Articles

Sailing a Hobie “Pro Angler”

Wed, 30 May 2012 22:53:51 -0400

It seems the wind is always blowing in north Texas. With little in the way of hills to hide behind on our lakes, wind has not been my friend. Trying to change this to a positive, I thought I would try the sail kit for the Hobie “Pro Angler”.

Hobie Mirage Kayak Sail Kit HC 84514001

A bit of back ground: I grew up sailing a “Tak”, a rowboat with a sail and center board. I then changed to wind surfing. At the age of 20, I sailed on a boat from South Africa to the Caribbean. I have some experience sailing.

My local dealer offered me a good deal on a sail that was used once and returned. I picked up two pulleys and a cam cleat. I attached the pulley to the provided rear eyelet. I added the pulley and cam cleat to the equipment board; this enabled me to use one hand to manage the main sheet, and allows for quick release in case of being overpowered by wind.

On the trial run, I did not expect the Pro Angler to sail as well as a “dedicated” sailboat, but I was pleasantly surprised with the performance in light winds (8 - 15 mph). I could tack upwind [sail at an angle toward the wind direction – Ed.] and make progress, which was better than I expected - I thought I would only be able to beam reach [sail with the wind at a right angle to the boat – Ed.]. If you pedal some in light winds, you can even sail closer to the wind with less effort than pedaling alone. You can point higher as you build up speed due change in apparent wind. Once up to speed, you can maintain a little over 2 mph with little effort. Around noon, the wind picked up to 15 mph with gusts about 20. Things started to get a little interesting. I made 4 mph and had to sit out on edge of seat to keep boat even keeled.

During all this experimenting, I was trolling four lines. At this point, things were getting too exciting to be fishing. I think without the lines out it could have been fun, but there were too many things to manage.

I ran (with the wind behind me) back to the landing. There were no issues running before the wind without a boom to keep the sail out. I was able to furl the sail by hand and lash it with a bungee cord. It is possible to stow the sail on deck while on the water.

Amid all the sailing, I was interrupted by four small white bass about 8” - I tossed them all back.

Using a sail on a Hobie Pro Angler,is not only possible, but fun!

About the Author: North Texas kayak angler trying to find some use of the wind. Been Kayak fishing since 2009

Performance Fishing Gear by Columbia

Mon, 28 May 2012 19:13:32 -0400

I have been fishing for as long as I can remember. As a youth, fishing in the summertime meant shorts and no shirt, feeling the warm sun on my skin. I never really gave much thought to “fashion” - all I cared about was “fish on”. That all changed for me one summer day in Key West when my oldest sister, Angie, was diagnosed with skin cancer.

Her doctor advised her it was a direct result of years of sun damage. I was aware that there were newer clothing products on the market with sun protection factor (SPF). As I searched for something affordable and suitable for fishing, I came across Columbia’s line of SPF-rated clothing. The long sleeve shirts and long pants looked very hot and I couldn’t imagine fishing in the summertime sun while wearing it.

I started out with the Columbia “Performance Fishing Gear” (PFG) SPF 30 pants that had removable leggings, and a PFG SPF 30 “Omni-Shade” long sleeve shirt. According to Columbia, their SPF-rated clothing protects the user by blocking most of the harmful ultraviolet rays through tight weave UV blocking and absorbing technologies without having to reapply, like sunscreen. The shirt was a typical button-up style fishing shirt. I just knew I wasn’t going to be happy, and I figured I would sweat several pounds off the first day I tried the shirt and pants. I used them while kayak fishing on a typical hot sunny Florida day. The trip lasted about seven hours, and I was very pleasantly surprised. Because the clothing covered up my arms and legs, the sun didn’t heat up the surface of my skin. I didn’t understand what they meant by “breathable” fabric until I felt the slightest of breezes across my skin under the shirt. I actually sweated less and felt better when I was done for the day.

Columbia produces several more lines of PFG clothing. I recently purchased an “Omni-Wick” pullover shirt that has the same sun protection and keeps my skin dry. It pulls the sweat from your skin and allows it to evaporate quickly. I followed that up with the “Blood and Guts” convertible pants. It has stain repellence and quick-dry capabilities while keeping the same SPF 30 protection. I leave the kayak frequently to wade fish, and when I get back in, these pants dry within a minute or two. Another feature that I am not sure was intended is they don’t wrinkle when washed. The only drawback I could find was the price. Some of the shirts are quite pricey at $99 full retail. They have held up well after repeated use and washing, and look much like they did when new.

Columbia is not the only company that makes SPF rated clothing for anglers, but they do have a very extensive collection with a wide range of prices. Angie was lucky and she remains healthy. Everyone in my family now has SPF clothing in their wardrobe, and I encourage them to wear it while enjoying the Florida sun.

Memorial Day

adam@yakangler.com (adam hayes) — Sun, 27 May 2012 11:10:57 -0400

YakAngler.com would like to say thank you to all service men and women that have served and are currently serving our country. We would also like to say thank you to their families for your sacrifices as well.

If you are out on the water today, be sure to wear your PFD and to watch out for motor boats.

May Kayak Fishing Report

heywood@tampabay.rr.com (Bill Howard) — Fri, 25 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

If any of you have been following me on Facebook or the forum here, you know that I have been dealing with some health issues the past few months. An unexplained illness has left me very weak and exhausted at the end of the day, or after any activities. I am still working with my doctors trying to figure it out.

I figured I could feel like crap out on the water just as well as I could on the couch, so the past two weekends I got out to test out the waters. I’m still not feeling 100%, and today I am really feeling it - but it was worth it to get out with my good friends.

Last weekend I got out with Joe, and despite the "Supermoon" we did see a few fish. We even managed to call our own shots. The first fish of the morning was an awesome strike that had us both thinking “Snook!” – but it turned out to be a nice redfish.
I love the reaction on Joe’s face:

Last weekend I got out with Greg, his son Robert, and my friend Norm. Greg has been laid up with a shoulder injury, and like me, hasn’t been out in a long while. It got a little windy towards late morning, so we were off the water by noon. It was good fishing, though - everyone caught a little something.

21 spots on Roberts redfish.

I took out the new “Ranger 15” from Malibu. Read my full review here in the articles section.

I’m really looking forward to putting this spring behind me and getting out on the water more!

Supermoon Pond Fishing

hammerhead@yakfish.net (Gregg Crisp) — Thu, 24 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

This past Saturday night was our “Supermoon” for the year. The Supermoon is the time when the Moon’s orbit is closest to the earth. During this time the Moon appears approximately 14% larger, and you will see some of the biggest tides of the year in the days leading up to and following it. Unfortunately, I was not able to get to the coast to fish the tides and experience some of the great fishing I would later hear about...

However, I did take the opportunity to go to some local ponds to see what was biting.

On Saturday evening, I headed to Grassy Pond in hopes the bass would be back into the pre-spawn mode. The bass had started to move up onto beds in March in southwestern New Hampshire. Some needed rain and cold weather pushed the bass back into the deep water, and they have been pretty lock-jawed for the entire month of April.

I launched my Jackson “Coosa” around 6:00 pm and paddled out to some favorite spots. After a few minutes, the pickerel showed up and on started chewing up my topwater bait. After landing a few, I moved spots to try to find some bass - with the same results. I tried some of the deeper channels with no luck, so I went back to catch some pickerel and watch the moon rise. As the moon reached the top of trees I caught my one bass of the evening, a small male up in the shallows. The final count for the evening was ten pickerel and one bass, and was by far the best action of the season for me.

The next morning I headed to Mountain Brook Reservoir with my youngest son, SharkBait. Mountain Brook is normally a few degrees warmer then Grassy Pond, so I was again hoping to find some bass feeding. We headed directly over to a mud flat where I had some luck back in March. I set my son up with a nightcrawler, and went to do some exploring and see what I could find. After two casts I had a nice pickerel scarring up my lure. Two more casts and I was pulling in another. There were not going to be many bass around today, but I knew this was going to be an epic morning for my son.

The next thing I had to do was figure out what lure my son could use. The Rapala “Twitchin’ Rap” I was trying would be constantly in weeds for him, since I was carefully skimming the top of them. I tied on a chrome floating “Rat-L-Trap” ; it’s easy lure to fish, and should stay right above the weed line. After a few missed hook sets, he had his first pickerel in his kayak. The constant action continued for the next three hours. The bite finally slowed down some, and we paddled back to the ramp to head out for breakfast. The count for the day ended up being 24 pickerel, no bass, and one awesome memory.

So next time you hear about an event called the Supermoon, make sure you get out on the water and do some fishing. You may have a great time fishing and make memory you’ll never forget.

A New Fishing Experience

paddletrucker@yahoo.com (Nate Free) — Wed, 23 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Growing up in Texas, my family would often go on winter camping and trout fishing trips in southeastern Oklahoma on the Mountain Fork River in Beaver’s Bend State Park, or the Blue River in Tishomingo, OK. Both offered rainbow trout stocked from hatcheries...

It was nice to get out of the house during winter as a family for a camping trip. We used ultralight spinning gear for trout fishing. I never got into trout fishing, always wanting to hunt bigger fish. I’d see people on both rivers fly fishing, and because of that grew up thinking fly fishing was just for trout and wading.

After moving to northeast Oklahoma and a return to fishing many years later, after I had grown, I worked with a group of guys who would travel to the western United States for week-long trout fishing trips. I used to hear them talk about fly fishing. The lingo was all very technical. I didn’t know anything about the things they talked about. It was all totally different from the fishing I did (mostly for catfish). It just seemed strange to me to travel to catch fish I’d use for striper bait here in Oklahoma. I had again gone on some trout fishing trips, but just never did get into it.

Those experiences caused me to make a lot of assumptions and hold some prejudices about fly fishing. It was no surprise to me that after I got into kayak fishing in 2007, I just never paid much attention to the kayak fly fishing crowd. I saw the posts on the forums. I read the occasional fishing report from fly anglers who posted in the “General” sections of kayak fishing forums. For some reason, however, I just always fell back on my preconceived notions about fly fishing. It was mostly for old men trying to be way too technical about their hobby. It was too windy to fly fish where I go. It takes too long to learn. It’s too hard, anyway.

I’ve seen those $750 rods in the catalogs - who’d want to waste that kind of money? Fly fishing is an expensive way for old men to catch bait. I don’t need to spend that kind of money to catch bluegill! My favorite saying that I’d use on my fly fishing brother was, “While your bait is flying around in the air, my plastic worm is in the water catching fish!” Of course, that was to rib him and see how far I could push him. What are big brothers for - even grown ones - after all?

That all changed for me about a week ago. My brother had moved some time back and wanted to store some things in my barn. About a week ago, I needed to move some things out of my way and found his fly rod, a cheap Shakespeare model he bought at the world’s largest retailer. It was out of sheer curiosity that I carried it into the yard and gave it a try. It was, of course, a total failure. I put it back in the barn and mentioned it to him later, thinking it was funny. He encouraged me to give it a try with a real intention of doing it correctly. In fact, I distinctly remember him telling me that he doubted I would be able to do it, but I could try it, anyway. What are little brothers for - even grown ones - after all?

My brother did give me the crash course in fly fishing. After thirty minutes, I made my first cast that wasn’t a total disaster. Thinking maybe I could find a little assistance with the help of YouTube, I went inside and began watching fly fishing videos on line. I learned a few very basic principles and went back outside to practice more. I got a little better. I think it was almost lost on me how much fun I was having trying to learn to fly cast. I began seeing small things that absolutely proved my assumptions about fly fishing completely wrong. First, I had already witnessed guys on YouTube catching trophy-sized bass on fly rods. I tuned to a fishing show to see the recently deceased fishing guru, Jose Wejebe, catching permit and snook on a fly rod in Florida. How could this all have gotten by me?

Day two of my experience was a lesson in casting in the wind. I was able to cast the fly line in close to a thirty mile an hour wind with a fair amount of accuracy. I couldn’t do that with weightless soft plastics as easily, and I was completely new at this! I realized that I was actually learning how to cast the fly rod, and it wasn’t hard. It just took some practice.

I decided to plan an outing to try what I had been practicing. I’d try my hand at a kayak fly fishing trip. Two more days of practice, and I found my wife bidding on an 8-weight setup on a local auction site. I was very excited when she sent me a text saying that she’d won it, and I could pick it up on my way home from work. I began getting a few things in preparation for my outing. I was surprised again when I learned I didn’t need too many things, and it wasn’t all that expensive. Another of my assumptions shot down. I’d be afraid to total up what I’ve spent on conventional fishing gear. One of my favorite sayings is from Koos Brandt. He said, “My biggest fear is that my wife (when I’m dead) will sell my fishing gear for what I said I paid for it.” So far, I’ve not spent too much on fly fishing - not anywhere close to what I spent on my first conventional setup and tackle to go bass fishing.

After a week of practicing, the weekend finally arrived and I was really excited about a kayak fly fishing trip. Conditions were less than perfect - pretty bad, as a matter of fact. I rigged up and headed out anyway. The rigging was far simpler and took less time. I carried a ton or so less stuff. I decided I liked it.

Here’s a picture of my kayak rigged for conventional fishing gear, and the next one is my rigging for fly fishing. My usual rigging consists of six rods, a crate bag, two rod holders, a couple of other smaller tackle and worm bags, fish finder, landing net, pliers, lip grippers, and Hawg Trough. For my fly fishing trip, I only carried a small Plano tackle bag that had everything I needed, the fly rod, lip grippers, pliers, and my Hawg Trough. I did add an anchor and a Yak Attack “Park-N-Pole”. I do carry those things with conventional gear occasionally, and figured I could use them on this fly fishing outing, but the bad conditions prevented it. The wind and the current in the river were both strong, and going in perfectly opposite directions. It made all my plans irrelevant. I had to take what I could get and fish from the kayak, in spots I hadn’t planned on.

Even as a complete beginner at fly fishing and with the disappointing conditions, , I was able to paddle out and find a spot that offered some protection from the wind. I targeted a brush pile and landed my very first fish on the fly, a small cat fish! It wasn’t a monster, and it wasn’t the species I was targeting, but I took it.

Behold, my first fish on the fly!!

I also caught a whole bunch of bluegill, and before returning to the launch I did get my first bass on the fly rod. He was little, but he was my first bass on the fly!

I considered the outing a success, even though conditions were terrible and the fish were small. I learned a ton of things. I continued to improve all day. I didn’t get skunked, and above all else, I had a complete blast doing it!

After making some adjustments (like a better quality fly line, and moving some of my rigging around), I returned the next day. Conditions were far better, as the wind had subsided and the river had fallen some. I had even more fun the second outing, and now have a fly tying vise, materials for tying flies, and an instructional book and DVD on the way. My wife informed me that she has ordered me a 5-weight set up, and it should be here shortly. I plan on using the 5wt to catch bluegill for bait to catch big cats. I plan to do a lot of bass fishing with the 8wt, and also plan to target some of the huge carp and river redhorse sucker fish I see on the river I fish most. My brother and I have a trip planned in the future to a tailwater for a fly fishing striper trip. Do I sound hooked? I openly admit that I am.

I have no intention of stopping using my conventional gear. I like all of my gear, and just added a new and fun way to fish. The important thing is that I learned some very valuable lessons. Most important among them is to open your mind to other fishing techniques and methods. If I had known what I know now, I’d have been fly fishing a long time ago.

I’d encourage anyone to give fly fishing a try. It’s not hard, it just takes a little bit of practice and perseverance. I’m not at all good at it yet and make plenty of horribly bad casts, but guess what? On my last outing that I took my conventional gear, I made bad casts, too. I threw a couple of baits into trees, backlashed a reel at least twice, and made a horribly loud cast that spooked a huge bass away that I had been sight fishing. I still have lots to learn about fishing, regardless of the method I’m using to deliver a bait to the fish. Learning should be a fun experience, and I should have been more open-minded about fly fishing long, long ago. I’ve missed a lot of fishing opportunities by falling into a lot of completely wrong assumptions about fly fishing. Don’t make the same mistake. At least give it a try. Who knows - you might end up a fly fishing newbie addict like me!

Lowrance Transducer Scupper Mount

Mon, 21 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Lowrance has introduced to the kayak fishing community what should be considered the ultimate transducer mounting system for sit-on-top fishing kayaks. With the “Transducer Kayak Scupper Mount” the transducer is totally submerged in the water. This guarantees maximum sonar signal return sensitivity, producing the absolute clearest underwater returns of structure and fish possible.

According to Lowrance, this transducer mounting system works with any Lowrance HDS, Elite, Elite DSI, Mark, Mark DSI and X-Series fishfinders. It fits all Lowrance 200 kHz and Downscan ImagingTM Skimmer® transducers.

The mounting system is compatible with the following scupper dimensions:
• Circumference: 1” to 1.5” (2.4 to 3.8 cm)
• Depth: 1.5” – 9.25”(4 – 23.5 cm)

My problem with this mounting system was using the scupper holes of the Jackson Cuda. The depth of the holes was not the problem, but the shape was. The scuppers of the Cuda are approximately 1.25” X 2”,which does not fit the compatibility descriptions . The deep channels on the bottom of the Cuda would also allow the transducer to be mounted below the curvature of the Cuda hull, providing protection for the unit.

So, I had to figure out a solution, which is actually pretty simple for any Cuda. My answer was to obtain a 2” flat washer with a 1” opening, and about 2” of a pool noodle (~2.38” diameter). Add the washer to the bottom plastic part that sits on the top of the assembly. The purpose of the washer is to re-enforce this part when tightening the mounting system together. Without the washer this plastic part will just bend. Then the finished cover will not clip to this part.

Now take the 2” piece of the noodle, and carve the approximate shape of the scupper hole. This will be added to the assembly just above the foam circle. Run the transducer wires through the pool noodle.

Now all you have to do with these additional parts in place is to follow the very simple instructions that Lowrance provides with this product.

About the Author: Darrell Olson is an avid Hunter / Fisherman. While living in England he was recognized as the 1981 Master Angler from the Rod & Gun Clubs of Europe.

LCKF Tournament Results 2012

pam@yakangler.com (Pam Funk) — Fri, 18 May 2012 05:38:53 -0400

The Third Annual Lake Cumberland Kayak Fishing Tournament (LCKFT) launched Saturday, May 12, from Lee’s Ford Marina in Nancy, KY.

For the first time since the inception of the LCKFT, the day was beautiful and the weather was spectacular! Keep in mind that launch time the first year was an icy 28°F, and the second event’s temperature hovered around the mid-90s with somewhere around 100% humidity. The returning anglers were quite grateful for the overcast morning, afternoon sun, and better than 70°F temperatures.

Two of the tourney sponsors, Canoe Kentucky and Quest Outdoors, were set up waterside, with many kayaks available for visitors to check out as well as take to the water for a demo paddle. Other sponsors at the tournament were The Energy Guy, YakDaddy.net Kayak Rigging Supplies, and Fat Man’s Barbecue (who also provided the post-tournament meal).

The winners of the LCKFT were:

1st Place: TJ Strong- 37.5" winner of a Jackson Coosa
2nd Place: John Walters - 32.5"
3rd Place: Chris Hays "Sriperyak" - 32"

As with the first two tournaments, Susan Powell of Somerset, KY organized this year’s tournament and paddlefest. Participation has continued to grow, with 33 anglers fishing this year. Susan dedicated this year’s tournament to Heroes on the Water (HOW), and the profit of close to $2,000 is going to their cause. Great job, Susan!

I’m sure all of the Kentucky Yak Anglers will be anxiously waiting for the date of next year’s tournament. I know I will be!

SWFKAA Tournament Results

Tue, 15 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

The Southwest Florida Kayak Angler’s Association “Spring Snook and Redfish Challenge” is in the record books. On May 12, 2012, some of the area’s finest anglers competed in windy conditions for great prizes, including the first place Native Ultimate 12 kayak.

The angler’s meeting was held at Lansdowne Street Pub in Bonita Springs, FL. Old and new friends met and talked fishing while rules were reviewed. The format allowed fishing from the end of the meeting (around 7:15 pm), till the next day at 3 pm. The excitement grew until the cannon was fired, signaling the beginning of the tournament, and most of the anglers took off to their vehicles to begin a long night of snook hunting. The few that stayed behind enjoyed cold beverages in the outdoor patio of Lansdowne Street and talked about strategies for the next day.

Saturday morning broke to mixed clouds and a nice breeze from the east. At Lansdowne Street, the anglers started coming in around 1 pm to check in their catches. They were treated to live music from the Michael King Band (yes, they performed “Fish On”) and great food from our hosts. During the check in it became clear that the redfish were being shy, with half of the anglers missing reds from their aggregate. Almost all anglers scored snook from 17” to 32.5”. The largest redfish caught was a nice fat bull at 30”. At the end of the day there had to be winners, so the scores were tabulated.

Top Female Angler - Kasie Thornton 37.5”
Top Junior Angler – Dakota Wright 22”
5th Place – Andrew Wright 45”
4th Place – Joey Nicotra 45.5”
3rd Place – Doug Shallmoser 49” (Doug just swept the IFA West Coast Div)
2nd Place – Andrew Reschke 49”
1st Place – Preston Haytac – 55.5”

After the awards and prizes were given out, the raffle began. The club raised $300 for the Lee County Sheriff’s Office Fallen Heroes Fund. Sponsors donating prizes included YakAttack, YakDaddy, Hook1, MirrOlure, Deep South Rods, Estero River Outfitters, and many more. Congratulations to the winners all of the anglers who made this event a success!

About the Author: Bob Bramblet is an avid tournament angler, competing in local, regional and national events. He is the President of the Southwest Florida Kayak Angler’s Association at www.swfkaa.com, and Captain of the Blue Line Fishing Team at www.bluelinefishingteam.com. Bob also writes kayak fishing articles and reviews for several online resources and kayak fishing magazines. He can usually be found fishing his home waters of Estero Bay or Pine Island Sound, where he has been fishing for over 20 years.

GreenFish “CPR Mount” Camera Mount

adam@yakangler.com (adam hayes) — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

I recently had the opportunity to test out the GreenFish “CPR Mount” camera mounting system. After several kayak fishing trips using the CPR Mount, I’ve put together some thoughts and observations.

The greatest thing about the CPR Mount is its versatility and ease of use. The CPR Mount fits into any flush-mount rod holder or Scotty mount. This is perfect if you want to switch the mount from one kayak to another. Assuming that your kayak came with a flush-mount rod holder, no other installs are required. The CPR Mount utilizes a patent-pending “Expansion Locking System”. You simply drop it into any flush-mount rod holder, turn the knob on the base of the mount and BAM - you’re done! Turning the knob expands the base, creating a snug fit that secures your mount to the kayak.

The other mounting option is using a Scotty mount, which requires installing a Scotty base. There are several types to choose from, and once the base is installed on your kayak you have the option of many products that also use Scotty mount bases.

The CPR Mount gives you the option of mounting your camera utilizing the flex arm or directly to the solid base. Using the flex arm gives you the ability to take video or photos from a wide variety of angles and heights, making this one of the most versatile camera mounts on the market.

Pros:

In my opinion, the CPR Mount’s versatility is its strongest feature. I really love the ability to move it from one kayak to another by simply dropping it into a flush mount rod holder. It seems to be a quality made product that will last for years.

Cons:

The biggest issue I found is that the flex arm is flexible. Okay, that seems a bit redundant, but my point is that the flexibility in the flex arm can be seen when bumping rocks or taking on rapids. There were also a couple of times where I hit the camera with my paddle and knocked the camera out of position.

I really enjoyed using this product, and would recommend it if you are looking for versatility in your camera mounting options. The CPR Mount retails for $95.99, with $4.00 of that price being donated to your choice of one of four charities. For more information on the CPR Mount, please visit: http://www.greenfishmovement.com/