Rod Selection: What am I missing?

[Burbot]

Hello - hoping for some advice from more experienced folks on how to round out my gear. I primarily target smallmouth bass in Lake St. Clair from a kayak using tubes, ned rigs, swimbaits, drop shot, and reaction baits. I typically start each trip out casting but will troll if I'm not getting bit.

 

I currently have the following:

1. Fenwick Eagle ML/Fast - ned rigs, soft plastics, finesse baits
2. Lamiglas XP703S ML/Fast - drop shot, tubes
3. Abu Garcia Veritas M/Fast - tubes
4. Falcon BuCoo SR MH/Mod-fast - reaction baits 

 

Recently, I found a reel I haven't seen in a few years which I previously thought was killed by some time fishing in saltwater. It's nothing special (Shimano Sienna 2500FD), but I thought I could use it to expand my arsenal a bit. What holes do you see in the above which I could address if I bought another rod to pair with that reel?

 

Ideally, given the reel, I'd like to keep it under $75 but would maybe go above for a very good deal and something I could put a better reel on once the Shimano dies. Initially I thought perhaps a M/mod or mod-fast rod so I could troll two reaction baits at once maybe at different depths. Some options:

1. Berkley Lightning Rod Shock - cheap, can get specs I want
2. Another Falcon BuCoo SR but M/mod-fast instead of MH
3. Fenwick HMG

 

But then, maybe I'm valuing the action spec too much and should consider other options such as Dobyns Colt, Daiwa Tatula XT, BPS Carbonlite, Shimano Sellus, Okuma EVX, or other...

 

Any guidance would be much appreciated.

[EWREX]

i'd grab another BuCoo SR if you have the $. they perform way above their price point.

[Burbot]

1 hour ago, EWREX said:

i'd grab another BuCoo SR if you have the $. they perform way above their price point.

Thanks for the response, I just may do this. I got a pretty good deal on the last one but now unfortunately that vendor is sold out. Maybe I should keep poking around.

[EWREX]

13 minutes ago, Burbot said:

Thanks for the response, I just may do this. I got a pretty good deal on the last one but now unfortunately that vendor is sold out. Maybe I should keep poking around.

the dobyns colt is also a good option. i used a 7' medium on the regular last year

[fluna]

How is Lake St. Clair in a kayak? I usually go to Lake Orion or Wolverine Lake? Im only 5 miles from Metro never took kayak over there. If looking for new rod check online, Cableas in Chesterfield pretty bare last week. Im going to try a Berkley rod on sale for $35.00. (have 3 Fenwicks)

[Burbot]

On 6/20/2020 at 10:03 PM, fluna said:

How is Lake St. Clair in a kayak? I usually go to Lake Orion or Wolverine Lake? Im only 5 miles from Metro never took kayak over there. If looking for new rod check online, Cableas in Chesterfield pretty bare last week. Im going to try a Berkley rod on sale for $35.00. (have 3 Fenwicks)

 

I am pretty new to fishing LSC from a kayak myself, I fish mostly out of a private park on the South end of a lake but I have had a lot of fun with it. So far, there have been plenty of fish in tight enough to shore that they are easily reachable by kayak. We'll see what happens once they start to push out deep, I haven't spent a ton of time on the lake in general during the heat of summer.

 

I also haven't fished from the kayak at metro, but I don't doubt you could easily find some weed beds, rock piles, etc. to fish within an easy paddle of the park. Went out on a boat this weekend from 9 mile and there were a bunch of kayak trailers in the parking lot and I saw several guys out on the water. I think if you pick any spot and put some time in you can find fish. Obviously, if they aren't cooperating you won't have the luxury of cruising to a vastly different location.

 

I will also say that the lake can get very windy which can make things pretty difficult unless you have a pedal kayak, anchor, or trolling motor. Not impossible, I've still caught fish in these conditions, but certainly a lot more difficult and harder to really cover the spot you are fishing strategically. It can also get fairly choppy which could be tough to handle depending on the kayak you will be using. My kayak is extremely stable so I haven't found anything that I was uncomfortable in yet (I'm also used to ocean fishing from the kayak).

 

This video also had some good tips and takeaways:

 

 

Hope that helps!

 

Edited June 22, 2020 by Burbot