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I thought I’d add a review of the (relatively) new Brooklyn Kayak Co. Foldable Kayak since I didn’t see much information about it on here. For starters, this is my first fishing kayak, so read this review through the lens of a kayak fishing novice. As background, I had struggled with the idea of buying a fishing kayak due to space and transportation constraints. I have a small 100+ year-old 2-car garage at home and no garage up at our cabin and thus didn’t really have anywhere to put a traditional 11+ foot kayak. Moreover, we have a sedan and a compact SUV without a trailer hitch, so getting a kayak from point A to point B would be an issue. So when I stumbled upon this folding kayak, many of the barriers to purchase were gone. Purchasing was easy (online) with a cost of around $1,200. Shipping took about 2 weeks for “white glove” delivery. Unboxing was no problem, but there was no paperwork or instructions about assembly. Instead, I guess they rely on you watching their introductory Youtube video on the subject? Normally, I wouldn’t have cared about this except there were multiple quality assurance issues. I received two right-footed pedals (rather than one right and one left) and the screw used to secure the rudder handle was missing, causing multiple trips to the hardware store before finding a matching screw (hint: its a metric system screw). In fairness, BKC was quick to respond to my email about their QA issues and they will be sending me a new left-footed pedal and rudder handle screw. From here on out, I’ll just give my likes and dislikes after one week of use: Pros - Price: on the lower end of the fishing kayak price spectrum - Portability: folded in half, it easily fits in the back of our mid 2010s Nissan Rogue (with seats down) with enough room for all my other fishing accessories as well. It is also light enough (~60 lbs) for me to carry and easily lift into the SUV. - Despite only being 8 feet long, I don’t feel cramped while fishing in it - Has four build-in rod holders and two dry compartments - The chair is actually quite comfortable (and this is coming from someone with chronic low back problems) The flipper-style pedal system works as designed Cons - Rudder system: this may be a product of having to find a screw at the hardware store to secure the rudder handle, but the rudder system can be quite finicky. Sometimes mine lists to the left when the rudder handle is pointed straight. Sometimes turning the rudder handle results in the rudder not actually turning, forcing me to turn the handle multiple times before the rudder actually catches - Quality assurance: as mentioned above, but there were some QA issues (screw missing, wrong-footed pedal) While it feels plenty stable while sitting down, it feels tippy when standing up - No option for pedaling backward: as I said before, the flipper-style pedal system works well for what it’s designed to do (going forward) but there is no option to pedal backward and at this time there is not option to purchase a pedal drive that fits the BKC foldable kayak (though BKC just told me there is plans for one in the next year) I have purchased or plan to purchase a few items to pair with this kayak - YakAttack Leverage Net and YakAttack RotoGrip Paddle Holder: there isn’t a lot of space to lay a net on the floor of the kayak, so I’ll be mounting it - Storage system with rod holders: I’ll likely buy the 13 x 16 YakAttack BlackPak. This will solve storage issues while also make it so I don’t have to use either of the front to build-in rod holders on the kayak (which seem to get in the way when casting) - SwitchBlade, CellBlok, and 20ah Battery Combo Kit: ultraportable solution for mounting a fish finder and a small battery to go with it 0 Fish finder: 7” from one of the major brands with side imaging. I welcome any and all suggestions! Overall, I’m very happy with my first kayak purchase. For those like me who value portability and easy storage, this kayak should be taken into serious consideration. I think this kayak works very well for smaller lakes or rivers with little current. It will likely struggle on bigger bodies of water (some stability issues) or rivers with strong current (sluggish rudder and no ability to pedal backward with current pedal system)

I've seen quite a few posts and replies asking for feedback on this model so I thought I'd let you know how they compare between these two Loomis lines. I've had my IMX-PRO since 2020 and got my NRX+ earlier this year, just before our local opener in May. I got the IMX-PRO after hearing Matt from TacticalBassin raving about it for finesse jigs, and at the time I was still trying to figure jigs out. Here in Portugal most of our fisheries are highland reservoirs, with steep banks and rocky to muddy bottom, some vegetation but never anything overwhelming, and finesse football jigs seemed like the best place to start. The places where I grew up fishing have lots and lots of crawdads, specifically Louisiana crawfish which was introduced here in the 70s, and together with bleak (think shad but slightly more sardine-like, of the alburnus alburnus species) is the two main types of forage for bass. I started fishing with the 844 in 2020 and it took me almost a year to figure jigs out. Since last year they've become my go-to bait and - to be quite honest - my favorite way of catching them. When the NRX+ came out I got the 822S dropshot rod, so I had to see for myself how much better the MBR was. Both rods are paired up with the Curado MGL (151HG, lefties rule) spooled with 50lb Sufix 832 to a Sunline Sniper 12 to 15lb leader, depending on what I'm throwing and where. By now you've probably all heard how good the taper on these things is. I've thrown jigs, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, smaller S-Wavers, walking baits, small frogs, and even a crankbait or two when I was beating the bank and travelling light. If you want one rod to do almost everything, this is it. As a jig rod with braid to leader, it's amazing with football jigs. However, if I'm fishing 1/2oz pitching jigs with a heavier trailer I feel like I'm hitting the upper limits of this thing's comfort zone. I mean, I'll fish them, and they don't overwhelm the rod, but you get the sense that maybe - just maybe - a heavy JWR might handle it slightly better. The IMX-PRO at the time felt like a huge jump up from what I was using - a first gen Curado 7'2 heavy and an old 853C JWR Mossyback (more like an 843 because I'm an idiot and broke about an inch off the tip but managed to fix it with the original tip guide). The IMX-PRO feels so much better than those. It balances great, too. I started out by pairing it with a regular Curado 201HG, which is on the heavier side nowadays but it balances great, but since I got the MGL to replace it I haven't gone back. This one time I even had to put the MGL 71HG on it when I backlashed so bad I couldn't recover, spooled with 30lb regular PowerPro to a 12lb fc leader, dragged a 1/2oz Bass Patrol jig with a Rage Chunk trailer, and caught this one. You can feel the bumps and ticks, but you can also feel the type of bottom you're hitting - especially with braid to leader on a tight line. You can make out logs and grass and hydrilla, it all has a distinct feel on the IMX-PRO. The NRX+ is all that but better. Now, don't expect a night and day difference here, because with these rods you start noticing the law of diminishing returns in practice. Everything is just a bit sharper. It casts better because of the way it bends, but it recovers slightly faster, too. Not enough to act like a JWR, it's still clearly a Mag Bass taper, but it snaps back into place faster than the IMX, as you'd expect from a higher end blank material and all that Shimano tech Loomis borrowed for the NRX+. It also takes slightly, just slightly, less pressure to bend the tip, which really helps when casting the light stuff. In short, if you want to dip your toes in this sort of gear, the IMX-PRO is a great, great rod. Don't feel like you have to have the NRX+ to enjoy the MBR and to have a "proper" Loomis. If you can, go for the NRX+, sure. But don't for one second think you're missing out with the IMX-PRO. I have both and I have no intention of selling it or getting rid of it. I love them both, and if I happen to have the IMX with me instead of the NRX+ I'll fish the exact same stuff the exact same way. Hope this helps the terminally indecisive guys like me out there!

What are everyone's thoughts about the new St Croix Victory series? Did you buy one? I'm purposely holding off until I read more reviews on them. I've heard mixed reviews. I'm in the market for a crankbait rod and I don't know whether I like the 7'2" MH Power Target Crank rod or if I should go with a MH Legend Glass rod instead... what have you heard about the new rod series (any model)? Do you own any Legend Glass rods? Or mojo glass? Should I go with the tried and true or try something new?

My left handed Curado K finally arrived on Saturday while I was out fishing. Once I got home, I quickly opened it up and inspected it. Upon first holding it and spinning the handle, I was pretty impressed with the reel. I was bummed that it didn't arrive in time for my trip out on the boat on Saturday, but then my wife asked on Sunday if we could take the dog for a walk around the one local housing community pond. So this was my opportunity to get some on the water time with this reel. Here's my initial thoughts and first trip out impressions of the reel. Briefing: I've always had a soft spot for the Curado reels. My first baitcaster that my father and grandfather got me was an old green bantam Curado back in the mid 90's. I learned baitcasting on that reel and I still have that reel today and it still works just as well as it did back then. Since that time, I have owned (and some I still own) every model of the Curado that has come along. The model I got was the 201K-HG model. For those that aren't aware, this is the left handed model in a 7:1 ratio (31" IPT retrieve). I also have a standard model on pre-order (6:1 ratio, 26" IPT), but those haven't started shipping yet to my knowledge. Unboxing: These reels come in the standard Shimano boxing that we're all accustomed to. Upon taking the reel out, I was immediately impressed with the looks of the reel. The flat black look awesome on this reel, and it looks much more expensive than a $180 reel. The dark green spool and tension knob were a nice touch of the past. The one thing that struck me as odd was the coloring of the handle and drag star. They are a gunmetal silver color, and in certain lighting it looks more silver than gunmetal. With the coloring of this reel being so muted down, a shiny silver handle/drag star looks a little out of place. Shimano has black handles and drag stars on their other reels, so I'm not sure why they didn't stick to that on this model. Not to be confused with what I said earlier, this gunmetal silver in other lighting does look darker, so it's just a matter of what lighting you're in I suppose. Upon grabbing the handle, I immediately noticed that the knobs are bigger around that what I'm used to on my Chronarch's and Metanium's. They definitely beefed them up on this model. I'm not sure how I feel about these larger knobs, but I know some guys prefer a beefier knob, so I'm sure they'll appreciate this feature. Once I turned the handle, I was really shocked. This reel feels as sturdy and smooth as my Metanium MGL. Shimano has really dialed it in with the aluminum frame and micro module gearing because this thing is so fluid whenever you turn the handle. Comparing this reel to the previous I model, this K model feels light years better in basically every category. I'm not saying that the I series was a bad reel, but I feel like this model Curado is under priced with how refined it feels. On The Water: Prior to heading out, I spooled the reel up with 14lb. Gamma Polyflex copolymer line and mounted it on a St. Croix LTB 7'1" Medium powered rod with a fast action. My reel came with the internal brakes set to 2 on, 2 off, and the external dial set on 3 (adjustable from 1-6). I tied on a 3/16oz. swimbait jig head and attached a Rage Tail Menace grub on it for the sake of taking her out on her maiden voyage. So I left the on the stock brake settings from the factory and adjusted my tension knob until I had the desired fall rate that I wanted. Making the first cast, I was impressed with the reel. It was like the factory settings were made for my little swimbait presentation. I experienced no overruns during the cast and no backlashes upon splash down. Color me impressed considering I didn't adjust anything from the factory other than the spool tension. During the hour or so that I fished, I casted numerous different ways to see how the reel handled everything I threw at it. Side arm, overhead, back hand, roll cast, pitching. It handled everything with ease and no issues at all. I was able to pitch with ease and good distance, considering the presentation I was using was probably only around 5/16oz overall. My standard casting distance was on par with what I get out of my Chronarch's and Metanium's, so I was impressed with that. I backed my external dial knob down to 2.5 and got a few more feet on my casts. During the hour or so I fished, I managed to catch four fish and I lost two others. Everything in this pond is in the 9-12" range, so no monsters to really test out the drag, but big enough to bend the rod and feel a wiggle on the end of the line. The reel felt just as smooth retrieving my bait and reeling fish in as I thought it was when I pulled it out of the box at home. If you haven't fished a Shimano reel yet with the micro module gearing, you're missing out on a super smooth reel. I'm really impressed that Shimano has brought this technology down to the Curado lineup. Conclusion: So far, so good with this new K series Curado. I'm going to try to put as much time in with this reel as I can before we have ice here in Pennsylvania. I can't wait to receive my standard 6:1 reel either. From what I can see so far, Shimano has taken a big step in the right direction with the Curado lineup. I know people were very upset over the G series, but the I series was a vast improvement over the G, and now the K is a big improvement over the I series. Only time will tell, but I'd say that the Curado is back to being king of the $200 casting reel market. In my opinion, this K series feels better in the hands and performs better than all of the various Tatula models I've fished with. I know this was only my first outing with this reel, but I wanted to voice my opinion for everyone who is on the edge about this reel. I am going to put in more time with this reel and I will probably update this post or create a new one once I really break this reel in (just like I did with the Chronarch MGL). So stay tuned for more updates. If anyone has any questions, I'll try to help out the best I can.

Everyone and there brother has been wondering about the new G Loomis rods. I went against my natural tendency and bought one shortly after they became available on Tackle Warehouse. This is my first ever G Loomis that I have bought. Since then I have fished with it twice on the lake using it most of the time. The rod I am reviewing is the 894c 7'5" heavy jig rod, rated for 5/16oz-3/4oz I bought this rod to primarily be my jig rod. I have been on the search to find one that fit my needs perfectly and trust me it has been quite a battle. This rod fits my needs absolutely perfectly so far. Living on the Coosa river chain there is no idea what I might be throwing jig wise. One minute I will be skipping a 3/8oz jig under docks and trees, the next I will be throwing a 1/2 oz to 3/4 oz to deep points and humps. I have been looking for a rod that can do all of this perfectly. So I went and did all of these things with this rod and it did it all exactly how I wanted it to. It has enough tip where you can feel those lighter jigs perfectly on the bottom but also enough power to rip fish out of cover. The sensitivity is what I would expect out of a $250 dollar rod. I had no problem picking up on the soft bites from the lethargic fish. I will admit that I am weird and like to skip docks with a 7'3" to 7'6" rod. Honestly that's the length I prefer in every technique except jerk bait fishing. The 7'5 is an awesome length and provides for awesome leverage and long casts. Durability wise I can't speak on much because I have not had it very long but it seems to be well made and had no problem boat flipping 3 1/2 pounders. Perhaps my favorite part was how well balanced the rod was. I but a shimano 200i on it and it was balance perfectly. It isn't the lightest rod I have ever felt but it is definitely not tip heavy. Compared to other rods however it is very light. So far I am very impressed with my first Loomis and think that the 893 will be my next purchase. I prefer to stay in the 150-200 dollar range for rods and from what I can see so far this is one of the best if not the best I have used in this price range. We will see how this holds up for the next month or so. If it does it will have one me over and I will purchase a few more. Tight Lines, Josh

Has anyone used any of the daiwa tatula elite AGS rods? I use the original daiwa tatula line for all my rods and was wondering what was better about the new rods? I love the original tatulas, but the only problem i have is one of the single-footed guides breaking off every now and then. They're fairly easy to replace so it isn't much of a problem, but I just wish they were a bit more durable. Online, I've only been able to see the lower three-footed guides on the new AGS rods. i just wonder how many of the guides on each rod is three footed and how many are one footed? And are they (the one footed guides) any more durable? Is there anything else worth paying extra for on these rods?

Powell Max 3D Review I purchased this rod at my local tackle shop for 160$, feels like I payed 200$ plus.. This rod is lighter than my crucials, carbonlites, st. croix mojo bass, and many more, same for sensitivity... this is by far my most sensitive rod, you feel everything, every bump of the bottom, and the smallest bites. Quick tip, a way to test the sensitivity of your rod is to tie your lure on, let some line out and close your eyes, have someone tap the line, and see if you can feel it. I can feel the slightest taps when I do this. I have the 6'8 Med Heavy, extra fast tip version, and I can throw virtually anything on it, swimbaits, spinnerbaits, jigs, Texas rigs and a bunch more. Don't worry about the extra fast tip, it can do anything your typical fast tip can do, if not better. It has 10 Fuji guides that are smaller than most guides but not near as small as micro guides. It loads up great, has great hooksetting power, has a great tip and is brutally tough. It is rated for 1/4-3/4 but I have thrown 1oz lures fine on it. I have this paired with the Shimano Curado I and its a beast, extremely light and well balanced. I am in love with this rod and would recommend it to anyone who wants a rod that excels at everything... If you have any questions please ask I'll be happy to answer them, Thanks Bassinick

Powell Max 3D Review I purchased this rod at my local tackle shop for 160$, feels like I payed 200$ plus.. This rod is lighter than my crucials, carbonlites, st. croix mojo bass, and many more, same for sensitivity... this is by far my most sensitive rod, you feel everything, every bump of the bottom, and the smallest bites. Quick tip, a way to test the sensitivity of your rod is to tie your lure on, let some line out and close your eyes, have someone tap the line, and see if you can feel it. I can feel the slightest taps when I do this. I have the 6'8 Med Heavy, extra fast tip version, and I can throw virtually anything on it, swimbaits, spinnerbaits, jigs, Texas rigs and a bunch more. Don't worry about the extra fast tip, it can do anything your typical fast tip can do, if not better. It has 10 Fuji guides that are smaller than most guides but not near as small as micro guides. It loads up great, has great hooksetting power, has a great tip and is brutally tough. It is rated for 1/4-3/4 but I have thrown 1oz lures fine on it. I have this paired with the Shimano Curado I and its a beast, extremely light and well balanced. I am in love with this rod and would recommend it to anyone who wants a rod that excels at everything... If you have any questions please ask I'll be happy to answer them, Thanks Bassinick

I recently purchased a few Dobyns rods (Fury, Champion) all of which are great and feel amazing. Very happy with my purchase the one that really is the most surprising is my Fury 735C. I initially bought this particular rod and intended to use it for what it recommends on the rod frogging, small swimbaits, and flipping/pitching. I was pleasantly surprised as to how much flex the tip had especially for being a Mag Heavy. The rod is 7'3" Mag Heavy power Fast action and is rated for 1/4- 1 1/2 oz lures. At first I thought there's no way a rod this stout can handle 1/4 oz but I was not intending on using it for lures that light anyway so I did not pay attention. After getting the rod however I feel that not only is it stout enough to get fish out of some thick stuff as you would be fishing when fishing a frog but if the time calls for it and I know the fish are in there but won't bite on the bigger baits I feel confident to size down and actually do some "finesse" fishing in the the thick stuff, not using light wire hooks or anything but a smaller bait and a small weight. This rod not only has the backbone you would expect with the Mag Heavy power label it carries but also has the tip to throw some lighter 1/4 Texas rigs accurately and a good distance as well. The Fury series has not disappointed yet with its feel and action. Same also applies to the Champion XP series. After handling the rods it is safe to say that yes the power does feel less then what it says. But I wouldn't say a whole power lower like some people have said I would say it's half a step down maybe even less then that (the champion series however feels spot on with its power rating). The rods feel good in the hand I personally added some U40 cork seal as I like the feel it gives me but the naked cork as I like to call it they use feels great, balance well, and are sensitive which the fact that the gods are comfortable and balanced just adds to the sensitivity. The actions are great not to stiff and not to "whippy" and the warranty is on par with the famous St. Croix warranty. Dobyns rods have a No hassle replacement warranty just send your broken rod to them with a check Fury $50 sierra $60 Champion $70 and they will send out a new one if they find that the rod broke because of defects in materials or workmanship they will refund the check. They also have an upgrade program to trade up to a higher level rod. The customer service is friendly and will answer all your questions even help you pick out which rods will be best for your applications. I even talked to Mr.Dobyns himself when trying to pick out which rods would be best. I hope this little review helps answer some of the questions about Dobyns rods that have been popping up lately in the forums that even I myself had about these rods. Thanks to all the forum member that kept recommending Dobyns to me I'm glad I went with them

Hello, I'm on the market for a good high quality reel. what would be the best all around reel out of the following four: Metainium mgl Daiwa steez sv tws Daiwa steez sv Shimano aldebaran (Feel free to suggest anymore reels).

Anyone have one of these and can give me some feedback?

I read this rod review and am going to buy a new scott tidal but don't know weather to get an 7 weight or and 8 weight? Anyone have any thoughts? Really new to fishing for bass with a fly rod having mostly just been a trout guy for the past 15 years. Thanks!

got this exact rod for 20$ from a friend, used but wasn't used too much. if anything a few times or so. http://www.amazon.com/Abu-Garcia-Vendetta-Series-Casting-Rod/dp/B00E9VK9PW what do you think? i need some honest reviews on it. and for 20$ i cant really complain.

Hello, Recently, I received the "Rapala Mini Hook Remover" as a gift. According to the package, it is great for catch and release fishing; however, I could only find a few reviews of this product online. Have you ever used this device before? If you have, does it function more efficiently than needle nose pliers? Down below is a link the product on Amazon.com. Any information regarding usage (Pros/Cons) of this device would be helpful!! http://www.amazon.com/Rapala-Hook-Remover-Inch-Mini/dp/B002PIP73A

Has anybody bought & used a Okuma Cold Water reel that can share their overall thoughts on it ? I'm looking for a good reel for fishing for landlocked striper. Okuma has many options I was thinking about getting. The Cold Water series is where I'm leaning. My budget is $80-125. If there is any other reel in that $ range you would like to tell me about, please by all means, I'm all ears !!!

Anybody have any experience with this reel? how does it compare to reels in the 200$ range? how does this reel compare to a lexa? i ask because they are currently in the same price range.

I picked up a new TBS71MF spinning rod to try out. My reason for picking this particular rod was to use it as a jerk bait rod on lake erie. I have fished with it four or five times bank fishing for bass in florida. It has been a good plastic bait rod. My reason for purchasing the rod was to find out if the K-series guides really do eliminate braid wind knots. I use predominately 10lb braid for smallmouths fishing on lake erie. Thin braid with lots of wind has been a major pain for me. I'm happy to report during my outings so far NO wind knots or guide wraps with this new rod. I would highly recommend the K-series guides to anyone having problems with braid/wind/knots. I matched the rod with a certate 2000 spinning reel. The rod intially felt tip heavy with the balance point right at the hook keeper. The new fuji reel seat felt strange at first but has become comfortable with use. The blank has plenty of power for landing bass in cover & helping to swing them up a graded bank for landing. I'm anxious to try it out on smallies next spring.

Hey guys!!! Just wondering if any of you guys have bought the Duckett Micro Magic rod series and if so what did you think of it compared to popular rods out such as the Bass Pro Jimmy Houston Carbonlite rod, Falcon rods, or any of the Abu Garcia rods. Thanks guys and have a nice day BASSIN' YA'LL!!!

Everyone, Looking at buying a new setup to focus on chatter-baits, spinner-baits and topwater action (Mainly buzz-baits and Pop-Rs) From reading St-Croix website the MBC70MHF Spinnerbait 7' MH Fast, looks to be my best bet, however any other recommendations in the same price range? Going with a Shimano Chronarch 200E Series Casting Reel 6.5:1 and a MBC70MHF Spinnerbait 7' MH Fast, what you think?