I thought it was a very good review and summary, warts and all. If nothing else, what this "zero ball bearing" reel might do is provide help for "salty" angling where maintenance becomes an even bigger issue. If these new reels can be simply sprayed off with water and not much else, that will be a s...

Adam, Most people I know and have watched don't fish Nanofil with a leader. The crappie/white bass/ panfish guys love it when they are making longer casts. One of the issues with its design is since it is not braided, but straight lines of Dyneema fused together, if you were to look under a microsco...

Adam, I've had good luck with just the Alberto/Albright type knot, too, for a junction knot between braid and fluoro . . . including Nanofil in the past. With Nanofil having sort of a slippery feel to it, I might suggest using an FG knot just to be on the safe side. I know Nanofil is popular with th...

A tiny #0 Mepps Plain Aglia would be one you should all try. I recorded my crazy weekend fishing experience using a slightly larger #2, but I own and plan to use the #0 for panfish later in the spring. It would be a killer on ultralight tackle. This little lure should be in everyone's tackle box. St...

Like I mentioned, you really can't go wrong here.

Yes, you need to get in each of them. You'll be able to determine which one feels the best, speed, stability and more. These things vary from person to person.

Two great kayaks from, arguably, two of the top 5 brands in the industry.

Brad

Both are great kayaks. Great to know that you can't make a bad decision here. Just to give a nod in the other direction, I'd buy the Titan 10.5 over the PA 12. First, it is almost $1000 cheaper leaving you room to add a few really important after-market add-ons. The most important in my opinion woul...

Dolores, The larger kayak. The 9 footer would be a bit short for serious fishing, looks more like a recreational kayak. I didn't check prices for those two, but if you want a really light kayak, an Eddyline Caribbean 12 weighs 45 lbs. and most men and women would be able to move it around with ease,...

250 cm is a good general length. The wider the beam, the more length you will need to clear the gunwales on your strokes. And, as you know there are two general stroke patterns: one more vertical, the other with the paddle splayed out farther. That will often require a different length. On my big Sp...

I have the 5 ft. PFS St Croix Rod, PFS for pan fish series. I love it, have it matched up with a Shimano Ci4+ and 2 lbs. Sufix Nanobraid. Biggest catch on this tiny set-up was a 4 lbs. bass, and about the same weight catfish. It works great fishing from a kayak and pulling right up to docks and vari...

bronzefly makes a good point about balance, what "tip heavy" means. All that I would add here is whether a perfect balance in the stem location, or thereabouts, is really optimal. For almost all fishing presentations, we are either working with a taut or semi-taut line; so, when we are just more or ...

I think I have had a few issues with the Keitech Easy Shiners, too, where I lose the paddle tail, reel back in a paraplegic. But, one that I will NOT fish around bluegills, if they are present, is a Yamamoto Single Tail Grub in a smaller size. It has the best swimming action of any such grub I have ...

I don't recall seeing anyone mention Rick Clunn's spinnerbaits. Any observations? Clunn would be, arguably, one of the greatest current users and experts on a lure that has fallen away a bit over the last several decades it seems. That, and he learned how to use them from a couple of guys who were c...

The St Croix spinning rods are among my very favorites. I own more of these than any other brand partly because they have great panfish rods and I also like a source for shorter stout rods for kayak fishing. The latter is often overlooked: short rods are great on small boats for finesse. One of my f...

Good topic on great ideas, how to get them in front of a big brand name without being pirated. I have several ideas I'd pursue, too. Maybe, I'll find time this year. Mine relate more to kayaks. On what you are describing, is it similar to the Owner Pivot Head??? Brad http://img.tacklewarehouse.com/w...

The one I tend to pick up the most often? A St. Croix PS56MF. Premium series, 5'6" , M, F, 1/4 to 5/8s ozs., 6 to 12 lbs. line. I use a Shimano Ci4+, 10 lbs. braid to an 8 lbs. fluoro leader. 5'6" ? Well, I fish from either a kayak or a canoe and the general shortness greatly enhances the accuracy i...