flyfisher

Yeah they are really cool but I agree, way too pricey. I am gonna make one this winter I think. I have some ideas mulling around in my head and they will be able to store both my conventional and fly rods.

i used to store my rods in my kayak while traveling and never thought much of it until they started breaking in similar spots. I used sleeves and the way they laid in the kayak was putting stress in a similar spot on all my rods. Once I stopped doing that, no more odd breaks. Now I just put all my rods in my car on the way and it takes all of 5 minutes to load them up. I have also used ski racks with rod socks to store rods on my trailer before too and they worked fine as long as you have a wide enough spread that they aren't flexing too much.

For me it depends on water levels, how far I feel like driving and past experience. The rivers near me change a lot with any substantial rain so while it may be the same stretch of river, it undoubtedly changes over the years so I approach it as a new stretch.

Honestly I am not sure but the concept is a good one. I have cut off one of the hooks on my trebles on crankbaits to do exactly what the inline ones are designed to do. I don't conventional fish enough to warrant changing hooks out but the thought has crossed my mind because when I do fish conventional gear, i like chucking crankbaits.

Same here. I figure why block a ramp when I don't need to. Unfortunately a lot of the ramps here people use as their personal beach which is annoying

I know reapers in particular are still very popular in the smallmouth fishing world on rivers. I use them in winter along with birds and both are from https://confidencebaits.3dcartstores.com/ Solid baits that I have yet to try for largemouth but maybe I should.....

I was doing some work on my kayak a few days before I went out fishing and when I was flipping it over, the plug popped out. I launched and realized it was hard to paddle so I went to the shore. I had about 5 gallons of water in there and my plug was nowhere to be found. I emptied the water, found a stick and jammed it in there so I could fish the rest of the day. I later started keeping a spare in my vehicle and double checking for it each trip out.

I have a double bladed paddle for mine but I also fish out of a kayak....😁😁😁

For fly fishing, rod and line are more important for the vast majority of freshwater species. I have only had to use my reel a handful of times to bring in fish and that was more because of a river runs through it type moment where a fish ran and I had to chase it bascially. Conventional, it depends on the technique but I would say rod first reel second but balance and weight matters to me but within reason.

I have always liked snow growing up in the philly area and since moving to Virginia we don't get it often. if we got the snow you pictured, schools would be closed for two days here lol

I'll have to get a picture of the ramps I use because they are shorter and probably steeper which sucks but it is what it is when you want to fish a river that in a big rain can go up 8' lol they are entertaining though when i see the people who aren't used to such a steep ramp try to load or unload their boats with current as that adds a layer of complexity for sure. The worst is when a group of recreational kayakers decide they want to load up their 5 boats on their subaru outback and clog the entire ramp area for 30 minutes trying to get them balanced like some science project

Whenever I need something I don't have tied on lol When fly fishing I usually have 3-4 rods rigged, topwater, mid column with floating line, mid column sink tip line and a bottom bouncer type bait. Once I narrow down to where the fish are located depth wise, I then tie on various patterns on all the rods to allow for various presentation styles. Only one that doesn't change is topwater, I always keep one tied on. Conventional i follow the same type of mindset but with a couple more rods rigged up. The goal is to not be stuck in a particular pattern or color just because I tied it on to start the day. If I am not catching then I am switching up stuff until I am at least getting some hits.

I think you highlight some of the most important things about winter kayak fishing. You have to be honest with your skills and comfort level and stay in that zone. I will disagree with just dressing for the air temps but your risk analysis tells me you are ok with that since you are staying deep in your comfort zone. It is all about honestly assessing your risks and weighing the options and doing what you feel is safest for you, unfortunately many overestimate their abilities and can get in trouble.

That is awesome. I caught one striper fishing on the Delaware river and my brother and dad didn't get why I was so psyched about it. Like you said, it is literally catching a dinosaur.

I went with a rack on wheels kind of deal from sportsrig, similar ones from yakima and other companies also exist. They are designed for lower weight of kayaks and won't bounce all around the road and allow for highway speeds without having to upgrade this or that or whatever. Mine has been used heavily for 6+ years and only thing I have had to do was rewire it and redo the lights last year. More pricey, but totally worth it to me, especially since I take my kayak 4-5 times a year on longer road trips of 300+ miles on the highway.

Yeah i get that but a lot of the ramps I use on the rivers I frequent are pretty steep and getting to that center of gravity is next to impossible to do. My goal on flatter ramps and areas is always to basically have the rear a touch heavier so I am basically more holding the front down than lifting up and it works well. Going up the steep ramps, even if your arm is holding 20lbs of weight, you are still having to pull 100+lbs up the ramp. To me, it is easier to push that up the hill and I am not having to stand to the side or whatever. Bottom line is, do whatever works. I just wish our river ramps weren't quire as steep as they are.

Not sure if this will work on stairs but I have found that when using a cart and having to go up a steep incline it is exponentially easier to put the cart towards the front third and lift the stern and push up the incline. I used to always pull up the hill and one day said why not try pushing it and it is so much easier. I can use my skeleton to hold the weight of the kayak because my arms are extended and then just walk up the hill.

if you are looking for cheaper alternatives to synthetic materials, FlyTyers dungeon is killer stuff. They usually put on there what it is the equivalent to from the bog name fly tying places and they are pretty dead on with the descriptions and the quality. They are also pretty cheap. I use a ton of their stuff for baitfish flies and making brushes.

I read the posts and it doesn't change what I intended to say.

Water is very difficult to get into waders. That being wet is what you are trying to avoid as much as possible. And yes, it is a lot harder to get back in a kayak with waders but I would bet that in say 45 degree water it is easier than it would be with rain pants on as you are wet and freezing

Interesting here that you want to go to management about this and have issues with the moral side of it yet you haven't mentioned leaving the company that hired him for moral reasons. Sounds to me tha money is the driver and you want to make a living just like this guy. If what he admitted to doing is what you say it is, he is a disgusting and deplorable human being. Doesn't matter though if it isn't impacting his work. If you really want to be a man about it, go talk to him and lay it all out there instead of going the jujior high girl route of searching his online presence and talking about it behind his back.

The best would be a dry suit but to me that is overkill for 90% of situations. I live in VA and use stockingfoot waders with varying levels of insulation underneath, wading belt and then a shell with layers underneat as needed. I have tested my set up in both moving and flat water and not a drop got inside. The big thing is synthetic or wool for your layering and keeping blood flowing to your feet. If your socks or boots are too tight, your feet will get cold. For hands I use cheap fleece gloves that i rotate throughout the day and if I have to, I use a handwarmer on my wrist area.

Never easy to see a kid taken well before their time.

Chile con frijoles-there now it says it. If it has to say with to indicate an ingredient, that tells me that the original shouldn't have meat then either. Tex/mex chili con carne is delicious and a different thing entirely than other chilis across the country. Kind of like BBQ being different depending on your region but it is still BBQ.

Yes, you can set any hook on a kayak like you do on any type of boat that you would sit in unless you have a really unstable kayak. If you can stand, it is no different at all. If I can get a solid hookset with a fly rod and using a 4/0 hook, a hookset on conventional will be fine as well, Those are purely a marketing gimmick. I don't know any kayak anglers who prefer those types of rods to fish from a kayak. There is also a reason not many companies even offer them.