A Couple Sundays In January

 So here's the deal. I had been watching the forecast since the beginning of the week knowing that I was going to have at least one day on the water this weekend.  The forecast looked good outside of a slight chance of rain. SWEET! I woke Sunday morning to the sound of rain! S.O.B. I can't catch a break.

So what's a guy to do?
 I know! Troll the internet for fish porn and drink coffee! That got old quick.

 As the sun came up I saw a beautiful clear sky so I got loaded up and headed over to one of my honey holes. When I got there the water was almost completely slick. Really stained but definitely clearing up. I tied an 8" Huddleston on to start the morning but got tired of pulling weeds off of it after every cast so I switched up to a Weedless Hudd 68 and went to work. I noticed some birds diving on baitfish so I started casting in their direction and picked up my first fish of the day.

She measured about 18''.

 I got bored dragging the 68 and my gut was telling me to switch up so I tied on an 8" BBZ1 and made my way over to a channel that normally holds fish. When I got over there I notice a "wolf pack" had baitfish corralled in a corner and were just hammering the snot out of them. On back to back casts I caught fish. I haven't had that happened for me throwing swimbaits since mid-summer last year.

Other than a messed up back this fish seemed to be in good health.

 The second cast into the school I got a solid hit and the fish definitely felt better than the last one. She was by at least twice the weight. I'm all pumped up and in my excitement I wasn't paying attention to where I was and drifted into the school, spooked the fish and killed the bite. GRRRR!

   

 The following Sunday I tried a repeat the previous with no luck on the big baits but the pattern was the same. To get bit I had to downsize my baits from 6" & 8" baits to 4" baits.

 

All in all not bad for a couple weekends in late January. Now if spring would just get here...

                                 

The Reality

  I had this vision that I was gonna get this new kayak and the stars were going to align and fish were just going to jump into my boat and I'd go home a hero propped up on my friend's shoulders. OK that was a bit of a stretch. What I had in mind was I was going to go to my "Honey Hole" toss a 68 for a few hours stick one good swimbait fish and brag about how cool I am and feel like a king for a day. That was "The Plan". Here's the reality; I get to my "Honey Hole" there is no clear water to be found, my line guides had ice building up in them and after an hour it felt like my finger tips were on fire and if I bumped them they would fall off. Oh yeah can't forget no bites…. Great.
 Plan B. Wait for it to warm up and go to my favorite flow in the area and fish with traditional bass tackle stick some fish (hopefully not get skunked) and go home write a report and brag my ass off. OK, so I didn't get skunked and my favorite flow didn't let me down. Good because I hate getting skunked, but it's part of the game whether I like it or not.

A little slime to knock the new car smell off.

  The next chance I get to get out I figured I would run down the road to a place I know that the specks stack up during the winter. It would be an epic afternoon I'd big crowned the "Big Fish Daddy" I'd write an awesome report and my buddies would bust my balls for fishing "there" but still love me even though I "cheated" by fishing in an aquarium. NOT QUITE SO FAST SKIPPY! The reality. I get there  the water looks like a latte` and I can't buy a bite. Well I decide "GO BIG or GO HOME"! So that's what I did. I tied on a "real swimbait" and went to work. Now I only caught one fish and I was actually making my way out of that area on my way back to the launch but I'm pretty proud of the fish. It was my first "real swimbait" speck not my best and definitely not my best fish ever but my first speck on a swimbait 6" or larger. So I was pretty pumped up about that.

My first swimbait speck.

  The reality things didn't go as I had fantasied but I had two good afternoons on the water and I got to "break in" my new kayak. More important than the fish and the kayaks is the actual time on the water. That's my "church" it's where I count my blessing and where I talk to God. It's where I'm reminded that I have a wife that supports my pursuit of fishing because it makes me happy. For that I'm truly grateful.

The Big Game II

I had seen some pre-productions pics of the BGII so I had an idea of what it looked like but I've got to admit it looks a lot cooler in person. I hate to sound like the total "homer" but this thing has some really cool lines that I couldn't see in the pics of the pre-production model. The two main visual cues I'm talking about are the towers the seat rails are in and the cutaways towards the rear of the hull. The original Big Game has the cutaways but add the other details like the seat towers and the rigging boards and it's a pretty cool boat to look at.

 My very first impression on the water was "WOW this thing is BIG" and it is. It is 12' 9" long and 34" wide. Coming from a kayak that is 12' long and 29" wide it took a few minutes to adjust but once I got settled in she started getting a very "familiar feeling". I think it's because I have recently fished from the Old Town Predator and the O.K. Trident 11. In case you didn't know Old Town and Ocean Kayak are owned by the same company Johnson Outdoors.  Back on the water….

 I would say the speed is ok for a kayak this wide but what I like the most is it's stability and the solid feeling this thing has. I'm telling you this kayak is a tank. In fact I was joking about naming it Abrams after the tank. I was standing and fishing within minutes of being on the water and it "poles" nicely. So sight fish is going to be a pleasure. 

                                         

 The hatches are standard O.K. hardware but I'm good with that although it would have been nice to have the hatch from the Ultra as an option. The way it is now it is what it is. With that being said what was most important to me was having a place to store my rods to and from the water and the center hatch that it has does the job just fine so I'm happy with it.

Standard Ocean Kayak hatches.

 With a 500-600lb load rating I don't think I'll be maxing it out anytime soon. In fact I was thinking that I needed scupper plugs but I was clearly mistaken. I got on the water with my normal tackle load and I don't think water even came through the scuppers. 

 So all in all I like the Big Game II and the more I'm on it the more it's growing on me. When I first started looking for a new kayak I had three main requirements.

1. A comfortable seat.

2. The ability to stand and fish.

3. Vertical rod storage.

Item three has changed to good in hull storage and the BGII has all three in spades. The vertical rod storage has been figured out too so it's just a matter of a little rigging and that will be handled too.

 So far I'm digging it.

Is This The Right Kayak For Me?

 The subject of buying a "stater boat" comes up often on the kayak fishing sites I frequent and I made a mistake on my first kayak so I would like to help some others avoid that mistake if at all possible.
What I did was look on craigslist found a cheap kayak and bought it having no clue what I was doing or what I was looking for in a kayak. The first time on the water in it I knew I had made a mistake. I made due for a couple months but that was about all could stand it. I don't think it was a terrible boat just not what I needed for the task at hand.
 So what are you looking for in a fishing kayak? Where will you be fishing? How are you built physically? What will you be fishing for? These are a few of the questions you need to answer before you run out and buy the first thing you see (like I did).  The internet and a few good forums and the experience of some seasoned yakers I made a much better choice on my second kayak. One that I'll probably keep as a loaner just because it's such a good kayak.

Poor tracking and the lack of storage made it a not so good choice in a fishing kayak.

 Being in the market for a new kayak myself I had to start asking myself those same questions. So I will take you through my thought process and hopefully it will help you along in your adventure. With some experience under my belt and having a really good idea of what I want and what I don't want it's helped narrow the field rapidly. So in no particular order I'll answer those questions.

1. What are you built like physically?

    I'm 6 foot tall and 170 pounds. So most boats will work for someone built like me but if you're 4'8" and 80 pounds or     

6'6" and 350 pounds not every boat will fit you.

2. Where will you be fishing? I know, I know. In the water..... DUH! 

Will it be open water like the Gulf of Mexico or the Great Lakes? Small lakes and ponds? Moving water? If so what type; slow moving creeks and small rivers or big rivers and fast water?

Quite literally hundreds of fish landed in the beast, she's been a great ride.

  

  I obviously know my fishing style and I know the waters that I predominately fish; so the questions were limited to what am I specifically looking for in a fishing kayak? First and most important I have to be able to stand and fish. Second I need a better seat preferably something with a "high seating" position. Third but not least I wanted better in hull storage. Knowing those questions and what I'm looking for specifically has helped a lot. I also have the good fortune to be part of Johnson Outdoors

Pro Staff and to have Blake Walters near by. Because of that I've been able to log several hours on the Old Town Predator 13 (P13) I've learned that even though the P13 has all the features I'm looking for and she really started growing on me it's not the right fit for me as a primary kayak. It definitely fits the part as a secondary boat because it really shines in some of the places I like to bass fish. In fact the P13 is probably the most stable kayak I have ever paddled and that is a very good thing in my mind. What I was really needing was something that cut through the water a little better. Maybe something with a little less freeboard as to not catch quite as much wind. Now this is where time on the water and and knowing what you're looking for comes into play. You can run out and buy one just like your buddy has and you may even be really happy with it but did you really shop the market? Did you check out your local dealer and see if they demo boats? Better yet do they do demo days where you can paddle several models before you run out and pop between $1000 and $3000 for a kayak? Have you looked into finding a local kayak fishing club? Your local club is also a place to find friends to fish with that may turn into great relationships outside of fishing. 

A comfortable seat makes all the difference in the world.

 I know it seems like a lot of questions but it's really not and asking yourself a few key questions will save you time, money and frustration. If you become serious about kayaking and fishing from a kayak you'll probably change boat a couple of times anyway. Why not make your experience on the water as pleasurable as possible???

My Date With The Predator 13

 I'm the kind of person that doesn't just jump on the band wagon every time something new comes out on the market. I refuse to buy the newest coolest phone or whatever gadget that hits the market just to show it off to people who really don't care anyway. I still play a Playstation 2 and I drive a ten year old truck because I like it not because I can't afford a new one.  It really does take me a while to warm up to new products whether it be a truck, electronics or in this case a kayak. The Predator is no different, not a bad thing it's just the way it is.
 I will say this though, I liked the lines of the Predator 13 from the first time I saw it.

  I only had this boat for a weekend but that worked out perfectly because I was wanting to do some night fishing the first night and then do a slow float the next day. Once I got my load figured out and got on the water it became apparent to me really quick that this is a BIG kayak. This thing is wide and super stable, because of that there is a trade off for some speed. Because of it's stability I was standing up and fishing almost immediately. 

 Now this is definitely not an open water boat nor was it intended to be. So if you're looking for something to fish what I would call "big water" you may want to consider something like the Big Game or a Trident.  

 Between the elevated seat and being able to stand when I wanted I was fairly comfortable all night.  I caught a few fish but more importantly I was able to spend all night on the water without feeling like I needed to be in traction the next day. 

 The next day wasn't so fun, I knew it was supposed to rain but geez it came down in buckets. The fishing was slow( I only caught one dink). The upside though was the combination of the EXO FLOOR and the one way scuppers I never once worried about standing water in the cockpit which was nice. I think the one way scupper valves are slick enough that all kayaks should have them.

 I didn't write a long exhaustive review on this kayak pointing out all of its features because there are several out there including a few good videos of it. I saw no need to repeat what someone else had already done. Since that first weekend I've fished from the Predator 13 a few more times including a tournament weekend and it's really started to grow on me. So is it worthy of the buzz? I think so as long as you know what you are looking for.

 Now if I can just get a date with her little sister…..

Swinging For The Fences

 I've struggled with this topic and whether to talk about it or not not because it's controversial or unethical but because it's my new thing and I'm a selfish brat and don't like to share. I'm gonna put my big boy britches on and talk big bait fishing. This is nothing new but it is new to me and a concept I think is worth talking about.
 Now before I get into this I need to say this; yes I know big fish eat little baits and small fish are too stupid to know not to go after something their own size. I get it. This is not about that. This exercise is about increasing your odds at catching a new personal best and possibly a lake record or even state record fish.
 When you're swinging for the fences you're going to strike out... A LOT. This isn't for everyone, the gear is heavy, the baits are stupid big (seriously) and you will go home empty handed more often than not. So you need to prepare for it mentally. This is not crappie fishing where you go out and fill a cooler with fish, not by a long shot. You're looking for one bite, that one fish that can drag you kayak in circles while peeling off drag like you weren't there.
 Now let's get down to business. First lets talk about the mental aspect of the game. You're going to get skunked and more than once. So you need to be ready for that. It is also physically demanding compared to using conventional gear and you need to be ready for that too. For me though the toughest part is to fish one bait all day or at least for an extended period of time. You've got to grind it out and pay your dues and that's the tough part. The other side of the mental game is learning how to fish big baits. Think slow and steady boys and girls. Slow and steady at least until you start catching fish and building some confidence.

A confidence builder of my own.

  Part two of this is the gear. I was advised as most people are when you start throwing swimbaits start "small" see if it is for you and don't go out and drop hundreds of dollars on rods and reels and other tackle. Get yourself some lighter weight baits so that you can use your existing gear. That way if you decide it's not for you you're only out the cost of the baits and those can easily be resold without too much of a loss. 

The above picture are a few good baits to start out with. There are definitely more but there to be had but these are proven fish catchers. From top to bottom.
6" Huddleston Deluxe
6'' Spro BBZ 1 Jr.
4" Black Dog Shell Cracker

 Once you have eaten the "Red Pill" and go down the rabbit hole you'll find yourself buying bigger baits. Above are some of what I would consider "big baits".  From top to bottom.
6" Black Dog Lunker Punker.
9" Optimum OB Minnow
8" Spro BBZ 1
8" Huddleston Deluxe

When you step up to these big baits you're going to need gear that can handle the weight of the lures you're throwing. Traditional casting gear is just not heavy enough to handle the abuse it will receive tossing these monsters. This is my set up, a 7'6" Okuma Guide Select Heavy paired with a Shimano Cardiff 301.

The last part of the puzzle is to go where the fish are. I know it sounds painfully obvious but really go to the places where you know big fish have been caught.

 One last thought; most bass anglers dream about catching a double digit fish and the vast majority have never even seen one that wasn't a mount on someone's wall let alone catch one. So when you stick a 5-7 pound fish you need to be proud of it because it's a nicer fish than most guys will ever catch.

Tight Lines!

You Get What You Expect

  I've noticed something the last few times I've been on the water and I can't believe it took me so long to put it together. When strikes come they generally happen when I'm expecting good things to happen having that "anticipation" of the bite. I know I'm not special and this is nothing new to the human race. Ya see we get what we expect. Not always exactly what we want but what we dwell on and expect to happen. This Idea became painfully obvious on a recent trip to float a section of the Tallapoosa River. I was the only one of the group to not catch a fish the first few hours of the float and was starting to beat myself up and was expecting a skunkin'. After lunch I tied on a spinnerbait that I have a lot of confidence in and the first spot I fished was a lay down that just looked like it should be holding fish. After about five or six cast from different angles around this tree picked up this girl.

Now this fish is no record beater at 2.5lbs but she does help me prove my point. I had "expected" a bite from that spot and I had confidence in the lure I was using. Nothing special happened at lunch. We didn't burn incense or shake chicken bones over my kayak. We had a quick bite to eat and stretched our legs. One thing that did happen though is I decided I was gonna start catching fish and I expected it to happen. I went on to catch about eight more fish that day and learned a lesson that has to be taught to me over and over.
You get what you expect not what you want.