flyfisher

Good advice all along here. I recently motorized my kayak but went wit ha different motor and sprung for the LiFePO4 lithium batteries to wire in series to get etc 24V i need for my motor. I am in the process of building a box to go underneath the seat of my ATAK 140. I know they are expensive but I can get a smaller lighter battery that has a lot more run time than an equivalent as the batteries allow for more use of the battery itself since traditional batteries are pretty much done at 50% use. As far as where to put it, you are gonna have to figure it out on your boat with your gear. I messed around with my battery placement of only around 20lbs and saw a difference which is why i went with under my seat.

All waterproof breathable garments consist of a DWR and then the actual waterproof membrane. The DWR or durable water repellent is what makes the water bead on the surface. This assists in the breathability of the garment as it doesn't allow the shell material to get water logged which prevent water vapor from escaping. The next is that actual waterproof membrane, in your case goretex. This is what allows water vapor to escape but prevents water from entering the garment. As others have stated there are reasons it is leaking, if it is and most times it is due to pressure and or a seam leaking. The membrane itself rarely fails except in high wear areas when it gets broken down to the point of not preventing water from seeping through. That being said, Nikwax is a great product and the wash in is the way to go. Use the tech wash first then the wash in treatment. I believe it also states to use a warm dryer to help set the product. Now keep in mind if your garment is truly leaking this will be a temporary fix as it is only renewing the DWR part of the waterproof equation. I do agree that the spray on is better in theory but in my experience it works better. the DWR on the inside of the garment will wear off pretty quickly and you will get back to its normal breathability in a couple of trips while getting a better covering on the outside. The big thing to keeping the DWR as long as possible is to never use traditional detergents as it strips it away in one wash pretty much.

Weight meaning lugging it around so lighter. Most if not all decent kayaks weight handling won't be an issue. I personally stay away from shorter than 12' boats unless i was looking for something specifically for rivers and maneuverability is a concern. That being said I was skeptical when I bought my 14' kayak but now that I have had it for 5+ years I am loving it. It drafts shallower than a shorter boat and maneuvers good enough for my needs. One thing to consider when buying used is warranty, should you need it, is usually null for a second owner. Just noticed you got one...great boat and have fun with it

One thing to consider is the weight. I’d also maybe look into a kayak and a motor instead. I wanted pedal drive but wet with a good paddling kayak ad recently added a motor. Now I still have a great paddling kayak when needed and a motor for upstream or long lake runs.

Best bet is to look at the DGIF site. They will list a lot of places to launch. It will also give species in each body of water. I don’t mess with the downtown Richmond areas myself. I go to the launches upstream, less people and better fishing. one piece of advice I will give is don’t plan on anchoring in current until you are more experienced. If your anchor setup isn’t right things can get dicey real quick.

Ultimately it is a preference and it also depends on what you are primarily using it for. I do quite a few overnight trips in my kayak but I also do backpacking so space isn't a concern for a multi-day trip. For paddling a kayak is going to be way better than any canoe. If you throw a motor on a canoe that can help even that playing field. Gear storage isn't really a concern between the two. I can easily take 6 combos and more if I wanted and plenty of space for gear. I used to be able to say kayaks were lighter but not so much anymore and canoes are probably easier if you cartop them but for a trailer they are about the same. One of the major things to consider in any boat purchase is to be honest about your use of the boat. I think we all like to have delusions of grandeur with multi day river trips or chasing fish in the salt or whatever and we can tend to base our decisions on that rather than what you actually will primarily use the boat for. For me the majority of the lakes around here are electric only, the rivers are generally not that small or steep so I went with a 14' kayak. easier and faster to paddle and shallower draft than a 12' model while still providing flexibility on launching etc....I did just get a motor for it though to act as mu shuttle on river trips

Been messing around with cork to make some poppers..... https://www.facebook.com/1089240188/videos/10218126456048107/ not sure if it will show or not...

Incredible stuff man. I am working on a cicada pattern now with the impending hatch....i think i have it mostly figured out but time will tell.....I have also started down the treacherous path of making har bodied poppers for whatever reason lol

I like to cook and don’t even care about eating really. I do all the grocery shopping and the cooking in the house.

Gotcha. That is one of those logistical situations you will get the hang of over time, more so now I am sure. I am also a big opponent of leashes on anything in a kayak The last thing you want to deal with in an overturned situation is getting tangled in some lines to save a rod and those same lines can make an inconvenience and embarrassment, a difficult situation instead.

How long have you been fishing from a kayak? There is a learning curve involved in gear management. I have heard floats work but at the same time I am not interested in losing the lightweight nature and potentially impacting the balance because of a float. I haven't lost a rod in years but I also prepare for potential situations where I might lose a rod. The biggest possibility for me, other than the obvious turtling which hasn't happened to me in over a decade, is an overhanging tree grabbing and pulling a rod out. To remedy that I either pull the rods down and lay them in front of me or i use my adjustable rod holders and angle them almost parallel to the kayak.

I personally hate rod holders on the crate. Always seems to get in the way for me . When I am fly fishing anywhere from 3-4, conventional 6-8. Winter time I go with 2 usually, I use flush mounts on my kayak.

same here. Only time I bring something more substantial is when I know I need more calories because I will be doing a lot of paddling that day.

You are a master of the foam I have to say. Those all look fantastic.

Cartopping is about technique as much as strength. You have to find the true balance point, not just where they put the handles. I cartopped my ATAK 140 on my wrangler for a few years before i broke down and got a trailer. All the advice on here is good so no need to rehash anything. I did see one post about whistling....usually that is straps and give them a twist or two and it usually goes away.

Yup there will be fish there. You also have to consider what is underneath the falls themselves. I know on some of the places I fish i was surprised when i went with some goggles to have a look at the cover under. Two of the places I checked out had undercuts were the falls went in and there was minimal current. Obviously I didn't see any fish but the next time out i caught some right in the same spot. One thing you also have to consider is stealth. Long casts are your friend. if you catch a fish at the tail end of the pool, release him behind you so he doesn't become Paul Revere as a long time friend of mine called them when he taught me to fish small creeks for brookies.

I did earlier....cold brew is good stuff and all i drink once it gets warm out There is no such thing as diluting it correctly or incorrectly. You make it and drink it how you want it to be.

I think what I appreciate most about him, other than his free flowing of information and non judgmental attitude like many tyers are, is he is straight up about commercial versus flies he will fish. In his video on how to tie the mini sex dungeon he is like I'd stop right here if i was fishing it but I will show you the commercial version. Looks prettier but doesn't catch anymore fish than the ugly one

French press with a coarse grind when it is cold and I go straight cold brew all other times. Stone Street out of Brooklyn is my go to with their Cold brew and organic dark blends. I have also found that the BJ's brand Guatemalan French roast is pretty good too. Never any milk but usually a little sugar but not always.

He is kind of an odd guy and said he named all his flies like that instead of the boring ones like people usually name them...here are some of them sex dungeon butt monkey twerking minnow lap dancer bangtail T&A barely legal butt sump silk kitty..... I think you get the idea

Tied a few this weekend.....All are based on the Kelly Galloup Sex dungeon articulated fly. I took some liberties to make them easier to tie. All are double hook articulated flies as well. I fished them a few times and really like their action and the they get down deep pretty fast in current in a natural way given the weighted eyes and the spun deer hair head. I tied some closer floating minnows too but I will have to take a picture of those and post them up.

Link them to their source wherever that may be in online land. Just choose the insert image from URL in the Other Media drop down.

I have and use my smoker pretty regularly. Haven't done a packer brisket yet but have done the flat and it turned out pretty good. I do the turkey every year too. My favorite is making shredded beef for sandwiches or tacos or whatever really.

We will have to check back in 10 years to see if it worked though

It will be fine. The boat isn't going to miraculously sink at 326lbs. The 325 is a guideline for optimum performance. Besides, if you are under 200 it is gonna take a lot to add another 125 to the boat.