Riversidebassin

Definitely your best option is to buy used. Look on Craigslist or a boat dealer website. I bought my Old Town predator for $650, and its barely used and came with quite a few extras. This kayak usually retails for around $1400 - just proving how much money you can save on a used yak!

Thank you for all the feedback! I decided to get several things for the yak: a dolly/kayak kart, a crate for tackle, and have mounted a couple of rod holders in the front and back of the kayak. All of your input is greatly appreciated!

I’ve done lots of research on fishing kayaks (specifically ones you can stand up in) for the past couple of weeks and decided to take advantage of a good deal I found on a Old Town Predator 13. This is my very first fishing kayak and I’m very eager to jump in and start fishing! This is not my first time in a kayak (I practically grew up in boats and kayaks), so I got all the safety knowledge down. What I’d like to know though, are there any tips or tricks you could give a first-time kayak angler to help them start out a little more confidently and successfully?

Hi all, I’ve been interested in getting a crankbait specific rod for a while and have noticed that a few companies are making crankbait rods out of glass (for example, the Mojo Bass Glass by St. Croix). I’m just wondering what the advantages are for having a glass rod for crainkbait fishing? Do you think a Mojo bass Glass would be better suited for crankbaits than a regular Mojo Bass rod?

Thanks for replies. Would a St. Croix Trout Series 6'4" Light be fine? Also, what size reel? I was looking at a Shimano Sahara FI (or maybe something else) in size 1000 or 2500, which would be a better match for the rod above? Edit: just realized that Shimano sizing is different from pfluegers... 2500 is too big!

I spend a lot of time in the Adirondacks (since I go to school there) and have been keen on getting a rod specifically for trout fishing. I’ve been using a finesse spinning setup meant for bass, but it feels a little to long and heavy actioned for the Trout fishing I do (it’s a 7” medium power fast action). What rods would you recommend for an all around trout rod? I will basically be throwing every trout sized bait under the sun (micro jigs/plastics, tiny crankbaits, spinners, and maybe even some live bait). So are there any rods out there that are versatile enough for this? I understand that using one rod for a bunch of different techniques isn’t ideal, but I don’t fish for trout that often and I just want something that works and can stand the test of time Looking to spend under $150

Thanks for the input everyone! I ended up buying a Shimano Chronarch MGL in the 7.1:1 ratio.

I have the Ike Signature in a 7’2” MH fast action that I use for an all round jig and plastics rod and I can say that I really like it! It doesn’t seem to run too much heavier than the average med-heavy to me (but I also haven’t used that many med-heavy’s). I have casted baits on it whose weights were heavier than the suggested rating and it handled it fine! If you were going to throw baits only a little bigger than 2oz. I’m sure that it could handle it fine, but weights up to double that, I’m not really sure. BUT I may be wrong, so i’d wait till some others give you their input before you make a decision.

Most important thing to take away from this is... DON’T OVER THINK IT!!! Go out there and just have fun! Maybe try some different/smaller presentation techniques to catch some fish (even if they are small) to build some confidence. good luck!!

I love my St. Croix’s!! I also have two Abu Garcia’s (Ike signatures series) and a BPS rod I rarely use. I really like my two Abu’s, but when it comes to a brand as a whole I put a lot of trust in St. Croix. I’d like to explore more brands, but it’s hard not to buy another St. Croix when I know it will be a quality rod!

It depends on what type of fishing you like to do, but if you are looking for a new setup for Crankbait/reaction bait fishing look into getting a bait caster with a lower gear ratio (around 5.5, but no higher than 6.1) and pair it with a medium action rod with a moderate, or mod-fast tip. If you you pair up that Abu Garcia with a med-heavy casting rod with a fast tip it would be really good for jig/bottom contact fishing. I would choose a rod 7’ to 7’5”, but that’s just my preference. plus pair that Mojo Bass with the Stradic and it would be an awesome finesse setup!!

Thanks for all your opinions!! I kind of figured that it was all up to preference or situation, but just wanted to double check. It didn’t cross my mind too much before until a Bass Pro retailer showed concern that a 7’ rod would be too long for me lol.

I have the mojo bass and I loveeee it! It is a great rod for the price, and if anything ever happens to it St. Croix has great costumer service and will most likely replace it for free. It is really sensitive, which is especially nice for jigs and t rigs. I haven’t owned or tried anything else on the list you have, so I can’t help much there but from what I’ve heard the Dobyns fury is a pretty popular rod. Something similar to the mojo bass imo (in price and feel) is the Abu Garcia Ike signature casting rod. I have a mh 7’2” in this rod and use it mostly for jigs and plastics and I really like it! It’s a little nose heavy and I’m sure there are better rods out there, but for the price it’s hard to beat. Plus it looks super sick A jig rod CAN work for topwaters, but they are two very different techniques. I’m not much of a topwater person, but I do know that many people set up their topwater rigs similar to jig/t rig rigs when it comes to the gear ratio (high) of the reel and the power (mh-h). For both applications a mh or H is good, but do some research on the different brands before you jump in and buy one because each brand is a little different when it comes to rating their rods for power (for example, St. Croix tends to run heavy, so to some a MH feels more like an H. Shimano tends to run light, so a MH may feel like a M). But ultimately it is up to you and what you prefer. good luck!

To be honest the amount of money you will need to put in the boat to get it water-ready probably will cost just as much as a boat ready to be fished. I may be wrong though, but if I were you I would keep looking.

So I’ve been noticing that a lot of people choose the length of their rods based on their height. For example, someone may say “I’m only 5’6”, so I never buy any rods over 7 feet.” Does it really matter though or is it just preference? I’m only 5’4” (pretty average for a woman), and have never really considered that a 7’2” casting rod is “too long” for me. Of course, I did grow up mostly saltwater fishing/surf casting with rods up to 11 feet, so a bass rod a little over 7 feet feels perfectly fine with me, especially if the type of fishing I’m doing requires a longer rod, etc. What’s your opinion on height vs. rod length?