CountryboyinDC

If it seems otherwise too cluttered, your wrist could be the answer. https://gopro.com/en/us/shop/mounts-accessories/waterproof-shutter-remote/ARMTE-004-master.html

Tell the rowers that those serious about rowing actually paddle against current rather than putting on where you're fishing. There's a rapid on the Lower Youghiogheny River called Dartmouth. The Dartmouth rowing team evidently practiced on that rapid. Rowing on a flatwater channel suggests a lack of commitment on their part. https://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/River/view/river-detail/1687/main I do wonder how you get that easily accessible deer urine (unless you'retalking Tinks 69 or something along those lines), but don't feel like you have to share.

I thought a 7" graph (I have a Lowrance HDS Carbon) was big medicine. Of course I'm just running side scan, and 90% of the time just regular sonar or down scan. I run mine on the gunwale on top of a YakAttack Cellblock; I don't have a center console. I've no experience with the kayak you have, so I don't know how much in the way a big graph would be. You really wouldn't want to flip with one or two of those on your kayak, though.

Good to know that JB Weld will adhere to polyethylene. It makes the claim on the package but there are a lot of things that claim to adhere to "all plastics". You made it look pretty neat too. If you want to do it less often, you can use G/flex epoxy and some fiberglass or Kevlar fabric. It will take a little longer and cost a little more, but it will last longer. The G/flex does flex a bit, as it's name implies and thus is not as brittle as many epoxies. It can also be used in cracks, but for polyethylene, so long as it's not crosslinked, you're better off welding it. For Royalex (like found in canoes) the G/flex route is about the best thing going for canoes.

There are people that paddleboard the Gauley all the time (of course there's one guy who snorkles the upper); it's all a matter of how well-versed in whitewater you are. John Grace did the entire length in 2010 when paddleboards were still not designed for whitewater. The problem is the who. This week is pretty epic for the Potomac as well for whitewater paddlers. But I won't go out in the places where hikers or casual walkers can access the river easily. This year we had 2 drownings and several near drownings where kayakers rescued people who tried to swim in high water events. I don't want to feel responsible to try to help these people who tempt fate in this way. I always try to rescue kayakers in my group when I'm able, because they realize the challenge for the rescuer and generally follow directions. I suspect the folks who decide to cool off in a boily, whirlpool-ridden river would be much harder to rescue. 2 19 year olds tried to huck off Pummel in a tandem recreational kayak on Great Falls. Most with the skill and knowledge to run Pummel at all would tell you it's unrunnable by anyone at the level they tried. One got airlifted (I'm not sure if he lived) and one miraculously flushed out and made it to shore and was rescued without serious injury. The amazing thing was a buddy of mine found the boat a mile and a half downstream, and it looked pretty good for what it had been through. Perception should use it for advertising. I've done some stupid stuff, but I just wonder with what people try, how they've lived this long.

One of the more engaging threads I've read in a while. @Team9nine "defensive" fishing is hilarious. And if I ever get to fish Toledo Bend, I'm gonna tell the guide, "How about we fish those trotlines over there a bit?"

I'm watching the whitewater slalom events; I personally know a lady who's competing for Mexico in K1. I also have been watching some of the swimming events. Neat to see Torri Huske pull the upset in the 100 butterfly. She's a local girl (Arlington).

The Susquehanna is the jet boat capital of the world, as far as I know, and we have the main stem of the Shenandoah and Potomac close by. I suspect that there's no shortage of good places you can get to in a boat. But I can take a kayak on parts of the Susquehanna that no jet boat can go, and I'm not just speaking of the whitewater stretches like Holtwood. Not saying they're better fishing, but if I want to get out and be away from motor boats, you won't be able to follow me.

@gimruis, exactly. Rocks, the great democratizer amongst vessels of varying costs.

I almost exclusively fish rivers. I've actually considered getting rid of the pedal drive kayak. At times when the river levels get low, some of the small reservoirs are at least passable, and the pedal drive is better at that time or I can go wash line on the tidal Potomac. The safety and tearing up kayaks aspects should be concerns you consider, but they certainly don't dissuade me (my other hobby is whitewater canoeing and kayaking). My Jackson Coosa HD is the kayak I take most often, but I can put the plug console in the Old Town Predator PDL and use that if I'm taking a friend. I don't usually fish non-tidal rivers where a pedal drive (or trolling motor) would be viable. I don't know if Old Town offers a plug console for the Autopilots (I haven't looked those over closely), but I wouldn't want to risk damaging the motor on it if not. I also use an anchor, which for me a is a 3lb dumbbell strung up by a small Anchor Wizard through the bow grab handle. I also use a drag chain rigged similarly at the stern. With these, I can control my descent speed in the riffles, or anchor up and fish a prime spot thoroughly. Without them, I was relying on my being able to use river features like convenient rocks and eddies to hold my position, which often was less-than-ideal. I believe in having a rescue knife rigged in an accessible place if you're going to be around cord or ropes while on the water. I don't usually think of rivers at this time of year to the place for giants, but obviously the tournament on the Susquehanna this past weekend says otherwise. I personally prefer the rivers because boats can't get on them, even jet boats for the most part. If there's a stretch of river I believe will be particularly productive, I can get out and wade (I know laws are different in different places on getting out of the boat on rivers flowing through private land). Having the water to myself is what provides the enjoyment beyond what catching smallmouth or shoallies can. I highly recommend it, and it's a relatively low cost/effort for entry. Always room for one more kayak.

The Gourds cover of 'Gin and Juice'. The Hardy version is better too, but still behind the Gourds.

St. Croix spinning Avid 6'6 M/F.for topwater plugs St. Croix Premier 6'6 M/F for topwater plugs Falcon Lowrider 20 7'3 H/F for frogs About anything I have without something tied on that aim using (usually MH power) for buzz baits.

A country hack (I'm sure not EPA approved) is to paint the undercarriage with burnt motor oil, then run down the dustiest dirt road you can find like the revenuers are behind you and you have a bed full of bootleg apple brandy. Rust used not to be the problem in rural southwestern VA that it is in Michigan because no one ever salted the roads, but using that method you could get practically any bolt out years later without wringing it off except those on the exhaust.

I've got an OT Predator PDL, which is a little bigger than yours, but shares the same drive. I also put a prop, the required hardware, and tools into a zip lock bag and leave it in the drive hatch. I bought the more expensive Yakattack anchor trollies and have them on both sides. The only time I notice them in the way is loading in a tight spot. Having them on 1 side, I feel that I'd always wish they were on the other. I also use this to fish grass, and can put 2 anchor pins on either side and be pretty solid, rather than wonder whether the bass/snakehead will drag me into the grass before breaking off. I also have the short Anchor Wizard. I actually use 2 when I'm fishing shallow rivers with my Jackson Coosa HD. 1 off the bow (most used), 1 for the drag chain. I think the crate and the cart are a given, and you've already got the cart. Both of mine are homemade. They certainly make a lot of crates that you can buy these days, but if you're interested, I can share details of mine. I still prefer it for my purposes. I think the other thing you'll want no doubt is a graph. I ended up using a Yakattack Cellblock and, and I have a Lowerance HDS Varbon 7" graph on mine with the side scan transducer. That transducer won't fit in the scupper hole that OT made for my kayak, so I had to figure something out. I now believe that I could have gone without the side scan, but at the time everyone was touting its benefits (FFS hadn't been invented yet, what ever did bass anglers talk about). Good luck with the new kayak.

The way the seats slides into the slots on the gunnels, I can imagine constructing something that might accomplish this, but I'm not sure I'd want to. With that seat in the high position, it's pretty much at the limits of what I'd consider stable, and it's pretty easy to knock that seat of the slots even with the strap holding the seat down very tight. I'm pretty sure that there's no commercially-available solution. FWIW, I'm almost always standing on mine, or I'm sitting with the seat in the low position. I mostly use this kayak for fishing shallow, shoaly rivers.