JayMac89

Great morning of fishing. Out of my 3 seasons so far, this has to be a top 5 day. Caught 4-5 bass. The fifth one I got to the kayak but lost him when I went for the net. Not really counting that fish so 4 fish this morning. As iv mentioned though, this season I'm really dedicating myself to improving. I always had luck. Good days, bad days. But I could catch a few pretty regularly. But it felt accidental if that makes sense. Well today I threw nothing but a t-rigged creature bait. Believe it was a strike king rodent? I'm not sure on that. But I had some minor success Monday with it. So I kept that going. Safe to say I went from not a lot of confidence to fully confident with that technique. Every got a brand new spinning combo last night (like I said, I'm dedicated to improving). Besides throwing a bait I could literally count with my fingers all the times iv thrown it before, and having great success. I also just knew where to find them. The pattern from Monday continued today. Plus iv been paying alot more attention so swirls and what not. Caught 2 by seeing movement and targeting that area. I must say though, I'm terrible casting with spinning gear. Holy cow I need to work on that. Here's the 2 better fish from today... After getting 2 fairly quickly, I really wanted 5. Got to 4 and decided to stay a little longer even though I was feeling pretty done. Got that 5th to the boat and lost it... little bummed about that. But I was also only out for 4 hours. And had a few other fish I lost. Keep improving and today could of easily been a 7-8 fish morning. Just glad to have things come together rather than just catching them randomly. Today was the first day since I started fishing where I truly felt like I had a purpose and knew what I was doing. Very happy with the morning and broke the new combo in the right way.

Iv told this story here before, but yes. I fished as a kid, mostly salt water. I'm the type of guy who goes all in and obsesses over hobbies. I don't have a ton. I surf, but there's not always waves. I play bass, but I'm an early riser and can't do that early without waking the wife. I train judo and bjj. But I needed a more "relaxing" hobby. Tried bass fishing. Specifically targeting bass rather than anything that'll bite like I have in the past. Anyway I had only caught 1 bass at this point. Went to a local lake and wasn't having luck. Snagging a bunch. Threw out a lipless and felt some weight. Was thinking I was snagged again. Then as I was realizing somthing felt different, I see this bass jump and throw my lure. Made multiple casts back but nothing. This bass looked huge. I couldn't stop thinking about it all day. Went back later in the day just wanting to catch a single fish. Spent hours getting frustrated. I was ready to call it quits. Started making my way back to my truck while making mindless casts. Right where I lost the fish in the morning, I saw a boil. Stepped back and made a cast. Boom. Solid 3 pounder. Which was huge for me at the time. I 110% belive it was the same fish I lost. Same spot. Same size and this lake doesn't have a ton of big fish. I was hooked right there. That's where my obsession kicked in. The chase, the excitement, the dedication, I was all in. That entire experience. Of things had kept going the way they were I would of gave it up. But that fish taught me to keep going and stay hungry. Now I fish whenever there aren't waves and I'm not working.

Been slammed at work and had to work the past few Saturdays. Not alot of fishing done. Weather and water have both warmed up considerably. Got out Saturday and Sunday with no luck. I am the lead mechanic at a commercial HVAC/R shop. Which means I also have a bit of a managerial role as well as being a mechanic. Both days we were getting slammed with calls so I spent more time on the phone and helping the other mechanics out than fishing. It was frustrating. Talking to other guys out, no one was really having much luck all weekend. Monday I finally got on some fish. Only two but better than nothing. Nothing big. Nothing special. But this season I'm really dedicating myself to improving on certain techniques. Both these fish were caught on a weightless t-rigged creature bait. A technique I really want to improve on. Iv found a few things. One, I can skip a wacky rig or t rig quite easily. Which is big time. I know it's crazy to think. But my first ever bass was caught on a t rig worm, then I quickly moved on to other stuff. Due to a few different reasons but to keep this from being a novel, I'll just leave it at that. My first fish was actually caught in a cool way, at least for me. I always see you guys talking about "line watching" when talking about jigs or t rigs. Well that's how I caught this fish. Saw a boil and made a few casts, felt nothing but saw my line moving sideways. Set the hook and boom. Fish. The second fish was caught by figuring out a sort of pattern. I was casting to shoreline cover with no luck. But maybe 10-15 feet off the shoreline was some submerged vegetation and I kept seeing movement. Started targeting that. Boom second fish. Had a few more bites. Caught a few pickrel. I'm really happy with how this season is going. Iv gained a ton of confidence in jigs, wacky rigs, and now t rigs. I had success in seasons of the past. But always felt one dimensional. Or lacking in a ton of techniques. Alot has really came together for me so far. Learned a ton this season. Honestly, probably learned or had the light bulb "ah ha" moment more this season then I'm my past 2 seasons combined. That's what it's all about, learning and experience. Very very very happy with the way things are going

100%. Granted, I fish pretty bare bones from my yak compared to others. No electronics. But it's stealthy as anything. That's the number 1 benefit to me. But to your second point, funny thing iv noticed. All the guys in jon boats (no gas motors allowed) on my lakes are sitting down 95% of the time. Barley moving. Kayak guys are all standing and moving. I have a sportsman pdl 106. So not even a big yak. And I'm incredibly comfortable. Stand, sit, turn around, get into the front hatch, pee off the side. I'm not saying one's better than the other. Different strokes for different folks. But I do see alot of guys assuming a tricked out kayak is trying to be a small boat. No, it's not. It's trying to be a tricked out kayak. Because despite what some people here are saying, there are a few things a kayak does better than a boat... inherently. Meaning whether it's a cheapo yak or top of the line. Tricked out or not. And if those things are important to you as a fisherman, then kayaks might be for you

I do agree. But the real takeaway is this. If that thing wasn't comfortable, i wouldn't wear it. I'd find somthing else and go without in the meantime, especially considering my comfort level in water. Not saying that's the right thing to do, or smart, just being honest. But the thing is that comfortable and convenient that i actually WANT to wear it. Which when it comes to PFDs is a huge deal. How many people answered this post with "the best PFD is the one you'll wear". Well the chinook goes beyond "yeah i can tolerate it" and goes straight to "i want to wear it".

So I got into kayak fishing last September. Fell in love and quickly upgraded my yak and yada yada yada. I never wore a PFD. I fish small lakes with no gas motors allowed. Im a lifelong surfer, surfing year round in NY (that means surfing during blizzards, nor'easters, water in the upper 30s). Iv dealt with 10-15 ft swells. Im not saying i don't have to wear a PFD. Just painting the picture of why i didn't and felt comfortable without one. Fast forward, i made the decision to wear one. And got a NRS chinook. Only wore it two or three times. I really don't notice it. The foam feels bulky, but it hasn't gotten in my way yet. I thought I'd hate it and it would take getting used to. Not the case. I actually enjoy it. I like the pockets. Very comfortable. It's my understanding that they were made with kayak fishing in mind (could be wrong). But i think it'd work well on a boat as well.

Since getting that 5 pounder 2 weeks ago its been slow for me. Mostly due to work and weather. Got out yesterday morning. Almost caught another giant, followed my jig back to the kayak then took a swipe. Unfortunately i was distracted by a gigantic snaping turtle on the other side of the yak. The bass d**n near jumped in with me but i blew that whole deal. Then it started raining and i called it quits empty handed. There was a kayak tournament at the lake iv been fishing most latley, so decided to go else where. Less than 5 minutes from my house. A lake iv been to a handful of times but never caught anything. Started off pretty frustrating. Pitching the jig into shoreline cover. Caught nothing but branches. Was pretty chilly out. Decided to throw the lipless crank in deeper water and ended up getting this nice fish. Didn't weigh it but probably closer to 3. Really nice fish. I was surprised honestly. Might have to put more work in at this lake. It's definitely convenient being so close to home, that's for sure

I fish a jig regularly, although am no where close to being a jig expert. It's one of those techniques I'm trying to get much better at. So take my opinion with a grain of salt. The first two jigs i used regularly were the SK structure jig and the bitsy bug jig. Had far more success with the bitsy bug. If your unfamiliar, it's a smaller profile. Since then, iv started using the outkast juice jig. As my "bigger profile" jig. I really like this jig. It's bigger than the bitsy bug. But smaller than the structure jig. Including the hook, not as thick. Which i feel helps me increase my hookups. Keep in mind I'm still learning the technique, so I'm not detecting bites and swinging for the fences. I feel the things hook helps my stick them better. I still use the bitsy bug more. Iv had a fair amount of success with it. But now if I'm reaching for a bigger profile its the outkast juice jig.

Very interesting. Thanks for the info. My pedal drive is new, so I'm not looking to get into a TM anytime soon. But knew it was a possible option down the line. You guys answered alot of those questions. Sounds like these TMs have far more functionality then i originally thought. So thank you, and sorry for the hijack.

Yeah i was just curious. I love my pedal drive. The biggest benefit for me and the way i fish is having hands free. I'll usually travel the bank, making casts. If I'm coming up on a good looking laydown I'll slow down, stop, swing back around if need be, yada yada yada. Then I'll stand and fish if I'm really picking a spot apart. My point is though i have a hand on a rod at all times outside of the split second it takes to make a slight steering adjustment. Other than that everything's done with feet/pedals. The TM powered yaks don't seem to suit that style of fishing. But again, lots of guys like them so maybe I'm missing somthing

Not to hijack or anything. But i was always kind of curious about this, and it may help August out. But how do these trolling motors on kayaks work? Logistically i mean. I know there's different options. But iv seen ones with a little controller, almost like a key fob. Point being you'd still need your hands to control... which takes them off a fishing pole. But alot of people seem to enjoy these TM powered kayaks. So i feel like i must be wrong. Just curious

I bought a old town sportsman pdl 106 recently. I love it. I'm a small guy. 5'8 160lbs. I stand all day in that thing. Super stable. No issues at all there and it's the 106. Bigger would be even more stable obviously. I find the 106 more than stable enough and the reduced size makes storage and transportation easier Also i get the whole appeal to the motor. And iv never used one. But having a pedal drive has some pretty great benefits I'm finding. Can go super stealth. Auto stop. Jogging in place. Throwing that thing in reverse while fighting a fish. Just somthing to think about. Paddles are a pain. But pedals are great. Granted, I'm in shape and very active. But iv hadn't gotten even remotely tired or strained pedaling that kayak. I don't find the motor worth the extra money. Again, never used a motor kayak. Just basing that opinion on how effortless a pedal version is. I got mine brand new for 2600 i belive. More than your 2k but not by much. And used im sure you could get closer to your 2k budget. I was looking into the native slayer before deciding on the old town, pretty sure it was cheaper too.

This story is what really got me hooked on bass fishing. I did some fishing as a kid, but never specifically targeted bass. As an adult, bought a house with a lake down the block. Wanted to get into bass fishing. Did some research and learning. Just painting the picture that i was new, no experience, and was trying to piece all the info i looked up together. Maybe only my 5th time specifically targeting bass. Fishing a lake in a park. Man made i belive. The whole lake is surrounded by a walk way where people jog or walk thier dogs. No bank, just a sort of wall. I went in the morning, throwing along the wall as i made my way around the lake. Because structure, right? I felt the heaviness of getting snagged on a branch a few times. Mistaking it for a bass. Long story short, i was starting to feel defeated. Threw my lipless out, felt what i thought was just another snag, then just as i was realizing somthing felt different, thought of setting the hook, i saw a huge (to me) bass jump and throw my lure. Ugh. Threw a few follow up casts. Nothing. Ended up leaving shortly after. All day i couldn't stop thinking about this fish. At this point i had only caught 1 small bass in my few trips. Felt so close to success. Replayed the situation over and over in my head. And i knew it was a big guy. I NEEDED redemption. Ended up heading back later in the evening. Still no luck. Was getting annoyed because now thier was a ton of people around. Kids running up to me, people feeding the ducks and swans right next to where i was fishing. Sun was about to set. Im done. I'll keep throwing casts out as i make my way back to the parking lot, but I'm defeated. The motivation was gone. I get back to the spot where i lost the fish. Two kids are looking in the water. And we see a big boil. They just looked at me with wide eyes. I stepped back, made a cast. BAM! I caught a 3-4 pounder. Probably closer to 3 1/2. I was ecstatic. The kids were freaking out. The rush...i was hooked. The kicker, I'm 99.9% sure that was the exact fish i lost. Same exact spot. Same size i thought i saw. And this lake is not even close to having a ton of big fish. What were the chances? I went back after thinking about that lost fish all day, just hoping to catch somthing. The thought of catching the same fish i lost seemed impossible. But im confident that was exactly what happened. From thier on, i was hooked.

So my main hobby is surfing. Obviously in the ocean. Not lakes. Waves don't get bigger as they travel. What your experiencing is called wind fetch. When there's a hurricane (or any substantial low pressure system) out in the middle of the ocean that wind is blowing unobstructed (fetch) for long distances. That energy gets transferred into the water. This is how waves are created. As they travel (again talking about ocean here) they actually get smaller as that energy begins to dissipate. I'm a surf geek. So I'm sure that's more information then your looking for. But technically, no they don't grow. But that north side of the lake has less fetch due to the land essentially causing friction. As you get further away from the north side you'll experience bigger waves due to the increased fetch (wind blowing unobstructed).

I'll throw my .02 in. I love kayak fishing. Started in September last year, quickly upgraded to a pedal drive. Fell in love with it fast and hard. I also fish small lakes. I don't know the acreage. But small enough that no gas motors are allowed. I'm taking an educated guess but id guess i could pedal my yak around one of the bigger lakes i fish in about an hour or two depending on the lake. If i fished some of these bigger lakes alot of you guys fish, i don't think i ever would of tried kayak fishing. Would of went straight from bank to a boat. Too much water to cover. Hell, i almost went straight to a jon boat on my small lakes. BUT there is that somthing about fishing out of a kayak. Don't know what it is exactly. But im sure you know what i mean. And I'm so glad i went the kayak route. Although i just said i would of gone straight to a boat from the bank if i fished these bigger lakes, knowing what i now know about kayak fishing in not sure i would. I just caught my PB yesterday.... would not of been possible in a boat. I had to get the kayak up in there. You know what I'm saying. The way i see it, you have a few options. -The first is obvious.... get a boat. - second is keep the kayak but break your lakes up into smaller kayak size pieces. If possible with launch spots. Fish the NE corner today. The south tomorrow. Yada yada. Don't try and fish the entire thing in one day or motor across it. - option 3. You mentioned loving your kayak. But wish you could spend more time fishing.... well you can. Pretty simply. Just fish and stop trying to cover water. If that means fishing different smaller lakes. Or fish your bigger lake but accept the fact that your limited to a certain area. No one spends 10K on somthing they don't love. You clearly love kayak fishing. Our at least did at one point. Before you make a decision, take a week and fish out of the kayak. But fish out of it with a kayaker mentality, not a boaters. If you find yourself wishing you could motor across the lake... well there's your answer. If you have a blast, well maybe then all you needed was a change in mentality.

Glad to see you got some PhishLI! The weathers been tough with so that wind. I was out yesterday morning as well, i swear it started hailing for a brief minute before it turned to rain. And thank you ol'crickety. But like i said, i really have to thank the people on this forum. I don't post a ton, but i read alot. And have learned alot. In the past i wouldnt of been as aware/cautious. But i had the voices in my head reminding me of things iv picked up here. That's what makes that one so special. I could go further into detail but I'll just leave it at this. Every part of that catch, from before i casted to the release, i was using things that iv picked up here. Lot of things clicked, great learning experience.

Best day of fishing in my short fishing life. This is only my third season being dedicated. Only caught 1 bass so far this year. Until today. Also made a commitment to get better at jig fishing. Bought a dedicated jig rod and its had a jig tied on at all times. Also got a new old town pdl 106. Well, this was the first fish in that kayak. Weather's been in the 40s, but windy. Went out this morning. With the wind chill out was low 30s out. I had a wacky worm, a jerkbait, and a bitsy bug jig tied on. Wasn't having any luck. I'd hit the north bank, targeting bushes and lay downs. Then as the wind blew me away I'd start with the jerkbait. Just trying to figure out the pattern. After being blown far enough i started the pedal back to the north bank. As i approached i saw a gnarly looking laydown. Came in slow and stealth. Didn't like my angle. Adjusted. Was about to just make a few pitches to the outside of the laydown, fearing getting hung up. Then remembered all of learned here. Pitched the bitsy bug right in the thick of it. Immediately felt the weight and set the hook. As i did i see the branch i pitched next to move. Dang, I'm hung up. Then i saw the fish, still submerged. She had me wrapped around this branch of the laydown. Long story short, i had to keep the fish pinned while moving the kayak in a better position to get unstuck. Finally did. Kayak got pulled into the laydown. Reeling the fish in when i saw its size. Just started yelling. I couldn't belive it. Got the fish into the net, ny the way i need a bigger net, this thing barley fit. 5LB even. Jig right in the upper lip. Beautiful fish. I know 5 isn't a big deal for some guys. But iv never seen a fish this size in my area. My old PB was on the upper 3s. I was shaking with excitement. It's just awesome. Yes the fish is great. But everything together. The things i learned. First fish in the new kayak, on a bait i wanted to get better at, in a location i normally would of passed on (or at least not got as deep into), in a time of year i struggled in the past, the fight and dealing with getting wrapped up.... all of it. Stoked. And just want to thank this forum. Learned a ton here and multiple things iv picked up on here came into play on this fish. So thank you everyone.

The reason i asked about a boat is this... perspective. If you went the route i did, getting a cheap yak first to see if its your thing, there is limitations. Coming from shore those limitations are overshadowed by the benefits of getting onto the water. From a boat, those limitations might be more apparent since your already used to being on the water. Could possibly paint yak fishing in a negative light unfairly. I have an old town pdl 105. I throw it in the back of my silverado. That's one of the things i love about kayak fishing. Just get up and go. Even the pdl 105 is fairly cumbersome/heavy. Kayak cart is a must. With the cart its extremely light. Once it's resting on the bed of the truck, again it's easy. I don't have experience with the auto pilot or the 120s. If your storing it nearby like you did the canoe, no problem. If your storing it in an apartment, just food for thought. I got to imagine those are a pain to move around without a cart.

Do you currently fish from a boat? If you do, then this may not be good advice. If you fish from the shore, then this is what i did. Disclaimer. I couldn't test drive any kayaks in my area. If you can test, that's obviously the best option. My situation was that i had/have a jon boat that needed work before i could get out into the water. The boat was in OK shape but the trailer and paperwork and yada yada yada. Anyway, i needed to get off the shore. Didn't know if I'd like kayak fishing but it seemed like my fastest and easiest route of the bank. I bought a cheap fishing kayak from a local sporting goods store. 500 bucks. Just a a test run, to see if I'd like it. If i did i would upgrade. If i didn't, i could sell it. Fell in love with kayak fishing. Bought the kayak around September last year, just got an old town pdl about 2 weeks ago and sold the cheap one. Only lost 150 bucks on it. Kayak fishing is different. I love it, but don't think it's for everyone. Even though i had a cheap kayak i knew that some of the little annoyances could be remedied with a more purpose built better kayak. Again, I'm not saying don't test them out. Definitely do that. I'm just offering another solution if you can't test. Not only that, but my first day on the kayak was not great. It took a few days and upgrades(anchor trolley) to get used to it and see the potential and fun in it. Point being, if you never fished from a yak you might need a few days on it actually fishing to decide if it's for you. I'd much rather take a gamble on a cheap yak then an expensive one. Just realize thier are limitations to the cheaper yaks, so don't let those deter you.

I'm in LINY. Was out for 5 hours Sunday and not a single bass. Couple of pickerel. Wacky rig, dragging a jig, swimming a jig, jerkbait, square bill. Deep and shallow. Sunny side, shady side. Grass. Laydowns. Points. Open water. Granted i don't have nearly the experience other guys have. But i didn't see anyone else catching bass. Talked to a few guys. Only heard of 1 bass being caught. And this is at a lake known for good bass fishing. Not a ton of pressure. Was easy to get down about it but was able to talk myself into seeing it as a positive. Learned a few things. Got used to the new kayak. Now if i still can't catch em when it's warmer then I'll start to get frustrated.

Yeah I'm keeping it simple. Like i said, my tenton was simple mostly due to the lack of space, but it's what i like and got used to. Having the option to add more had me thinking about what else i COULD do but the more i think about it, the more i think I'm just going to stick with what already has been working for me. Maybe upgrade the DIY stuff i made. But not adding a bunch of stuff i didn't already have. I actually hate track mount rod holders for the reason that they add clutter and things in the way. The only add on that i didn't have on the tenton that I'm seriously considering is a fish finder. Not so much for finding fish, but for finding structure/cover. Was really interested in the garmin that had side scan and down imaging. But even that, not sure how much use I'd get out of it. I'm often fishing shallow stuff. I'll take at least til next season to make that decision.... probably.... maybe. I work as a HVAC/R mechanic. A mantra of mine for installs is "see the finished job". At work that's great so time isn't wasted and mistakes aren't made. When it comes to the yak, i don't think that works. And doesn't sound like it works for you guys either. Still surprised by that. But it does make sense.

I'm pretty surprised. It sounds like most of you guys just slowly added and made adjustments as needed. Which is basically what I'm going to be doing. It's just surprising that no one really had a end goal in mind straight from the jump. Whoever mentioned stake out poles, iv actually been mowing that one over in my head as well. I do fish pretty shallow waters. Max would be about 8-12 ft. There is one lake that is very deep for the area that iv never fished. Seemed like a nightmare with a paddle. But maybe I'm try it out now. I'm pretty impulsive. But when it comes to big money i try to be smart about it. It's nice to know holes can be sealed. Never thought about that. That's why i come here. But point is i would like to avoid that. I think I'm playing it too safe though and at some point just got to go for it. Took it out again this afternoon. Winds died down some and it warmed up. It needs an anchor trolly 100%. That's going to be my first thing i add. Got to start somewhere. And I'd like to thank everyone. I know it sounds like a silly question. But first of all, i learned somthing new. And my mind got put at ease for not having a full blown end goal in mind. I trust you guys. Feel much better about just adding what i think is essential for now then making changes as my wants/needs change.

Took it out on the maiden voyage today. Weather was NOT fun. 30 degrees, 20mph winds with gusts up to 40. Temps in the teens with the wind chill. I loved it though. Wasn't out long. Was nice to be able to pedal and keep my hands warm in my jacket pockets. Actually worked up a bit of a sweat. Was really just testing things out. Had it loaded out. My current set up is bare bones. Crate with 4 rod holders. One of those actually holds my net, the 4th rod goes in a factory rod holder. My anchor sits in the other factory rod holder. Paddle in the factory paddle holder. Left pocket hold my scale, right pocket has the donkey leash and pliers. The drive storage has a rope and a wacky worm tool. Front hatch has the spare pins that came with the kayak. I was very surprised with how well it held position. In my tenton I'd be spinning in circles. I was not in the old town. And i was able to counter the wind by pedaling. Changed jerkbaits, slowly pedaled backwards and held position for the most part. Any way, to the point of this post. I do like the way its set up for now. The anchor trolly is my big dilemma. I land fish on my right so i like to keep that area clear. My paddle holder is on the left. If i went with an anchor wizard that would go to the left, then the anchor trolly would be on my left. Seems like I'd get cluttered quick. And paddle would be in the way. Solution would be the yak attack paddle holder. But then there's somthing else on my left. And if i did put electronics in, which im undecided on, id like that on the left as well. My DIY anchor wizard works quite well, and is attached to my crate. So there's one thing i could eliminate from the left side clutter. Think I'd add the trolley first (since that seems like priority #1 as far as anchoring goes), then come up with a paddle holder solution after that if i do find its in the way. Then depending on how things are working out i could upgrade to a anchor wizard. If I'm being honest, my big dilemma is i don't like using an anchor a ton. But when you need it, you need it. Now that i have the pedal drive and can hold position better, will i use it even less? Maybe. Guess we'll have to see. Would like to get more fishing done in it before i start drilling holes and making changes. This is fun stuff though. I love the fact that i have options. Just got to figure out what works best for me.

I'm not drilling anything until I'm sure. I'm also not asking how to set it up. I realize that's going to change person to person. I'm asking how you guys go about coming up with your own set up. Im asking how you go about setting your own yak up. For instance, i didn't realize you could move items that you've drilled. Not that i would want to do that. But never heard of that before. Good info. I'm possibly thinking about a micro power pole vs the trolley anchor. When you guys get a yak are you already decided on what you want long term? Electronics and micro power pole is a possibility in the future for me. But i hadn't decided (obviously since i hadn't even taken it out yet). When you guys get into a new yak are you already decided on that type of stuff or do you rig it out then make changes as things come up. My biggest fear when it comes to this yak is to set it up then want to change the more permanent types of things (hole drilling) in the future. Hence my curiosity and this post.

I did check out navarre. I plan on getting a few things from him. But I'm very interested in how you mentioned the two different kayaks being set up different. I almost feel like that will be my experience. The lifetime was set up light and it worked fine. But i also couldn't fish out of it for long due to comfort. We'll have to see but i feel like and hope i will be taking much much longer trips with the old town. Which may or may not warrant a different approach. Funny you brought up the black pack though. That'll probably be an upgrade as well. The DIY crate works fine but those black packs look nice. The DIY crate belongs on a cheapo yak. A nice yak deserves a nice crate.