schplurg

Yikes. Might think about replacing how the cable is mounted as well. That nut/bolt setup looks like it's tearing the cable. Maybe it was just too tight and smashing it. I'm going to get an Old Town Sportsman PDL 106 this week. Been looking at them. The extra $500 will buy me peace of mind plus a lot of features. Hope this kayak continues to work out for you. Seems good for the price but the whole rudder thing needs attention. I bet you can fix the housing problem or find a friend who can help.

Now I under$tand why I've never $een one.

Ask for permission.

This weekend I threw what was already on my T-rig, some craw I forget which probably Zoom speed craw, and tied my PB. I often throw whatever is tied on if it's reasonably close to what I want.

Or just get snagged like I do

Spinning knots don't need wind. I stuck a GoPro on my rod pointing at the reel. There are two casts in slow motion right when you hit play on this video. The second cast is easier to see the line. I can see how easy it would be for a twisted line to not get through the first guide quick enough and cause a big knot. Wind would be worse, but these knots can happen without it.

Awesome video! I was laughing the whole time since I already knew the ending, thanks for sharing! Love the GoPros, the good and the not so. It's all fun to watch later.

My stepbrother was always the butt of jokes as a kid because he couldn't use a hammer and all that. Now he's a president at Intel and pays other people to do his dirty work. The rest of us can still use a hammer though.

Custom jacket with non-matching third sleeve...$280 Spray-on tan for one hand...$35 Ability to have a beer in your hand while bass fishing? Priceless!

I haven't had good luck with BPS XPS suspending baits. They don't suspend. I use cheaper baits a lot but I have some Smithwicks for jerks. They aren't too expensive.

No.

That's what I was thinking. My GoPro is on all the time. If I'm looking at something it gets recorded. Is a video good enough to get LEO after someone if you have their numbers, depending on the offense? I saw a Greg Blanchard vid recently where a bass boat ripped by him very close, total jerks, totally in the wrong. Very dangerous. I would have reported them if it were me, and if I knew anyone would care.

I'm now looking at the Old Town Sportsman, which seems to be an upgraded Topwater. $2000. Problem is they are hard to find in stock. One store that has them in stock will cost me an extra $450 in tax and shipping. Another has no tax and cheap shipping but not available until November. Yikes. I still may go cheaper, but I like the dry storage, the ease of running in-hull electronics, transducer area, the seat, and I know the drive is top quality. Everything is, and I like the overall design. Speaking of storage, there are two pockets in front where you can slip a Plano box in each. Still just looking around. Edit: I found some Sportsmans near Sacramento I can pick up myself. But I still need to wait until I use my yak a few more times. Maybe I'll do that this coming week.

At least it didn't hook you! Looks like a direct hit. I've been missed by inches. I'll post a pic if/when I get one in the head. Only story I can thnk of is the GoPro I set on my Dad's dock that is now 15 feet below the dock never to be found. Too many weeds even for a guy that had his scuba gear. I tried a long net but never found it. It would be cool to see the video from it after it fell.

Aw crud all they sell are Hobies! I'll check it out. Mirage is cheap but limited features. I've been looking for cheaper pedal yaks but I may bump up my price point another $500 which would be $2000 total. Seems like the extra 500 can get me a lot more. I'm wearing out my hands/carpel tunnel doing all this searching. And I still need to use my paddle yak more and make sure I want to invest more in yakking at all. Kinda my best option so I probably will. And it's fun at my Dad's because I have good fishing as soon as I take off from the dock. Here in San Jose I have to paddle half an hour to find no fish in apuddle that was once a lake, so that's no fun. I notice Greg Blanchard sits very high up in his Native. I wonder if that helps or hurts with pedaling? Is there a lot of resistance when you pedal/fin? Questions questions...gotta find a store.

Would You Fish Out This? Could You? No, I need bees stinging me, trees grabbing my cast backswings, people leaving garbage, and limited fishing from shore. I also like the threat of snake bites and HECK YA I could fish from that. When do we go?

Didn't know they could go sideways, interesting. All the pedal yak fishing I know so far is from watching Blanchard. I could have used something to keep me drifiting too close to docks or shore. Anything would have beat my paddle. One thing that got me excited to give yakking another try is that it was waaaay easier than I thought to put my Ride 115 on the roof of my minivan. I had a truck before which was even easier. I figured getting it on the roof would aggravate my tendinitis or back, but nope it was so easy. Even if my new yak is 100 pounds I'm not worried about loading it now. And I will probably keep it at my Dad's a lot. It's one of the only lakes in the Motherlode area that is completely full. Might be one foot low. It's a beautiful lake and has great bass...I may never take the yak anywhere else! Aaah I probably will I just need to try these. I always thought Headwaters was a kayak store but I see they do rentals and yak tours. Do you know anyplace where you can try the yaks? I always thought Headwaters was the place to do it but I think I'm wrong. I'm in Bay Area but will drive to Sac area or wherever. I'll make a day out of it.

Photo of your forehead? Glad you made out okay. I'll try and think of one when I get back from the store, but I have video of me almost getting nailed in the face by crankbaits more than once.

That sounds cool. No instant reverse is a deal breaker for me. I will use it all the time. I saw on one site that Hobie "owns the patent" for reverse, whatever that means, so let me ask whoever...are there fin drives out there besides Hobie with instant reverse? I'm also curiuous how it works, how you engage reverse. Those Titans are tanks. I'm not sold on either propulsion system and I still need to try them.

And notoriety equals sponsorships, which I'd guess brings in a lot more income than prize cash. $121,000 barely pays for a boat and truck to pull it.

I use my 8 foot paddle standing up. How do you control your kayak standing up? I rarely stand up in my kayak anyways. I could see me falling into the water if I used a foot controlled TM on one while standing LOL.. A paddle is still a requirement with a pedal drive, at least for me. Maybe attach an oar blade to the butt of the fishing rod? I've actually reoriented my kayak by tugging hard on a crankbait. I'd imagine you can adjust the seat however you want. I used to use a bicycle thingy at the gym and it was similar to sitting in a yak (not a bike seat) and it wasn't reclined. We shall see. I'm gonna plan a trip to Headwaters or someplace else I can try out some yaks. If I like one I will buy it, then sell my Ride 115 later. I only paid $500 for the used Ride with the AirPro seat so I bet I could get more for it. Seems to be a shortage of used yaks in my area.

I think I prefer the prop to the fins, but I have never tried either. Bicycle style seems like it would be easier to maintain pedaling momentum. Good tip!

Thought of it but if I get a motor I have to register the yak. Not a huge deal but at that point I'd get a jon boat instead. I'd really rather have a jon boat but I can't store one. And I'm sure I can pedal all day and go for many miles if I want. My legs are strong. Pedals seem the easiest and quickest way to make corrections while fishing docks and near shore, which for me is the most frustrating aspect of yak fishing.. Blanchard only uses his motor to switch locations for instance. If I get the right yak I can always add a motor, and some can fit a motor right into the pedal hole. With my Ride 115 adding a motor is more trouble than its worth so I'd need a new yak anyways. I've thought a lot about this and a motor is overklill for me. Just putting it and the battery in will be a literal pain. But I may add one later who knows. Best of both worlds.

I like just enough slack that if I lift my rod tip the slack goes away. I will raise and lower the tip to feel for strikes as I go along. At least I think that's what I do.

Eagle Claw Lazer Sharp. It says "lazer sharp" right in the name!!! Haven't had a problem with them. I don't catch huge fish but I've had some huge heavy snags and I've never bent one. The expensive stuff adds up. You got yer dollar hook, your 4 dollar tungsten, and a $1 Yamamoto Senko. That's $5 bucks ready to lose.