Kayak Koz

I can't set mine off the stern because that is where the rudder is for my pedal drive. I am adding the trolling motor to provide me with more range when I head out on the water through a combination of my pedal drive and the trolling motor. On a typical day I will end up 3-4 miles away from my launch point and I end up covering 7-10 miles on a trip. I'm also pretty tired when I get back and in the warmer months heat stroke is a real issue at times. There are areas 5-7 miles away that I want to fish and I'm hoping the trolling motor makes it easier to get there and back.

It's the larger rubber well nuts, and I don't have much of a choice because I have zero access to the interior of my kayak unless I want to cut access then patch it up and waterproof it. I'm using the Railblaza Motor mount and the two rail mount feet have 4 bolts each (rather than 2) and that should help distribute the forces. While my trolling motor provides 55lbs of thrust, I don't see running it past 1/3 to maybe 1/2 throttle at any time because it will deplete my 100Ah battery in no time. My plan is to use it as secondary locomotion when I get tired pedaling. The irony hear is that my average pedaling speed (2.9-3.2mph) is twice as fast as what I'll be using the trolling motor for. Since I busted a rudder cable out on the water, pre-launch safety checks are part of my routine.

Sometimes my mind wanders and I wonder "what if..." So today I was thinking about issues I have with my kayak rudder and cables. The steering is rather sloppy with the control handle, and if you try and pull the cable too tight and lock it down your prone to fraying the cable. That got me thinking - has anyone motorized a kayak rudder? I used to fly RC planes and you had the controller transmit and then a receiver on the plane to activate servos for the ailerons, rudder, and flaps. Has anyone tried something like that with hooking up a servo to the rudder control triangle? An RC controller type setup would work perfect because when you let go it returns to the center. Yes, it's overkill, costs more money, and probably isn't practical because you're going to have to waterproof things and tie into your power supply. But that's besides the point. I just wonder if anyone has tried it.

Back in my day (old man yelling at cloud) we didn't have bike helmets, but some kids thought it was cool to wear a motorcycle helmet while riding their bike. True story - back in the day of old style bikes with sissy bars, banana seats, and brakes you stomped on I wrecked when I ran into another kid in a race going down a big hill. I flew over the handlebars and landed in the road. I was about a mile from home and my bike wheel was bent up so I had to push it home. I was halfway home and my buddy and I were regaling about our cool wreck when one of our neighbors stopped me, pointed at my arm and asked what happened. I didn't realize I had ripped open my forearm / elbow area just about down to the bone and it was all blood and asphalt. at THAT moment it started to hurt and I nearly passed out. Good times.

Ah - the best laid plans of mice and men. It's Thursday night and I have Friday and Saturday off this week and everything arrived except the well nuts. Without those I can't install the trolling motor bracket. They were supposed to be delivered today, but now they are saying maybe tomorrow. What's interesting is that the rod holders and the rail mount that will allow me to put those rod holders on the trolling motor bracket arrived today and they weren't supposed to be here until Monday. Also, when I placed my initial order I forgot to upgrade my battery charger. My little a amp charger is fine for my 7Ah and 10Ah lithium batteries, but not the new 100Ah lithium battery. But my new 10Ah battery arrives tomorrow as well. I guess I'll be on the lake "old style" with just my pedal drive tomorrow, then out again on Saturday with the trolling motor if the well nuts get here tomorrow. C'est la vie!

And that's the sad state of where we are today. Fun diversion fact: Years ago one of the other senior managers at a hotel I worked for went on sabbatical for a a year just when I needed a new place to live, so I watched his house for a year. Well, he and his father were friends with a very famous news anchor. One day I picked up the phone and heard, "This is Walter Cronkite." He delivered it in the same tone and cadence that he did on the news. It was classic. Now back to the topic of how data that social media and how it manipulates your life if you aren't aware of it...

What started off as a really, really bad comedy now seems to be foreshadowing our future. BR is different. It's an online community for those that share a common interest. Glenn is not manipulating what we see and read, and he is not collection additional data from outside sources to manipulate us. It's like comparing a Ferrari and a Yugo. There are broad similarities at best. And as far as I know, Glenn is not out to dominate or manipulate the world for his own gain and evil bidding.

I'm not much into spinning gear anymore, but I recently bought a Falcon Lowrider ML for $130 to use when finesse fishing. I tested it out the other day for about 20 minutes and while I didn't catch anything it seems like a decent budget rod.

It depends whether I'm fishing with a right handed rod or left handed rod and the length of the rod. And then can change depending upon whether the reel is right handed or left handed. Then I have to pull out my slide rule to figure it out.

That's because there is very little reals news anymore. Left or right, the focus is on turning a profit. For example, look at how most digital media operates today. First, the clickbait headline. Then, if you read carefully, you will notice that the language used in the first 2-3 paragraphs is actually opinion and innuendo designed to stimulate the cognitive bias of the reader. Once sufficiently stimulated, the reader loses focus or abandons the article. These websites know that. But in the last paragraph or two is where you are most likely to find actual facts, and more often than not they don't match the narrative set earlier in the article. Seriously - look for this when you read news. It will blow your mind. And if you look at those TV news channels, most of the programming is opinionated pundits in the guide of news. Both TV and digital are designed to appeal to specific demographics to drive ad revenues. But this is completely different that what social media AI and algorithms are doing. I won't spoil it here - watch that documentary. I found it fascinating.

And then there are folks like me that swear that braid is the only way to go.

I think that most of us who are older have a completely different view of social media than younger generations, but that doesn't mean that we are always immune to its impact. The Social Dilemma is a documentary on Netflix featuring interview with people who formerly worked for companies like Google, Facebook, and Twitter and it exposes how nefarious these companies are. Yes, social media is evil but it's even well beyond that. The great divide we see in our country and in countries throughout the world is being engineered by algorithms and AI. When people think of social media, many think how it uses data for advertising and driving revenue, but it's so much more than that. We're heading down the path to another Civil War, but it won't be with weapons on a battlefield. We see that now with people saying things like, "How can you take that side of the argument?" or "How can you believe that?" But social media and search creates echo chambers that lead people further down the rabbit hole. It's propaganda and brainwashing. It's to the point where if one side says 2+2 = 4 the other side believes there is evidence that 2+2=5 and nothing can convince them otherwise. I watched this documentary the other night and it got me thinking - social media is the Schrodinger's Cat of news and journalism.

Last week my hotel was sold out for that weekend but we had a few cancellations the last few days. Unless UGA is playing No Name U we are usually busy on home weekends. I'm not a UGA fan but I hope they win so their fans don't take it out on my hotel!

Well, I went ahead and pulled the trigger today and went with the "cheap" version. While I wanted the Xi3 with GPS I had doubts about adding all of that weight to the nose of my kayak. I was also going to have to craft a mounting plate. Since I was not sure I would even be happy with a trolling motor I went with a less expensive option: Newport Vessels Kayak Series 55lb Thrust trolling motor Railblaza Kayak Motor Mount Newport Vessels Smart Battery Box Weize 12V 100AH LidePO4 battery Well nuts to attach the Railblaza to my kayak since I have no interior access In case you're wondering, all told it was just over $800. $345 of that was for the battery. For now the plan is to mount this on the side with the Railblaza, and when I'm moving I will pull up the pedal drive to reduce drag. I'll experiment with pulling up the rudder and steering with the trolling motor as well as locking the motor and steering with the rudder. But one thing that intrigues me is that the prop unit will fit through the pedal drive opening. So I may be able to craft a mount for it, lock it, and then steer using my rudder. That would be cool if I could do that. But knowing me, I'd end up buying a 3D printer to make it happen! This adds 56 pounds to my kayak and because my kayak does not have hatches I'm going to have to reconfigure some things on my deck for the battery box. I've got that big Flambeau Kayak crate on there and it has a ton of stuff in there adding a lot of weight. I think I'll pare down my tackle to Planos that I can fit under the seat plus a small bag for tools and miscellaneous items. I'll lose 4 rod holders, but I'll buy some Railblaza rail mounts and holders that can attach to the trolling motor arm. The stern storage is already full with the crate, my C-Tug that stays with me, dry bag, and the soft cooler that attaches to my seat. Maybe I'll put some Planos and tools in the cooler, Everything is supposed to be here by Thursday, and I'm planning on taking Friday and Saturday off this week. So I'm hoping to get everything installed Friday morning and be on the lake that day.

I’m, it is Halloween. They are just getting in the spirit of the season.

I use VMC Touch-Lok snaps for most baits except soft plastics on hooks and jigs. On my kayak, all my rod holders are behind me either molded into the kayak or on my crate. so when I have to tie on I have to turn the rod around and lay it on the bow or stand it up and pinch it between my knees. I suppose it would be easier if I added a rod holder to the track next to my seat, but that would make things a bit crowded when bringing in a fish. On one side I already have a 7" Humminbird mounted on top of CellBlok and I always fear banging into it while bringing in a fish. I'm already trying to de-clutter and drop the weight I carry on my kayak.

You read that right. No pedal drive. No trolling motor. Nothing but the kayak and the seat for a cool $11k. Oh yeah - it's made of carbon fiber and at nearly 13 feet long weighs only just over 40 pounds. I've invested a decent sum in my pedal kayak with the 7" Humminbird DI SI and other goodies, but for $11K plus accessories I'd buy a boat instead. Here's the link: https://apexwatercraft.com/product/tyr-fishing-kayak/

On some days I think "match the hatch" plays a role in it. On others I think the fish are attracted by something completely different. The problem is that the fish rarely confide in me as to what they are planning for that day.

So today was Tackle Warehouse day at my house as my latest order arrived. The main item was a Falcon Lowrider medium light spinning rod. Yeah, I know. I said I "hate" spinning gear. But it fulfills the occasional need and while I like my Shimano spinning reel I wasn't too fond of the various spinning rods I have laying around. But I also bought a Jackhammer Chatterbait, Rapala Shallow Shad Rap Firetiger, Berkeley Squarebull Firetiger Crankbait, and a Megastrike Cavitron Buzzbait. Oh yeah - and the obligatory free t-shirt and sticker, both that I will put to good use. Odds are I will also lose the Jackhammer soon. I have a ton of chatterbaits, but every time I splurge and buy a Jackhammer I usually lose it within the next few fishing trips I take. You would think I would have learned by now. But as I was emptying the box the items just kept coming. It seems they sent me THREE buzzbaits and two Squarebulls when I ordered only one each. I sent them an email offering to send them back using the return label they provided but they told me to keep them. Thanks TW. Next time I'm fishing out back of my hotel and there are kids out there I'll see if they want the extras. Has anyone else received "bonus" items with their TW order?

I do all of my research before walking in and when it comes time to deal I write a number down with my out the door price on the back of my business card and hand it to them. If they decline I stand up, shake their hand, and walk out the door. If they try and get me to negotiate, I tell them my offer is firm and leave. If they try to sell me a different color car or different options I politely decline and leave. I may have to go to a few dealers, but I've always paid my price for the car. However, that probably won't work today because dealers are getting well over MSRP for most cars. I'd love to trade in my car for a new SUV, but there is not a whole lot of leverage for buyers today.

With no houses there you simply forge through the brush and try different spots. That's where I prefer a small 6' 6" rod so I have to worry less about snagging on something when casting. If nobody is fishing there the first thing I am throwing are t-rigged and wacky rigged Senkos. Forget the other stuff. You will know almost right away if something decent is in there.

Shimano Expride casting rod.

I was in a crappy mood watching the Yankees tonight so I took a break and ended up on the TW website. Not too much damage, but bought a couple a Fire Tiger colored crankbaits, a Jack Hammer since I lost yet another one the other day, a Cavitron Buzzbait, and a Medium Light Falcon Lowrider spinning rod. And yes, I know I posted a few months ago that I hate spinning gear. I still do, but sometimes it's a necessary evil. It also put me over the top for another free TW t-shirt ?

Two words: Pedal kayak.

Seastream Angler 120 PD. I've done a few reviews on it here.