Hanover_Yakker

I'm good friends with the OK (technically Johnson Outdoors) pro staffers in the area, and they all swear by the Surf-to-Summit OK seats. These guys are hard core anglers and paddlers that will put in 15-20 miles in a day seeking out big fish in the salt, so I trust their opinion. If you want specifics, just call Appomattox River Company in Hampton, VA (1-757-890-0500) on Thu-Sat and ask for Kayak Kevin Whitley (tell him Chuck sent you - the Hobie guy ).

I love the PowerTeam Lures 3.6" JP Hammershad for this - you can rig it on a 2/0 or 3/0 EWG and the flat underbelly really slows the fall rate. The tail is jointed and has a copped ball at the end that just creates the most subtle dancing action with even the slightest current or twitch/retrieve. When I want to swim it with a steady retrieve, I either rig it up on a standard ball jighead or my preferred weedless rigging in the Owner Flashy Swimmer in 3/0 size (3/16oz) - deadly! If the size is too small, you can always step it up to the 4/6" size and upsize the Flashy Swimmer to the 5/0 1/4oz size.

Actually, a kayak's stability is only partially influenced by it's length. Each kayak hull has its own unique stability characteristics relative to it's intended use. What was omitted from the OP was the actual dimensions of the kayak referenced and the brand/model. If the hull is 12' long, but is 33" wide with a pontoon or tri-hull design, then it is plenty stable. The biggest stability factor then becomes the angler themselves relative to their overall height, weight and equilibrium. For all we know, the kayak the OP is talking about is a 12' kids sea kayak or a hull that has a rounded profile to it which would lead to inherent lack of primary stability. If it does not have any chines or angles to the hull profile, then there is no "obvious" tipping point for the paddler and they will flip with even the slightest off balance paddling technique. Making a general statement that a 12' kayak is unstable is actually incorrect. You have to know all the facts first. For example, I have paddled a Wilderness Systems Tarpon 120 in the ocean with 1-2' chop, a pond and on a river - never flipped it once loaded with gear. It was only 28" wide. Is it intended for standing and casting? No, but I know several accomplished kayak anglers that do it all the time. FWIW, I also currently paddle a Hobie Quest 13 - a 13'1" hull that is 28.5" wide - haven't flipped it and can rock side to side with no issue. Know your kayak's hull design and stability characteristics, intended use and your own limitations before heading out on the water.

Looks like a Rapala Skitterwalk almost.....

Nice! I'm going to be targeting them here soon! Love the torpedo wake they cause when they are chasing their prey!

Got some fishing in this past weekend and had a friend capture a pic for me on the water of my 2015 Hobie Outback with the Power-Pole Micro installed.

Just as a point of clarification, the NEXT is a hybrid canoe, not a kayak. Completely different paddling and handling characteristics. A good friend of mine has one, and I witnessed it's handling characteristics up close and personal and can say from the naked eye test, it is lightweight, very fast (for those with proper paddling technique) and relatively stable. Time on the water in one is the only cure for satisfying your personal questions.

Love it. For small watercraft up to and including Jon boats, it's a no brainer.

I prefer the PowerTeam Lures Food Chain Tubes - they come in 3.5" and 4.5". They are very durable with a couple flat appendages and several small tentacles.. The body of the tube is built such that there is a solid head for use with a variety of hook styles including ones with keeper pins. The body compresses almost flat letting you use even traditional worm hooks instead of EWGs. Upon the hookset, the tube compresses flat and allows the hook to penetrate with ease. I've used them on everything from bass and pickerel to speckled trout and redfish. Drop me a PM if you want more info.

If you're keeping for consumption, then a fish bag with some ice in it is usually the best. The bag is placed on the bow of the kayak or inside the bow hatch. You insert the fish and seal the bag. The bag acts as a cooler and insulation/buffer against the noise. If you mean for tournaments where they need to weigh the fis, it depends on if the tournament is a live weigh-in and release or is a kill tournament. Most bass tournaments I know of are live weigh-ins with releases. If this is the case, then a livewell is your best option. Google/YouTube and look for cooler live well. Basically it is the cost of the 25 qt cooler, plus the aerator and valve kits plus a battery. Not too expensive and a cool of that size can hold 4-5 decent size fish. Biggest issue is the overall weight, so unless you are using something like a Hobie Pro Angler, Jackson Big Tuna/Big Rig, etc you'll ifnd it's too much weight. if you're talking about a livewell for smaller fish like crappie and such, then Goolge/YouTube for dog food bin live well. If it is a tournament where it is your two best fish, then do what I do - buy a couple FishGrips and attach them to retractable or homemade lanyards (paracord works beautifully for this) with small carabiners to hook onto your kayak. When you land the fish, simply clip the fishes lower jaw in the FishGrips and place it back in the water. You'll find that the fish actually is fairly docile and will only thrash about once in a while. Hope that helps.

Oh there is!! Some nice up close thrashing about.

1st fatty fell prey to a PTL Sick Stick 2nd fatty fell prey to a PTL Gator Guess you could say she really like the Gator!

Long overdue, but here is a pic of my 2015 Hobie Outback rigged as I hit the water yesterday. The only thing missing from the photo is the actual Power-Pole Micro Anchor. I didn't need it yesterday, so I left it home.

Depends on the outing but most often..... -3 rods -2 tackle trays (1-terminal tackle and the other is for a couple jerkbaits, spinnerbaits, lipless cranks and skirted jigs) -assortment of plastics -YakAttack BlackPak -YakAttack Parknpole -Lowrance Elite-5 CHIRP -PFD with river knife, pliers, Boomerang SNIPS, ssafety whistle and fishing license -paddle Basically like this......

Zebco 33 - can't go wrong with a classic!

Accept - Pandemic from their Blood of Nations release in 2012 - killer album and a rippin' song. Gets my blood pumping! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJxS1Bpnkl4

This concept also needs to be taken with a grain of salt relative to the body of water you are fishing. If the topography and orientation of your lake is west to east in orientation, then you need to adjust. If the NW portion of your lake is also where the dam is or the deepest part of the lake, then the logic may not apply. I've always keyed in on protected shallow areas relative to your lake's characteristics. Where I live in central VA, the winds are predominantly west to east. As you approach the coastal areas, that wind influence varies more and is highly inconsistent throughout the course of a given day. In my opinion, your best bet is to find shallow coves with deeper main lake access (ie: channels that provide escape routes but also food highways) and then pay attention to the winds over time. Best way I know how to do that is Google Earth, Navionics webapp when you can't get out on the water, then followed up with on the water time during non-peak windows (ie: winter, mid week, during rain, basically when others aren't around). That's just my .02 worth which won't get you far in this economy

Welcome aboard!