Simplify it

The other day, I ran across some old photographs of my childhood.  Several of them were pictures of me fishing.  I looked so proud holding up those little Panfish in one hand and my old fishing pole in the other.  It got me thinking, I only fished with one rod and one reel back then. That's all I had so that's all I used, yet I still caught fish.

Fast forward a bit, to when I was a teenager. Again I had one rod and one reel.  I still remember the reel was an Ultra Lite Shakespeare open-faced reel.  I had a small tackle box with a few plastics, some hooks, bobbers and one crankbait.  I really thought I was something with all that gear.  I caught the biggest Bass of my life with that setup too.

Since then I have accumulated a plethora of gear and tackle.  All in the pursuit of fish.  I have rod and reel setups for Bass fishing, surf fishing, deep sea fishing and inshore fishing.  I even have duplicates of certain setups.  I have a tackle box for freshwater fishing, one for saltwater and a separate kit just for soft plastics. I even have stuff for fly fishing, which I've never done.  My entire garage is dedicated to fishing gear, with rod building supplies and equipment and storage for everything.  

Then I look at my son's fishing equipment. They each have one rod and reel, that's it.  They all have a small tackle box with a few weights, hooks and some small plastics.  Yet they are so proud of the little they have.  It makes me wonder if I could be happy with one rod and reel again.  I doubt it.

Kayak fishing, however, almost forces me to trim down what I fish with. There is no way I could carry everything I think I need for an outing. Instead, I have to decide how I want to fish that day and bring only what I need for that particular trip. I rarely take more than three rods with me.  I bring two baitcasting and one spinning setup. As for tackle I bring whichever tackle box I will need depending on if I'm fishing fresh or salt. There are days where I get so frustrated, because I keep changing lures and having to retie often. Other days though, I enjoy deciding ahead of time what I'm going to use and sticking with it. Those days seem to be more relaxing and remind me of my childhood fishing trips.  

Sometimes I think we all just need to simplify it. Limit our options and make ourselves fish with just a few techniques.  Tie on that spinnerbait and throw it, then throw it again and then again. Let it sink, burn it near the surface or stop and go.  Throw it all over the place spend hours with it instead of minutes. You may not catch anything, but I guarantee you'll get to know that spinnerbait by the end of the day. Which might come in handy on those days fish want that spinnerbait.

D.S

Kayak Fishing vs Family Man

I want to tell you a story, my story. Once upon a time... just kidding.  Seriously though, I can't be the only one who finds it difficult to squeeze time in for fishing.

I am blessed with 4 boys.  Three of which are under 5 and the other is about to start driving. I also have a wonderful wife, who for the past year has been able to stay home with the kids while completing her Bachelors Degree.  

Thankfully my job is not only rewarding, it's fairly flexible too. Most of my weekday consists of work 6-4 sometimes 6-5.  Two nights a week my wife has school, so I'm on "Daddy Duty" until 7pm.  Plus everything else that comes with having children, expecially small ones. Needless to say fishing after work is a rarity for me.  

Saturdays are filled with family fun, "Honey Do" chores, or College Football this time of year. Anything that keeps us all together one day a week.  So that leaves Sunday.  On Sunday mornings my wife and children go to church, which frees me up until noon.  I wonder if I'll regret writing that later?  Oh well, moving on.  

That is my "ME" time, my freedom from responsibility, if only for a few hours.  My wife uses her church time for that, I prefer fishing. For several years I would feel guilty anytime I did something, anything for myself.  I felt bad not using that time to spend with them. Slowly that guilt has faded, not because I don't care, but because my wonderful wife always encourages me to go.  

Being a parent is hard work.  It takes love, dedication, patience, resilience and sacrifice.  In many ways you have to give up who you were, to be a better parent.  However, you still need to take care of you.  Everyone needs a way to relieve stress and just relax.  Fishing does that for me like church does that for my wife.  

It's a delicate balancing act between family and fishing, but I am able to have both.  I also know what's more important, luckily I haven't had to choose.

D.S

Fish finder, useful or distracting?

Until this year, I had never used a Fishfinder. Not that I never wanted one, just never got one. I decided to get an inexpensive one just to see if it would be something I would or could use. Can never have too many tools I suppose.

I bought the Hummingbird 143, installed it and took it out. It took me awhile to figure out the settings and all that, but soon I was seeing fish after fish on the screen. This is awesome I thought! I could see structure, cover, water temp and I knew right where the fish were. However, I found myself spending too much time starring at the screen waiting for an unexpecting fish to swim by. It didn't matter if I was paddling to a spot I knew held fish, if I seen one on the screen, I stopped and casted out.

To date I have not caught one single fish, that I'm aware of, that I have seen on my Fishfinder. Every time I seen a fish or a school of fish swimming near, I have came up empty handed. As the season went on I finally realized that this tool will not, by itself, put more fish in the boat. While I still use it every trip, I now focus on finding the structure or cover where the fish should be. I watch the water temp and depth, but try to ignore every little blip that swims by.

An old fisherman I knew told me once, "You can't catch fish with dry line." Oh how true that is. While gadgets and gizmos are cool, they can also be very distracting. After 20 some years of fishing I finally know the secret to catch more fish.  Keep your line wet. That's it, it's that simple. You can't catch fish on the couch, or at the store buying every fishing lure you can find. You also can't catch fish if you spend your time on the water messing with gadgets the whole time. Well there it is, the biggest secret in fishing revealed. Now get out there and see if I'm wrong.

D.S

Power Team Lures

If you are looking for some great baits for Bass fishing, look no further.  These baits are designed and tested by real fishermen, just like you and me.  100% Made in the USA!  Which these days is very hard to find.  

Power Team Lures offer creatures, craws, grubs, worms, lizards, and jigs.  I have used their 3.5" Texas-Rig Jig in both heavy cover and weighted at the bottom.  Both methods produced bites when nothing else seemed to do the trick.  They also have a product called Hog Tonic that contains 100% Amino Acids, that helps keep Bass on longer.  It really works!   

So if you want some really good baits, made in the US, with great customer service, check out Power Team Lures.  Quickly coming to a bait shop near you.  Use this code http://r.sloyalty.com/r/tMYP9sTpMrZG and save $5.00 on any order of $20.00 or more.
#PowerTeamLures

D.S
#HOOK1KFG

Gear Review: Shimano Sienna FD Reel

If you are like me, spending $100 or more on a reel is a bit out of reach.  With 3 children under the age of 5, I'm not left with a lot of money for fishing gear.  I do however, want quality gear and tackle that is affordable.  Sometimes that is difficult to find though.  Until I stumbled upon this reel.  I needed a reel for inshore fishing, that would stand up to the saltwater and wanted smooth operation.  The price was ideal at $30.00, so I bought the 2500 FD.  My first one worked flawlessly, but sank into the Bay on my kayak disaster.  I immediately bought a replacement and a 4000 FD.  It has a graphite frame and aluminum spool that is approved for saltwater use. As you would expect from any Shimano product, it works flawlessly.  The Sienna comes in 500, 1000, 2500 and 4000 sizes for any application.  Works equally well with Mono or Braid too. So if you are looking for an inexpensive, but quality reel, take a look at the Shimano Sienna series. So far it has been the best reel at this price point I have ever used.  It definitely isn't a Stradic or Sustain, but the price is way more affordable than those options, for those of us that are on a budget.  

D.S
#HOOK1KFG

Kayak comparison

I have had the opportunity to try out several different styles and models of kayaks recently, so I wanted to share my thoughts and experiences on them.  Now I'm not an expert nor am I a Pro Staffer for any brand.  These are just my impressions and opinions on the various choices out there.
  

First up is the very popular and well known Wilderness Systems kayaks.  I have been on several Tarpon 12 in the past and had the chance to try out a 2014 model this past weekend.  The Tarpon 12 is 12' 3" long and 30" wide.  It weighs 67lbs with a weight capacity of 350lbs.  It's one of the most popular kayaks out there and for good reason.  It's fast, comfortable, relatively stable and fairly easy to transport.  Here is my opinion on the Tarpon 12, in the areas that I feel are important.

Fishability:  9 out of 10  The angler edition has flush mount rod holders and a trax system for unlimited accessories. 

Comfort:  9 out of 10 It comes with an adjustable seat that is very comfortable.  Has adjustable foot braces.

Stability:  7 out of 10  At 30" wide this kayak felt pretty stable, but not enough to feel comfortable standing in it.

Speed:  9 out of 10  The Tarpon 12 is very fast for a 12' kayak, and it tracks very straight.

Agility:  8 out of 10  Most 12' kayaks are pretty agile and the Tarpon is no exception.

Portability:  7 out of 10  I found this kayak to be a bit heavy and cumbersome to load on my Jeep Cherokee by myself, but loading in the back of a truck was no issue.

Overall:  49 out of 60  The Wilderness Systems Tarpon 12 is a tried and true kayak.  It's a great option for fishing or pleasure paddling.  The price is also reasonable at just under $1,000.00.

The next kayak I was able to try was the Ocean Kayak Frenzy.  Not really a fishing kayak, but it's a kayak.  The Frenzy is 9' long and 31" wide.  It weighs 44lbs with a weight capacity of  325lbs.  It's not fast, but very stable and extremely easy to transport.

Fishability:  2 out of 10  The Frenzy has no rod holders, but some could be installed.  There isn't much room on this kayak for gear either. 

Comfort:  7 out of 10  You have to buy the seat of you choice.  Does not have adjustable foot braces.

Stability:  9 out of 10  At 30" wide and the design of the hull makes this kayak a very stable platform.

Speed:   5 out of 10  Very slow kayak and doesn't track very well.  It was, however, very easy to paddle.

Agility:  10 out of 10  The Frenzy can turn on a dime, and can get into very tight places.

Portability:  10 out of 10  With it's light weight and small size, the Frenzy was extremely easy to load on my Jeep.

Overall:  43 out of 60  The Ocean Kayak Frenzy is a great little kayak.  Made more for pleasure paddling.  With a price of $450.00, it's a great way to get out on the water with a limited budget.

Next up is my Malibu Mini X.  The Mini X is 9' 3" long and 33" wide.  It weighs 40lbs with a weight capacity of 325lbs.  It's a bit slow, but cuts through the water easily, is super stable and extremely easy to transport.

Fishability:  9 out of 10  The Fish & Dive and/or Recreational versions have flush mount rod holders and the famous X-Wing will fit on the Mini X.  Also the square center hatch can hold a lot of gear with easy access. 

Comfort:  7 out of 10  You have to buy the seat of you choice.  Does not have adjustable foot braces.

Stability:  9 out of 10  At 33" wide this is a very stable kayak.  It's built to stand in which can be done.

Speed:  6 out of 10  Slow compared to longer kayaks, but easy to paddle and tracks fairly well.

Agility:  10 out of 10  The Mini X can turn on a dime, and can get into very tight places.

Portability:  10 out of 10  Very easy to load and unload on my Jeep.

Overall:  51 out of 60  The Malibu Mini X is a fantastic little kayak.  Well suited for fishing or pleasure paddling.  With a price of $580.00, it's very budget friendly.
Finally, the last kayak I had the pleasure to paddle was the Malibu Stealth 12.  The Stealth 12 is 12' 4" long and 33" wide.  It weighs 55lbs with a weight capacity of 450lbs.  It's a very popular kayak for fishing and for good reason.  It's fast, comfortable, very stable and fairly easy to transport.

Fishability:  10 out of 10  The Stealth has 4 flush mount rod holders, a build in live-well and the X-Wing as an option.  Lots of storage with the gator hatch, which is large enough to store rods.

Comfort:  7 out of 10  You have to buy the seat of your choice.  Does have adjustable foot braces and a seat for your little angler to ride with you.

Stability:  9 out of 10  At 33" wide this is a very stable kayak.  Build to stand in which is very doable.

Speed:  8 out of 10  Has the speed needed to get to your fishing hole.  It's width slows it down a bit, but hardly noticeable.

Agility:  8 out of 10  Typical agility for a 12' kayak.

Portability:  8 out of 10  This kayak was fairly easy to load on my Jeep Cherokee by myself.

Overall:  50 out of 60  The Malibu Stealth 12 is a true fishing kayak.  The ability to carry live bait in the live-well and being able to stand makes this kayak a great choice for fishing all bodies of water.  At $900, you get a lot of bang for your buck.

Well there you go.  These are just a few kayaks of the hundreds to choose from.  I know which one of these will be my next purchase.

D.S
#HOOK1KFG

Safety on the water.

Safety on the water should always be the number one priority. The old saying, "A bad day of fishing is better than a good day of work," I disagree. I've had a bad day of fishing and I would have rather been at work that day.  Here are the safety requirements for Florida. Each State may be different, and this list is just the MINIMUM required. When it comes to safety, more is better. 

Florida Safety Equipment for Kayaks (less than 16 feet in length)

• PFD - All vessels are required to have onboard a wearable USCG-approved personal flotation device (PFD) for each person. The PFDs must be of the appropriate size for the intended wearer, be in serviceable condition, and within easy access. 

I highly recommend that you always wear your PFD when out on the water.

• Sound producing device - All vessels are required to carry an efficient sound-producing device, such as a referee's whistle.

• Navigation Lights - Watercraft under oars (such as a canoe or kayak) may display the lights prescribed for sailboats (less than 7 meters), but if not, must have ready at hand an electric torch or lighting lantern (flashlight) showing a white light to be displayed in sufficient time to prevent collision.

• Visual Distress - Vessels less than 16 feet in length are required to carry at least 3 visual distress signals approved for nighttime use when on coastal waters from sunset to sunrise.  Vessels 16 feet or longer must carry at least 3 daytime and three nighttime visual distress signals (or 3 combination daytime/nighttime signals) at all times when on coastal waters.

• NOTE: Coastal waters means the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and all bays, sounds, harbors, rivers, inlets, etc. where any entrance is over two (2) miles wide to the first point where the distance between shorelines narrows to 2 miles. 

I also recommend filling out a float plan before each trip. Even if it's just telling someone where you will be, how long you'll be gone and when you expect to return. Here is an example of a float plan.  

Float Plan

Here is a great safety video posted by the Gulf Coast Kayak Fishing Association. I highly recommend watching it.

Gulf Coast Kayak Association Safety Video

D.S

#HOOK1KFG