Blackdog

My 2 cents is... Fishin Buddy 1200 from Bottom Line: $100.00, totally portable and light weight, runs 40 hours on 'C' batteries, 'sidefinder' views off to the side, shows bottom composition and depth, temperature, auto scaling of depth, no drilling needed, and mounts on a jon or canoe or could be adapted to kayak.

My vote is for the Native Watercraft Ultimate 12/14/16 series. It's a sit in kayak/canoe hybrid. It's 55 lbs, cartops easily, stable, fast, easily paddled, poly, excellent seat that is adjustable and removable, and adjustable footrests. At about $700 for the small 12 foot one, it is suitable for all weather (including winter!) because you stay dry. It's for fairly quiet water and large boat wakes may slosh in. I looked at kayaks of all sorts at a boat show outdoors and for a person not interested in getting wet in cold weather and who wants the maximum amount of storage inside and a place to attach rod holders, etc. as well as spash skirts, it's superior. nativewatercraft.com

I have the Bottom Line 'Fishin Buddy 1200' LCD panel display unit that runs on several flashlight batteries for up to 40 hours of use. It drops in a bracket that mounts/demounts from my canoe or jonboat easily. You can paddle with it or troll slow , but any speed at all puts pressure on it (the shaft is 8" under water ). It has temperature, depth, bottom composition, sidefinder 'cone' view out to the side and auto and manual modes for scaling the surface to bottom depth increments. It's useful to help 'map out' the holes and the depth of the river channel as you move. I like it and it does mark fish with a symbol. It works and is $100. The Lowrance X67C at $250 for color and great display looks attractive too! l

One of those replies was right... The James River from Rte 288 bridge on down to the Pony Pasture in Richmond really is beautiful, even in cold weather and some bare trees. I've been on it maybe 50 times since last June with a jon boat (above the Bosher's dam) or a Native Watercraft 'Ultimate 12'. Seeing a bald eagle eating a fish in the morning as a crow complains or ospreys being driven from a territory by a bald eagle is something I always saw on TV. In reality, it is much quieter and more beautiful. It almost makes you feel like you are intruding by watching. But paddling, motoring, and fishing the James is a treasure in our back yard and it is CLEAN of debris for the most part! Enjoy it while you are healthy and a kayak trip is great exercise!

Bending down the barb on regular hooks is a good method to reduce damage to the fish. I have found 'circle hooks' give you the same benefit, yet hook well and easily. Circle hooks almost always hook the jaw and are easy to remove. Do rememebr that smallmouths do not behave like some other fish when boated. I use special gripper pliers (plastic) to hold them if needed (generally use needlenose at boatside to remove the hook) to secure them to take a photo. A hook in the hand with a strong little fish thrashing will ruin your whole.... week! Leave the manual hook removal by professionals in video clips to the pros i there is any doubt.

I really like this well illustrated, modern, hardback book. Great photos and illustrations. A very usdful book to me.

I have been upriver of Huguenot Bridge area toward Bosher dam lately and although I have seen a few surface splashes, I have not caught any fish. With a depth/temp/fish finder on the canoe, it is clear there are some holes over 10 feet deep. With the current after the river has risen above 5 feet, you have to have a very stable boat and be extra careful. I use a self inflating Mustang PFD, paddle tether, and take special care and stay out of the current as possible (water is about 40 degrees). I looked at Pony Pasture from the bank and it's too risky, in my view. It's pretty fast, very cold, and no one is coming in after you if you are in trouble.... spring or summer is very different. Keep your hand in the water for about 30 seconds and then decide what to do. A stable canoe in the flatwater is not the same as a kayak in the rapids with the water up...

I use a Fishing Buddy 1200 from Bottom Line ($100) on an Ultimate 12 from Native Watercraft