Darth-Baiter

It’s here! Got it last week but had to toss the box on the spare bed and jump on a plane for work meeting. got home, hugged kissed wife and got a good nights sleep. Woke up , coffee and NEW Reel fondling! it looks awesome on new Orrichi X10. (First zillion in background) time. to re-spool everything for Mexico bass.

were the cables at least crossed?

wow. this thread almost made it without something coming up about CA's values and thought patterns. have a great trip. it is stunningly beautiful there.

I found this hook a bit snaggy. Great hook but there is very little forgiveness when I’m fishing structure

net storage. I keep it simple. I just lay it in the front like a few folks here. it stays put all the time and I just pick it up. my net has an extraordinary gravitation pull to a fish hook so having it up front really helps. I use a 4everlast, that I lengthened the handle for, and that is my net for life.

Definitely I never peg the weights anymore.

which thumb? both? I saw a guy wrestle his kayak. I didnt ask, but he rigged up wrist straps to yank his boat around. he was pulling with his wrist stuck through webbing. he wasn't a fisherman, but he worked that boat like a pro. maybe a variation for your needs?

from what I know (little) that county is more salt water stuff, and trout(?) but if you head east a bit, you hit some awesome lakes. WhiskeyTown, Trinity, Shasta. all those lakes are loaded with the big three. Brownbass, greenness and spotted bass. I bundle up with warm stuff and I start hitting it in March for sure. Shasta people tell me (brag) that their lake has the biggest smallmouths, and you find them near the d**n. I cannot confirm because I suck at catching smallies. but one day, darn it!! one day!! you going to have a boat? it is raining. normally around here again, and the lakes are back up to awesome levels. heck it is raining now!!

Thanks everyone

I use 12 and 14lb Sunline Sniper for my local fishing exclusively. I seem to do well enough. Everyone tells me to go to Mexico heavily lined up. 16lb flouro (minimum)is most chatter. I had a roll of 15lb Assassin in my hands just now , but I put it back. I do like the 225 yard spools. That’s two loads. is a Mexican bass stronger than a US bass? The cover more abrasive? not like I go to Mexico all the time and I can’t head to the tackle shop, as needed. Go with what I know? Or go up in line strength? typical me, overthinking this.

Japan might be my favorite vacation of all time. I once got a bug to find Hanso's shrine. got miserably lost. I saw a lady cleaning an entry way and she waved me over...I got there with my wife and the smell hit me. it was a tonkatsu restaurant.!! I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, and when I opened them, she was giggling at me. she showed us to a table. menu was all Japanese. she led me around the room and pointed at other customers plates..I saw the one I want and pointed. wife made her choice by pointing at words she couldn't read. hahah.. what a fun delicious meal. when we left, a chef pointed us in the right direction and we just started walking. that trip, covid had not happened and I wasn't into fishing yet. the pandemic was the catalyst for me. now when I go back, I am walking my butt into a fishing store. for me, the Japan experience first, and I happen to be in the country that makes my flavor of fishing gear. my friends wife doenst get back until 2nd week of February. booooo...she is in Thailand now. and so is my Zillion. hahahahah

I 100% tex rig them. I own some nose hooks (octopus, I think) but I never use them. I just whip that rig everywhere, and dont think about it. I am also 100% 3/16th weights. I got tired of me eventually mixing all my weights into one mystery compartment in my terminal tackle box.

I punted and bought the Bandersnatch. I won’t have the reel for two weeks so it will be pure speculation at the point. I could pull a reel off something but I’m feeling lazy. i could spool up an old Abu reel, but nah.

I have a Bantam on my FMJ. That rod (for me) has my best hooksets. So much backbone with that easy to cast softer tip. I use it for my 1/2 jigs -plus trailer and it’s fun to set the hook. I feel like YouTube is watching! I enjoy that armored tank feel of the Bantam on that rod. the same combo throws a weightless Deps poop bait like no other. 16lb flouro mostly but I can go down to 14.

Dang. My words suck at happy topics; Now? They don’t exist. I wish you the best my bud. Love you right back my friend.

In no particular order. Sandhill is yummy but it’s so beef-like. It’s easy to love. (Fun to shoot!) Of the hooven beast. Axis deer is tough to beat. rounding out my list. Wild hog. But making it delicious is low hanging fruit. Sweet and sour pork tastes store bought.

Kuiu is down the road from me. Having said that, I prefer Sitka. I was an avid bow hunter and Sitka pants just held up better. My Kuiu attack pant pilled-up on the first outing. I have Sitka 90% jacket that’s has miles and miles on it. Using vests and other outer wear I could keep just warm enough for everything I encountered. The jacket is huge now that I dropped so much weight and I seriously should donate it. It’s still in great condition. no idea on any waterfowl stuff. I’d prob wear Simms in the water.

To close this thread, I picked a reel. As luck would have it, a friend/coworker’s wife is in Shinjuku - Tokyo. She is buying him a combo and they asked for my advice. We are both getting a Zillion SVTW. she texted and the shop had a righty (me) and a lefty (Dave), in stock! For Dave he is also getting a sick travel rod. Mainly because she didn’t want to deal w a full lengther. thanks everyone for the awesome advice. Always appreciated. man stuff is affordable over there! Even more so in-person!

my boat goes 4mph (kayak) and it has the kill switch..I am not in a good place if my kayak leaves me in the middle of the lake. I am (pun) on board with the switch.

Ice!

I usually go out in January with a single thought.."please dont let me fall in, and if possible not skunk" yesterday was no exception. I was headed to my secret lake when my wife texted that current temps up there was 27 deg. (!). nope. I hooked a right turn, and headed to another secret lake. going there was sketch. I got sideways on ice on a mountain pass road - with my kayak sticking out the back. the rest of the drive was at 7mph. slipping out into the foggy lake, I looked down at my fish finder and in tiny shallow cove I launched into..the water was 40deg. main lake was 43. daunting, and my confidence meter was on low. fish seemed on the bottom..so I went deep. at 10:00 am it was zero fish..when I felt a tic at 20 feet. I bring up what I call an aquarium fish. a bass I could take home and put into an aquarium. it was 4". I look up and," thanks...technically that can be called a no-skunk - funny"... sun is up, I am not chattering anymore and I can finally stand up in my kayak. up till then, my boat was a sheet of ice. I stayed in the seat and if I had to pee, I beached it. then I rolled a jig down the face of the dam. BAM!! I got smashed!! it was a jig day!! I ended up with about 20 keepers with a few 3lb kicker fish. total blast!! I had the lake entirely to myself on the water. shore dudes showed up at 11. I went home, washed my muddy kayak, washed my muddy truck, and was in a really good mood the rest of the evening. January has never played out this well for me. Feb is gonna rock as well!! headed to Mexico!! (I try not to skunk any month of the year. its my thing)

ahhahahahhahahha...

if I had to guess. members on this forum have created a bigger buzz on some gear for me. I would have never tried a Zillion if it wasn't for the Zillion-Cheerleader squad on this forum.

I try. And fail. it’s effective for sure. But I try when I go from spot to spot, but urgency gets me and I ALWAYS pull up my bait and haul-ass to the new potential juicy looking spot. I can’t go that slow! I have no patience. None.

My friends have them. They are wet inside. 10 footers mostly. Some bigger. They all stand up easily. One guy can pivot and cast behind himself. (I’d go for a swim) the instant reverse is cool! Makes me jealous sometimes. Here is why I’m in a hobie. The hole shot. Nothing pedals with more power and authority than my pedal drive. I’ve towed Natives caught in currents and wind that can’t make headway on the California delta. They don’t move! I can move both of us. (There is a Blanchard vid where his friend Mike has to do this for Greg). having said that. Native is a great fishing kayak. You just stand up. Pop! Standing in Mine is a bit of a yoga move. I pedaled my friends 10.5. It’s slow and noisy for me. But it’s stable and the seat feels like a chair. And pulling weeds from the prop is for real.