Alex from GA

I fish deep, over 20', lakes and carry a Basspro EZ lure retriever. Jigging spoons are mostly what I get stuck in brush piles. I have probably a 70% success rate.

I have the Tatula LT also and love it. I've been using it several times a week for a year and it's the same as new.

Another thought is are you using lithium batteries? That puts more weight on the front of the trailer so the 5-10% might not be true.

🤣🤣🤣

In electric only lakes lots of people have 2 high thrust motors on the stern plus a bow mounted trolling motor on their jon boats. Kayaks are different with little room for batteries, 6 rods, tackle boxes, etc.

In addition to what others said, look at the boats on the waters you go on and ask the owners, if you can, about their choices.

There are enough pockets in my PFD to hold all the tackle I take in a day's fishing.

About 1980 a friend took me to a tournament, on Lake Castaic, as his partner and introduced me to worm fishing and doodling. Being mostly an ocean fisherman I didn't know much about bass fishing but was a quick learner. I caught the big fish, $108. All he wanted to do is beat Don Iovino, who he taught to doodle, and we did. We used a hand pour 4" brown, black and orange Smittys worm made locally. I still have a couple. Today I use a worm probably 70% of my fishing time. Too old and sore to chunk and wind all day.

Buzzbaiter, IMO the Bartram is the prettiest. In an old thread, "the pretiest bass" or something like that, there is a picture of a Bartrams I caught. A Chattahoochee is another front runner.

When I'm in FL the water is usually shallow, less than 12', and I'll anchor if I want to thoroughly fish a spot. I don't have a spot lock or power poles. On rivers either with my boat or kayak I'll anchor all the time.

For vertical a jigging spoon is my go to bait.

I've caught Suwanee Bass in several places with the Santa Fe being one. I use a finesse worm with 6 lb line for all of my river bass. I fish the Georgia Bass Slam each year and try to catch all 10 kinds of black bass in GA with a Suwanee being one of them. IMO they're the second prettiest bass.

One of my main lures in winter is a 1/2 or 3/4 oz jigging spoon. Find fish or bait on the locator.

A few of my friends in FL use them for shiners.

What are you planning on spending? One man's bank is different from another's.

A 30 lb is plenty for a 10' boat. The 55 lb are way heavier and you won't need it. A 50 ah lithium will let you fish for several days before it needs charging if you're like me. I fish no longer than 5 hours @ a time. Welcome.

I bought a spool of KastKing 60 lb from Amazon a few years ago and have been using it without a problem. Frogs, toads and flipping.

Eagle Claw Brent Chapman worm hooks are what I buy @ Walmart. The best quality for 1/2 what the other premium hooks cost. Yes I walk through. A long while ago they were blowing out IM 7 rods for $7, I bought all of them and caught hundreds of bass with them.

I find the BassPro power hump reel seats very comfortable.

I use Sally Hanson Hard as nails clear nail polish when I can't put Flex Coat on. When I get back home I'll put Flex Coat on over the nail polish.

Built an ultralight rod earlier this year and pinned a worm on to see if I could catch a bass. After not being able to set the hook on several I pinched the barb down and caught a 2 lb Alabama Bass and a couple of smaller ones. 4 lb mono.

Use them until they're too short then discard.

Sounds like an epic trip.

I use a garbage can also for my old Merc 50.

Caught my PB in March of this year on a store bought double willow spinnerbait. White skirt nothing added.