morts10

Thanks Nitro I am bringing my own PFD and my friends fish there a couple of times a year so they know the drill with VDGIF. I bank beat the rivers and smaller lakes in my area so this is like country mouse goes to big city. ;D I have always heard that its like fishing on I95 during rush hour. I do not have any real great expectations but I like to be prepared for local conditions if possible. Thanks again mort

Going to lake this weekend with friends. First time fishing on lake with boat. Like to know which techniques (carolina,dropshot,texas, wacky,etc) are go to. Also what plastics to pack and what colors are working. Do not know where launching so I guess any advice on specific locations would also be appreciated. Know this is alot of info to ask but space is limited in vehicle and friends are mostly cat fishermen with no bass experience. Thanks mort

Call corperate headquarters. Several years ago bought a new firearm from a major manufacturer. Purchase was made in september for season to start in april of following year. Firearm was defective and dealer could get nowhere. March of that year I had enough. > Called headquarters and after 20 minutes had worked my way to a vice president. Told story and explained that I was a subscriber to numerous magazines in which his company advertised. That I was a member of several firearms related organizations and worked in a retail business that sold firearms and related products. Explained that I had letters (pre-internet) written and in stamped envelopes sitting on my desk telling my story. Gave him 2 weeks to fix problem or all would be mailed to the organizations and magazines to which I was affiliated. Also said I would be filing a complaint with Better Business Bureau in state where corporate headquarters was located. In one week had new firearm with letter from workers at plant detailing extra features and finish they had put on firearm to make up for trouble. These days of the internet and the current economy you may have even more clout. Nothing ventured nothing gained. mort

Life Jacket. Anchor trolley, anchor with rope float, might even consider trolley on both sides of kayak. milk crate or tackle bag with hard bottom. paddle leash, scupper plugs. The weight capacity of the boat is the limit. ;D It's a whole new world of fishing once you get off the bank. Just remember when you drop something now if its not tied to you or the boat it is gone. :'( If kayaks are new to you I would spend some time just paddling around to get a feel for it and this will help you decide what you need and where to mount accessories. Might want to practice getting in and out of the boat while in the water. There are pros on this site who will give you more info than I can so be patient. Good luck and have fun. mort

Found it on Craig's list. Did not get to seller in time and someone bought it first. :'( With 35" inches of snow on the ground and 6 to 12 more on the way a boat is no longer a priority. Guy selling it said it was the only kayak he had not rolled. Mort

Just wanted to thank you guys for all your help. Found a big game online for a good price. Its used but already has some of the rigging I was going to install. Owner say its the only kayak he has never rolled and he stands to fish all the time. Hope to pick up next week (darn snow). > Does not have a rudder but I will have to save my pennies and get the kit. Thanks again mort

I found a boat online but I wonder how stable it is for standing. It is a Native Watercraft Ultimate 14.5 tandem. At 50 I am not as graceful as in my youth and I would like to know of anyone with experience with these type boats. It has the payload range (450lbs) I am looking for and has some nice accessories included in the price. Thanks for any input you can provide. mort

Thanks for the information. I'll be checking out those other boats online. Need to get to Farmville to a boat store soon. Last spring I installed rod holders on my wife's old swifty kayak to try out the idea. At 10' was easy to load in my VW van. Have racks but parking garage at work is not tall enough for van plus racks. Swifty does not have much room for me and gear. Also pushing the weight limit. Worked ok on the rivers but was not comfortable for long periods on lakes. BP and Cabelas have powered kayak in catalog but it is new and have not seen any real world reviews. Hobie pro angler is just a bit pricey right now. Maybe would consider later when some come on used market. Thanks again for advice. mort

Hey JF Would there be more usable space in the 14' freedom hawk? I realize that most of the room is in the bow of these boats would it be hard to access? I also did not see any rod holders. Would I have to install my own? I'm 5'10" and 250lbs so weight is an issue with any boat. You've sold me on the kayak idea but standing is how I like to fish. Do you know if the powered ocean kayak is stable enough to stand up in? Alot of questions I know but the sales are on right now. Thanks mort

My mistake these are megastrike finesse jigs. Look similar and seem to work the same. Maybe I am using them wrong? Mort

Are you guys using skirts with these jig heads? The reason I ask is a local retailer cleared out some shake2 jigs with skirts on them and I bought them at a real good price. I have had little or no luck with them and am wondering if the skirts are changing the action? I use trick worms, robo worms and netbait craws with these heads. I work them real slow on the bottom of the local rivers or try to drop them in the holes in the vegetation. Not trying to steal the thread just want some clarification. mort

It shouldn't matter if you have a big motor or not. We have lost a couple of fisherman here in VA this year and they were not in powerboats. One in kayak and another in a conoe. BOAT + WATER = LIFEJACKET Just like seat belts (I hate them) your decision whether to wear a life jacket should also include how your death will effect your wife, kids, grand kids,etc. I wear both because of those people in my life. The wide range of personal floatation devices available today should enable you to find some compromise between safety and comfort. Money should not be an excuse either considering what we invest in other equipment for our sport. This was a tragedy for all involved especially since it could have been avoided. Just my .02s Mort

gycb fat ikas zoom trick worms net bait paca craws culprit worms rage craws You better have a long piece of paper for your list and the bait monkey is going to LOVE you!! ;D

Off work at noon. Stop at wally world for ice and popcorn chicken. At the river at one. Decide whether to wade or float. Line wet at one fifteen. Home about five-ish. That's during the week. Weekend involves the grandkids and all bets are off. Might get to lake by ten (miracle but has happened) most times it is noonish. fish until they get tired or can't stand whining anymore. I love my grandkids but I know why tigers eat their young! In my youth it was half hour before light and half hour after. I would say average fish per hour hasn't changed much. I like to think I'm fishing smarter but it could be just failing memory. mort

Ikas, double tail grubs,(gycb) greens and browns (194 I think). Zoom trick worms (brown flake), salamanders, Flukes (babybass,pearl) rapala husky jerk (babybass, pearl) Strike king spinners (White,chartreuse,black) gitzit tubes (brownflake, greenflake,pearl w/silverflake) spotremover jigs (1/4, 3/16) paca chunks (browns and greens) gamakatsu drop shot hooks 2 2/0 3/0 EWG hooks 1/0-5/0 gama or owner Don't forget plenty of 3600 and 3700 boxes to put all that loot in. The bait monkey is going to love you!! ;D Hopefully while he is riding you he will ignore me. I am heading to BPS saturday also but the keeper of the checkbook is going along. > Have fun! mort

White

Carry three in car light, med hvy, hvy. Only have two rod holders on kayak so make final decision at water. mort

Has anyone ever used these? Local store has soft baits (worms, creatures) and jigs (hair,crickets) and jig heads. Prices are reasonable but don't want to waste money if better are out there. Thanks mort

Just got around to looking at this part of the site. I have been mostly bank fishing North river, Hearthstone, Elkhorn and Braily lakes. Just outfitted a kayak and have made a few trips on the river. Use mostly light spinning tackle. Have just learned to love the way smallmouth bite mort

Thanks for the input guys. Line was all I had in the car that day. Will probably fill with 6lb trilene xl (unless you have better suggestion) when I get rod. This was what I used on previous reel. Thanks again. mort

Well I got my new reel yesterday and it is sweet! Now I need a rod to go with it. Need suggestions for ultra light rod, preferably 6 foot. This will be general use in river mostly. Budget of around 100 dollars. The reel is the 10 size. Put reel on 4'6" UL ugly stick yesterday because I could not wait and took it to the river on the way home. Spooled up with some 8lb fireline (all I had with me). Man is that reel slick and good looking!! Added about 20' to my casts and drag is real smooth. Caught several SMB on a several different lures (fluke, spinner,huskyjerk) and boy was it fun. Will probably fill other spool will with 4lb trilene xl for clearer waters. Will be couple of months until budget allows for rod but want to have idea of which one when time comes. Know you people have way more experience than me. Thanks for your help with picking out reel. morts10

I generally fish them slow. The slower the retrieve the deeper they go. Since I fish rivers and creeks more I use them just below riffles and at the base of dams and waterfalls in the swirling water. Just about anything that swims seems to like them in my local waters. Makes fishing with my ultralight interesting. Have fished them like a jerk bait with some success also. mort

I have had a Garmin Rhino 130 for several years and it has mapping capabilities with a built in radio. Have never bought the map software and the new Rhino's have more memory and color screens now. It comes with a map of major highways in north America and shows navigation markers in coastal waters. It might show markers in the great lakes I have never checked. It has worked great for hunting and driving. (does not talk) You can create simple maps in the woods and the map software has topo lines and more info about about exits and such. It also has GMRS and FRS radio channels built in. This includes NOA reception on newer models. I think mine is 2watt and newer ones are up to 5watt. If you leave radio and GPS on at same time will last about ten hours with little radio talking. We check in hourly when hunting so my radio is off most of the time and I can get two days out of the batteries. (3 AA) You can get rechargeable battery packs for it too. Several companies make mounts for it but DO NOT buy the garmin suction mount!! I have power cables in two vehicles with mounts and it is easy to shift. Unit is easy to hold and screens shift by button or toggle. Both can be used with gloves and mittens. Is waterproof to 3 feet and floats. Hope this helps. mort

Thanks guys. Maybe the blue will help with making the case with the wife for a new reel. Of course she already knows I have no fashion sense when it comes to color. If it only came in purple I might have a better case. : mort

Hello,I caught my first fish (trout) on a hand line in the American River in California back in the late sixties. Dad loved camping but was not a fisherman. Took up bass fishing after move to panhandle of Florida in early 70's. Parents retired to Shenandoah Vally in 74. Never got into trout fishing which was the main fish in area. State seemed to worry about trout more than other fish. Got back into bass while stationed in North Carolina in early 80's. Got moved to pacific northwest and did some salmon fishing off docks in pudget sound. Left service and moved back to VA to care for parents. Did the whole married ,kids,mortgage, shift work thing until two years ago. Parents both now passed on and kids moved out. Part time job gives more time for hobbies. Grandson (6) now wants to learn to fish so have to catch up on all the new tricks and gear. Found this forum while trying to figure out what a wacky rig was. Texas rig was the rage when I last fished for bass. Part time means small budget for gear which seems to have really gone up during my hiatus. Most fishing retailers (Bass pro,cabela's,dick's) not local. So I mostly do the wally world thing. Hope this is what you want for background. Seems like a long post now that I am doing spell check. mort