lose a fish on it either. Plenty of backbone for hook sets. To me, I'd do 744 if 3/8oz + plastic was the heaviest I planned to go in the cover described. But if I planned to throw 1/2 oz occasionally(or just prefer a heavier rod) I'd step up to a 745. ( I don't have any experience with the Xtasy series).

sander, sandblaster, or by hand?? Wire wheel may make sense depending on the amount of rust present as well

I regularly use a Dobyns 734c for 3/8 and 1/2oz spinnerbaits, in fact it's pretty much my dedicated spinnerbait rod, although I use it for chatter baits as well.

Sounds like many states will work, but FYI you can take NY's online, takes a bit of time, but it's free and good info. Just do it. I have been checked in VT before, make sure you comply to their safety requirements (as far as stuff you carry). NY for instance requires less/different stuff.

I use a Kistler H3 Light Medium Heavy, no problems with hooksets, even with up to a 5/0. Casts great. Usually 30lb braid to 8-10lb flouro leader.

https://baitmold.com/?s=toad&post_type=product

I'm not saying "overload your boat"... but I will say they get much more stable with weight in them. I can walk around much easier with someone else in the boat(preferably sitting). Solo, it tends to rock more as I walk, by quite a bit. Always shocks me the first solo trip after fishing with 2 people in the boat for a while. For reference I have a 1438 with decks front and rear, front trolling motor, and a 20hp motor. I can launch it without a ramp and in very shallow water, for that reason alone, I'll never be without a jon of some sort.

Thanks! been reading up on them, curious what will eat them (and hopefully the bass could in turn eat). We've been culling this pond for a while, but it still needs help. Good read on these newts: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3229496/ it's a study on their predation, to sum it up, bass and bluegill won't eat them. Bullfrogs and turtles essentially will.

ok... thats whats confusing.... why??? and why do these lizards not exist in the other very nearby lakes? (fed by this very pond) Ive seen maybe one of these lizards in the downstream lake.