Rounding Out The Arsenal

[Firstoutfisher]

It's that time of the year. My season is pretty much over until things start warming up in Spring. In order to fulfill some of that urge to fish, I am spending my time preparing for next season. 

 

I just purchased a fishing Kayak at the end of this season and I am looking forward to using it next spring. I can only carry 4 rods at once comfortably on the kayak. So as part of preparation for next season I have decided to take a minimalist route. In addition to needing less rods I am hoping this can help me better learn specific techniques. 

 

At the beginning of this project I had for some reason decided on 5 total techniques/lures I want to focus on. That number is mostly arbitrary but less is more right? 

 

So far I have decided on these techniques

Jig(w/beaver trailer)

Spinnerbaits

Crankbaits(squarebill)

Jerkbaits

 

What would you suggest for additional techniques to add to this arsenal? I will probably switch up my setup once seasons start changing but these are going to be what I am mostly focusing on. 

 

I live at lake of the ozarks by the way, I mainly fish LOTO,table rock,bull shoals, stockton, and truman. So if you are familiar with the area and know techniques that work especially well here let me know! 

[Mobasser]

I would also take along a light line outfit to throw some smaller baits if need be.

[kdubracing]

This isn’t what everyone does, but my approach to kayak fishing is a little different. Keep in mind, I fish big lakes in a boat and small strip mine lakes in a kayak. So what you are wanting to do is different.

What I found is, for the most part, I do not like fishing moving baits in a kayak. I don’t even take crankbaits or jerkbaits with me in a kayak. I primarily fish frogs, jigs, dropshot, t-rig, wacky worms. Sometimes I’ll throw a chatterbait, but not much.  I’m the opposite in the boat, I mainly use moving baits and cover water.

[BBuck]

2 hours ago, Firstoutfisher said:

It's that time of the year. My season is pretty much over until things start warming up in Spring. In order to fulfill some of that urge to fish, I am spending my time preparing for next season. 

 

I just purchased a fishing Kayak at the end of this season and I am looking forward to using it next spring. I can only carry 4 rods at once comfortably on the kayak. So as part of preparation for next season I have decided to take a minimalist route. In addition to needing less rods I am hoping this can help me better learn specific techniques. 

 

At the beginning of this project I had for some reason decided on 5 total techniques/lures I want to focus on. That number is mostly arbitrary but less is more right? 

 

So far I have decided on these techniques

Jig(w/beaver trailer)

Spinnerbaits

Crankbaits(squarebill)

Jerkbaits

 

What would you suggest for additional techniques to add to this arsenal? I will probably switch up my setup once seasons start changing but these are going to be what I am mostly focusing on. 

 

I live at lake of the ozarks by the way, I mainly fish LOTO,table rock,bull shoals, stockton, and truman. So if you are familiar with the area and know techniques that work especially well here let me know! 

 I would also have a topwater rod, or at least a frog for a good majority of the year, me being in California. 

[Bankbeater]

I usually carry four rods out on the water also.  I used to carry more, but they got in the way, and I never used them.  

In the spring I will be using jigs, heavy moving baits, light moving baits, and the fourth is a toss up.  It will either be a Texas rig, or a spinning reel for light plastics.  If I do carry a 5th set up it will either be a punch rig, or a ml/f spinning rig for drop shot.

[BlakeMolone]

I wouldn’t be on those clear lakes without a ned rig and a small swim bait, both of those baits get bites for me on tenkiller when I can see fish but can’t get them to bite anything else.

[king fisher]

I would take three bait casters and a spinning rod.

 

Medium fast-- shallow to medium crankbaits, lighter top water and jerkbaits.

Medium heavy fast.-  T rig plastic, or jigs

Medium heavy fast - Spinnerbait, chatter bait, swimbait, underspin, deeper diving crankbaits, larger top water

Medium light spinning-- Floating Rapala, inline spinner, small jigs, Hula Grubs, tubes.

 

You could easily get by with.

1- crankbait

2- T rig plastic

3- Spinnerbait

4- Tube

 

[Firstoutfisher]

So for rods right now I have:

 

Megabass Ronin- M/F spinning(I throw my jerkbaits on this)

AGS Target Sniper- Jigs(could be used for other stuff if wanted)

Rebellion 610 MHR- Spinnerbaits

Shimano SLX Glass Medium/Mod- Cranks

 

I could easily ditch the 610MHR and throw all those baits on the target sniper but I wanted to use it as my dedicated jig/trig rod

 

Still undecided on what other technique I want to work on

 

I was thinking I may cheat and take multiple soft plastics, something like this

 

1. Jerkbaits

2. Crankbait

3. Spinnerbait

4. Jig

5. Tube/Senko/Other

 

The other technique I am most widely considering is some kind of finesse paddletail, I could use it on a dropshot or jighead or underspin, pretty versatile