Exactly, 20 -30 lb braid is prefect but the leader needs to be dialed in for the fish you're targeting. 60-80 lb floro for cobia and tarpon and wire for the toothy guys.

the main thing is a lot of line and smooth drags

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OK Trident 13
OK Drifter 12
Northeast Outfitters Canoe 14

If your planning on releasing your fish, it is best to get them onboard as quick as possible. To fight the fish for your pleasure isn't much fun for a fish looking to get back with his bro's/sisters Suggest you use line which will allow you to get the job done and return them.

If your planning on filling your Coleman cooler, it doesn't make much difference if you wear them out or not.

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Hobie Pro Angler 12

Ok wow! Seeing as a detailed report of one of my most exciting experiences as a kayak fisherman has been officially hijacked into a discussion regarding appropriate fishing techniques let me kill the thread real quick. I never insinuated 8 lb test was appropriate offshore tackle, hence the don't ask in parenthesis. I don't exactly have "4 Stradic combos in the rack" kind of money so I have 3 or 4 working combos. Since getting my kayak, I fish inshore 99.9% of the time so my working combos have been spooled with "gasp" 8lb test and 30# leader. The trip with Steve to the Jetties and yesterday were late notice trips and I didn't have the time or means to respool even if I wanted to. I've fished the Jetties a few times with that setup, even landing and succesfully reviving a 31" on 10 lb. My preference would be "gasp" 15-20 lb test and 50 lb leader for open water. If I'm going bottom fishing for Grouper then I have bigger equiptment issues than line and leader. That's the first fish I've lost from line breakage and more importantly only had one fish I couldn't release happy and that was a dink trout landed on 10lb test in about 43 sec from hookup to revival attempt. I always plan to fill my Coleman everytime I go fishing, saves me on grocieries and darnit they're tasty and healthier than McD's. Seeing as I have yet to limit on anything but reds I doubt I'm a threat to the NE FL ecosystem. Nothing like a little rain on ones parade, maybe Ill fish the Classic with my daughters Barbie pole.

Even if you use smaller line releasing fish isnt gonna be a problem at all... exp if ur using 15-20lb abull red cobia you will be able to land no prob without a leader, king you use light drag anyway so really dont matter what size line u use just make sure u have plenty of it.. I have caught reds over 30" on 2lb to release it and have it swim away fin to large tarpon on 17lb to swim away fine.... not to say use 2-4lb but 8-10lb like he is using will be fine.. the truth is the lighter line will get you twice as many strikes, but just keep doing what you like and whatever works for you. There is no wrong way to do it at all.. Hope to see a report with a huge cobia soon man, until then tight lines

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Genius!

You must have missed where this was a cobia trip, or do you release cobia? You just saw an opportunity to make yourself high and mighty above someone. Last time I checked you were trying to sell one of your "tarpon" rods that was spooled with 30 lb.

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OK Trident 13
OK Drifter 12
Northeast Outfitters Canoe 14

Appreciate the good wishes bro, dont worry I'm not about to change my style based on a few opinionated posts. I've fished with well over a dozen great people from this site, joining was the best thing I've done since I started fishing and I plan to fish with as many of you as I can. Everytime I've gone out I've taken something positive away to help me be a better fisherman. Having just turned my first full year of saltwater fishing and only getting a yak in late January I'd say I've come a long way thanks to the great people on here. I havent checked the final results of the NFKC and while I didnt exactly make a run at the cash, I put a fish on the board in my first yak tourney putting me in the top 20 after rd 1, and came within 2 inches of a legal slam.

I do want to apologize if my original thread title offended anyone, that was absolutely not my intentions. As you could probably tell from my first few posts on this thread before it went south in a hurry I was just a little excited about my adventure. I had been ummmm..... celebrating for a bit before I posted and in my buzzed excitement may have had a lapse of good judgement on a public forum.

I'll have to keep in mind that some people forget what opinions are commonly compared to when/if I post another report. Right now my PB trout sits at 24", when I post its successor that will be caught on said 8lb line I'll be sure to leave out the part about how good it tasted!

Fighting any fish that an angler plans on releasing on 2lb test -8lbtest..that has any size is not good for the fishes mortality rate. Its not as big of a deal when the water temp is under..say 65 degrees, but once late May-Early Sept...or the water goes above the mid to high 70s the fish has a much less chance of surviving after a long exhausting fight. Especially trout and redfish.

Whats really the sport in it??? After you do it a few times?? Its kinda like catching a bull redfish. After you do it a few times it tends to get boring. IMO....10-15lb braid is the best for inshore fishing, and for cobia fishing 20-30lb braid with a "maximum" of a 50lb leader is really all you need to get the job done.

As far as the line being lighter getting you more bites., IMO this is a misconception in our stained and tanic waters.The other reason is that .....if usng a good hook with a decsent barb on it ...2lb test or6lb test makes it a little toughter to burry the barb so as not to lose the fish and get a good hook up.

If you want to be a "light tackle baller" than get yourself a fly rod and add some real sport to your light tackle fishing.

Great Job on the first beach launch!

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Fishing isn’t a matter of life and death. It’s much more important!

At this point the context of my original post has been long diluted and I can't believe my post about my first beach launch has turned into this. Do what you want its a public forum but I started another thread to continue this thoughtful discussion, hopefully with a little less angst and a lot more open mindedness. Guess I'll keep my reports to myself.

I hear yah Arun. You have seen my rigs first hand. I have 2 heavy action rods spooled with 40# line, 1 medium heavy spooled with 20# Power Pro, 1 medium, light spooled with 20# Power Pro and my ultra light has 12# Mono. I really don't see any point where anything heavier than 20# line is necessary with medium or medium heavy rods. 30#+ lines will easily cause a rod to be snapped. My heavy action Star Rod that's spooled with 40# mono has come VERY close to snapping after cranking down the drag on monster rays. I only go as far as my rod can handle. Going heavier has 2 very bad down sides. 1- The heavier the line, the more drag you will get from heavy current. 2- you risk breaking a rod. So, to recap, i stay in the middle of the spectrum. I don't have the tackle that benefits from 50+ pound line so 20-40 is perfect for me. If you are using a stout medium action rod and your reel is spooled with 50# braid/mono, you are creating unnecessary drag with no benefit.

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176 Sportsman

Thanks Arun! We will doing plenty more this summer, I'll make sure you get the invites!

Good job on getting out and in intact and getting on them! Sounds like a great day on the water! Been talking about doing a shuttle for a couple of years. Glad to hear that worked out for you too!

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"For when sleeping I dream of big fish and strong fights."

This sounds like a great idea. I want to come, I have a truck too.

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-Jon
GOGITUSOMEGROCERIES.com founder and CEO

Well this will be my last post on this topic just cause we are taking away from a report that seems to happen all the time.. catching a fish on 2lb 0r 8lb exhaust a fish to much is insane, trout i do agree with are not as hardy as redfish but redfish can handle alot more than people think.. being said 8lb line i can almost horse a 27" redfish to the boat in under a min so dont know how u say thats hard for the fish... Saying 15-20lb braid is BEST for inshore fishing is funny also.. Says who??? you??? Sorry bud but everyone has different styles and tech so to say that is wrong as well.. May be right and whats best for you but not for the next guy... Im not saying my way is the only way and best way but its my right way and what works for me... Cobia fishing using that heavy is for you as well I just happen to disagree and know 15-17 works perfect for me.... As of cant get a barb into a fish because line is not strong enough, wrong again atleast from my side.. Trout has paper thin mouths anyway and alot of people rip the hooks out using heavy line so 2-4 works great... Do i think people should use it, no! I think 6-10lb is about perfect for inshore for the normal fishing but again thats my thought doesnt mean its right.. For the last funny thing do you keep every fish you catch??? If not why do it? is it for the sport or for fun? Same thing I do, After catching a few reds or trout or whatever it is you like why keep doing it??? So you saying it gets boring after a few times then there is no reason for you to fish anymore is there so take up knitting or something because it doesnt get boring to me.. As of fly fishing I do and its ok not a huge fan of it unless in the goon or the keys but thanks for ur input..... With all that said good job Jim and keep doing what you like everyone has different styles and ways.. Whatever works for you is the "RIGHT" way...

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Genius!

Its all good bro, dont really think you need to defend yourself after last weekends performance. Look, I'm all about a good discussion even when opinions are involved. As long as its productive its great way to get a bunch of points of view to process and put to it use to do what we all hope to do which is catch more fish whether you keep them or not. The hijacking wasn't an issue until it started getting personal, then I really just wanted the negativity off of what was meant to be a positive exciting post. Looking back at where it went south I have a feeling it may have been a result of pot stirring, I've noticed some people get enjoyment out of that on here. If thats the case congrats, it worked. All I can hope is that it was stirred with the casting hand, Classic is only a few weeks away!