Hanover_Yakker

Actually, the setup does work. A guide in SC uses it and even has it posted on his YouTube channel.....I'll see if I can find it.

Three Days Grace - Just Like You For all the haters and people that try to bring you down in everyday life!

A transducer arm is not necessary for traditional FFs and to some extent, the DSI models as well. Any SI or 360 view style FFs though need to have the transducer in the water. If you are trying to avoid placing the transducer in the water, then the duct deal or silicone sealant method works fine.

http://jetskibrian.com

Most kayak tournamens, as this one was, use CPR (Catch, Photo, Release) and require you to use a common measuring device (most use a Hawg Trough) and a token/identifier provided the night before at the captain's meeting. Requirements vary but in general follow these.... 1. Fish must be presented facing to the left with the dorsal fin up 2. Mouth must be closed and the natural lay of the tail - no pinching 3. Token must be clearly visible in the picture 4. Entire length of fish must be visible and picture must be taken from within the kayak

Thanks Dwight. Mike, I tried in earnest your brush jigs, but they weren't the ticket. I had it tied on all week though - loyal my friend!

Yeah it was a blast. It was good to know that I was on the right track for the area I fished, but it was disheartening learning later that my fall back spot should have been my go to spot on both days. Oh well, lesson learned.

Well, the 2nd Annual KBF Open wrapped up this past weekend at Santee Cooper. It was held the same time frame as the FLW event that also took place. FWIW, we had scheduled ours over a year ago before FLW made their schedule. Apparently, some of the FLW guys were not too pleased with our presence. I had prepared for this event for close to a year now researching every possible spot that would be fishable given the instability of the weather this time of year. I had narrowed it down to five spots and felt good about my plan for the tournament. Tournament week came and so did the cold front - three nights in a row of falling temps reaching below freezing. The bite window was literally an hour in the morning and an hour right after lunch. Having a full moon was not the best either. I fished hard and qualified with a two fish limit on day one ending up in 14th place. I fished hard the second day going for broke and chasing some deeper fish on some structure but came up empty. By the time I headed back to my spot from the previous day to catch the second window, someone had just pulled out of it with a three fish limit. I needed three fish to improve my standing, but I ended up only catching one more qualifying fish and ended up in the top 30 out of 120 kayak anglers. The largest fish overall for the event measured was 24.5" and was caught by a new kayak angler on the first day of the tournament. I'm already making plans to purchase a Navionics card (thanks WayneP btw) to help with next year's event planning. We are hitting Kentucky Lake for the 3rd Annual bass Open. Should be a challenge, but I am up for it. All fish were caught using a PowerTeam Lures Sick Stick in Kitchen Sink color holding tight to wood - a deadly bait for picky bass in tight cover. Apparently, the chain pickerel like it as well. I landed a 21" and a 22" in a dormant lily pad field on the flats as well during the event. Fished day three in a private big bass event and ended up landing three fish, including a nice 3lb fish. If I had landed those three the previous day, I would have ended up in the top 12. Alas, it paled in comparison to the 7lb 9 oz slob someone else caught. Still good times though. I planned my fish and fished my plan. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I did learn later that I was the only person from VA that qualified for day two of the event. All the other VA guys didn't even catch a single fish. Apparently, they pre-fished and shut the area down by doing too much catching. My approach off not fishing my target area apparently was the right way to go. Tight lines!

Quick question - what is the makeup of the shirt? Cotton? Poly? Technical?

Mechanicsville, VA here (a few miles NE of Richmond).

Wade is also an aspiring painter as well and sells his prints to supplement his fishing and kayak habits. I actually have fished with Wade as well.......

I use the Fiskars scissors the kids use in school. Cheap and small profile.

Welcome aboard - plenty of good options for you to pop your bass cherry - the Chick, Daiscund Reservoir and Creek, Waller Mill, etc.

I use a Lowrance Elite-5 DSI. I have also used the Cuda 300/Mark X-4 and the Elite-4 DSI.

When I was expanding my tackle selection, I would order from them and they are legit. Fast shipping, too!

That would be cool to have your family experience while out and about recreating.....

Lots of peeps on here I haven't seen post before - welcome one and all!!!

Welcome aboard Kevin! Just NE of you in Mechanicsville!

Right - I understand that. I just need it for a few days usage.

I'm heading down to fish a tournament in South Carolina and wanted to load the maps for Santee Cooper. I leave early next Wednesday morning to head down to scout and pre-fish. I have a Lowrance Elite-5 DSI that has the basic map loaded but not the smaller contours that are loaded on the card.

If you have the 115X, then you should already have the console where the FF would mount. The transducer is a moot point in that model, because you mount it directly to the bottom of the console insert and it is protected by the hull design. Do your homework on the models you are interested in. Some are very user friendly (HB), while others have better mapping (Lowrance & Garmin). Pay attention to transducer size and future considerations like ease of updating the mapping software and the like. I personally prefer the Lowrance having had the X-4, Elite 5 DSI and Elite 4x DSI. They just have better displays and mapping in my opinion. Maybe this will help you out - it's by my buddy Bobby Clark from TX. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEqHrK7v3F8

Quality fish! Sometimes "One Fish Anna" lives up to it's name and one fish is all you need.

Good options so far, you wouldn't be disappointed with any of them. Keep some other ones in mind that have recently gained some interest.... FeelFree Lure 11.5 Old Town Predator and Predator MX Jackson Cuda 12 I'm a Hobie staffer myself, so I appreciate your desire for a Pro Angler, but I also recognize the monetary outlay required and can empathize with your approach. I did the same at first, but ultimately I finally stopped jumping from hull to hull and made the jump. I started off in a Ride 135, loved it until I c=got caught over four miles from shore in a strong opposing current and sustained winds exceeding 20 knots. I have paddled a variety of hulls, including: Tarpon 100, 120 and 140, Commander 120, Ocean Kayak Trident 13, Jackson Coosa, Native Manta Ray 12, Native Ultimate, etc etc..... I even tried other Hobie hulls, including the Outback, Revolution 13 and a Pro Angler 12. In the end, I just sold a lot of extraneous gear I never used (most still new in the package) and sold both my Tarpon 100 and Revolution 13 and purchased a Pro Angler 14. If you can swing it and you can handle the weight factor in both loading and unloading, then you should consider it. in the end, the key is to try as many different hulls as possible before you make your decision.

PowerTeam Lures 5" & 7" Finicky tickler, 5" Sick Stick, 3.5" Craw D'Oeuvre to name a few... PTL plastics are neutrally buouyant and float, so jig heads with any stand up or rotational elements to them really accentuate the natural movement of their plastics. Drop me a line if you think you might want to try some.

An ultralight combo composed of a 5'0" Ugly Stik 2-pc spinning rod paired with a Daiwa Crossfire 1000 series spinning reel. Total combo cost $30. Best fish so far on it is an 18.5" chain pickerel.