Hook2Jaw

I think those two options are fine, but you might want to take a look at the Hummimbird Helix 5 if you need affordability and performance. My best friend has some saved screenshots of fish in 3' of water. Bird, in my opinion, has the best SI in the game if that's something that interests you. Added the screenshot in, @Boomstick.

Nice. It seems you have a lot of funds, it might be in your interest to tell your boys you have a bad shoulder for staking down and going with a Power Pole. They are absolute game changers. What fish finders are you considering?

My knowledge of the Tranx 200 is that it was designed as a reel for both saltwater and big bait fishing, and it says as much in the description. As far as paying for features you don't need, I completely agree. I've been cranking redfish, flounder, and seatrout in with Daiwa Fuegos for quite some time. I've even had a five foot tarpon burn the line off the spool of one, accidental hookup. My Lexa 300 has also stood up to the saltwater environment and tarpon. A Tatula 200 will handle inshore fishing. But hey, thanks for the correction.

I would go with a Daiwa DXSB 8' Heavy Fast or the aforementioned Dobyn's Fury. I have extensive experience with the Daiwa, and it is an awesome swimbait rod for one hundred and ten bones. It's fast enough for single hooks and soft enough for larger trebles. As far as reels go, a Daiwa Tatula 200 should perform well. The rod I'm touting and the Tatula can be had for a hit of 230 or so to the bank account. The Tatula 200 has been touted by some as every bit as good as a Shimano Tranx. I like that you're sticking to braid to leader, it casts so much better than straight mono or fluoro. I personally use 50# Berkley X9 and 17-25# Berkley Big game to throw S-Waver 168s and Huddleston 68s. Good luck!

I think you've done a great job outfitting yourself and sons with quality boats. The only recommendation I can add is a stake out pole for each setup. Being able to pin in place on a paddle kayak is a must for me.

You and @schplurg would both benefit from a c-tug.

Y'all got me smacking my lips at the MS Slammer. It'll have to wait, the tarpon will be inshore soon and I plan to put some Savage Gear Pulse Tail Mullets to work. I don't know how long I can resist the monkey.

I like the Vibe Seaghost 130. I, however, can't stand all the hype over a boat no one has any seat time in. Bleh at that Shearwater until it's out.

I've been kayaking to bass fish since I was 22 years old, but most of my experience is in the last four. I've fished ponds, rivers, lakes, and the ocean. I've pedaled and paddled. That's my amount of experience. The most important part of a fishing kayak to me is the tracking. Through my craft traveling in a straight line, I'm able to fish down a bank more easily and that's arguably where you'll be aiming your casts as a kayak angler. If your kayak makes staying on target difficult, you're going to be adjusting the rudder more in a pedal boat or losing both hands to your paddle. A line in the water means fish, and if your kayak is unable to help you keep your line in productive water you're apt to have a bad time. Second, I need stability and speed. I consider them in the same ballpark because one trades for the other. Speed to get to an area that I hope holds fish, and stability to fish it safely. A comfortable seat is a must. I'm about to add some additional support to my seat, but it's one of the only complaints I have.

What are the 5-6 no feel retrieves?

For you guys who say most people are fishing it incorrectly, how do you fish it correctly?

The last time I hooked myself, I didn't need a trip to the emergency room. The bass are fine with barbs and so am I. Sorry, buddy, I will continue to go barbed.

This is a bass fishing forum. If you guys are going to discuss artificials for panfish, there's an other species subforum here as well.

I would spend another ten dollars and grab a Daiwa Tatula XT from sportsmanoutfitters.com. I own the 7' medium fast spinning rod, and can't wait to add a 7'6" heavy for my jigs and worms packing a 4/0 or higher hook. After that it'll be a 7'1" medium heavy fast with a Tatula SV to skip some docks. I can feel slack line bites with my XT, my previous spinning rods weren't capable of that and for 80 dollars I think it's a steal of a deal. They also look great.

I look for anything when fishing a casting jig, the conditions mainly alter size. Post frontal or clear water get my finesse jigs. Good, overcast weather and less than clear, stained, or muddy water see my ½ ounce and plus offerings. When I'm fishing a jig horizontally, I gather my slack quickly before I swing to set. When I'm fishing them vertically(pitching), I swing as quickly as I can. My thought process is horizontal often elicits what I believe to be a feeding response and I give them a bit of time to engulf my bait. Additionally, I'm also moving a lot of line between me and a jig I've rocketed 30 yards out. My thought process for a slack line swing on vertical jigging is that they're striking out of reaction, and have engulfed it. Possibly, they're not primed to feed in that instant. They could reject my jig in a split second. Also, there's not as much line out on a pitch and you've got leeway to put the crack on them. For paddletails, I simply cast them out and retrieve them at various speeds, depths, and cadences. I hit them the moment I feel them. I opt between YUM Pulse swimbaits and Big Bite Baits Cane Thumpers. If one of them won't get eaten, the other generally will. For my ½ ounce casting jigs, which carry a 4/0 hook, I drive them with a Medium Heavy rated to 1 ounce. For my ¼ ounce finesse jigs with 2/0 hooks, I set them with a Medium rated to ¾ ounce. Always keep in mind that you need the right rod to drive a heavier hook or not bend out a lighter one. My swimbaits use the same rules. I've been matching my rod power not only to lure weight but also hook size, and it has been paying dividends. We all jerkbait fish and crank with lighter rods often with added parabolism, but I don't see many people say if you want to drive a 5/0 through the upper jaw and out a nostril you're gonna need a heavy stick.

A jig is one of my confidence baits, but my confidence was initially derived from the posters here. I fished from the break of dawn until 1 PM one day before I truly gained full confidence in a jig. That was the day I caught my personal best bass. Another of my confidence baits is the paddletail swimbait -- this one is quite the opposite. Similar to a stick worm, I can pull out a pack of YUM Pulse 3.5s and a ⅛ ounce 2/0 jig head and catch fish. They're the right mix of loud and natural for me and I just know they're going to be eaten, and they are.

You guys have nearly convinced me to try 6th Sense. Does anyone have any experience with the tailored Super 6 box? Would I be better off just selecting their offerings? As far as hard baits I like, H2O Xpress really is a top value. Berkley has actually been less productive for me.

½oz pitching jig. ¼oz finesse jig. Jerkbait. Paddletail swimbait. Shakeyhead.

Gentleman of the Night.

Well, someone needs an ass whipping.

A lot of things already listed, I am in love with. I'll try to add a few things that haven't been covered so far and tell you guys what I'm unhappy with. Plano KVD Speed Bags. I used to carry all my plastics unorganized in a big plastic box, the bags have been absolutely amazing. I'm still a huge fan of H2O Xpress squarebill cranks and jerkbaits. My Daiwa Tatula 100 is a spectacularly smooth little reel. The only Daiwa Tatula XT I own has been an amazing stick. For the price you can find them for, they have few competitors. Now, things I'm most unhappy with. My 13 Fate Chrome rods sport guides too small for braid to leader. I want to use braid to leader on them for sensitivity, but the guides are too small. I am sick of regular Powerpro and Kastking 4-carrier braids. They ruin the casting distance my spinning rods could be enjoying.

I personally use a 6'10" MLF, but personally wish I had a longer rod for it for casting distance. I plan to get something in the 7'6" range in the future. Most of the time when I feel like I need to toss the Ned, I'm in clear water and could really benefit from reaching out there before they know I'm there.

I'm pretty budget oriented, so, 13 Fate Chromes and Daiwa Tatula XTs carry all my Daiwa reels.

While my Predator PDL 2020 is an awesome boat, I'm already saving my dollars up for an the 120. That thing is amazing.

Probably gonna hit it up tomorrow!