herder

I always back them off when putting them away after a trip, it's just a habit from fishing for over 60 years. I tighten them up when loading them up for a trip, and check again when on the water

Been exclusively kayak fishing for 20 yrs. Before that own several different boats and shoreline fished at lot too. So a lot of the time I’m fishing alone, though I do have several friends who I do kayak fish with at times. Unfortunately like many others here I have lost friends and some that due to health issues are unable to fish anymore. I don’t mind fishing alone though my wife is not too keen on it. I do miss at times the comradery when with others, sharing info and busting on each other. I’m just extremely grateful that I’m still able to get out and do what I do at 71

Got back a couple of days ago from a solo camping trip on the Delaware River. Arrived last Monday and by the time I set up camp didn’t have time to launch the kayak. So fished from shore off the campsite for a hr and was able to land 3 small Smallmouths. Launched the next day on the river and got 14 Smallmouths, took a while to get on them but changed to drifting the current in 7’ of water over gravel with a Nikko Hellgrammite on a 1/8 ned head was the ticket. Next day I headed to a lake I never fished, got a Largemouth and small pickerel right away, and that was it for the day, did lose a good one on a drop shot though. Next day back to the river again, but couldn’t get any kind of consistent bite, wound up with 6 Smallmouths. The last day I wanted to launch at a site that the road to has been closed all year for repairing the road, it was supposed to be opened on Monday, but now they said it would open on Friday, so I waited till after 9am to go there. Well the road was still had the road blocks up so it was now a change of plans. I decided to take a ride to a reservoir I had only fished once a couple of years ago. Wasn’t on the water till 11am, water had a 10’ visibility tried fishing relatively shallow for a while and got nothing. Spoke to a couple different guys on boats and they said it was real slow, they weren’t getting anything either. Fished a little more and couldn’t find anything, so I decided to head back to the ramp fishing along the way. I figured let me check the 28’ to 32’ line on the way back since nothing was happening shallower. Still miffed that the road to the other launch was closed, I probably looked like the kid walking down the dirt road with both hands in his pocket kicking rocks along the way. I finally saw a good size bait ball with some stuff on the bottom, so dropped down a drop shot in a hail Mary attempt. I hook up and it’s a good one, pole bent down into the water and drag going off. Have it on for a good while until I finally able to see it, a big Smallmouth and I even said out loud “don’t jump” I was able to land it and it was the biggest Smallmouth I’ve gotten in many years. Fumbling around for my camera for a quick pic, it shook around and I lost my grip on it and she swam away. Perseverance saved my day, made a great ending to a great trip. Got back to the campsite and spoke with the lady at the office, she said NPS finally opened the road at 1pm Sorry for the long post.

Buddy called me up yesterday and asked if I wanted to go fishing up by one of the lakes by him in Northwest Jersey, well yeah,,,,,,, The choice was between one with bigger fish or the smaller lake with numbers. We chose the numbers lake as we did well there a couple of weeks ago. Temp in the morning was 52 with a pretty stiff NW wind, it was a little chilly. Clear and high sun. We did pretty well, I landed 26 and he got 21. Nice size crappie for up here, with a bunch of small to decent size bass with a couple of nice pickerel to spice things up, no Rock Bass were harmed during this outing. Most were caught on a 3" Swing Impact on a 1/8 ball jig.

Wow, nothing in New Joisey once again

Not much compared to some of ya, do I really need it, that does not compute 🙂

Looks 😃, I don't bring a bump board with me or even own a scale. I did a quick measure with a tape on my paddle, 18" which is a good sized one here.

Had to hit the reservoir again today before the rain tomorrow. Wound up with another 12 fish day, 6 Largemouths, 5 Smallmouths and one Rock Bass. Lost about 6 fish on the jump. One was really nice Smallie that I hooked and thought I lost it, it was charging the kayak and I thought it wasn't on, well it was and kept coming up and I lost it on the jump. I got hung up on the bottom and had to retie my drop shot rig as I lost the whole rig, of course I loosen up the drag to retie, cast it out and got a nice hit,,well it went zzzzzzzzzz and no fish, forgot to tighten up drag From what I can see on this thread we should always post a pic of of Rock Bass

Camping, but really that's just a base camp now for fishing adventures. Oh, and beer drinking, it's Oktoberfest time

My son's first Smallie

Hit a local reservoir today, it had been drawn down for dam repairs and was at 53% capacity, capacity is now at 97.5% With the capacity now full, there are much needed nutrients in the water with the pumping in of water from the river, the visibility was around 11' with is quite clear but before the pumping it was almost at 20' Started out getting 5 fish pretty quickly then the wind picked up and that area died out. Went searching but it was tough with the wind. Wind died down and was able to get back on some fish. Wound up with 12 fish landed, 9 Largemouths, 2 Smallmouths and got another trout. Again all fish were on a drop shot in 18' to 30'

I'm biased, have been kayak fishing here in the northeast for 20 years. I've been using an Eddyline Caribbean 14' for the past 8 years. It paddles really well, is light weight as it's thermal molded instead of roto molded. It's been on ponds, rivers, tidal rivers, reservoirs, big lakes, saltwater bays and the big pond (Atlantic Ocean) I'm 71 years old, and cartop this on a Subaru Forester. I switched to this due to the weight, my kayak before this was a Wilderness Tarpon 12' which was over 70 lbs. I can bring 4 rods comfortably and 3 to 4 plano boxes in a milk crate with 3 rod holders on it. Also have a Wheeleze cart if I need to walk to a launch, have the Wheeleze cause some of my launched I have to travel over sugar sand, their the only cart that works on that stuff. I only paddle, so I do have several carbon fiber paddles which make a huge difference. My fishing trips are usually between 6 to 7 hrs, yeah my butt gets sore after that long, sometimes interesting getting out of the kayak after that long on the water, legs are a little rubbery 😃 Pedal kayaks work well, but a lot of them are pushing 100 lbs.

Drop Zone Fishing has 1/4 oz drop shot lead cylinder weights 25 count for 3.45$ Ordered 3 packs at 10:00am, got a notification at 2:00pm that they have shipped. https://www.dropzonebaits.com/shop/weights/100

Hit the reservoir today looking for some more Smallmouths. Did manage to get 4 Largemouths and 2 Smallies. Tough day trying to find them, but the bonus fish were a Rainbow and a Channel Cat. Everything caught on the drop shot with a Berkeley Flat Worm

71 years young and a 100% kayak fisherman. Strictly a paddler, no pedals or motors. Been kayak fishing for 20 years starting mostly saltwater fishing but now mostly freshwater. Previously had multiple boats from car topping a 12’ aluminum to a 23’ fiberglass cuddy cabin. Years ago I got an Eddyline Caribbean 14’, at 50lbs its 20lbs lighter than my Wilderness Tarpon 12’ Average trip is 6 to 7 hrs, I do at least 8 camping/fishing trips a year where I fish 4 straight days, plus many day trips. I do work out 6 days a week if I’m not camping, fishing or sick, between weights and resentence bands with stretching, balance exercises and some yoga stuff. No longer an early riser though anymore, usually on the water by 8:00am or 9:00am , I’ve become a gentleman of leisure 😃

100% kayak fishing, this is what is with me. Forceps used for almost all freshwater fish that I can't just pop the hook out. Harbor Freight needle nose that are used for mostly saltwater fish, also as a back up. Small bolt cutters, just in case. No name multi pliers carried in my soft cooler

Every time

Well that didn't last too long, GSM was acquired by a PE firm; https://dallasinnovates.com/irving-based-gsm-outdoors-acquired-by-beverly-hills-pe-firm-platinum-equity/#:~:text=Irving-based GSM Outdoors%2C a,Platinum Equity from Gridiron Capital.