Zcoker

First thing to do is to be very mindful of the hook situation. I’ve seen so many just reach down and pluck a fish out of the water with trebles dangling everywhere. They do this quite automatically….or, better yet, quite enthusiastically. They don’t even think about the hooks until it’s too late. It’s well and good to have all the safe guards like nets and so forth in place, but being hyper alert and anticipating the possibility of gettin hooked (as a means to avoid getting hooked) has saved me countless times.

With bass fishing, things kind of came together in the last few years. I mean, I had fished for bass years ago but only recently took to it again more seriously. And it wasn't until I started thinking big bass, that I started catching big bass. Other things came with it, like fishing in the right places, using the right lure and presentation, moving around a lot, fishing at night...all this played into my program and my comfort zone. The best part about it all was getting there, which was (and still is) a total blast!

Heck, folks get mad or do crazy things today if a fish is tossed back. I was fishing at the end of a jetty one night and tossed back a snook. Dude jumped in after it!!!

There's a video out titled 'Silver King: birth of big game fishing'. In it shows much the same thing: strung up fish and how it gave birth to big game fishing. As if all those slaughtered fish somehow justify what we are doing today. Maybe it's the same way with bass fishing, possibly.

They were big on that with Tarpon back in the day...very big on that! Like high society big almost presidential. Strung them up dead for the ever so popular money shot. Same with sharks, slaughtered most of them and strung them up and then sold them for fertilizer for mere pennies. All perfectly acceptable and all established norms and even expected. Interesting how times change....interesting how behaviors change!

Yep, purely for aesthetic purposes

The procedure that I posted is for MINOR scratches, hence the material removed is quite insignificant. Even still, material has to be removed. Kayak seasonal hull maintenance is quite mainstream and follows much the same process. Weather this is counter intuitive or not or whether this makes any sense or not is subjective. The OP asked what others do to get the scratches out. I merely posted what I do. Take it or leave it.

I hate scratch's, too! And there is a procedure to keep the bottom of kayak looking as good as new. There's no easy solution, in my opinion, other than bodywork style, like with urethane paints, which starts with sanding and goes to a compound buffer. Here's the low-down: for starters, I use the self-stick disc sanding pads attached to a variable speed drill. I start out with medium disc and work to finer disc, depending on the scratch. To get even finer, say 1000 or above grit, I have to cut out a 5" circle from a sheet of the wet/dry automotive sheet paper to fit my attachment disc. I use dum-dum caulk to attach them. I do this because I need to wet sand the hull with the extremely fine paper to ready it for the buffer. The dry self-stick pads are only used to remove the scratches. After the wet sanding, I use a orbital buffer with a wool fleece to bring out the luster. I load up the wool fleece with a jeweler's red rouge buffing bar. The results are absolute perfection, even better than new! Like mirror! And it doesn't take long if done routinely. That's how I do it for minor scratches. I do not see any other way. I've heard of heat guns, melting the plastic, crazy stuff like that, but see no need for that kind of extreme approach with normal scratches and scuffs and scrapes. I use some of that KeelEasy for the keel, which is great and keeps it in check. Easy to maintain. All in all, even after a year of extreme usage out in the rocky Everglades and throughout central Florida, hardly a scratch to be seen!

There has been a lot said on here about time on the water, having a ton of patience, and fishing in places where big bass live, all very valid points for the hawg hunter. But what about these hawgs? What about all those times when these hawgs were actually hooked only to rip clean away like nothing ever happened? I didn't think so much about that myself. I mean, I was only focused on all those important points mentioned, like being on the water all the time, patience, etc. But I never thought for one minute about what happens when I do hook into that monster. Total oblivion! I've lost a number of them before I even realized I had them hooked. They are that wise, so very slick, and can put a hurting on ya like no other! So it's not all about finding them. It's also about being ready when you do find them.

I usually hit my same spots but I usually hit them at different times. I find the time frame more important than the lure or presentation. In the everglades, for instance, I can hit one of my spots during the morning hours and catch this or that. I can hit the same spot during the afternoon hours and catch this or that. But if I hit it at 12am midnight, I get 7 and 8 pounders on the same lure and presentation! Nothing at 11pm and nothing at 1am, only 12am. Weird. Same with another spot, only lights up at 5am. Get there at 6am and it's game over. Every spot is different and has very different outcomes, like a dynamic puzzle that comes together and then falls apart, only to be put together again at the right time.

It was a nice Labor Day here in south Florida on the beach early AM, tagging sharks for NOAA....it's what I do when I am not bass fishing. Popper gets the job done! Everglades is like an oven so I'm kinda lettin it cool off a bit before I hit it again. Cooler months on the horizon!

Bass fishing is certainly not the ONLY fishery out there but it sure is a big one. What, $60 billion a year industry in the USA alone? That's pretty darn big. It's only been a couple of years for me and when I first got the bass fishing bug, I looked into the fast track situations like you described and was amazed at the sheer magnitude of things. Like, wow! The whole wide world is jammed crammed packed with so much bass fishing information. YouTube is a massive leader with great info but one has to weed through all the scammy waters, the sales pitches, and all the one hit wonder wannabes. It's hard to know what's true and what's not true. I mean, what are these dudes actually trying to push or sale? It's like someone is always trying to "hook ya" lol I can certainly see how any newbie might get totally disoriented by all of this. Heck, information overload can have very negative effects, like a killer in disguise, I've actually seen it ruin fishing altogether. My best advise is to keep things as simple and as practical as possible. I mean, if you are very comfortable with spinning rods, don't feel inclined to run out and buy expensive baitcasters just because "they" say so or just because "they" use them. Same with lures, if a certain lure has always had a certain magnetic appeal, don't get all caught up in the current frenzy to only buy what they are peddling. There's some very pretty colorful alluring stuff out there with a some very pretty colorful price tags! I went down this same path only to revert back to what I liked most, which was to keep all things as simple as possible and to learn as much as I could about the species that I was pursuing. Lesson learned: the fishing world can be as vast on dry land as it is in the wet water!

Sounds like this old dude is there ALL the time, day and night. That's another big part of the equation of right place, right time. The more one can be on the water to fish, the more the chance of running into something phenomenal. Actually, that would count for more, in my book. Right time and right place, sure, but being on that water with a bait out is about as good as it can get!

It can happen to anyone...or not. It's more a state of mind, too. I mean, when the skunk starts getting deeper and deeper into the day or night, one suddenly feels that it's doom and gloom. With that kinda negative weight upon the shoulders, it's almost like a heavy conditioning. Trying to fish in in that is like trying to fish in a gutter. My approach is to simply move around a LOT with as much positivity as possible. Moving around with a fresh outlook on things always seems to keep the bass biting.

Going back is just reliving the same thing over again. The past is what it was, which is what shaped us to be what we are today. If anything, I am glad I got out of freshwater fishing years ago and hit the beaches! I only hit the beaches because I moved to Florida. Surf fishing opened up many doors. I tag sharks for NOAA, which keeps me very busy. When I get tired of one fishery, I just move to another. This back and forth has certainly shaped my progression to be a better fisherman and to respect what I have today and where I’m going tomorrow, all thanks to a past that got me this far!

I lost a nice bass not so long ago in the weeds....or water hyacinth. I was fishing from shore at night when she hit a spinner bait. Before I knew it, she hit the green stuff and when I tried to gain the bait pulled--gone. Or so I thought lol About two hours later, a friend and I decided to hit the same area. While we were fishing, I kept hearing this splashing, no big deal, I thought, many creatures splash about at night. Well, the splashing continued. So I walked down to where the commotion was and noticed a big bass on top of the pads, scrambling around, my big bass, the one that I had lost! That's one way to get them out lol

If there's one thing that I've learned from Kayak fishing: expect and anticipate everything!

I’d say this is all after the fact. The blue truck was launching and went into the water. The picture just shows everything after it was pulled out of the water, all twisted and upside down. The positioning of everything is just the way it was underwater when the tow truck did it’s pulling duty.

Gators are everywhere at night. Loaded. And I haven’t had a single issue. They’re actually easier to see at night because their eyes glow. Just shine light and will know instantly where they are. I’ve had some issues with my lures getting jacked. Aside from that, smooth sailing.

It doesn’t come with a battery, you have to purchase one. I have a Renogy 100amp/hr with blue tooth. This is how much juice I had left after all day fishing miles and miles out in the stick marsh. Incredible mileage in that boat!

These newer yaks are game changers, as far as I'm concerned. I like boats, too. Regular kayaks are fine. I have an Ocean Frenzy. They can open up some serious doors in some serious fisheries. But these newer powered yaks are step above, imho. I have one of the newer OT powered fishing kayaks and fish it deep in the Everglades, thousands of square miles where no boat could even dream of going. I can go miles and miles on power without the least worry. I can launch the thing in a matter of minutes in some of the craziest make-shift launch sites imaginable, weed or rock or alligators, no problem. Craziest thing of all, I do most all of this in the deep, dark night! During the day, I can take the thing in some of the thickest cover imaginable, few feet of water or even less! And I'm talkin some thick stuff! Rounding it all out, I catch a load of nice fish every single outing ... boom! It's all good. Pick your posing. Boat or yak, simple decision. Make it, live it, and enjoy it, whatever it be.

I second the night bite. When something doesn't work, gotta try something else, a different tactic or approach. I can tell ya one thing, down here in south Florida, talk about hot water temps in August! Like boiling. Night fishing is much cooler, the water cools a bit, and the big ones prowl around to feed. Seems like most hits at night are always the bigger fish.

There is nothing, and I mean nothing that can get in the way of a well balanced life! I work full time yet I have plenty of time to tag tons of sharks for NOAA, go fishing for bass ALL the time ALL night long deep in the Everglades. Yet I'm still just as busy in my working world. I work in healthcare, you see, and we have not had a day off since this whole covid deal started, front lines, all that jazz. Yet everything I've said above still happens, the fishing, the fishing and more fishing and everything that goes along with the fishing, home, wife, birthdays, holidays, rental units....you name it. Balance is the key, my friend. Can do anything the mind is put to. No excuses excepted! Think like that and any perceived obstacle suddenly becomes invisible.

I certainly don't know what these fish and wildlife outfits are doing in other states. Seems like they got things together down here in Florida. Sure would be nice if they shared notes. Some of these retention areas down here are turning into world renowned fisheries with unreal fishing. They have crews of biologist, do tons of research and spend a boatload of money and take the time to make a thriving fishery....all for us fishermen. That's pretty darn cool in my book. To take a cow pasture and turn it into an area with tons of trophy largemouth....just wow!

Down here in south Florida we fish exclusively in the heaviest cover imaginable and get the fish in by using heavy strait braid, 50 at the very minimum up to 80lb test with stout flipping hooks. Works great with few break-offs. Slam 'em good and heave ho on those suckers!