tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65763384115719237512023-11-18T02:54:16.324-08:00Froggin4BassHanover_Yakkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09560110180149151925noreply@blogger.comBlogger124125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6576338411571923751.post-15326815938526298552020-07-05T22:05:00.001-07:002020-07-06T17:33:48.250-07:00Oh Stanley........<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Quarantine 2020 has us all going stir crazy and sick with cabin fever. What better way to fix that than a little time on the water? The last couple of weekends have found my son and I exploring a local pond rumored to have a few bigguns lurking about. Let’s set the stage for you: a private pond with no apparent angling pressure filled with patches of lily pads, lay downs, and some overhanging trees. The deepest parts of the pond are right at 8’. When I learned I could fish this pond through the graces of the owner, I was more than excited as I had been eyeing this spot for years and pondering the potential.<br />
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My son was also stoked as this would be his first chance to use his <a href="https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/bass-pro-shops-100187478" target="_blank">new baitcaster combo</a> he received for his birthday. I armed him with the only line I use on my froggin setups - Sunline FX2 Frog Braid as well as a tackle tray with some plastics and some Scum Frogs. Since my son had never used top water frogs before, I figured Scum Frogs were fairly goof proof and would increase his chances of coming tight if a fish inhaled it.<br />
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I loaded up the <a href="https://www.hobie.com/kayaks/mirage-compass/" target="_blank">Hobie Compass</a> and <a href="https://www.hobie.com/kayaks/mirage-i11s/" target="_blank">Hobie i11s</a> inflatable as our hulls of choice and loaded up the rest of the gear the night before. I also setup his other rod with a wacky rig in case he got frustrated with froggin. We headed out at first light and were more than pleased when we saw the water that lay before us. A literal Mecca of froggin heaven before our eyes and looked like it hadn’t been touched by any anglers in over 10 years.<br />
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<b><u>Gear for the day</u>:</b><br />
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<b>Rod:</b> <a href="https://bullbayrods.com/product/assault-rod-baitcasting/" target="_blank">Bull Bay Rods Assault Series</a><br />
<b>Reel:</b> <a href="https://www.abugarcia.com/abugarcia-reels-baitcast-reels-low-profile/revo-inshore-low-profile/1447302.html" target="_blank">Abu Garcia Revo Inshore Gen 3</a><br />
<b>Line:</b> <a href="https://sunlineamerica.com/products/fx2-braided-line/?sku=63039860" target="_blank">Sunline FX2 Frog Braid</a><br />
<b>Lure:</b> <a href="https://fishstanley.com/product/the-original-ribbit/" target="_blank">Stanley Ribbit</a><br />
<b>Terminal tackle:</b> 4/0 weighted swim bait hook<br />
<b>Scent:</b> <a href="https://www.powerteamlures.com/hog-tonic/" target="_blank">Powerteam Lures Hog Tonic</a><br />
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My bait of choice should come as no surprise for anyone that has followed me since the beginning - the Stanley Ribbit with a touch of Hog Tonic just to encourage the bass to hold on a tad longer. I started working pad edges and open lanes as well as shaded banks. After about 30 minutes, I had my first bass on the Watermelon Pearl with Hot Feet version. For the next few hours, the action was constant on both trips. Literally a blow up every 20 minutes with not all of them coming tight.<br />
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The mornings were filled with typical pond bass ranging in the 14-16” range which was to be expected. Most likely this pond doesn’t have any harvesting occurring, so the bass are all similar in size and fighting over the same food sources. I did notice a few bluegill beds, so I imagine there are a few chunky bluegills amongst the surprises lurking in there. While we didn’t find them on these two outings, we did find a few good ones that would’ve been tournament grade fish in the 17-19” range with my largest measuring in at 19.5”. My son caught 5 fish in total and lost the same amount. I had better luck landing 8 bass each outing for a total of 16 landed but also had my fair share of misses from smaller bass that were overzealous. My best five totaled 81.5” - a 19.5”, two at 16” and two at 15”.<br />
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While I had moderate success, the high point of the trip for me was watching my son apply the tips I had taught him and catch his first bass on the frog.<br />
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It’s always reassuring at the end of the day for me when I am cleaning up my tackle and inspect my Ribbits to find that the heads are shredded up good from where the “teeth” of the bass have chewed up the head so much the color is gone and the bodies of the frog are split open from the vicious strikes and hooksets. Even though the frogs are no longer usable, I made it through two kayak outings and only used one Ribbit per trip. That’s a testimonial for how durable Stanley Ribbits are.<br />
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Oh Stanley.........<br />
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We plan on coming back again, but next time I’m only bringing the fly rods - one for the bluegills and one for the bass<br />
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Until next time, stay safe, use a face mask anytime you will be out in public and take a kid fishing!!<br />
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<br />Hanover_Yakkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09560110180149151925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6576338411571923751.post-36962472278855299632019-11-11T16:30:00.000-08:002019-11-11T16:52:18.542-08:00Veterans Day.....Had the day off from work, since my company honors Veterans Day as a company holiday and paid day off! I only had about a four-five hour window to fish due to other commitments later in the day, so a pre-dawn excursion was in order. Made my way to the lake and headed out to a spot after some discussion with a fellow <a href="http://hobie.com/" target="_blank">Hobie</a> Team member.<br />
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As I arrived at the launch, I had to pause and take in the early morning sunrise that was unfolding before me. Truly an amazing sight to see. As I unloaded all of my gear and prepared to launch, the sun had crested the horizon and yet another astonishing scene laid before me.<br />
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I made my way out to my first spot and worked the area over from top to bottom as best as I could with the little gear I had brought. I saw a surface swell and thrash of a bass attacking bait, so I grabbed the topwater rod and cast in the vicinity and was rewarded with an almost immediate strike - not a bad way to start after being in the spot for all of 15 minutes.<br />
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I had a 3-pronged arsenal today - topwater, mid-level and bottom but all moving baits given that the water temps were still in the mid 60's. I kept at it, casting in and around this spot for the first three hours of the day, but no more fish were found. I decided to fish my way back to the launch given that I only had two more hours left.</div>
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I made my way into a shallow cove with exposed timber and was rewarded with another topwater strike, right in the nook of an exposed root ball, albeit another juvenile largemouth. But still a landed fish is better than no fish I always say.</div>
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I kept working any structure I could find and was rewarded with my third and final largemouth on the day, yet again, a proud serving member of the juvenile bass brigade made a cameo appearance.<br />
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I missed a few others in the same area, but from what i could see, they were members of the toddler class and had no business attempting a strike at my lure 😂😂.<br />
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While not the best day for size and numbers, a day on the water is never a bad thing. As I look back on the day, my plan to use moving baits may have been my downfall today. As I was heading to the lake, I noticed two things. One, when I left my house, the weather forecast indicated a chance of rain. Second, as I was driving, I noticed all of the cows along the way at the nearby farms were all laying down.<br />
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Hindsight is always 20/20 they say, but I'll chalk it up to another lesson learned for this popular and highly pressured lake. Looking forward to coming back again and giving it another shot.<br />
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In summary, here was today's arsenal:<br />
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<b>Kayak:</b> <a href="https://www.hobie.com/kayaks/mirage-outback/#fishing" target="_blank">2019 Hobie Outback</a><br />
<b>Rods:</b> <a href="https://bullbayrods.com/" target="_blank">Bull Bay Rods</a> Stealth Tactical casting and spinning<br />
<b>Reels:</b> Abu Garcia Gen2 Revo Inshore & Shimano Stradic FJ3000<br />
<b>Lures:</b> Whopper Plopper, 6-9' depth & Lipless Crankbaits, FishHead Spin w/ plastic trailer<br />
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Lastly, as if the day couldn't be any more perfect, a bald eagle soared over head and watched me as I pulled away. Maybe that was his way of saying thank you for my service. I say thank you for giving me a reason to serve!<br />
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Tight lines! And remember the 120 degree rule - if the combined water temps and air temps are less than 120 degrees (especially with water temps below 60) then you should be wearing proper cold water protective gear!<br />
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Hanover_Yakkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09560110180149151925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6576338411571923751.post-61013290937409469652019-06-23T20:11:00.000-07:002019-06-23T20:20:00.230-07:00Hello Darkness My Old Friend......<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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......I've come to chase you once again!<br />
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That's right, another Friday off from work and off I went looking to up my personal best snakehead!<br />
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Today's tools for the trip were simple:<br />
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<b>Kayak:</b> <a href="https://www.hobie.com/kayaks/mirage-outback/" target="_blank">2019 Hobie Outback</a><br />
<b>Stakeout:</b> <a href="http://www.power-pole.com/micro" target="_blank">Power-Pole Micro Shallow Water Anchor</a><br />
<b>Electronics:</b> <a href="https://www.lowrance.com/lowrance/type/fishfinders-chartplotters/elite-7-ti-24667526" target="_blank">Lowrance Elite 7 TI2</a><br />
<b>Accessories:</b> <a href="https://www.yakattack.us/omega-rod-holder-with-track-mounted-locknload-mounting-system/" target="_blank">YakAttack Omega Rod Holders</a> and <a href="https://www.yakattack.us/yakattack-lowrance-fish-finder-mount-with-track-mounted-locknload-mounting-system/" target="_blank">Lowrance FF Mount</a><br />
<b>Rods:</b> <a href="https://bullbayrods.com/product/tactical-assault-baitcasting/" target="_blank">Bull Bay Rods Tactical Assault</a> and <a href="https://bullbayrods.com/product/tactical-assault-rod-baitcasting-flipping/" target="_blank">Custom Flipping</a> rods, and an <a href="https://www.orvis.com/store/product.aspx?pf_id=2s7r&dir_id=758&group_id=759&cat_id=14816&subcat_id=44180" target="_blank">Orvis 8wt Clearwater</a><br />
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Non-sponsored equipment I was using:<br />
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<b>Reels:</b> Abu Garcia Revo Inshore GEN2 & GEN3 baitcasters, <a href="https://www.orvis.com/p/clearwater-large-arbor-reels/2s53" target="_blank">Orvis Clearwater Large Arbor IV</a><br />
<b>Lures:</b> Stanley Ribbit, SPRO Popping Frog, Rebel Pop-R and a <a href="https://www.orvis.com/p/cohen-s-manbearpig/2rz0" target="_blank">Cohen's Manbearpig</a><br />
<b>Lines:</b> Sunline FX2 Frog Braid, and PLINE 20lb Flouroclear<br />
<b>Other Items:</b> <a href="https://anglr.com/fishing-tracker/" target="_blank">ANGLR Bullseye</a>, <a href="https://www.egofishing.com/kryptek-s2-slider-nets/" target="_blank">EGO Slider Landing Net</a> and <a href="https://www.egofishing.com/products/kryptek-fishing-tools/kryptek-ultra-grip-40lbs/" target="_blank">Fish Grips</a><br />
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I went back to the same spot as last time but explored other areas. I found my first taker oddly enough on a Rebel Pop-R. I was working an area and drifting with the wind when I heard a huge flush behind me. I tried the frog but no luck as the wind had picked up and made the surface a little choppy. So I switched over to the Pop-R which I had tied on to try and entice bass that were in the area. I worked the Pop-R back with vigor making a ruckus that would surely irritate a snakehead I hoped. As the bait approached, I saw the ominous shadow approaching, so I paused my retrieve then gave it one more twitch and that was the ticket. She inhaled it and immediately started fighting to unhook both sets of trebles buried in her jaw, but to no avail. First one on the board and it was a nice 25" fatty.<br />
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Not a personal best but a decent start after fishing for over two hours and only one half-hearted swipe at my Ribbit and a lazy follow from a short one on the fly. I kept working the area until the winds picked up in earnest to the tune of 10mph which is normally not bad but in a narrow creek, it creates a wind tunnel effect.<br />
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I drifted along and found another shortie that fell prey to a SPRO Popping Frog and measuring in at 18" but the coloring on this one was amazing.<br />
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I kept the wind at my back and kept drifting and casting. I finally found myself in water that was too shallow to proceed, so I made my way slowly back working every little pocket and was rewarded with two more quality snakeheads - another 24-25" chunk<br />
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and my new personal best measuring in at a whopping 31"+. I say plus because my measuring board tops out at 30" and this was over an inch past that mark.<br />
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The rest of the day was a bust, because the winds started blowing stronger making casting windows less than optimal, so I packed it in and headed back to the launch.</div>
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All in all a good day - landed 4 and had two other opportunities that fell short. If you haven't tried chasing snakeheads, you should. I know I'll be back at it again and soon.<br />
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Until next time, tight lines and stay safe out there!Hanover_Yakkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09560110180149151925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6576338411571923751.post-8453296764496849382019-06-07T17:13:00.000-07:002019-06-07T17:17:51.009-07:00Frogs, Flukes and Snakes....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Another Friday off from work and another morning on the water. Today we were back at it slinging frogs and chasing snakeheads. These creatures are not for the faint of heart or those that prefer light tackle. They have a mouth full of teeth that will shred light lines and destroy your lures. It can be a frustrating yet very fulfilling adventure when you chase these beasts. My last outing, I was fortunate enough to catch, photo and release my very first snakehead measuring in at 23.5". My goal today was simple - beat my previous personal best.<br />
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I was in my trusty 2019 Hobie Outback again decked out with YakAttack Omega Rod Holders, my Power-Pole Micro shallow water anchor, my Lowrance Elite 7-TI2 and three of my trusty Bull Bay Rods.<br />
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The first cove I ventured into had some activity and I quickly found a willing follower, but the snakehead was a bit small and not fully interested in my Ribbit. I kept probing that creek arm and heard some more thrashing activity, but I was cut off from the area and had no casting angle. I had a tip on an area to try, so I double-checked my source and with a quick text was pointed in the right direction.<br />
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Once I made it to the area, I kept looking for ambush spots and making targeted casts to those areas. I was rewarded with a vicious fight that found this beast wrapping herself all in the thick of some pads then under a submerged fallen tree - I basically held pressure but loosened the drag slightly to allow a little leeway to the fish in the hopes it would free itself. She finally came free and relaxed long enough to slide the net under her - that's when she got her second wind and proceeded to thrash and splash giving me an impromptu morning shower.<br />
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After a few minutes of this, she finally relaxed long enough for me to pry her mouth open with my pliers in order to get my lip grippers on her. I was finally able to get her on the board and measured for what looked to be at least 27.5" - later confirmed to be 28.25" and a new personal best snakehead.<br />
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I was ecstatic - she was hefty, too!! She was wider than the measuring board and so thick that I had trouble getting my hand around her at her thickest point. I let her relax on the lip gripper in the water for a couple minutes, then when she had fully recovered, I released the grip and she swam slowly away no worse for wear.<br />
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I moved back over to the same area and make a couple more casts to see if there were any more takers and was rewarded with a more vicious strike only this time is was a bowfin or grindel as some refer to it. As I got the bowfin closer, I could see she was barely hooked. I knew if I tried to put the gripper on her, she would thrash and throw the hook. I couldn't reach for my net either because I was trying to bring the fish through some pads and sticks which would impede the net. My only choice was to try and hoist the fish in quickly. This bowfin would have been another personal best - she was every bit of 24-26", but alas she thrashed as I lifted her and she escaped.<br />
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It was then that I realized I hadn't turned on my video camera, so I couldn't even prove I had the fish on the line and was lifting her into the kayak when she escaped. Oh well, lesson learned. I missed a couple more over the course of the next two hours until I found a nice secluded and protected area that looked prime. I made a cast and immediately a thrashing strike as another bowfin reared it's ugly mug, but she didn't come tight. Another cast closer and I hooked into a strong snakehead that was a little smaller than my one from earlier but still chunky and strong. I got her to the kayak as well, but found myself in another predicament, I was too shallow and couldn't get any closer to the deeper pool where the snakehead was anchoring down in. She managed to come off right at the kayak even though I managed to slowly drag her across the mud. When she came off, I didn't see where she went. A couple casts later and she apparently had taken up residence right where she came off. She freaked out when I made another cast and startled me as I watched her scurry across the mud in the open air and right back into her protected pool.<br />
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The rest of the trip was filled with swings and misses of bowfins and snakeheads with at least 10-12 never coming tight. I even switched up things by throwing a fluke for something completely different, then followed that up with a hollow-bodied frog before switching back to the Ribbit. which turned out to be the only lure that produced. Oh well, the topwater strike on a moving frog is a pure adrenaline rush and a technique I highly recommend anglers learn. Once you get your first topwater frog fish, you will literally be hooked.<br />
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With the storm front moving in and rain very close, I headed in and loaded up. As I was making my way back home, the skies opened up. Missed it by that much!<br />
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Trip Summary:<br />
<br />
<b>Kayak:</b> <a href="https://www.hobie.com/kayaks/mirage-outback/" target="_blank">2019 Hobie Outback</a><br />
<b>Stakeout:</b> <a href="http://www.power-pole.com/micro" target="_blank">Power-Pole Micro Shallow Water Anchor</a><br />
<b>Electronics:</b> <a href="https://www.lowrance.com/lowrance/type/fishfinders-chartplotters/elite-7-ti-24667526" target="_blank">Lowrance Elite 7 TI2</a><br />
<b>Accessories:</b> <a href="https://www.yakattack.us/omega-rod-holder-with-track-mounted-locknload-mounting-system/" target="_blank">YakAttack Omega Rod Holders</a> and <a href="https://www.yakattack.us/yakattack-lowrance-fish-finder-mount-with-track-mounted-locknload-mounting-system/" target="_blank">Lowrance FF Mount</a><br />
<b>Rods:</b> <a href="https://bullbayrods.com/product/tactical-assault-baitcasting/" target="_blank">Bull Bay Rods Tactical Assault</a>, Prototype Spinning and <a href="https://bullbayrods.com/product/tactical-assault-rod-baitcasting-flipping/" target="_blank">Custom Flipping</a><br />
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Non-sponsored equipment I was using:<br />
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<b>Reels:</b> Abu Garcia Revo Inshore GEN3 baitcasters and Shimano Stradic FJ3000 spinning reel<br />
<b>Lures:</b> Stanley Ribbit, Evolve Hollow-bodied Frog and Zoom Fluke<br />
<b>Lines:</b> Sunline FX2 Frog Braid, PowerPro Hi-Vis Yellow Braid and PLINE 20lb Flouroclear leader<br />
<b>Other Items:</b> <a href="https://www.egofishing.com/kryptek-s2-slider-nets/" target="_blank">EGO Slider Landing Net</a> and <a href="https://www.egofishing.com/products/kryptek-fishing-tools/kryptek-ultra-grip-40lbs/" target="_blank">Fish Grips</a><br />
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Until next time, tight lines and stay safe out there!<br />
<br />Hanover_Yakkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09560110180149151925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6576338411571923751.post-80034541905760442952019-05-26T12:35:00.000-07:002019-05-26T12:35:51.690-07:00A Game of Thirds.....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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You know how there is a common saying that things happen in "3's"? Well today was that in full effect. What do I mean? Let's review......<br />
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There was the Three Stooges segment:<br />
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<ol>
<li>Driving away from my house with a full mug of ice and water for the day, only it was still atop my vehicle when I left the house and promptly fell and popped open losing all of its contents as I left the neighborhood.</li>
<li>Launching and getting halfway to my spot before I realized I had left the water I had purchased in the car to replace the lost water and ice spilled earlier.</li>
<li>A lack of concentration later in the morning that resulted in a massive tangle of line, treble hooks and crawling all the way to the back of the kayak to unravel the mess.</li>
</ol>
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Later, there was the Get Smart (Missed it By That Much) trifecta:</div>
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<ol>
<li>The first fish of the day was a largemouth bass and sure to be a miss simply because I had paired the wrong bait with the wrong rod - the action was too fast for a hookset that required more power (topwater frog should not be placed on a traditional topwater rod (Moderate) = wrong action = bad hookset = lost fish)</li>
<li>The second fish of the day was another largemouth bass and sadly a partial hookset, but at least it was with the right rod this time. The fish just spit the bait as fast as it had swallowed it.</li>
<li>The third fish of the day was an over 30" snakehead that waked like a torpedo chasing the Ribbit only to barely swipe at it and spit it again before I could set the hook.</li>
</ol>
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Then there was the Murphy's Law episode:</div>
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<ol>
<li>The winds picked up and started blowing 15+</li>
<li>I launched at the peak of outgoing current (my primary spots were not fishable)</li>
<li>The carp and gar were in a full frenzy clouding up the water with their shallow water antics </li>
</ol>
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But, it wasn't all bad. There was the trilogy of positive things that happened on the day:</div>
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<ol>
<li>When I saw the fish were not hitting the Ribbit with full vigor, I changed up my frog presentation to the Evolve Hollow Body frog (has a rattle inside) and paid instant dividends</li>
<li>I caught a 18" fat largemouth bass on the Evolve frog</li>
<li>I caught and landed my first ever VA snakehead at 23.5" on the same Evolve Frog </li>
</ol>
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All in all a successful day even if Mother Nature decided to kick it up a notch on the wind scale by the time I was headed in - winds were gusting to 20+.</div>
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As with all of my blog posts moving forward, I will divulge what I was using in the hopes that some may find it helpful.</div>
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<span style="background-color: blue;"><b>Technique:</b> Targeting backside of spatterdock pockets that protruded away from the shoreline in current. I also targeted weed lines and any clear water. For the spatterdock part, I also apply the same technique for traditional lily pads, rocks, water shield, lay downs, grass, etc.. Basically, I was looking for likely ambush points where a predator fish could get out of current but still have access to any nearby forage.</span></div>
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Today's shout out to my sponsors:</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Kayak:</b> <a href="https://www.hobie.com/kayaks/mirage-outback/" target="_blank">2019 Hobie Outback</a></div>
<div>
<b>Stakeout</b> <a href="http://www.power-pole.com/micro" target="_blank">Power-Pole Micro Shallow Water Anchor</a></div>
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<b>Electronics:</b> <a href="https://www.lowrance.com/lowrance/type/fishfinders-chartplotters/elite-7-ti-24667526" target="_blank">Lowrance Elite 7 TI2</a></div>
<div>
<b>Accessories:</b> <a href="https://www.yakattack.us/omega-rod-holder-with-track-mounted-locknload-mounting-system/" target="_blank">YakAttack Omega Rod Holders</a>, Panfish, Panfish Portrait and <a href="https://www.yakattack.us/yakattack-lowrance-fish-finder-mount-with-track-mounted-locknload-mounting-system/" target="_blank">Lowrance FF Mount</a></div>
<div>
<b>Rods:</b> <a href="https://bullbayrods.com/product/tactical-assault-baitcasting/" target="_blank">Bull Bay Rods Tactical Assault</a> and <a href="https://bullbayrods.com/product/tactical-assault-rod-baitcasting-flipping/" target="_blank">Flipping custom</a>, <a href="https://www.orvis.com/p/clearwater-8-weight-9-fly-rod/4y1e" target="_blank">Orvis Clearwater 8wt fly rod</a></div>
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<b>Sunglasses:</b> <a href="https://www.hobiesurfshop.com/hobie-polarized-manta-satin-wood-graincopper-sunglasses-manta-a191928-a2-.html" target="_blank">Hobie Polarized Mantas</a></div>
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Non-sponsored equipment that I was using:</div>
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<b>Lures:</b> Stanley Ribbit, Rebel Pop-R and Evolve Frog</div>
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<b>Line:</b> Sunline FX2 Frog & Flipping Braid (60lb) and PLINE Fluouroclear 20lb Fluourocarbon</div>
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<b>Other Items:</b> <a href="https://www.egofishing.com/kryptek-s2-slider-nets/" target="_blank">EGO Slider Landing Net</a> and <a href="https://www.egofishing.com/products/kryptek-fishing-tools/kryptek-ultra-grip-40lbs/" target="_blank">EGO fish grips</a></div>
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Tight lines, stay safe and hope to see you on the water soon!</div>
Hanover_Yakkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09560110180149151925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6576338411571923751.post-8828257073665779612019-05-19T12:26:00.001-07:002019-05-21T06:31:56.270-07:002019 YakAttack Tournament Wrap Up<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYEgsz9fzW4iOuBcnVx4h0b3fYxoi3lHhLrnueWBYebEa94KhnBnlLEyclsD9QOWdjV83O31Osb0MBhzka2ypBI7aGV_s4qymyseZBlKOAgJD0bVSzybvVLzhBmqDAbTXVakw70l6BHdZo/s1600/banner-for-2019-tournament.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="625" data-original-width="1600" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYEgsz9fzW4iOuBcnVx4h0b3fYxoi3lHhLrnueWBYebEa94KhnBnlLEyclsD9QOWdjV83O31Osb0MBhzka2ypBI7aGV_s4qymyseZBlKOAgJD0bVSzybvVLzhBmqDAbTXVakw70l6BHdZo/s640/banner-for-2019-tournament.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Every year since 2012, I have participated in the <a href="https://www.yakattack.us/blog/2019-11th-annual-yakattack-tournament/" target="_blank">YakAttack annual kayak charity fishing tournament</a> to benefit Heroes On the Water and Project Healing Waters. The format for the tournament is a catch, photo and release tournament with five divisions - bass, crappie, sunfish, slam and big bass. For each of the species divisions, your best two fish combined length is your entry. For the slam, you need to have at least one fish in each of the three species for a combined total length. Finally, the big bass is simply that - the biggest single bass is your entry with the one limitation of a person can only win one of the five divisions. Each year kayak anglers from literally around the US flock towards this event to fish the likes of famous bodies of water like Briery Creek Lake and Sandy River Reservoir.<br />
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This year my plan was to fish quieter waters with less water traffic and revisit a lake I hadn't fished in over 5 years - <a href="https://www.dgif.virginia.gov/waterbody/bear-creek-lake/" target="_blank">Bear Creek Lake</a>. I also was interested to check out some new toys - my newly installed <a href="https://www.lowrance.com/lowrance/type/fishfinders-chartplotters/elite-7-ti2-us-inland-ai-3-in-1/" target="_blank">Lowrance Elite 7 TI2</a> paired with my new <a href="https://www.yakattack.us/yakattack-10ah-battery-power-kit/" target="_blank">Nocqua YakAttack power supply</a>, as well as my new Lithium Ion Power-Pole battery, as well as the new <a href="https://anglr.com/bullseye/" target="_blank">ANGLR Bullseye Fishing Tracker</a>. You could say that it had all the makings of a potential disaster, but I am happy to report that all of them worked amazingly.<br />
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With a full moon phase in effect, I had a feeling the bite was going to be tough once the morning pressed along. I also learned that the bass were also still spawning, which for me personally, is one of my biggest weak points - I am not a bed fisherman. I don't have the patience to sit there and stare at a fish for potentially hours on end trying to entice one bite. I'd rather explore an area and see if I can figure out the puzzle. With my new toys, this approach is much easier now with respect to acquiring information - now I just need to learn how to piece it all together to get better.<br />
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As for my setup on the day, it was as follows:<br />
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<b>Kayak - </b><a href="https://www.hobie.com/kayaks/mirage-outback/" target="_blank">2019 Hobie Outback</a><br />
<b>Rods - </b><a href="https://bullbayrods.com/" target="_blank">Bull Bay Rods</a>, 5wt Fly Rod and a couple Ugly Stik ultralights.<br />
<b>Lures - </b><a href="https://www.powerteamlures.com/5-sick-stick-1/" target="_blank">Powerteam Lures Sick Stick</a> and <a href="https://www.powerteamlures.com/7-tickler-1/" target="_blank">Finicky Tickler</a> (Kitchen Sink color), Squarebill, Whopper Plopper, Stump Jumper Road Runners and a black ant<br />
<b>Accessories - </b><a href="http://www.power-pole.com/micro" target="_blank">Power-Pole Micro</a>, YakAttack <a href="https://www.yakattack.us/omega-rod-holder-with-track-mounted-locknload-mounting-system/" target="_blank">Omega Rod Holders</a> and <a href="https://www.yakattack.us/yakattack-lowrance-fish-finder-mount-with-track-mounted-locknload-mounting-system/" target="_blank">Lowrance FF mount</a><br />
<b>Sunglasses - </b><a href="https://www.hobiepolarized.com/" target="_blank">Hobie Polarized</a> Mantas<br />
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I started the day off with a flurry - 3 bass in the first hour but nothing any larger than 11.5". I missed several larger fish, too. And then the bass were not being cooperative, so I switched over to the ultralight and started slinging a little white grub in the hunt for crappie and landed one at 8.5" shortly thereafter. I couldn't find another in the brush piles, so I switched over to the fly rod and literally slayed the bluegills and redears on every cast for the rest of the day the biggest checking in a 8.25". I was so immersed in how many fish I was catching off of the bluegill beds that I forgot to keep pressing the ANGLR Bullseye for about an hour. Every bluegill landed was over 6.5" with most checking the box at or just shy of 8" - not enough to improve my total length to turn in.<br />
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At the end of the day, as I was loading up I ended my trip on the ANGLR app on my phone and let the data synchronize. Of the catches I remembered to actually record totaled 78 catches, but like I said, I was still catching the bluegills and redears off of this one massive bed in the back of a creek and forgot all about the Bullseye. I was still catching so many gills that I literally was slinging my little fly without even hauling or stripping the line and catching a fish every cast, unhooking and casting again immediately with sometimes up to 3-4 fish per minute.<br />
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While the day in total was a success with literally over 100 fish caught, it lacked in quality which is what is needed to win any of the divisions. Here are a few highlights from the day:<br />
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Looking back on the day and reflecting on what could have been, I think my biggest mistake was not being flexible in my approach. I had in my mind a plan for how to target the bass, but once I arrived at the water, I failed to adjust my plan and modify my approach. Hindsight as they say is 20/20.</div>
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Once I was loaded up, I headed back to the weigh-in to turn in my scorecard with fish in each category and enough to turn in a micro slam, bass division and panfish division ultimately not large enough to place but still fun. Once the awards had been announced and supper was all done, the stage was cleared and the raffles began.</div>
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I normally don't worry about the raffles too much, because there is very little that I need at this point, but I did see a few items of interest this year - including a fly rod set from Orvis, a couple Nocqua battery pack kits, a couple PFDs and the new Hobie Livewell v2. When the ticket numbers began being called out - my prizes of interest quickly started to disappear. Then one of my numbers was called, and I noticed the fly rod setup was still available, so I quickly made my way forward and gladly selected that setup for my prize.</div>
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The setup was comprised of:</div>
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<li>Rod - Orvis Clearwater rod - 9' 8wt</li>
<li>Reel - Orvis Clearwater Large Arbor IV reel</li>
<li>Line - Orvis backing and floating line and tippet</li>
<li>Other - Orvis Tacky Fly Big Bug Box filled with flies</li>
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I also heard my numbers called two other times and selected a set of YakAttack Kayak Straps and a YakAttack shirt giving the straps to a friend who needed them and giving the shirt to my son.<br />
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All in all I can't complain because the fishing, the raffle and the food are just added bonuses for me. I look forward to just sitting down and shooting the breeze with fellow kayak anglers many of whom I am friends with and don't get the chance to share the water with.<br />
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I'm already looking forward to next year's event and the chance to share some stories and reminisce once again. Until the next time I'm on the water, tight lines and stay safe!!<br />
<br />Hanover_Yakkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09560110180149151925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6576338411571923751.post-22075156447637951882019-03-29T05:26:00.000-07:002019-03-29T05:26:37.938-07:00Windy day crankin....Sometimes Mother Nature is cooperative and other times, she can wield her fury in various ways. On this day, she opted for the latter and unleashed her windy fury upon the water. Portions of the target lake were white capping with waves crashing over the bow of my new <a href="https://www.hobie.com/kayaks/mirage-outback/#fishing" target="_blank">2019 Hobie Outback</a> as I moved about, but the winds did not sour my outlook on the day. I knew an approaching front might get the fish chewing, so I targeted drop offs near wind blown banks, the backside of wind blown points and any isolated submerged wood.<br />
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<u>Tackle & Accessories:</u><br />
<b>Kayak:</b> <a href="https://www.hobie.com/kayaks/mirage-outback/#fishing" target="_blank">2019 Hobie Outback</a><u> </u> <br />
<b>Rods:</b> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BullBayRods" target="_blank">Bull Bay Rods</a> Stealth and Tactical series of custom casting rods<br />
<b>Lures:</b> Profound Outdoors Squarebill (shad pattern) crankbait and a Z-Man Minnowz soft plastic<br />
<b>Cold water gear:</b> Kokatat Drysuit, NRS Launch boots, Hodgmann fleece, Duofold base layers<br />
<b>Sunglasses:</b> <a href="https://www.hobiepolarized.com/" target="_blank">Hobie Polarized</a> (Mantas - discontinued)<br />
<b>Line:</b> P-Line 12lb fluorocarbon clear<br />
<b>Accessories:</b> <a href="https://www.yakattack.us/" target="_blank">YakAttack</a> Omega Pro rod holders, Panfishw/ GoPro mount and X-grip (cell hone holder)<br />
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<u>Keys stats from the day:</u><br />
<b>Total fish (species) and (size):</b> 3 (bass) for 49" total - (16", 17 3/4", 15 1/4")<br />
<b>Time on the water:</b> 5 hours<br />
<b>Winds:</b> 15 mph (gusts over 25 mph)<br />
<b>Water:</b> public lake<br />
<b>Water temps:</b> 52 degrees<br />
<b>Air temps:</b> 37 degrees (at launch), 47 (mid day)<br />
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Here are the highlights......enjoy<br />
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<br />Hanover_Yakkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09560110180149151925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6576338411571923751.post-50650423344154507082019-02-20T06:32:00.000-08:002019-02-20T06:32:10.250-08:00Cold Weather Fishin' and more......<div align="center">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheOowafO8LNzq6gdNjkh-AFYHkupll4ZEwh4FV37r_790J65Rax7AIy7pTldWrdjSxnHZ9yOQt8awFkmivCqwYW-Rtbxtmn_MRhvZCT2o7A-B1sGRVgTCR1t39Y-wqBqA32obmfjg30kae/s1600/FEB2019Fishing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheOowafO8LNzq6gdNjkh-AFYHkupll4ZEwh4FV37r_790J65Rax7AIy7pTldWrdjSxnHZ9yOQt8awFkmivCqwYW-Rtbxtmn_MRhvZCT2o7A-B1sGRVgTCR1t39Y-wqBqA32obmfjg30kae/s640/FEB2019Fishing.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Each year in Central VA, the weather patterns make finding time to get on the water a little challenging. One day the air temps creep into the low 60's followed by several days of freezing temperatures. Recently, I had the opportunity to get on the water during a favorable weather window, so I took advantage of it. I loaded up the <a href="https://www.hobie.com/kayaks/mirage-outback/" target="_blank">2019 Hobie Outback</a> with my trusty <a href="https://www.yakattack.us/" target="_blank">YakAttack</a> accessories, three of my favorite <a href="https://bullbayrods.com/" target="_blank">Bull Bay Rods</a>, a small bag of <a href="https://www.powerteamlures.com/" target="_blank">Powerteam Lures</a> Texas Rig Jigs and Food Chain Tubes, a <a href="https://www.spro.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=239" target="_blank">SPRO Fat John 60</a> crankbait or two, a <a href="https://www.siebertoutdoors.com/" target="_blank">Siebert Outdoors</a> jig selection and my cold weather gear.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMu7i_1QT-iHzTq6yfuXiaz18CPSueCpFK4gy_qiugNq2xbh5aX_OAUUcoLWQwiALjDD6djnMXPvqfyHtfkgRQ3dKvYhjsx_YxapUUsU_yQoJdg1PP2I8b1Aof0YpfESe2kKjuH0vLU26b/s1600/YakAttackGear2019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMu7i_1QT-iHzTq6yfuXiaz18CPSueCpFK4gy_qiugNq2xbh5aX_OAUUcoLWQwiALjDD6djnMXPvqfyHtfkgRQ3dKvYhjsx_YxapUUsU_yQoJdg1PP2I8b1Aof0YpfESe2kKjuH0vLU26b/s640/YakAttackGear2019.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Important safety note - and this one that was shared with me my very first year kayak fishing. A general rule of thumb is the 120 degree mark - if the combination of water temperature and air temperature is less that 120 degrees, you should be wearing appropriate cold weather waterproof protective gear. Since the air temps would be approaching 60 degrees on this day, I knew the water temps would still be in the 40's, so I dressed accordingly with a base layer, a wicking layer and a waterproof layer.</div>
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I hit the water and started off the day looking for a reaction bite given the warming trend over the previous few days. I knew my window of opportunity would be small given that an approaching front was closing in on me and high winds were forecast later that morning. Wish I would've checked the weather a little more closely, because the front had moved faster than expected, and I ended up launching dead smack in the midst of the front's arrival and higher than expected winds. No turning back now!</div>
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My first cast was made with the chartreuse and black back crankbait, and I was fishing today regardless! I was rewarded immediately with a hard swipe at the Fat John and a miss, but the persistence of the predator was triggered and he came back for more. This time I nailed him and had my first fish of the day. A spunky 15" bass, but I know there are bigger ones in this pond.</div>
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I kept working the Fat John parallel to the bank first, then followed up with targeted casts towards the bank. After a bit with no more bites, I switched over to the Food Chain Tube and started working the banks. This small neighborhood pond use to have significant brush overhangs and fallen trees, but recently the HOA made the decision to remove all of the shoreline cover. As a result, the fish population has no natural refuge or safe havens anymore resulting in a steep banked pond with no cover anymore. The other side effect that may occur is what a friend told me about in that all of the chemicals used in the upkeep of the surrounding landscape will now flow freely into the pond and will likely kill off what little life is left in this pond.</div>
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A sad day indeed, but still I plugged along. I came upon one of my favorite areas of the pond where there still was the remnants of an old brush pile and carefully cast my tube into the point of the brush pile. The moment the tube hit the sandy bottom, I felt the tell-tale thump. As I engaged the reel and prepared for a hookset, the bass swam full speed directly towards me forcing me to reel up the slack as quickly as possible. By the time I had removed the slack, the bass had gained the leverage advantage and was immediately under the kayak. I waited until she passed, then I set the hook, but sadly the bass just spit the bait. She rolled on the surface and had the makings of what was easily a 20" bass with some thickness to her. Oh well, sometimes the fish wins, and you just have to tip your hat or nod in acceptance and move on. I fished hard and focused for the next couple of hours, but the wind and my experience on this pond told me the bite was over for the day.</div>
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While I likely will not return to this pond this year, it still holds a special place in my relative short history in the kayak fishing world. Some of my largest bass have come from this pond. It saddens me to know that the HOA was concerned more about aesthetics than the long term health and vitality of their pond. Now the challenge is trying to find a new location "X".</div>
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While doing some research and prepping for my next outing, I received my 2019 Hobie Fishing Team package! It's like Christmas for me, and I look forward to seeing what the good folks at Hobie have in store for us team members this year. As usual, Hobie went above and beyond with their partnership with AFTCO and Hobie Polarized! Much appreciated Kevin, Morgan, Keeton and crew! You guys are the best!</div>
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Until next time, remember to know the 120 degrees temperature rule (I prefer using 110 degree myself just to be safe), and be certain to inform friends and family of your float plan! Safety first!</div>
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Hanover_Yakkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09560110180149151925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6576338411571923751.post-87569270673942478192019-01-23T08:50:00.003-08:002019-01-26T06:06:52.186-08:00Sharing.....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJrJXPaHxSoPLi5fs5AcFeVexYMsCIsy6rwGQ1zGeHxALKIKpALXfyACgQuroJxEzs5px2BHSl9U9ArB4qjaj8i5rRNw7bDUhE6V5XCdkeoOped3Mz8SGGbTlEFW0ZL4MLUAjyqbr2pUq6/s1600/expo1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="462" data-original-width="960" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJrJXPaHxSoPLi5fs5AcFeVexYMsCIsy6rwGQ1zGeHxALKIKpALXfyACgQuroJxEzs5px2BHSl9U9ArB4qjaj8i5rRNw7bDUhE6V5XCdkeoOped3Mz8SGGbTlEFW0ZL4MLUAjyqbr2pUq6/s640/expo1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The Richmond Fishing Expo starts off each year with an infusion of knowledge, product offerings and general camaraderie among those in attendance. For the last seven years, I have participated in this annual event as a member of the Hobie Fishing Team and representing <a href="https://www.paddleva.com/" target="_blank">Appomattox River Company</a>. Each year, ARC has a variety of kayak hulls and kayak related items such as PFDs, paddles, PADDLEVA Swag and <a href="https://yakattack.us/" target="_blank">YakAttack</a> accessories on display for the Expo attendees and exhibitors alike to peruse and ask questions about.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOLL4I7ozNe9kU0yB8oiHRajkgfZp_l9qf_E1unweO0-2NrQJ4QeJW6PKCT-4VRZh1l-F5rMCZ7t8Xv8hIZPAwgU86vXI5Vd9PVNlsl967I363z6LVzKsvdsadkf8DRqI7xTyj47LIsEgt/s1600/expo2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOLL4I7ozNe9kU0yB8oiHRajkgfZp_l9qf_E1unweO0-2NrQJ4QeJW6PKCT-4VRZh1l-F5rMCZ7t8Xv8hIZPAwgU86vXI5Vd9PVNlsl967I363z6LVzKsvdsadkf8DRqI7xTyj47LIsEgt/s640/expo2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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While we as members of the various Pro Staffs are on hand to answer questions and discuss the potential of our respective kayak brands, we each have a role that is beyond one of brand reputation. We have a responsibility to share in the knowledge and expertise as it relates to the sport of kayaking and kayak fishing.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVMeYWKMnQZAlNNT7LESxr6iS70ZHE4AmuN4zHFuvqIzqZlZEyTDBYIzSrXRym36lJfvN4kteDwVz42B_jvRFggkCwmy_boLtHAkjWloVCrlgg49v9f6lhZgz_yNmcurV55mZUqh7CrQEK/s1600/expo3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="562" data-original-width="750" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVMeYWKMnQZAlNNT7LESxr6iS70ZHE4AmuN4zHFuvqIzqZlZEyTDBYIzSrXRym36lJfvN4kteDwVz42B_jvRFggkCwmy_boLtHAkjWloVCrlgg49v9f6lhZgz_yNmcurV55mZUqh7CrQEK/s640/expo3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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It is our responsibility to provide unbiased facts and personal experience to the public in order for them to make a more informed decision regarding which kayak hull is right for them. It is our responsibility to also have functional knowledge of the other kayak offerings as well. During this annual Expo, it affords each of us an opportunity to learn more about each brand's features and benefits.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6LuQFXUFD8ALoIKdmOHCNmwO3NRD0rVQytSXA9M2uZz93GJrf0AORfLTrqq8Z6IpfKbmiF440yLSQFJiMCvGXtsXtnwKxJzmpTyxSGl2qH9CF32-z8XKQhb8TuUhSyZj79wh9GHZqPGfq/s1600/expo4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6LuQFXUFD8ALoIKdmOHCNmwO3NRD0rVQytSXA9M2uZz93GJrf0AORfLTrqq8Z6IpfKbmiF440yLSQFJiMCvGXtsXtnwKxJzmpTyxSGl2qH9CF32-z8XKQhb8TuUhSyZj79wh9GHZqPGfq/s640/expo4.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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While I consider individuals like Tom Quicke, Sr., Rob Reker, Grant Alvis, Micah Marbrah and myself as knowledgeable individuals regarding the <a href="https://www.hobie.com/kayaks/" target="_blank">Hobie product line</a>, I don't hesitate to direct people to individuals like Rob Choi, Roland Butler and Kevin Whitley (Johnson Outdoors - Ocean Kayaks and Old Town), Eric Schrock (Feel Free), Aaron Dryden, Chuck Morris and Mark Lozier (Wilderness Systems), Sean Amiss, Jr. (Bonafide), Josh Dolin (Jackson) and Woody Callaway and Jonathan Stanberry (Native Watercraft) for questions and details regarding their offerings.<br />
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The gift of knowledge is what we as representatives of our respective brands can ultimately pass on to the next generation of kayak anglers and help the sport grow! Take a moment and think about how you can share whatever expertise you possess in the days that lay before you.<br />
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Sharing..........<br />
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Stay safe and take a friend fishing!!<br />
<br />Hanover_Yakkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09560110180149151925noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6576338411571923751.post-2639411283824505012018-11-27T19:50:00.002-08:002018-11-27T19:52:59.348-08:00No More Excuses .......<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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You've heard it before - I couldn't go fishing because of (insert any reason you have used in the past)!! Well not this time! I made plans to go out on Friday, my day off and again on Monday (Veterans Day observed by my company) and pre-rigged my <a href="https://bullbayrods.com/shopnow/" target="_blank">Bull Bay Rods</a> arsenal and loaded up all the tackle and <a href="https://www.yakattack.us/" target="_blank">YakAttack</a> gear in my CRV for an early morning outing. Once I got my kids off to school, I made my way back home, let the dogs out one more time and loaded up my new <a href="https://www.hobie.com/kayaks/mirage-outback/" target="_blank">2019 Hobie Outback</a> for some fishing. Mother Nature tried her best to literally rain on my parade, but I wasn't going to let that deter me. Even as I pulled up to the launch and the rain continued to fall, I launched belligerently into the cold winds and early morning haze.<br />
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The weather conditions at launch were:<br />
Air Temp - 41 degrees (Friday), 34 degrees (Monday)<br />
Winds - NNE 2-5mph<br />
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Water clarity - 4'+<br />
Lake composition - clay and sandy bottom<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKeB1bj5sfWtJ0IJfH_Ok5Gh1JlQi40SvdLxomm-aPsHDKLyWxdqg9qYewt6g063HojZh8Hi87Ov05I5kuQXjkDYUemm2m-by_zqKqLQgIdbpfp0d8kjp07Cm2E6d90RvO2VZ1GVimVS6p/s1600/PB090013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKeB1bj5sfWtJ0IJfH_Ok5Gh1JlQi40SvdLxomm-aPsHDKLyWxdqg9qYewt6g063HojZh8Hi87Ov05I5kuQXjkDYUemm2m-by_zqKqLQgIdbpfp0d8kjp07Cm2E6d90RvO2VZ1GVimVS6p/s640/PB090013.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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A few minutes to unload and a few extra minutes to change into cold weather gear were all I needed yo get the day started right. I launched and made my way straight to the nearby rock jetty and started working a few different presentations. First was a moving bait - a PTL JP Hammershad with an Owner Flashy Swimmer head, later switched to a twitch bait as well but no takers. Second rod was rigged with a shaky head <a href="https://www.powerteamlures.com/7-tickler-1/" target="_blank">PTL 7" Finicky Tickler</a> to work the rocks but no bites. Third was a PTL Rock Crawler Jig paired with a <a href="https://www.powerteamlures.com/3-5-craw-doeuvre-1/" target="_blank">PTL Craw D'oeuvre</a> if things really slowed. Lastly was a shot in the dark lure - a River2Sea Whopper Plopper. I had noticed some top water swirls in a nearby cove when I crossed a nearby bridge on my way to the launch.<br />
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I figured what the heck, so I positioned myself parallel with the jetty, then I pulled the Plopper rod from the holder and slung the Plopper near the jetty - slow retrieve but no takers. Second cast was about 4' away from shore but it traversed the drop off into deeper water. Half-way back on the retrieve. and the Plopper is sent flying into the air by an overaggressive buck bass. He hits it a second time and is stuck by both treble hooks. He's landed and released measuring around 10". Another cast into slightly deeper water and that's when things started to get more consistent over the next hour or so.<br />
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The rains came in earnest and really drenched me and chilled me good, but I toughed it out. The winds even picked up with the rain and started pushing me down the jetty wall. I kept working the Plopper and would get a strike almost every 15 minutes or so. Once the rains dissipated, the top water activity took a noticeable turn and the bite tapered off.<br />
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I switched over to the PTL Tickler and started working laydowns and exposed brush pockets. Landed my best two fish of the day using that technique. Both times, the Tickler hit the water next to the submerged wood and was instantly devoured on the free fall - both times the bass were gut hooked they had inhaled it so deeply before I could even close the bail on the Stradic and set the hook. Both fish measured at 18" on the HawgTrough but sadly my battery had died by that time. But managed to get a pic of this chunky 16" before the battery took a hiatus on me.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW909xRcqD31SCgI9TXrWeE3l5pocxEeKH4dNBx2L5KQcnJ-ZYVEtlHV3_ZdXVLpqeb4aPWylf9U3LRBC8etFOa5eedQpIcfaywARM5fOLViMixon9eJRMpJbUexcA9ZONTdPyJGFgBlUG/s1600/PB090014.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW909xRcqD31SCgI9TXrWeE3l5pocxEeKH4dNBx2L5KQcnJ-ZYVEtlHV3_ZdXVLpqeb4aPWylf9U3LRBC8etFOa5eedQpIcfaywARM5fOLViMixon9eJRMpJbUexcA9ZONTdPyJGFgBlUG/s640/PB090014.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Landed 8 bass on the day, lost 2-3 as well. All in all a successful outing in the new Outback I'd say!<br />
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I made my way back on Monday but targeted docks and wood for a few hours. Managed a couple small ones but nothing too significant.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsiH4jRasJ_pWc60xVsdXjEafZv2kuxZcKm4szhhjgSQmLvqVqN8acFstvHGeAakbzyuEHtXBVVqIpid5589aH7JH_RUgkSn87G_vFbjmcCU6HkC4OFe_8xMATUyPIruzQMK3cLfQV5v0Y/s1600/PB120017.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsiH4jRasJ_pWc60xVsdXjEafZv2kuxZcKm4szhhjgSQmLvqVqN8acFstvHGeAakbzyuEHtXBVVqIpid5589aH7JH_RUgkSn87G_vFbjmcCU6HkC4OFe_8xMATUyPIruzQMK3cLfQV5v0Y/s640/PB120017.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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I'll be back again continuing my study of this body of water in preparation for landing that elusive monster I know is laying there in wait!<br />
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Until next time - tight lines and stay safe!!! Hanover_Yakkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09560110180149151925noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6576338411571923751.post-42834916976883122122018-10-29T07:33:00.001-07:002018-11-05T04:48:14.536-08:00Apologies - real life is a bear<h2 style="text-align: center;">
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For those that have stuck by, I appreciate it. Apologies are in order given that I have not posted in a long time. The last two years have been very hectic on the home front. My wife and I spent the better part of the last two years fixing up our old house, while working on the plans and building our new house. It's been a long journey but we are finally home-sweet-home.......<br />
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While I still have loads of things to do in the new house like organizing the garage to accommodate my three Hobies and all of the assorted gear and fishing equipment, so here's a snapshot to get you up to speed and prepped for what's coming.....<br />
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First, I'm still fishing, and a member of the Hobie Fishing Team, Bull Bay Rods Fishing Team and YakAttack Regional Staff.<br />
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Sadly my GoPro battery has taken a turn for the worse and refuses to hold a charge anymore, hence the reason I haven't posted any videos or pictures of late. I've been relegated to using my iPhone for most of my outings.<br />
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Second, I have two new (well one new and one slightly new) kayaks to fish out of - a 2018 Hobie Compass and my new 2019 Hobie Outback.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUakhdDZ7DhSzQQ2R7j3VLSbIhTxBDRgyf5uc6BWpSF6l0iU0EVxTlX5qYacvuPeNSm-9u91eCO_DQtGAzRxxh7Wnk3ZPH6QGobGlBOOgYLmH90yEOU7TLW227Xbo2gTqFZ17Ra1RFKCBU/s1600/34660733_10217192878993628_8139527320198184960_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUakhdDZ7DhSzQQ2R7j3VLSbIhTxBDRgyf5uc6BWpSF6l0iU0EVxTlX5qYacvuPeNSm-9u91eCO_DQtGAzRxxh7Wnk3ZPH6QGobGlBOOgYLmH90yEOU7TLW227Xbo2gTqFZ17Ra1RFKCBU/s400/34660733_10217192878993628_8139527320198184960_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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Third, Mother Nature still doesn't like me. Case in point, this past Friday I had plans to christen the new Outback only to be greeted with pouring down cold rain when I woke up.<br />
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Fourth, family obligations do take a priority, and right now my son is up to his eyeballs in middle school athletics both football and track and field, and my daughter is enrolled in dance class.<br />
In the mean time, I've been organizing the gear and things are starting to shapeup finally....<br />
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Things will change soon and I will renew my social media presence here.<br />
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Again, thank you for hanging with me this whole time! Hope to see you on the water soon!Hanover_Yakkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09560110180149151925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6576338411571923751.post-39751681645566833522017-09-24T11:24:00.001-07:002017-10-03T02:30:16.779-07:00A Speck of Luck for a change<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidoWVWiJFQprRRUPQ_UyQCDPbiAwq5DGsTSTCPVNhCEid52RCyot2elUxPCgEKH3ysInyWh8quMZ_jKY603qhNgOqFrS5_AQ7F5vzG2NfYv6oMwq-6Jt1j0yAVbblRr_p5Z6YI0E_eNYqJ/s1600/TKAA+Kayak+Tournament+%252717+for+banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1121" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidoWVWiJFQprRRUPQ_UyQCDPbiAwq5DGsTSTCPVNhCEid52RCyot2elUxPCgEKH3ysInyWh8quMZ_jKY603qhNgOqFrS5_AQ7F5vzG2NfYv6oMwq-6Jt1j0yAVbblRr_p5Z6YI0E_eNYqJ/s640/TKAA+Kayak+Tournament+%252717+for+banner.jpg" width="448" /></a></div>
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Every year I volunteer and participate in the <a href="http://tkaa.org/">TKAA</a> Kayak Fish for Charity Tournament to benefit <a href="http://heroesonthewater.org/">Heroes On the Water</a> and <a href="http://projecthealingwaters.org/">Project Healing Waters</a>. This year was to be the same, but work commitments threw a wrench in the works forcing me to miss the volunteer setup on Friday of the event. I ended up arriving right before the Captain's Meeting was about to begin. I was exhausted and hungry, so I checked in, gathered my captain's bag, finished the meeting and grabbed a bite to eat with fellow Hobie Fishing Team member and Hobie Sale Rep Michael Garett.<br />
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As the 5am wake up neared, I was stoked to get my kayak back on the water after a long hiatus. I launched into a slight breeze and started seeing finger mullet bait busting all over - never a bad thing!! After a couple hours of bite-less action, I ventured into a protected cove and switched tactics to a suspending presentation. Almost immediately, I started getting some takers. Finally after two hours, my first measurable fish was on the board - nothing special but nevertheless a fish!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKPSkeG2F1nY4ph17PfAH3nsa-mAIzsx_2LHSH-9b0HTLTtDeiOM5iWr21ZVrlX5MfjRVNIUuPUxdZtIP9S6ut0Ky50NYVb9NoUGkPOWMqVSISmoUfyADohiCBaD7hXe3hDMgqspnWHGmy/s1600/P9230008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKPSkeG2F1nY4ph17PfAH3nsa-mAIzsx_2LHSH-9b0HTLTtDeiOM5iWr21ZVrlX5MfjRVNIUuPUxdZtIP9S6ut0Ky50NYVb9NoUGkPOWMqVSISmoUfyADohiCBaD7hXe3hDMgqspnWHGmy/s640/P9230008.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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A short while later, I managed to get a significant upgrade in a 17.5" speck!<br />
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Things were looking up and so was the bait activity in the cove! I kept at it for the next four hours with a trout literally every 5-10 minutes - several undersized with a total of 17 trout, 12 keepers but none upgraded the one above. I lost three sure fire upgrades, including one over 24" that spit the treble as I was lifting her into the kayak and one over 20" in my lap but she had other plans and literally flipped out severing the 15lb fluorocarbon leader and escaping. I later learned that fish would've secured me at least 2nd Place in the Trout Division. No worries though, still a great day on the water, learning a pattern, applying it and catching fish for a successful outing.<br />
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In the end, I never was able to successfully measure an upgrade, but at least I stuck to my plan and literally fished until I had no time to spare and was forced to head in and load up to beat the check-in window of 4pm.<br />
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But the story doesn't end there! My stress level was put to the test in a way I could have never imagined as a fisherman. At some point, most if not all of us as fisherman have lost or left something of value at the launch, broken something on the water, etc.. Well for me, I somehow absentmindedly left my three Bull Bay Rods at the launch! How does that happen you ask? Well, I was loading all of my gear into my car and loading my kayak onto my trailer. While doing this, my Mirage Drive and rods were drying off after having been rinsed off just a few minutes earlier. When I finished loading all of my gear into the car and secured my kayak to the trailer, I loaded my Mirage Drive into the car, closed the rear hatch and drove off.<br />
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I went back to the hotel, took a shower and went to the load my dirty clothes into the car when I realized I had left my rods back at the launch - over a half hour away. With a sickening feeling, I drove back to the launch fully expecting to see my rods gone or even worse, run over and broken/destroyed by another vehicle/trailer. When I arrived, my heart sank when I didn't see my rods. As I was about to pull away, I noticed a piece of paper taped to the railing where my rods were drying off.<br />
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I was floored - the note read, "I have your three fishing rods, if you left them call me at (xxx) xxx-xxxx and describe them to me. My heart raced with excitement like a kid on Christmas morning. I dialed the digits and went through a few preliminary niceties and then proceeded to describe the unique features of the rods. The man who found them was a fellow kayaker and a former Navy Senior Master Chief, basically a man with integrity and honor! We met a few minutes later and went about talking about each of my Bull Bay Rods and how much I enjoyed them and designed the specifics on each rod. He confessed honestly admitting that he partially hoped the owner would never call, so that he could have a nice rod or two for a change. I could tell he really wanted one for his own, so I gathered his contact info and let him know not to worry. I'll have one made for you as token of my appreciation for his actions.<br />
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It was nice to have a speck of luck work in my favor for a change both on and off the water!<br />
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Tight lines one and all!<br />
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<b><u>Equipment Used</u>:</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Kayak:</b> <a href="https://www.hobie.com/kayaks/mirage-revolution-13/">2017 Hobie Revolution 13</a><br />
<b>Lures:</b> Trout Eye Jig (short shank) with Z-Man MinnowZ and Mirrolure suspending jerk baits<br />
<b>Rods:</b> <a href="http://bullbayrods.com/">Bull Bay Rods</a> Stealth Tactical Inshore and Tactical PRO spinning rods, custom bait caster<br />
<b>Reels:</b> Shimano Stradic 2500FJ, 3000FJ and Abu Garcia Revo Inshore (GEN3)<br />
<b>Line:</b> PowerPro 30lb Hi-Vis Yellow, 20lb Sufix 832 HiVis Green, P-Line Flouroclear 15lb.<br />
<b>Other:</b> <a href="http://astraldesigns.com/">Astral</a> Ronny Fisher (PFD) and Loyal M's (footwear)<br />
<b>Accessories:</b> <a href="http://yakattack.us/">Yak Attack</a> VisCarbon Pro, GT175-12 on a Crate Rail and GTTL175-04 Top Loading GearTracsHanover_Yakkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09560110180149151925noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6576338411571923751.post-45621900270103230312017-02-22T14:59:00.001-08:002017-02-22T14:59:33.481-08:00Warming Trends<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWU7XHBLROKM5DyiyLPM0E1x46iK2sgWYd0tfRYC_skkmVsoTGg-au_WwS43eBxGHhUuTzbfxX27ZuJ3Jolib84w5u1hl6YFy9opDbqJDLzUMq4uYM4ql9ahvbyVUKtyamMwO1Hjtj9kkV/s1600/P2190003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWU7XHBLROKM5DyiyLPM0E1x46iK2sgWYd0tfRYC_skkmVsoTGg-au_WwS43eBxGHhUuTzbfxX27ZuJ3Jolib84w5u1hl6YFy9opDbqJDLzUMq4uYM4ql9ahvbyVUKtyamMwO1Hjtj9kkV/s640/P2190003.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Weather temperatures have you confused? Annually here in Central Virginia, it seems like each February there is a temperature spike with a 4-5 day warming trend that really gets the fishing juices flowing. I was fortunate enough to spend two days chasing a bite at a local pond. While the air temperatures were in the low 60's, the water temperatures were still in the mid-40's. As the picture above clearly depicts, I was not venturing out without proper cold water layers - thank you #Kokatat!<br />
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The bite was fairly slow, but I managed to convince a variety of species into the kayak using some trusty PTL JP Hammershads on the end of the line. The winning ticket on both days was a slow retrieve over submerged wood with the bait smacking into it and then a subtle pause/drop afterwards. Since there were no storms of late, the shallower areas had crystal clear water and required a greater level of stealth.<br />
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The new <a href="http://www.hobiecat.com/miragedrive180/">Hobie MD180 Mirage Drive</a> (which I borroed from my 2017 Hobie Revolution 13) was crucial in these moments as I was able to reverse my motion with one simple pull of the cable. I could then make a longer cast to the target area and work it over slowly and methodically. While I didn't have tremendous success, I did complete the two trips with 4 Largemouth Bass, 2 Fliers, 1 Bluegill and a massive Chain Pickeral that was well over 22" and fat but snapped the lightweight leader too easily when he choked the Hammershad and made a snap turn.<br />
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<b><u>Gear summary</u>:</b><br />
<b>Kayak</b>: 2015 Hobie Outback<b> </b><br />
<b>Rods</b>: Bull Bay Rods Stealth & Tactical custom medium spinning rods<br />
<b>Reels</b>: Shimano Stradic FJ3000<br />
<b>Line</b>: PowerPro Braid Hi-Vis Yellow and P-Line Flouroclear leader<br />
<b>Lure</b>: Powerteam Lures 3.6" JP Hammershad on a 1/16oz Jacked Whacker jighead<br />
<b>Photomount</b>: <a href="https://www.yakattack.us/GT175G2_04_p/gt175g2-04.htm">YakAttack GearTrac GT-175 (4")</a> and the <a href="https://www.yakattack.us/DB1015CAM_p/db1015cam.htm">Dogbone Camera Mount</a><br />
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A great weekend nonetheless! It felt amazing to be back on the water again. Bigger fish are on the way - I promise!<br />
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I'm already looking forward to my next outing!<br />
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Stay safe and get on 'em!<br />
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#paddleva #becausewefish #yakattack #hobiefishing #bullbayrodsHanover_Yakkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09560110180149151925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6576338411571923751.post-26357582490171593932017-02-04T19:39:00.000-08:002017-02-10T07:40:36.869-08:00"Ring"-ing In the New Year<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This year is one in which I plan to make a more concerted effort to get on the water more. Last year was brutal for me with various issues plaguing my fishing endeavors. Time to turn over a new leaf and start this year off right. What better way to do that than with a new hull!! That's right - new to the fleet this year is the <a href="http://www.hobiecat.com/mirage/mirage-revolution-13/">2017 Hobie Revolution 13</a> with the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3qUqHwV_Ry0?wmode=transparent?autohide=1&autoplay=1&color=white&rel=0&theme=light">Vantage CT</a> seating and <a href="http://www.hobiecat.com/miragedrive180/">MD180 Mirage drive</a>! My first Hobie was the Revolution 13 and helped me get on several new species and several quality fish, so why not give it another go.<br />
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My first fishing related activity was representing <a href="https://www.paddleva.com/">Appomattox River Company</a>, the <a href="http://www.hobiecat.com/hobie-fishing-team/">Hobie Fishing Team</a>, and the <a href="https://www.yakattack.us/">YakAttack</a> Regional Fishing Team at the annual Richmond Fishing Expo held in January each year here in Doswell, VA. While working this expo, I had the opportunity to share the floor with several other skilled anglers that I look up to and admire. Kayak anglers such as: <a href="http://kayakkevin.com/">Kayak Kevin Whitley</a>, <a href="http://www.angling-addict.com/">Rob Choi</a> and <a href="http://coastalkayakfishing.blogspot.com/">William Ragulsky</a> (all from Ocean Kayak and Johnson Outdoors); Aaron Dryden and <a href="http://www.1stlandingyakfish.com/">Mark Lozier</a> (Wilderness Systems); Dinver McClure and Eric Schrock (Feel Free Kayaks); <a href="http://www.fishhardorstayhome.com/">Josh Dolin (Jackson Kayaks) and Grant Alvis (fellow Hobie Fishing Team member)</a>.<br />
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We spread the knowledge of our respective brands as well as helped the expo attendees understand the benefits and limitations of each hull relative to their fishing style. During the expo, Vic Sorensen led a couple seminars on "Choosing the right kayak and rigging it for fishing". Eric and I had our kayaks on display and helped the seminar attendees understand the thought process for our respective rigging options based upon our fishing styles.<br />
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Once the expo was over, I was already formulating my first trip of the year and figured weather permitting, the best option would be yellow perch. After checking with a couple of veteran kayak anglers, my thoughts were confirmed - Yellow Perch (aka Ring Perch) was the target. With a favorable weather window and a pass from my lovely wife, I loaded up and headed out to one of the two perch locations I had fished in the past. My goal was to catch the last of the incoming and ride it to planned spot, then fish the slack and ride the outgoing back. Only someone must have reversed the tide charts, because they were opposite of what was displayed on the tide app on my phone. No biggie. I was determined to fish regardless. The air temps were low 30's and their were remnants of the previous night's freeze still evident.......<br />
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I loaded up the Outback for this trip, since it was the only hull I had with GearTracs and the PowerPole Micro installed. I figured it was the best option given that the winds were forecast to pickup as the day wore on - I'm glad I did! The winds were a tad blustery for sure and made the float back to the target area very cold. After setting up at the first spot, I was watching a family of river otters frolic up ahead when I felt the line go heavy. I set the hook and was rewarded with my first fish of 2017 - a feisty 10" yellow perch.<br />
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Once the otters came closer to investigate my Outback, the bite died off as you could imagine. So I moved to my primary spot and was greeted by a stiff wind, but I was determined and dropped the <a href="http://www.power-pole.com/micro">Power-pole Micro</a> and held fast as I dropped my offerings into the murky depths. Not five minutes later, another bite and another healthy yellow perch, followed by another and another.......cookie cutters but they were fish nonetheless......<br />
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That was until a stronger hit came about an hour later and the light drag started pulling - could this be the long awaited big one? The magic mark is 12" for a VA Freshwater Citation in the Yellow Perch species........ Alas, it was not to be, but at 11" and fat, this was a nice fight on light tackle and a light drag.<br />
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I fished for a couple more hours and basically landed a fish on average about once every 20 minutes with several misses in between. On the day, I ended up landing 12 fish in total - 11 yellow perch and 1 white perch of all things....<br />
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It was a great day, albeit very cold. If you are going to be heading out for any water activities, make sure you are properly outfitted for the trip. I was armed against the cold with my trusty Kokatat dry suit, and the proper winter layers underneath. I even had a proper hat in case the winds turned too nasty and strong. When in doubt, ask a veteran kayak angler that has fished in cold weather or consult the good folks at Appomattox River Company. They have all the gear you need to hit the water safely and comfortably.<br />
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Until next time - stay safe and warm!Hanover_Yakkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09560110180149151925noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6576338411571923751.post-41303965302331531412016-05-23T13:56:00.001-07:002016-05-24T11:24:57.235-07:002016 YakAttack Tourney wrap-up<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Another year has come and gone and left the kayak angling community longing for the next year already. Why you ask? Plain and simple, the 8th Annual YakAttack Kayak Fishing Tournament to benefit <a href="http://www.heroesonthewater.org/" target="_blank">Heroes On the Water</a> and <a href="http://www.projecthealingwaters.org/" target="_blank">Project Healing Waters</a> is now officially in the books. This event draws some of the best kayak anglers from all over the US. This year we had representation from Maine all the way to Florida and points in between.<br />
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The tournament weekend starts off with an awesome dinner that included this year: ribeyes, pulled pork, bbq chicken and all the sides that go with it. The weather was a bit challenging with rain over the last couple of weeks throughout the region. On tournament day, the rains moved in yet again and doused us for most of the day. I came into the weekend battling a sore throat and sever sinus congestion and headaches. Not a winning recipe for overall comfort and enjoyment, but thoughts of these things fell to the wayside as I unloaded all of my gear and prepared to launch.<br />
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The format of the tournament is fairly straightforward. Four divisions in total: Largemouth Bass, Crappie and Panfish with a Slam for the best length of a single fish from each division. So you could theoretically not catch large fish but still win the slam for total length. After some brainstorming with fellow Hobie Fishing Team member Grant Alvis the night before, a plan was put in motion and I hit the water.<br />
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The rains tried to dampen my spirit and had even forced me to reconsider staying out in the damp conditions in my current sickly state. Having not caught a single fish for the entire morning, I finally caught up to good friends Daryl Boyd and Greg Timmer (Hobie Fishing Team member from FL). We made a tactical decision to escape the wind in a small cove before heading back down lake. We took the opportunity to refresh by eating some food and hydrating with some water. This little respite revitalized and re-focused my energy. I set out again with a different mindset and decided to switch up my approach and opt for a thumpin' plastic over the preferred spinnerbait. I was immediately rewarded with two smallish bass, but still a rewarding situation given my production thus far.<br />
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I kept at it with cast after cast and switching up casting angles, retrieve speeds, lure depths, etc. Another smallish bass came to play but was welcomed regardless.<br />
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As the fishing window started to close, I decided to switch things up and try for some panfish and crappie back in a protected cove. I switched rods to my U/L spinning rod rigged with 6lb test line and a white Rooster Tail as the bait of choice. After 5 minutes of slinging it around the protected cove, I slowed down my retrieve to a crawl and slow rolled it back to the yak. The line came tight and started peeling off of my reel. When I first caught glimpse of the fish as it rolled, I knew I would have to baby this fish if I had any chance of landing it. After a good 2 minute fight, the big bass decided to chill out long enough to get it kayak side and be landed. Finally, a respectable fish to put on the board at 19 1/4".<br />
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Well, that would prove to be my last fish on the day, since no panfish or crappie made an appearance for me this tournament, but I still managed to turn in 34.5" of fish as my two-fish submission. Sadly it fell 3" short of placing this year, but I still managed to enter fish. I still walked away with a cool assortment of goodies in the captain's bag, and I was one of the people fortunate enough to win a premium raffle prize - a new Hobie Fish Bag for keeping my salty catches in the future to feed my family fresh fish!!<br />
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Saturday for the tournament is always fun, because of the raffle and fellowship that ensues once the fishing is done, but the main point of the tournament is the benefit aspect of it, and the raffle and tournament entry fees when totaled are estimated to exceed $22,000. It's an amazing tournament coupled with a meaningful benefit theme and fellowship that is unequaled in the kayak community. Luther and the whole crew at <a href="http://yakattack.us/" target="_blank">YakAttack</a> outdid themselves yet again this year. I know that next year's event will be even better and am already longing for that Armed Forces weekend yet again!<br />
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Tight lines everyone! Stay safe out there!Hanover_Yakkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09560110180149151925noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6576338411571923751.post-80619105195353388382015-09-08T05:00:00.002-07:002015-09-08T05:01:21.844-07:00Close but no ci-GARQuick fishing report.<br />
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Had a blast this past weekend with fellow <a href="http://www.hobiecat.com/mirage/mirage-outback/" target="_blank">Hobie Outback</a> owner and friend Joe Underwood and his son as we chased gar. I had never targeted this species before, although I have caught a couple as by-catch when I was targeting smallmouth on the James River <a href="http://froggin4bass.blogspot.com/2014/07/riverbound.html" target="_blank">last summer</a>. I went to the local tackle shop to grab the tackle needed and ran into fellow Hobie Fishing Team member Grant Alvis. He and his fishing buddy Josh having been laying waste to the gar recently, so I knew he would help me get the right stuff.<br />
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We launched late in the day and made our way out looking for bait. The rigs were simple - I carried two spinning rods - a Bull Bay <a href="http://www.bullbayrods.com/SenZigrip-inshore-rod-p/zbbrx.htm" target="_blank">Spectrum Inshore Professional</a> and a <a href="http://www.bullbayrods.com/Tactical-Series-Rod-p/bbr-t.htm" target="_blank">Tactical Series Black Ops Inshore</a>. A simple float and baited hook rig was the setup of choice. As we pedaled out with both of our sons chatting at each other, we noticed a nice bait ball ahead. Joe readied his cast net and literally dropped it right over the side and hauled in a few shad we could use. He landed so many on the first cast that we actually threw most of them back.<br />
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We made it to the spot and dropped lines in. Shortly after we setup, Joe's son hooks up with a nice 41" citation gar. A little after that, one of our rods get bit and the bait starts tearing away. When my son went to set the hook, the line came free. The leader had been cut, most likely by a passing gar getting the line caught on its scales and not a true hook set, because the bobber floated up a short while later and we were able to retrieve it.<br />
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After a bit longer, I re-baited my line and made a cast to the drop off. Before I even closed the bail, the line took off running. This time I raised the rod high to make sure the line wasn't snagged on its body. After about a minute run, the fish stopped, so I handed the rod to my son and let him set the hook - FISH ON! The gar started running in earnest and ended up turning us around in a complete 360. After close to three minutes, the gar was finally surfacing and ready to land. As I went to grab him behind the head, I could see how big this one was. Just as I grabbed it and started to lift, he thrashed and spit the hook somehow. It was a surefire citation, but I somehow didn't have a good enough hold on it to get it into the yak and it swam away.<br />
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On the day, we had three runs - one break off, one escape and one that I didn't let take the bait long enough. Joe and his son managed five I believe - two landed and three that got away before landing them. It was fun indeed having never targeted this species before, but I can assure you I will be back to chase these living dinosaurs again! Next up for me though is the 11th annual <a href="http://tkaa.org/tournament/" target="_blank">Tidewater Kayak Anglers Association tournament</a> benefiting <a href="http://www.heroesonthewater.org/" target="_blank">Heroes On the Water</a> and Project Healing Waters.<br />
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Tight lines and remember to take a kid fishing!Hanover_Yakkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09560110180149151925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6576338411571923751.post-4637310374770450882015-08-24T05:11:00.004-07:002015-08-24T05:16:04.858-07:00Therapy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After a long week sitting at a desk and staring at work-related files and notes, time with my family is always special, but nothing gives me greater relief and peace of mind than some time on the water. This summer was a little different than in the past, since I had to alter my work schedule to accommodate my son's summer camps resulting in losing my Fridays off. Combine that with family obligations and other scheduled events on the weekends, and you can easily see how limited time on the water can be.<br />
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So this past Friday when my work schedule returned to its normal bi-weekly Friday off routine, you can imagine the sense of relief and anticipation I was feeling as I pulled up to one of my favorite local fishing holes. While most people are tied to their work schedules and hectic pace of life, I was able to escape for about six hours. As I unloaded my <a href="http://www.hobiecat.com/paddle/quest-13/" target="_blank">Hobie Quest 13</a> and loaded up the few items I brought along, I noticed a VDOT worker watching me with curiosity. Once I pulled out my three rod arsenal from <a href="http://www.bullbayrods.com/" target="_blank">Bull Bay Rods</a>, you could see a noticeable smile come across his face as he realized what I was getting ready to do.<br />
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As I began to drag my setup to the water's edge, I overheard him say, "Man that looks like fun.....". I paused, turned around and smiled from ear to ear as I replied, "There's nothing better!" He stood and watched in what I can only assume was a pang of jealousy as I paddled to my own little corner of the pond in search of my much needed Zen for the next six hours.<br />
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Today's target area was a choke point where the main channel meets up with a lily pad field. It always holds fish, but it can be a slow day if they are not in a feeding mood. The challenge with this spot is that you can visibly see the fish moving as pads are shifted to and fro from their movements, but you can't always cast to them because the pads are thick and above the water line. You're frequently startled as the silence and solitude is interrupted with an audible explosion of water as a predator chases its prey. Casting into this menagerie and chasing these "sounds" is often followed by frustration as your
line becomes wedged into that crease each lily pad leaf possesses. Patience and "open" casting lanes are the key if you're efforts are to be rewarded.<br />
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On this day, my approach was simple - work the outer edge of the channel with a moving presentation, then follow up with a reaction presentation. My rods were rigged with the following:<br />
<ul>
<li>a vibrating jig tipped with a <a href="http://www.powerteamlures.com/4-5-grub/" target="_blank">Powerteam Lures Grub</a> </li>
<li>a <a href="http://www.floridakayakfishing.com/clone-series-frogs.html" target="_blank">Capt. Ken Daubert #4 Brown Spotted Bull Clone Frog</a> </li>
<li>a weedless <a href="http://www.powerteamlures.com/4-8-jp-hammer-shad-1/" target="_blank">Powerteam Lures 4.8" JP Hammershad</a></li>
</ul>
The three Bull Bay Rods used were:<br />
<ul>
<li>a custom casting rod (MH/XF) paired with a Gen 3 Abu Garcia Revo Inshore reel</li>
<li>the new AR-20 series casting rod (MH/MOD) paired with a Gen 2 Revo Inshore reel</li>
<li>a Black Ops Inshore spinning rod paired with a Shimano Stradic FJ3000 reel </li>
</ul>
After a few minutes of watching and listening, I was rewarded with a flurry of activity where the creek channel shallows noticeably. As I positioned myself and prepared to make the first cast, I told myself that the first fish would likely be a pickerel just based on the style of feeding activity I was seeing and hearing. Sure enough, ole' toothy showed up almost on cue......<br />
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After a few more minutes of chasing these slimy predators, I opted to move back out to the creek mouth and channel swing. I started working the pad edges in earnest with the vibrating jig and Clone Frog and was rewarded with a nice bass with beautiful dark green hues.<br />
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When I wanted to change things up, I worked the weedless Hammershad through the same areas and was rewarded several times over the course of the day. Some of the bass came in the heart of the pads, some in the open casting lanes in the pads, and some on the edge of the pad line. While the Clone Frog produces for me regularly, the clear winning pattern on the day was high sticking the Hammershad through the pads.<br />
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As the day wore on and the air temperatures reached it's zenith, it was my signal to wrap up this outing. I paddled my way back to the launch but made a couple stops along the way at past spots that usually hold a fish or two. Using the same one-two punch of the Clone-Hammer technique, I was rewarded with one last fish at my last stop. This one was laying in wait in a hole among the pads over my shoulder in the image below. <br />
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It was a nice way to finish off the day. Final tally for the day was fifteen fish - three chain pickerel and twelve bass - the largest being a 20" chain pickerel and a 17.5" largemouth bass. A wonderful day of peace and tranquility as the hustle and bustle of daily life passed by. When you find yourself needing to unwind, the magic of the water is truly amazing. As I loaded up my gear and secured my kayak, I took time to give thanks for a work schedule that allows me time to pursue my passion for kayak fishing while minimizing the impact on my family time.<br />
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Even if the fish don't always cooperate, for me this time is always sacred as it serves as my own therapy session.......<br />
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Tight lines!Hanover_Yakkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09560110180149151925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6576338411571923751.post-74882148537589052232015-08-09T11:31:00.002-07:002015-08-10T17:03:10.170-07:00Points!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Each year, <a href="http://www.catchinforkids.org/" target="_blank">Catchin' For Kids</a> holds two tournaments in the Tidewater area here in Virginia. The most notable being the annual Rockfish Tournament held the first weekend in December, but the other one, the Angler's Club Challenge held in August, is one where the area's best anglers form teams to compete against one another in fifteen different fish divisions with points awarded to the top three fish by weight. The <a href="http://www.tkaa.org/" target="_blank">Tidewater Kayak Anglers Association</a> fields a team each year and competes against the other powerboat-based teams. Over the years, TKAA has steadily improved its game and in recent years has put the boaters on notice. The first year I participated was 2012, and we finished in fourth place. In 2013, we blitzed the field and tallied the largest single points total in the history of the challenge at 32 points, with four category sweeps and pointed fish in several other species categories. In 2014, we followed up our previous year's win with a second place finish, and we proved a point that we were a team to be reckoned with.<br />
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This year would prove to be no different in that we were there to compete. What most of the competitors hadn't planned on was the weather. Well, Mother Nature threw everyone a curve ball with winds gusting to 30+ all over the region, and rain thrown in just for good measure. The majority of the target species on the list were now mostly off limits for the power boaters in the interest of safety. Species like cobia, spanish mackerel, and king mackerel. Even the spadefish, sheepshead, triggerfish, bluefish, flounder and sea bass were mostly spared on this day due to the tough conditions around the inshore wrecks and bridges. Our very own "bridge" crew contemplated braving the conditions, but erred on the side of caution and tackled a local inshore spot instead. This crew is known for jaw-dropping weights turned in each year for their sheepshead alone, so you know it was a tough pill to swallow for them.<br />
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I was a part of a four-man team assigned to the Eastern Shore. We chose a spot that is known for a variety of species to give us the best chance at contributing points to the team total. When we launched, we had a planned a two-pronged attack. Ted and Mack, the flounder whisperers, chased the flatties, while Tom and I targeted some of the smaller species on the list, namely spot, croaker, and roundheads. We fished hard through the cold rain and strong winds, but managed to land several fish that made weight at the weigh in.<br />
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Throughout the day, we all caught a variety of fish, some worthy of
keeping, others just bycatch providing a tug on the end of the line.
Some of the bycatch included: baby sea bass, several houndfish, small
bluefish, a blowfish, oyster toads, a pinfish, some fat grunts, and a
couple silver perch. While those were mostly unwanted, our team managed
to catch six points earning fish and seal the win for TKAA for the
second time in the last three years.<br />
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The end of the day includes raffles and some ceremonial asides with various contributors. The food at the event is always a hit and is a nice way to finish the day. The ultimate winners are the kids themselves, but it's still nice to compete and represent the kayak angling community.<br />
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It just goes to show you that if you fish hard and stay focused, you never know when your contributions will be the difference!<br />
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<i>(photo courtesy of Kris Lally Lozier)</i></div>
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It truly was and still is an honor to fish with these skilled anglers in a format like this! I'm proud to have these anglers as fishing companions, but even more so to call them friends!<br />
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Hanover_Yakkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09560110180149151925noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6576338411571923751.post-214126205659417472015-07-11T21:06:00.000-07:002015-07-13T03:19:20.004-07:00Finally!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgJ-DDGgctn3KsflmxPlZ73jwMYI0J9KpsOTKurH7S6tyg_FjsCW2gUlaQORNYLqe6rgpeHRwG-nWgRk9S5cMJw4A5iUqFkzQZJ2P821HR-FKHn9uJUaTijOUHmuDnmG8V9ywTakCSVAmj/s640/blogger-image-223912801.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgJ-DDGgctn3KsflmxPlZ73jwMYI0J9KpsOTKurH7S6tyg_FjsCW2gUlaQORNYLqe6rgpeHRwG-nWgRk9S5cMJw4A5iUqFkzQZJ2P821HR-FKHn9uJUaTijOUHmuDnmG8V9ywTakCSVAmj/s320/blogger-image-223912801.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
After years of fishing both in and out of the kayak, I can now say I have caught a freshwater citation in the state of Virginia. The last three years have seen several bass each year fall short of citation by the narrowest of margins. Well, the wait is finally over! The best part of it all was that I caught it using my favorite frog lure of all time - the <a href="http://www.floridakayakfishing.com/clone-series-frogs.html" target="_blank">Capt. Ken Daubert Clone Frog</a>, this one was the #4 Brown Spotted Bull pattern with some hand drawn black sharpie markings on the legs and underbelly by yours truly. I also was using my latest "arrow in the quiver" - my new <a href="http://www.bullbayrods.com/Military-Inshore-rod-p/mil-xbbr.htm" target="_blank">custom medium heavy Bull Bay Rod.</a> And to complete the trifecta of good vibes, I was sporting my new <a href="http://astraldesigns.com/footwear/porter/" target="_blank">Astral Porter</a> water shoes.<br />
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<a href="http://www.bullbayrods.com/Military-Inshore-rod-p/mil-xbbr.htm" target="_blank"></a> I am an avid and loyal user of PowerTeam Lures, so needless to say, the frog was touched up with a nice coat of <a href="http://www.powerteamlures.com/hog-tonic/" target="_blank">Hog Tonic</a> for good measure. In hindsight, I realized that I had spent most of the first hour on the
water trying to help my son get a top water strike and hadn't really
even been casting that much. While I was coaching him up, I witnessed a
bass launch out of the water chasing a small pumpkinseed. <br />
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I quickly cast my Clone Frog well past the spot and slowly worked it. When the strike happened, it was even more violent than the breach I had just witnessed. At first I didn't even realize how big she really was until I brought
her alongside my Outback. That's when I knew, it was going to be long
enough. When I finally got her on the measuring board, I let out a
guttural scream of "Yes! Finally!"<br />
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Enjoy the video..... (just make sure you select 1080HD for best image quality!)<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/H9KUqB7pR7I/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/H9KUqB7pR7I?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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Thanks again to Hobie for designing my favorite fishing platform - the Hobie Outback. Thanks to Astral Designs for the killer new shoes and fish catching mojo. Thanks to Bull Bay Rods for building the best custom rods on the market - the new rod definitely had no problem at all handling that beastly bass! Thanks to AFTCO for the extremely comfortable Fish Ninja technical shirt you provided for members of the Hobie Fishing Team. And last but not least, thanks to Capt. Ken Daubert for designing the best frog lures on the market! I'm proud to use your frogs as the only frogs in my arsenal. Since I started using your Clones three years ago, all of my other frog lures have sat in a tackle tray collecting dust.<br />
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<br />Hanover_Yakkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09560110180149151925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6576338411571923751.post-13977267921764417442015-07-03T18:08:00.001-07:002015-07-03T18:08:48.875-07:00Friday FireworksI'll let the pictures do the majority of the talking save for these two thoughts.....<br />
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First, trying to cast a fly rod in the wind is frustrating!</div>
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Second, trying to cast a fly and retrieve it through lily pads is almost as frustrating!</div>
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The first pic is for size reference, since I was bank fishing due to pending storms. I think I'm getting the hang of this fly casting to some extent though. </div>
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Hanover_Yakkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09560110180149151925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6576338411571923751.post-64607570043049419912015-06-30T18:52:00.002-07:002015-06-30T18:52:53.860-07:00Pride.....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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There is no greater sensation of pride in a father than seeing his own son succeeding using the techniques and teachings passed down over the years. My son and I participated in a <a href="http://heroesonthewater.org/" target="_blank">Heroes On the Water</a> mini-event this past weekend where we helped a local veteran out by taking him out for the day and putting him on some fish. That in and of itself was fulfilling in its own right, but my son's day on the water was the icing on the proverbial cake.<br />
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In the past, my son has lost patience when fishing for bass and the bite is slow. I sent him out in our new <a href="http://www.hobiecat.com/paddle/quest-13/" target="_blank">Hobie Quest 13</a> armed with a <a href="http://yakattack.us/" target="_blank">YakAttack</a> 8' Parknpole and two <a href="http://www.bullbayrods.com/" target="_blank">Bull Bay Rods</a> - one rigged with a 5" <a href="http://r.sloyalty.com/r/trjqGqBIlMIT" target="_blank">PowerTeam Lures</a> Finicky Tickler and the other rigged with a PowerTeam Lures Jacked Whacker jig head and a Sick Stick. After a few minutes giving him pointers on how to work each lure and showing him what each lure looked like underwater when worked, we ventured into a protected cover where our good friend Chip had told us there were fish.<br />
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We made our way into the cove and proceeded to stake out and work the area slowly and methodically. He spotted a tree limb sticking up in the shallows and knew there was a good chance at a fish being nearby. He cast the Sick Stick near the shore and slowly twitched it and let it fall, a couple more twitches and the fight was on. He worked the feisty bass away from the cover and got him into the kayak. I myself was in the middle of photographing my own fish, but I put the fish on the <a href="http://www.thefishgrip.net/" target="_blank">FishGrip</a> in the water and made my way over to him to help him.<br />
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHsiksGspBSD_JNXYcJ_uWZWO2_tXKsq98V5s00iiebP8E-I6gJduA4kc0UgLBZgwkvbxn0Quj3ghgp8fhyMMgYG_S9BsmFqDnkQylZYSshSkvxN77b9qfiC3KhA4BB2oii0y6n5YZLSMZ/s640/blogger-image-2023489893.jpg" /></div>
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Little did I know that my son had just caught a nice chunky Largemouth Bass that would end up measuring out at 17 3/4" for his new personal best!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidY8BvZA9hVZA5kfGiTsJyKj6C0bZC-9RBnabT0IHaW-k7vjxPeKiFYz0jmMP5WHpHvtqV7hWwQSY8jgPl86B4tW1gHlxOgNk7Wuo4BcILfXEaJuY1IdlJQj3g45jvsgGyi6TymuY9rAeU/s1600/P6280007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidY8BvZA9hVZA5kfGiTsJyKj6C0bZC-9RBnabT0IHaW-k7vjxPeKiFYz0jmMP5WHpHvtqV7hWwQSY8jgPl86B4tW1gHlxOgNk7Wuo4BcILfXEaJuY1IdlJQj3g45jvsgGyi6TymuY9rAeU/s640/P6280007.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The winds were up for most of the day with a storm front moving in later in the afternoon. We spent the day working every type of contour change, lay down, rock pile and grass line we could find. The bite was tough and only got tougher as the day wore on. At one point, the winds were so strong, I had to move us into some shallow flats, so that my son could stake out and wade for a bit.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzL8OuDK1PZ-T9f4ABguQi0DU3gajo3OLBcR66ZKANSAkhbEXBNLo9r1MpmX9W8AQZgqMPh0rt8Shv3E3bZ669fSoKlltWDZtCO2zUpI_BAzlwo5LppcH4iNnD1ns3tUOn4pSOcFHxL3zm/s1600/P6280012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzL8OuDK1PZ-T9f4ABguQi0DU3gajo3OLBcR66ZKANSAkhbEXBNLo9r1MpmX9W8AQZgqMPh0rt8Shv3E3bZ669fSoKlltWDZtCO2zUpI_BAzlwo5LppcH4iNnD1ns3tUOn4pSOcFHxL3zm/s640/P6280012.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Even though the bite was slow, he had a few bites that came unhooked as he attempted to put the fish in the boat, including his last fish of the day that was a feisty chain pickerel that was easily over 20" that spit the hook as he was lifting it into his foot well. All of us saw him fighting the fish and can attest to the size of it. He was bummed, but we all encouraged him letting him know that chain pickerel are notorious for that! He only managed to get two bass for pictures, but it was a success in my book.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS53-8rG635WBW0BeQAhfBXZ_qkrCQvsWCISIIprMLNLIS4fUJ_4SG1ezD3Lw8z3oCJprFjMpB1fGAUjU6BRh1ZadQbpLJTWz8WTaJ6IdP3Vf6_wLJUzV1IAir5TncjKRPpyUaxz3Nd4iX/s640/blogger-image--2071898132.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS53-8rG635WBW0BeQAhfBXZ_qkrCQvsWCISIIprMLNLIS4fUJ_4SG1ezD3Lw8z3oCJprFjMpB1fGAUjU6BRh1ZadQbpLJTWz8WTaJ6IdP3Vf6_wLJUzV1IAir5TncjKRPpyUaxz3Nd4iX/s640/blogger-image--2071898132.jpg" /></a><br />
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My son fought through the doldrums of the slow bite, kept his focus and
caught fish by staying persistent and determined through it all.<br />
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At the end of the day, I was further elated to hear my son utter a simple phrase before he nodded off for the long ride home....<br />
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"Thank you......"<br />
<br />Hanover_Yakkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09560110180149151925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6576338411571923751.post-75510090899065203972015-05-13T06:03:00.002-07:002015-05-13T06:03:30.407-07:00Playing Hooky....<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9b0Bvl56eUAebmPrRm4_kJNUBUJ8-FPyUiFYpQUvuWCO7AXPuxw9gP5cZyOOitAvvzO-QjosLmRw4fqkpfnzCu5FK8EuTdIQ92K9J8DRb-4sVoqj5RdZ7HLKg7JzdB0s4qkZU9cJe2OAI/s640/blogger-image--2007366448.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9b0Bvl56eUAebmPrRm4_kJNUBUJ8-FPyUiFYpQUvuWCO7AXPuxw9gP5cZyOOitAvvzO-QjosLmRw4fqkpfnzCu5FK8EuTdIQ92K9J8DRb-4sVoqj5RdZ7HLKg7JzdB0s4qkZU9cJe2OAI/s640/blogger-image--2007366448.jpg" /></a></div>
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Sometimes you have to trust your instincts and just do it - so I did! I took a vacation day mid-week and went fishing. The weather window was favorable for a change, and I didn't have a single meeting or task due at work the following day. No brainer!<br />
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The arsenal for the day was the same rod selection from <a href="http://froggin4bass.blogspot.com/2015/05/rainy-days-arent-so-bad.html" target="_blank">last week</a> but the lures of choice were different due to stained water conditions. I tried a couple lures in lighter colors (a vibrating jig in chartreuse/white tipped with a PTL <a href="http://www.powerteamlures.com/4-5-grub/" target="_blank">Grub</a> and a PTL Sick Stick in Pearl) but the water clarity was less than 6". So, I switched out to a PTL <a href="http://www.powerteamlures.com/5-sick-stick-1/" target="_blank">Sick Stick</a> in Okeechobee Craw and a PTL <a href="http://www.powerteamlures.com/6-gator-1/" target="_blank">Gator</a> in Junebug.<br />
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This pond is mostly flat with an average depth of 4' and a multitude of overhanging brush and trees with several laydowns and brush piles from trees and brush that have fallen into the water over the years from strong storms. With the water clarity as it was, you are forced to slow down and work literally every square inch of an area. I come here a few times a year to simply hone my skipping and pitching/flipping skills. The added bonus is that there are some fat bass lurking about and always manage to give me a nice fight.<br />
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It took a couple hours to find some takers but I finally managed to get into a few managing only three on the day and missing a few as well including one pesky bass that managed to break me off not once, twice but three separate times! <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">The first bass of the day was the best and measured in just shy at 20.75" and was very fat and rather perturbed that she was caught.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">I had skipped my cast to a cut in between two big bushes and was met with a violent strike as the lure hit the water. This big girl hit the Sick Stick so hard and fast that I barely managed to get the GoPro turned on in time to catch the last few seconds of the fight.</span></div>
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When the Sick Stick found no more interest, tried using a heavy tungsten pitching weight to punch through pockets of thick brush with a PTL Gator but to no avail. Flashback a few hours earlier to the point of loading my gear for the day. I stood there in my house looking at my gear and made the conscious decision to leave my terminal tackle tray thinking I would not need it - big mistake. I'm sitting there in my <a href="http://www.hobiecat.com/mirage/mirage-outback/" target="_blank">Hobie Outback</a> cruising about and chastising myself for not having different rigging options.</div>
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As luck would have it, one of my casts became entangled with a previous anglers broken line. I cleared the tangle and found a busted bobber and hook at the end along with a small split shot on the line. "DING" lightbulb moment. I cleared the tangle, removed the split shot and rigged up a simple split shot rig and a texas-rigged PTL Gator.<br />
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Apparently, it was the right decision. Not five minutes later, I noticed my line swimming towards me but felt no hint of a fish. I reeled in the slack and swung for the fences - hook sets are free right? I was rewarded with another angry female bass that was none too pleased with her predicament. After a brief fight, I brought her in and measured a healthy 19.75".<br />
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She must have really liked that PTL Gator because she choked it!</div>
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The last bass of the day was nothing to brag about but confirmed to me that the bite was over for the day. A slow but productive day away from work.<br />
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Catching fat bass like this makes me want to play hooky again and very soon.......<br />
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I think I can find a window and know a "spot" I could target.....<br />
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Until then, enjoy a video summary of my day on the water........<br />
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<br />Tight lines and stay safe!</div>
Hanover_Yakkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09560110180149151925noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6576338411571923751.post-15814821938889377272015-05-05T19:50:00.002-07:002015-05-08T07:08:56.194-07:00Rainy days aren't so bad....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizB_QhZsG828iAVeHwC6JCf2yHmB50oGBrl4nB3mYBbww1XAcgI_X49ZEfcoCceSm5U69bGOlhf-ek3B274lbCsDtrJUGANumjxDFVynrBRR1P7tYtkJDlat1FD1SIsAR_Awhh81Tf-n3n/s1600/thumb_GOPR0009_1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizB_QhZsG828iAVeHwC6JCf2yHmB50oGBrl4nB3mYBbww1XAcgI_X49ZEfcoCceSm5U69bGOlhf-ek3B274lbCsDtrJUGANumjxDFVynrBRR1P7tYtkJDlat1FD1SIsAR_Awhh81Tf-n3n/s1600/thumb_GOPR0009_1024.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Lately, Mother Nature has had a vendetta against me on my Fridays off. I vowed to go regardless last week and was rewarded with a fairly productive day. I decided on a three rod (<a href="http://www.bullbayrods.com/" target="_blank">Bull Bay Rods</a> of course) - three lure challenge. The rods selected were:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.bullbayrods.com/SenZigrip-inshore-rod-p/zbbrx.htm" target="_blank">Spectrum Inshore spinning rod</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.bullbayrods.com/product-p/ar15-b.htm" target="_blank">Tactical Assault AR-15 Series rod</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.bullbayrods.com/Military-Inshore-rod-p/mil-xbbr.htm" target="_blank">Custom Senzi Grip casting rod</a></li>
</ul>
The lures chosen to cover the water column, including one I had almost forgotten about.....<br />
<ul>
<li>Topwater - <a href="http://bass-frog.com/Clones.htm" target="_blank">Capt. Ken Daubert Clone Frog</a></li>
<li>Moving - <a href="http://www.powerteamlures.com/4-8-jp-hammer-shad-1/" target="_blank">PowerTeam Lures 4.8" JP Hammershad</a></li>
<li>Bottom - <a href="http://www.powerteamlures.com/6-gator-1/" target="_blank">PowerTeam Lures Gator</a> on a Carolina Rig </li>
</ul>
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The first two are confidence baits for me, but I have to confess that I have never even tried a Carolina Rig in freshwater for bass prior to this day. I launched fairly early in the morning in a light drizzle and stared with the Hammershad first to see if I could get a reaction bite. Within 30 minutes, I had my first fish - a slimy 18" Chain Pickerel, followed by a shortish 14" chain pickerel a few minutes later.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixet2bJIsluk6uB58M91ksiIdOGa9dj_-2vBkgOT6g710kZC79CjFHquBwbuKS5CtsnjPPgsITyM6I123uvX4uHcUsCOD5R47DV_KoLnomK6yZOdAp1z0bQK_rd-4GA0XjhTqIVcJ4Gepo/s1600/13529_10206903779052560_2317386122635565975_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixet2bJIsluk6uB58M91ksiIdOGa9dj_-2vBkgOT6g710kZC79CjFHquBwbuKS5CtsnjPPgsITyM6I123uvX4uHcUsCOD5R47DV_KoLnomK6yZOdAp1z0bQK_rd-4GA0XjhTqIVcJ4Gepo/s1600/13529_10206903779052560_2317386122635565975_n.jpg" width="480" /></a> </div>
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I switched over to the Clone Frog as I neared the lily pad fields and spent the next two hours working the pads cuts and edges. I missed the first two fish when they spit the frog before I could even set the hook. I doused the frog with some <a href="http://www.powerteamlures.com/hog-tonic/" target="_blank">PowerTeam Lures Hog Tonic</a> and went back to work. A few minutes later, I approached one of my go-to spots on this pond. I cast the frog over the laydown with the line laying across a limb atop the water. I dragged the frog over slowly and plopped it down. A couple twitches was all it took before a fat 17" Largemouth Bass sucked it in and held on long enough for a hookset. I managed to capture a topwater strike finally as well using my trusty <a href="http://www.yakattack.us/PFPM_p/pfpm.htm" target="_blank">YakAttack Panfish Portrait</a>..... <br />
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Once the rain stopped, the skies started to clear and the frog bite disappeared. I switched back to the Hammershad for a bit and quickly landed a few more pickerel and a couple more largemouth. By the time I had made the full circuit of the pond, I switched over to the Carolina rigged Gator. I worked the deeper cuts in the pond to no avail for an hour. I switched back to the Hammershad and landed some small pickerel and a couple small bass. By that time, the winds were starting to pick up as another storm was approaching, so I decided to call it a day. Final tally on the day - 12 fish (7 pickerel and 5 bass). All in all, a great day on the water. Here are a few pics from the day of the better quality fish....<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuTTHDL4P2I2-ZkPCmRQJfUNWDZTcRSOYgp-m3RnamQCNMOMVzLQSaQoTmlBSWIz7eHzPmYI5V60_8LMPVm8R7qT2WlbXY1fgQfAw5D_2TOg-28yraCH3C8xZZnJz8JJpBVUXENdRRD2Bo/s1600/10689468_10206903286440245_4257135746296884325_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuTTHDL4P2I2-ZkPCmRQJfUNWDZTcRSOYgp-m3RnamQCNMOMVzLQSaQoTmlBSWIz7eHzPmYI5V60_8LMPVm8R7qT2WlbXY1fgQfAw5D_2TOg-28yraCH3C8xZZnJz8JJpBVUXENdRRD2Bo/s1600/10689468_10206903286440245_4257135746296884325_n.jpg" width="480" /> </a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGzvwYRv0ivovUU4D-mSF1zZJrxwYe0sf5u8tdYZ4thE2n-QJVSo9T-Tx2k8nzNtK0tRjM8KkBL0nKTMURH3vHt5udkuzi7Rw02blFZzgdD3tpztgk4kjRFaZGc6Mjp0mFFX7Cd42ngouQ/s1600/11052470_10206903286960258_5777564387052038620_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGzvwYRv0ivovUU4D-mSF1zZJrxwYe0sf5u8tdYZ4thE2n-QJVSo9T-Tx2k8nzNtK0tRjM8KkBL0nKTMURH3vHt5udkuzi7Rw02blFZzgdD3tpztgk4kjRFaZGc6Mjp0mFFX7Cd42ngouQ/s1600/11052470_10206903286960258_5777564387052038620_n.jpg" width="480" /></a> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnlmLSdj46c7EJHVr_2iNcsC37tb5941MlMdyJvAKOvEIzJ7rwQi_yQRzYQkK8Y0KS1tV7tPXikrBMju9eMP-IMGDxFJeKgQB20_fHhXUB6QR7JZCS0dvwalNJM485yjaKMPKgVl2rPwV2/s1600/11173390_10206903286720252_4956042985048730635_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnlmLSdj46c7EJHVr_2iNcsC37tb5941MlMdyJvAKOvEIzJ7rwQi_yQRzYQkK8Y0KS1tV7tPXikrBMju9eMP-IMGDxFJeKgQB20_fHhXUB6QR7JZCS0dvwalNJM485yjaKMPKgVl2rPwV2/s1600/11173390_10206903286720252_4956042985048730635_n.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
Hanover_Yakkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09560110180149151925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6576338411571923751.post-37077549687394175462015-01-12T09:11:00.000-08:002015-01-12T09:11:29.330-08:00More rigging (2015 Outback)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7v4B1B3ZtwIZpUEcHn6sY5pgDzX7rnvG32fc2-adLvwQHJkkc7_D3N5FtrriOfsEhsHukcaqdcs0EpaJsdIEdeIuSt5fuNqYt6htugenUokGTqaRsf_u-6_hgaYxv5uzHqomFJ13Bp8TK/s1600/P1090035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7v4B1B3ZtwIZpUEcHn6sY5pgDzX7rnvG32fc2-adLvwQHJkkc7_D3N5FtrriOfsEhsHukcaqdcs0EpaJsdIEdeIuSt5fuNqYt6htugenUokGTqaRsf_u-6_hgaYxv5uzHqomFJ13Bp8TK/s1600/P1090035.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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Next up for the rigging on my new <a href="http://www.hobiecat.com/mirage/mirage-outback/" target="_blank">Hobie Outback</a> is to outfit the hull with some necessities. I tend to keep my rigging simple, so this will be picture intensive but simple in total mods completed. In short, a couple GearTracs, tsome new electronics, a power kit and some decals.<br />
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First up, the easy stuff - decals and as always, a couple <a href="http://www.yakattack.us/" target="_blank">YakAttack</a> GearTracs. The only rigging solution for me and the best in the business hands down. I opted for the <a href="http://www.yakattack.us/GT175_04_p/gt175-04.htm" target="_blank">GT-175-04</a> series and installed them in the forward recessed tray areas. I filled each hole with some marine grade silicone sealant before installing each mounting screw.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKDEVBnJ8EuTjaXzEQO0T-IuE6Z1WYehoFe5UxV-vM9KIBwnQzTvGBO8mWr-wBZkqwTTpyMNAD5mw-bOv6wS3QbZLqjloiBDk-QLdS6_eNxVFEyXasTzbdjr1SxiLrJuepzGTROjlzTp2R/s1600/P1090033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKDEVBnJ8EuTjaXzEQO0T-IuE6Z1WYehoFe5UxV-vM9KIBwnQzTvGBO8mWr-wBZkqwTTpyMNAD5mw-bOv6wS3QbZLqjloiBDk-QLdS6_eNxVFEyXasTzbdjr1SxiLrJuepzGTROjlzTp2R/s1600/P1090033.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
The port side will be for the fish finder, while the starboard side will be used for my <a href="http://www.yakattack.us/PFPM_p/pfpm.htm" target="_blank">YakAttack Panfish Portrait</a> mount and camera. It can also be used for a <a href="http://www.yakattack.us/ZT_004_p/zt-004.htm" target="_blank">YakAttack Zooka Tube</a> or even a <a href="http://www.yakattack.us/DB1015CAM_p/db1015cam.htm" target="_blank">YakAtttack Dogbone Camera Mount</a> for a different camera angle. I'll install a couple more in the coming weeks once I decide where I want them. I also plan on installing the <a href="http://www.yakattack.us/category_s/1894.htm" target="_blank">YakAttack NITEStripe</a> as well sometime within the next week.<br />
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Next up, the new <a href="http://www.lowrance.com/en-US/Products/Fishfinder-Chartplotter/Elite-5-CHIRP-en-us.aspx" target="_blank">Lowrance Elite-5 CHIRP</a> fish finder. I removed the transducer plate and installed the transducer using the provided hardware and mounted it with some free space to permit true water temp and depth/soundings.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOu5CnOzO6ZHCeN0to4O-UKmjCJbI1J5gH1t9oh6rhA-MJ5KssddGVCCItmJYYtcJt6bobiKaYypdOsDCWuyZcNTQ2dV9JsBfbX8IaCyGiwYSUTU8FSDPo01O4MUajilGwEJQNbcwcY0AZ/s1600/P1090037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOu5CnOzO6ZHCeN0to4O-UKmjCJbI1J5gH1t9oh6rhA-MJ5KssddGVCCItmJYYtcJt6bobiKaYypdOsDCWuyZcNTQ2dV9JsBfbX8IaCyGiwYSUTU8FSDPo01O4MUajilGwEJQNbcwcY0AZ/s1600/P1090037.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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Next, I routed the transducer wire up through the wire channel into the cockpit area. Using the front twist and stow hatch, remove the two center foam supports so can you reach the backside of the wire nut and unscrew the retaining ring.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl4XR0jXhPJzObpr9kXTCtiDTBhqCt2Zqa-t4PJawbJW9L71PJEw6VZZZOZF4LYExggtZOPe9es8lFXaPJM-KSSy5rkT2im4m4c6r1QhqvOCcs-2svif8NsGSjnrMVve5sJnSYSeTQbKDr/s1600/P1090040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl4XR0jXhPJzObpr9kXTCtiDTBhqCt2Zqa-t4PJawbJW9L71PJEw6VZZZOZF4LYExggtZOPe9es8lFXaPJM-KSSy5rkT2im4m4c6r1QhqvOCcs-2svif8NsGSjnrMVve5sJnSYSeTQbKDr/s1600/P1090040.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
You need to use the large two-hole wire nut grommet insert from the Hobie fish finder tree. Route the transducer cable through the grommet and reinstall in the hull. Route the transducer cable removing as much slack as possible back into the hull pulling the line forward and out of the hatch. Re-insert the two foam supports and route the cable between the foam inserts. I routed mine between the center and the port side support zip tying the excess wire and stowing it between the supports. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnH1Z7bHYxR83DDjZtrJyjvf131M1pGXuJ9ZRa0nQy27-Yq1lDiUr_RLIC0L6ss8f3FjTeV01chChG5vgoxnSfVpwNnWGkyEBtkbOpjr67T8fX9eIi1Whzi5Bh8-aUGAEHBFDq8NVL0WgK/s1600/P1090044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnH1Z7bHYxR83DDjZtrJyjvf131M1pGXuJ9ZRa0nQy27-Yq1lDiUr_RLIC0L6ss8f3FjTeV01chChG5vgoxnSfVpwNnWGkyEBtkbOpjr67T8fX9eIi1Whzi5Bh8-aUGAEHBFDq8NVL0WgK/s1600/P1090044.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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Reach inside the hatch again and remove the retaining ring on whichever side wire nut your prefer, I chose the left. Remove the wire nut and route both the transducer cable and the power cable through both the retaining ring. It is a snug fit and will require a little encouraging but it will go through. Routing the second one through requires a little more effort, but angling the connector through the ring will fit.</div>
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The hardest part of this install is the next part - deciding whether to use one wire nut or two. The reason is that the two cables for the newer Lowrance units have a total of three wires. None of the Hobie provided grommets on the tree can accommodate this configuration. If you opt for the second wire nut approach, then you will need to drill out another large hole. I personally didn't want two wire nuts, so I modified the Hobie well nut by using a drill bit to create a notch for the third wire. After a few tweaks and use of a small screwdriver to manipulate the grommet, I made it work.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFGBod30TpWWK737Rf6tW5fjgXeEVJByQqjHu5pJz7Nur71FLnMoxKOiguBR5aimGQf6ofsbt6spbybtJXSJN-8fn5qQwdkwm4vlhORi7IiQ_2h1usQ4clzZR-J9MyoahqG-4LqwrsQh8H/s1600/P1090042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFGBod30TpWWK737Rf6tW5fjgXeEVJByQqjHu5pJz7Nur71FLnMoxKOiguBR5aimGQf6ofsbt6spbybtJXSJN-8fn5qQwdkwm4vlhORi7IiQ_2h1usQ4clzZR-J9MyoahqG-4LqwrsQh8H/s1600/P1090042.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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Next, I installed the head unit to the RAM Mounting Systems connector and <a href="http://www.yakattack.us/SB15_12_p/sb15-12.htm" target="_blank">YakAttack 1.5" Screwball</a>. I positioned it where I like it and connected both the transducer and battery connectors in order to determine the proper length of cable to leave exposed above the wire nut. These wires are tucked away in the map pocket when the kayak is stored.</div>
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Last step is to wire the power and ground wires to the included inline fuse and Hobie battery connector. As with all of my electronics installs, I solder the connections, and protect the connection with heat shrink and a wrap of electric tape.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlPHZqbc8S_esR_UtTCv8lMIHoRNLiwYZ7ERGmZx2UK7CkjIucLiIJIVXj_FOHJeB5W5wQ3MG6UQkQqHKmwXoTQ2k1y3tVfbHUMgdAI6Bgd2qMcttkPEl2IoJjOU0ATKnO56PVt-61PT_n/s1600/P1090046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlPHZqbc8S_esR_UtTCv8lMIHoRNLiwYZ7ERGmZx2UK7CkjIucLiIJIVXj_FOHJeB5W5wQ3MG6UQkQqHKmwXoTQ2k1y3tVfbHUMgdAI6Bgd2qMcttkPEl2IoJjOU0ATKnO56PVt-61PT_n/s1600/P1090046.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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One extra modification I do is to secure the excess cabling in a manner that reduces any noise from the wires slapping the inside of the hull while on the water or moving the hull to and fro. Not all kayak hulls have extra attach points on the inside of the hull. On the Outback, this is made easier by the location of the forward rudder pulley located just behind the hatch opening. I simply placed a cable mount clip around the power wire and secured it to the front of the pulley housing with a zip tie and took up the slack wire.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjZatumV3yohls5aXKu7nAJ2whljmkePF5ANii1NvailN1SfHbjCc8LFnd84N9t0Zgys4MJat_HytOL_PaRT0jAPGOxTlu-eBTKQAdwn_coeSGktup4HBbT-3BHdSkFVkRfpCHZZXFufLQ/s1600/P1090048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjZatumV3yohls5aXKu7nAJ2whljmkePF5ANii1NvailN1SfHbjCc8LFnd84N9t0Zgys4MJat_HytOL_PaRT0jAPGOxTlu-eBTKQAdwn_coeSGktup4HBbT-3BHdSkFVkRfpCHZZXFufLQ/s1600/P1090048.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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The result is a clean wire path that doesn't interfere with the operation of the twist and stow rudder.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWjPgO9BBq5ylI9LQurHkX9S37BxPqOZ_0wyPHHsyv5JsivgvWZmb5bj3xfnk8Yw8RmzZpi18WSt-70-SHOxKc_A9FbmRoRgDYysj5zCFJZZPSYmumP3Lb9221auVf5votm8P5G5M65wVj/s1600/P1090050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWjPgO9BBq5ylI9LQurHkX9S37BxPqOZ_0wyPHHsyv5JsivgvWZmb5bj3xfnk8Yw8RmzZpi18WSt-70-SHOxKc_A9FbmRoRgDYysj5zCFJZZPSYmumP3Lb9221auVf5votm8P5G5M65wVj/s1600/P1090050.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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Lastly, installing the Hobie Battery bracket to the mast pole and securing any excess wire. I make one slight modification here to decrease the likelihood of my battery and connections sitting in water that may enter the front hatch. Although the battery bracket secures with a clamp around the sailing mast, I add a section of pool noodle to provide a little extra support for the battery bracket like so......</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnG6LF_EJsZmFqnMap5iXdKtw4J5-USwJ3hyphenhyphen6YbrT02zkBnZj4UBDyMJ0lyWGR_1u7XzVfgahQfmA-RKRk3gs-QAiyo8zlmFBQjXhQp2l4riI4ElT6HnzqMujOwUCq6Ej5HMs7e8Kf-v-F/s1600/P1090055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnG6LF_EJsZmFqnMap5iXdKtw4J5-USwJ3hyphenhyphen6YbrT02zkBnZj4UBDyMJ0lyWGR_1u7XzVfgahQfmA-RKRk3gs-QAiyo8zlmFBQjXhQp2l4riI4ElT6HnzqMujOwUCq6Ej5HMs7e8Kf-v-F/s1600/P1090055.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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After all is said and done, plug in the battery and turn on your new fish finder. Success!!!</div>
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Hope you found some of the tips and tricks I used helpful.</div>
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Hanover_Yakkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09560110180149151925noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6576338411571923751.post-14701150597308909512015-01-09T20:00:00.002-08:002015-08-13T17:31:08.152-07:00PowerPole Micro Install (2015 Hobie Outback)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnchqh2HQbmgNDPfxFV8NZwmJqk2KojHCVQUJQ9iAzHxVuEo_a-SiBTQqzszdQrYKxQiCBiJs6jAeCh7otmypHtSTNN4I5fyvtsHeRd-sdZgNDt5eqcnkh8xgBcaIWaZpx4wSwhG9dRWH9/s1600/P1090025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnchqh2HQbmgNDPfxFV8NZwmJqk2KojHCVQUJQ9iAzHxVuEo_a-SiBTQqzszdQrYKxQiCBiJs6jAeCh7otmypHtSTNN4I5fyvtsHeRd-sdZgNDt5eqcnkh8xgBcaIWaZpx4wSwhG9dRWH9/s1600/P1090025.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Let me take a moment and apologize for the long hiatus - I've been battling a case of no vacation left at work combined with the holidays with kids out of school/day care, family visiting and Mother Nature not cooperating. My last trip was actually one late in the fall and was on a boat with some good friends chasing citation Sea Bass and monster Bluefish, but I digress. With 2015 already in full swing, what better way to get my year started right than to start rigging my latest addition to the fleet - the <a href="http://www.hobiecat.com/mirage/mirage-outback/" target="_blank">2015 Hobie Outback</a>. I decided to switch things up by trying a new hull and a new color, so I opted for the Ivory Dune this time in place of the yellow.<br />
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First order of business - installing my new <a href="http://www.power-pole.com/JLMarine/Power-Pole/Micro.aspx?P=PPA" target="_blank">Power-Pole Micro Anchor</a> courtesy of JL Marine. I first reached out to the good folks at <a href="http://yakattack.us/" target="_blank">YakAttack</a> to send me their custom mounting plate that not only serves as the base mount, but also still allows full operation of the twist and stow rudder on the Hobie Outback. To get things started, it is recommended but not required to have some form of stable/elevated work station - it will save you from having to kneel and bend over too much risking strain on your neck and back. With the freezing temps in my neck of the woods, I brought the hull inside the house in our kitchen and made do by using four of our dining room chairs - shhhh don't tell my wife!<br />
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Once positioned and balanced, you first remove the port side rear rudder tie down cleat. Simply done by using some form of pliers. I used a crescent wrench but anything will work, since the fitting is not locked in place with Loctite.<br />
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Once removed, as you are standing at the stern of the hull by the rudder, you orient the YakAttack mounting plate with the side that has the countersunk screw holes up and with the non-countersunk screws (hint: they have lock nuts installed on the underside) that form a triangle facing to the right. You'll want to place the mounting plate in a manner just forward of the rear stainless steel cleat and parallel with the rear twist and stow hatch hinges. Once it is positioned, you'll notice that the large countersunk holes are on the outside of the elevated gunnel ridge. Now is the perfect time to take a moment to secure the mount by using some duct tape to hold the plate in place while you mark and drill. Like this.....<br />
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Using a narrow marker or gel-style pen, mark your first hole and use a 1/4" drill bit to drill your first hole. In the same packet that contained the mounting plate, you'll notice a mounting kit on one end. Open it and remove one of the three large countersunk screw head bolts. The fourth large bolt is a round head Allen bolt and is installed last, so leave it aside for now. Using a Phillips head screw driver, hand tighten/install the screw through the mounting plate and into the hull until it is reasonably secure but not fully installed. It is recommended that you go ahead and setup your first bolt with the rubber bushing installed along with the other rubber bushings in each recess to that help minimize the plate moving while you finish your pilot marks, and drill one hole at a time to secure the remaining holes using the hardware provided.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg39FZ8gZSUDULSOOGsMwt65UMGtYKadt4fTjDYjN8pUku40udUTokdwHF2i2-SvaF-Tb5ubYRDt38OKSofSTB-FtHbUKNGyNb81FqdCn6DiSgmKg1XIZdvqIbDrG-nqhstuDGnGRciilqu/s1600/P1090008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg39FZ8gZSUDULSOOGsMwt65UMGtYKadt4fTjDYjN8pUku40udUTokdwHF2i2-SvaF-Tb5ubYRDt38OKSofSTB-FtHbUKNGyNb81FqdCn6DiSgmKg1XIZdvqIbDrG-nqhstuDGnGRciilqu/s1600/P1090008.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Next, it is time to secure the mounting plate using the remainder of the mounting hardware. This step requires the four o-rings, washers and lock nuts for this part of the install. If you find that your rubber bushings are moving and shifting about, try this out. Remove the partially installed screws and the mounting plate, then flip the mount upside down. Using a small dollop of silicone sealant, you can secure the rubber bushings to the underside of the mount into the recessed bushing mounting points. Like this.....</div>
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Once all four are installed, I add a small dollop of silicone sealant over the four mounting plate screw holes and reposition the mounting plate with the bushing side down over the holes you previously drilled. You can re-install the countersunk screws so the bolt threads come through the inside of the hull enough to install a nut. Remember to leave the starboard side front screw uninstalled, this mounting hole is reserved for the round head Allen bolt once the Power-Pole mount is installed. Once the three screws are partially installed through the hull, you will complete the install by placing in order the following - the o-ring, washer then the lock nut. You will most likely need the following: the same Phillips screwdriver, a ratchet with a 3/8" socket or box wrench. When installed in the correct order, it will look like this (with the gap between the bushing and the o-ring filled by the hull of course).....</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMCvGwSb8PHikbhtGyOp88DYM0FiLOs0i9SlT2y9IATPP9p5J5_qwsgwCRPJZgWFegcwCg5WxOJK7dmCUpxp_nJ_8tfHNje86DxBpjAF41bg4pG8Sgrs1yprdcwT8yZUzhZfV7FBbOF2le/s1600/P1090006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMCvGwSb8PHikbhtGyOp88DYM0FiLOs0i9SlT2y9IATPP9p5J5_qwsgwCRPJZgWFegcwCg5WxOJK7dmCUpxp_nJ_8tfHNje86DxBpjAF41bg4pG8Sgrs1yprdcwT8yZUzhZfV7FBbOF2le/s1600/P1090006.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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When installing any locking nuts and washers on the my kayaks, I prefer to go one step further and use silicone sealant whenever possible. In this case, I filled each o-ring with a small dollop of sealant, then a little on the washer as well. Once I have installed all of the lock nuts, I have a silicone barrier above (remember that dollop I placed in the screw hole before installing the screw) and below the hull and have minimized the chance for water to creep in. After you have installed the lock nuts, the rubber bushings will start to seat and compress slightly. It is recommended to not over tighten the lock nuts any further at this point.</div>
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You're almost there. Only one more part, well two more if you include the optional release handle, but we shall get to that in due time. Hang in there. Now for the installation of the Power-Pole mount itself. While standing at the rear of the hull, position the mount with the vertical flat sides to the rear and the sloped/curved part of the bracket facing forward. Using the three remaining countersunk short bolts, install them in the top left and lower left and right mounting holes. You will feel them seat and snug firmly into the integrated lock nuts already installed in the YakAttack mounting plate. Remember that Allen bolt you held onto? Now is the time to install it in the front right (starboard for you maritime people) using the same process as before: bolt through bushing, o-ring, washer and lock nut. Once properly installed, it will look like this....</div>
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Now you can install the Power-Pole Micro motor using the instructions included with your Power-Pole. It takes a little finesse, but basically, you will thread the locking pin through a slotted polygon grooved lock nut and through the motor into another polygon grooved lock nut then into a screw fitting. Like this.....</div>
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And lastly, the locking pin you just installed rotates and conveniently serves as a way to release the lock on your Power-Pole and rotate it up and out of the water whenever you are ready to move to another spot or you are ready to remove your kayak from the water. This part is optional, so don't feel you have to do it. Basically, there is a retaining clip that holds the release cord that is attached to the locking pin handle you just installed. I installed mine so that the release cord runs under my tank well bungee and reduces the likelihood of it falling into the water and getting snagged or caught on something or by a hook. Like this....<br />
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For power, some of you may choose to use the included power cable. If so, you will need to find the proper battery and mount it. For those that have Hobie hulls with the twist and stow hatch, you can use the Hobie Power-Pole Power kit (Hobie Item #72020076) which includes all the necessary items to install the power source you will need to place it in the rear hatch, or just the battery bracket (Hobie item #72025007) if you have the rest of the items. I installed mine to ensure it works, but I prefer a cleaner look and ability to remove the motor without leaving wires hanging about or another battery to charge and carry, so I am opting for the rechargeable Lithium Ion battery pack once it is released. Until then, I will use an external battery in a sealed dry bag for easy removal when loading and unloading.<br />
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Hope you found this install helpful.</div>
Hanover_Yakkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09560110180149151925noreply@blogger.com2