Finally getting the yak out more.

[WaffleJaw]

I got out Sunday morning for round 2 at a Marina by the house...Very big marina that offers quite a bit of depth changes and all kinds of structure..Plus we all know Marinas can spit out some fish!

Im still making changes to the Ride...The config (especially the anchor) all works well,and Im happy with it..But theres so many tiny things I need to revisit and look at.



Being Father's day there was a lot of boat traffic on the front part of the Marina so I paddled to the back slips...It was heating up quick,So I wanted to find some shady spots to pitch a jig.


Didnt do any good and boat traffic started picking up....I know Im highly visible in a camo yak..But thought Ill move to the outside of the Marina.

There's an old boat lift in the corner (you can see it in the last photo)..Fished the grass along the way with a BB Cane Thumper on a modified Owner flashy swimmer hook...No luck.

I tied on a Missouri craw Thunderstruck jig with a Havoc Craw fatty...Paddle to the back of the lift where its all shade and tons of corners for ambushes........First pitch landed the only bass caught that day....But a good one to take on a date......I didnt weigh it,but Id say it was a solid 3.5 bass..Maybe dancing on the toes of 4. ....Although the pic and that bug eye make it look a touch bigger.....But I only play the size up to women


After that, I just paddled around looking on the graph for mental notes next time....Its a lot to explore....Hopefully I get to hit the other side next time.

Thanks for looking.

[bassboogieman]

I would strongly suggest that you NOT go in to your local convienience store for a Pepsi in that get up on the way home. Or worse yet, enter your bank and try to make a withdrawl even a legal one.

Otherwise, the yak is looking good, ya got a decent bass, and you're protecting yourself from the sun and us from your ugly mug. Sorry, I just can't stop myself, once started.

I also have a gaitor, the sun gloves, but I can't wear long pants in the kayak. Sun protection is so important on the water, but I have to slather the sun screen on my legs and feet. I can't stand the crap on my face or hands, that's where a decent hat, the gaitor and gloves fill the need.

And YES 'bama - that is just a Texas DINK!

[Bassboss]

Sounds like a great day on the water! Great pics!

[bamabassman]

fantastic flappyjack. glad oyu got out again. and are oyu trying to hide from the fish with that get up? BWAAHAHAHAHA!!!

[carolina-rig-01]

Glad you got out and had a good time. I am also glad that the only fish of the day came on one of my jigs. I am glad you were honest about the size of that fish because you could have said she was a 5lber and I wouldn't have questioned it at all.

[Jrob78]

Originally Posted by carolina-rig-01

Glad you got out and had a good time. I am also glad that the only fish of the day came on one of my jigs. I am glad you were honest about the size of that fish because you could have said she was a 5lber and I wouldn't have questioned it at all.

That's exactly what I told him when he sent me that pic.

Glad you got out on the water. The Yak looks great. I really need to get one too. Big props on keeping yourself covered up, skin cancer is no joke.

[USMCbassman]

That looks like an awesome set up...what kind of yak is it? Nice fish too!

I do a horrible job of protecting myself from the sun. I bic (shave) my head and the wife is always yelling at me to wear a hat. I do that on a regular basis now.

Thanks for sharing Waffle...

[WaffleJaw]

Thanks guys!
Bruce, the pants are the only thing I dont like..I roll em up when I launch,and roll em down once the sun starts shining down....They dont breathe for crap so I unzip the the leggings a bit and it helps..But other than that I have no complaints on getting hot...Its great not being covered in sweat on 90-93 degree days.Plus its nice not to sport raccoon eyes all week...I even bought a few pairs of the moist wick,dry fit performance underwear from Academy.....Man they are awesome!!...Pricey,but awesome!

Kory Im glad too!..The MS craw has been such a good color for me down here!...haha,and yea Joe did tell me that exact same thing when I sent the pic to him....But I feel no accomplishments stretching the truth,and dont like the fit of a pink hoodie

Bama dont mock my ninja outift...One day your Crimson chant my change to ''red,hide,red''...Yea,thats the best I got,lol

USMC, Its a Wilderness Systems Ride 115 (11'5'')...I love this kayak,I really do compared to others Ive test paddled to get an idea of what I wanted....Its not the fastest,but the glide/tracking is awesome and the stability is retarded

[WatterBoy]

Thanks for sharing the recap, Waffle! I agree that fish looks bigger in the picture, but it's always difficult to guess the weight of a fish based on a picture. I didn't catch any over 2.5 lbs last weekend, although I had one about the size of the one in your pic almost up to the boat before it RSVP'd "no thanks" to my boat party invitation.

[Bubba_Bruiser]

Nice haul Pancake! That fish does look beefy!

[USMCbassman]

Originally Posted by WaffleJaw

USMC, Its a Wilderness Systems Ride 115 (11'5'')...I love this kayak,I really do compared to others Ive test paddled to get an idea of what I wanted....Its not the fastest,but the glide/tracking is awesome and the stability is retarded

Thanks for replying back, after seeing your setup and (I believe) bassboogieman's set up I think for a lot of the areas I fish here in SoCal I could get away with one (limited shore access, smaller lakes, etc). I just never realized you could set one of these up to be that versatile for fishing. Granted I never realized there were some built specifically for fishing; you all have opened my eyes to a different realm of fishing. Plus it has to be a good workout and I'm all about that too...

[WaffleJaw]

Originally Posted by USMCbassman

Thanks for replying back, after seeing your setup and (I believe) bassboogieman's set up I think for a lot of the areas I fish here in SoCal I could get away with one (limited shore access, smaller lakes, etc). I just never realized you could set one of these up to be that versatile for fishing. Granted I never realized there were some built specifically for fishing; you all have opened my eyes to a different realm of fishing. Plus it has to be a good workout and I'm all about that too...

You may find you really enjoy it!..If theres a kayak dealer near you see if you can test em out on a demo day if available...I got to paddle / peddle a a good number of different makes/models....Mostly out of my price range

The rigging on these things are unlimited!!..So many options and clicks and whistles you can add....Mines pretty bare bone compared to most Ive seen....Some are way out of hand too!

You'll definitely get a work out!...Im already looking into upgrading to a lighter carbon fiber paddle....I didnt believe it till I experienced it,But the aluminum shafts do get heavy after a long paddle from one area to the next..Plus unloading and loading solo can wear ya out a bit too....But all in all its not that bad and I wouldnt trade it up!

[bassboogieman]

I even bought a few pairs of the moist wick,dry fit performance underwear from Academy.....Man they are awesome!!...Pricey,but awesome!

TMI

I can suggest another pricey BUT AWESOME piece of gear - Cabela's Guidewear zip off pants (the legs). I have a couple pair and they are of the same material as the shirts, dry quick, the legs zip off for shorts, and they zip up the lower leg also for easy removal over crocs (or shoes for you straight guys) or just to ventilate the boys. You could also save money by not having to buy the performance underwear - Going Commando in Guidewear is about as comfortable as it gets.