2022 Kayak Reel Selection.

[Gera]

Hello everyone!

After spending the summer reading your posts, I have finally made my own account.

 

I’m not new to bass fishing but I’m coming back from a long hiatus (lots of catching up!) I started this summer with what I thought was going to be only rod, one reel and a few lures for just some trip up north (northern MI), to now have a fully rigged pedal kayak and tons of toys (things get of control really easy!)

 

I’m planning my rig for next year, and I have an open spot for T-Rigs rod/reel that I think was my weak spot. To keep it simple, I only carry 4 rods on the kayak.

 

a)     Spinning medium light with Shimano Ultegra (this is the north after all)

b)     Frog heavy rod with some brand reel I don’t know I can name, but has huge drag (so much weed!)

c)     Medium rod with Curado DC with a for crankbaits.  

 

Now for the last position (the T-Rig one) I’m looking at the Megabass Orochi XX tour versatile (if they’re ever back in stock I guess!). Problem is that I don’t know what to pair it with. I’m not married to any brand, just want a good versatile reel to do big worms,  creatures and stuff like that. I need something that can handle light to kind of heavy lures (again rod quantity limitations) and I would say jigs too but god I suck at jig fishing!!

 

Right now looking at

Curado DC

Curado 150 MGL

Daiwa tatula SV

Daiwa tatula Elite

 

For price range, I don’t want to go over the $250 mark (kayak = lost gear) the other inconvenience is that in the selection of sellers of bass fishing gear in the Detroit area incredibly limited (who would have thought with so much water around it) and low inventories of everything everywhere make it really hard to even look at the options and get an idea of how they feel. and last, not a lot of fishing friends ?

 

Please let me know from your experience what will pair nicely for this application. 

Thank you all for reading, all recommendations and/or advice is welcome. 

[Bluebasser86]

I'm a big fan of the SV Tatulas personally but I don't have any experience with the others. That's mostly what I use on my rods I use in my kayak. There's plenty of ways to prevent losing gear while kayak fishing also, it doesn't just have to be a thing you accept as part of it. 

[bulldog1935]

lost gear = doesn't take much effort to make rod keepers

 

Paracord, paracord buckles, cord locks, bungee, swivel snap. 

You can seize the ends with acrylic tape or get salty with twine wraps. 

 

 

 

 

You can keep the bungee short if you have a trolley line they can glide on. 

Whichever rods are out of sight and out of mind in my kayak are clipped to a rod keeper. 

 

No reason you can't take out your Steez and Megabass. 

OK, mine's Valleyhill, but I bought this rod specifically for kayak versatility.

 

If this boat turtles, nothing is lost. 

Even the radio automatically announces your position and identity to the Coast Guard

[moguy1973]

Another DIY rod leash made out of a cable cuff and a coiled phone charger cable: 

 

Palmetto Kayak Fishing: Build a Rod Leash for Kayak Fishing

[softwateronly]

On 10/12/2021 at 2:34 PM, Gera said:

Hello everyone!

After spending the summer reading your posts, I have finally made my own account.

 

I’m not new to bass fishing but I’m coming back from a long hiatus (lots of catching up!) I started this summer with what I thought was going to be only rod, one reel and a few lures for just some trip up north (northern MI), to now have a fully rigged pedal kayak and tons of toys (things get of control really easy!)

 

I’m planning my rig for next year, and I have an open spot for T-Rigs rod/reel that I think was my weak spot. To keep it simple, I only carry 4 rods on the kayak.

 

a)     Spinning medium light with Shimano Ultegra (this is the north after all)

b)     Frog heavy rod with some brand reel I don’t know I can name, but has huge drag (so much weed!)

c)     Medium rod with Curado DC with a for crankbaits.  

 

Now for the last position (the T-Rig one) I’m looking at the Megabass Orochi XX tour versatile (if they’re ever back in stock I guess!). Problem is that I don’t know what to pair it with. I’m not married to any brand, just want a good versatile reel to do big worms,  creatures and stuff like that. I need something that can handle light to kind of heavy lures (again rod quantity limitations) and I would say jigs too but god I suck at jig fishing!!

 

Right now looking at

Curado DC

Curado 150 MGL

Daiwa tatula SV

Daiwa tatula Elite

 

For price range, I don’t want to go over the $250 mark (kayak = lost gear) the other inconvenience is that in the selection of sellers of bass fishing gear in the Detroit area incredibly limited (who would have thought with so much water around it) and low inventories of everything everywhere make it really hard to even look at the options and get an idea of how they feel. and last, not a lot of fishing friends ?

 

Please let me know from your experience what will pair nicely for this application. 

Thank you all for reading, all recommendations and/or advice is welcome. 

 

I have a curado DC, 18 bantam mgl JDM, and 20 met mgl JDM.  I use the Bantams for jig rods and Mets for worm fishing.  The JDM bantam is around $245 on digitaka.com  It's an incredible reel and I definitely recommend it if the weight is a good match for your rod, same weight as the DC curado. If the weight is too much and you don't want to spend $295 on the JDM Met, I'd lean toward the curado mgl.   I don't know the diawas you listed, but I'm sure they're awesome too.  The tat 200 and 300 reels I have, I really enjoy.

 

scott

[FishTank]

I have gear in various price ranges I take on my kayak but I agree it's easy to loose a set up, especially in high winds and with wakes from big boats.  So I try to be cautious in what I take but at the same time I want my setups to be functional and capable of taking a beating.  I have found I don't like to take my Curado DC (I tend to get my reels wet and it doesn't respond well to a dunking) or my more expensive stuff.  I have found my favorite set up is a Shimano Chronach with a St. Croix Mojo Yak Med. Fast.  Next would be my ML St. Croix Avid and a Shimano Stradic.   I also like shorter lighter rods with fast soft tip (but not a Moderate taper) as apposed to longer heavier rods with an X-Fast tip. 

 

A few things on the Mojo Yak.... Not big on the Wynn grips but they get the job done when things get wet, the shorter handle is great on kayak and helps with hook sets, this rod is soft and whippy (great for long casts)... all that said, it's not the most sensitive rod but it does bring in fish. 

[Phil77]

 

For price range, I don’t want to go over the $250 mark (kayak = lost gear) 

 

If you don't want a lanyard they make rod floats that work well or you can make your own out of a skinny pool noodle.  I tipped one years ago and lost everything, even my ten dollar crappie zebco underspin has a rod float now. The curado mgl would be my choice.

[GetFishorDieTryin]

You can get a JDM 20 Met for about 280$ which is probably the best bang for your buck.  The other 2 I would recommend would be the curado 70 mgl or curado 150 mgl.  All 3 of those reels are great for pitching/flipping t rigs with little effort which helps in a yak.     

[Gera]

On 10/13/2021 at 6:33 AM, bulldog1935 said:

lost gear = doesn't take much effort to make rod keepers

 

Paracord, paracord buckles, cord locks, bungee, swivel snap. 

You can seize the ends with acrylic tape or get salty with twine wraps. 

 

 

 

 

You can keep the bungee short if you have a trolley line they can glide on. 

Whichever rods are out of sight and out of mind in my kayak are clipped to a rod keeper. 

 

No reason you can't take out your Steez and Megabass. 

OK, mine's Valleyhill, but I bought this rod specifically for kayak versatility.

 

If this boat turtles, nothing is lost. 

Even the radio automatically announces your position and identity to the Coast Guard

Thanks for the feedback!! those leashes look great, I love the way they can be attached to the main cord in your boat and to your wrist, I'm going to have to copy that.

[Gera]

Also, thank you everyone for your recomendatorios, I'm looking at the Bantam and JDM Met reels suggested. they do look as a great options. As for the rod comments they all also seem great. I use St. Croxi Avids. they are fantastic for their price and I'm happy with them, I'm looking at the Megabass because everyone talks wonders about their sensitivity (and I'm not going to lie, they just look cool) so will try an upgrade. 

 

As for loosing gear I try to be very careful, I use leashes for the gear that is not in use and actually never been close to tipping my kayak. But I read stories from very experience people on this site that has happened to them. So, I just asume its a matter of time for that to happen to me. 

[Boomstick]

I am also a huge fan of the Daiwa Tatula SV, especially for anything you might ever pitch or skip. They're ideal with jigs, which you could also throw on the Tour Versatile so that might be a good bet.

 

The new one is much more compact as well, which is a little more comfortable to palm.

[Gera]

On 10/19/2021 at 9:36 PM, Boomstick said:

I am also a huge fan of the Daiwa Tatula SV, especially for anything you might ever pitch or skip. They're ideal with jigs, which you could also throw on the Tour Versatile so that might be a good bet.

 

The new one is much more compact as well, which is a little more comfortable to palm.

The Tatula SV was my first choice when I started thinking about my next purchase, it is supposed to be design specifically for the application I'm looking at, only problem is that since they are not available in my area I really  haven't even feel one. At least the Shimano options I got the Curado DC for reference. 

I guess at the end, any of these options on the $200 to $300 dlls should be a good choice.

Those JDM reels look like a great option, I guess the only issue is braking the stigma of buying overseas and no warranty. but at the discounted price they offer, they seem like a no brainer given the quality record of these companies. 

Good thing is that weather hasn't been great, otherwise I would have purchase anything!!

[Boomstick]

15 minutes ago, Gera said:

The Tatula SV was my first choice when I started thinking about my next purchase, it is supposed to be design specifically for the application I'm looking at, only problem is that since they are not available in my area I really  haven't even feel one. At least the Shimano options I got the Curado DC for reference. 

I will say that my oldest son has a Shimano SLX MGL 70 and that's also a very good reel. The Shimano MGL spool is similar to the Daiwa SV spool in that it assists with braking, but I find the SV wins for pitching and skipping and heavier lures (although it does handle light lures well too) and the MGL is a better choice for bomb casting light lures, which it does extremely well.

Might be something to consider if you pick up a Curado MGL 70, and later were to pick up a Tatula SV for pitching and skipping and then repurpose the MGL 70 to 10-12# line on a medium rod etc.