Saturday, July 16, 2011

Choosing a Kayak for Fishing (SFM, May 2011)

From the May issue of Susquehanna Fishing Magazine.
To read the current and all back issues, visit SusquehannaFishing.com:

http://susquehannafishing.com/

By Jon Shein

You’d have to be blind not to notice the increase in kayaks being used for fishing. It’s the fastest growing part of both the kayak and fishing sports. Most anglers, however, aren’t sure how to get started. If they have a friend who’s already an enthusiast it’s a big help, but often that isn’t the situation. More often they go down to the local kayak shop and tell salesman they want to fish from a kayak. However, unless someone at the shop is a kayak angler, it is often a recipe for disaster. That’s because the only thing a person that is a recreational paddler and kayak fisherman have in common is the kayak. Just like vehicles, kayaks come in a wide array of sizes and configurations. If you were buying a car would you go to your local dealership and just ask for their recommendation without them knowing anything about what your needs were? If you need a pickup truck you don’t settle for a 2 seat sports car; it’s the same with kayaks. When you go to the car dealer to buy a car you already have a good idea what you want. By answering a few questions and doing a bit of research you can do the same with a kayak purchase.

There are several things you have to ask yourself and consider before you choose the models that make the most sense for your needs. The first consideration is you: your height, weight and inseam. If you’re tall then you need a model that has lots of leg room. At a recent kayak show, a buddy wanted to get a pedal-drive kayak. I’m 5’9” with a 30” inseam and my favorite model from that company didn’t have enough legroom for him. They didn’t have the 16’ model on the floor and got one for him to try. He fell in love with it and now owns one.

The next criteria has nothing to do with the kayak directly. It’s your vehicle and how you plan on getting the kayak to the water. For instance, if you plan on doing all your fishing in your backyard, because you live on a lake or river, then there isn’t much to consider, but most of us transport our kayak to where we fish, so your vehicle becomes a major factor. If you have a pickup truck and plan on using the bed it’s simple. By law the kayak can’t stick out by more than a few feet. Each state’s law is different, so check, but figure that more than 3’ needs a bed extender. As long as you can get the kayak into the bed of the pickup, you can transport any kayak. I get lots of people asking me about the Hobie Pro Angler. It’s a really cool kayak, but I tell them unless they’ve got an empty pickup truck bed or a trailer to consider another model. Most of us transport a kayak on the roof using a rack. So you have to be able to physically get the kayak on the roof without hurting yourself or the vehicle. Again your build and strength is important. If you’re 5’6” and weigh 150 pounds, getting an 80 pound kayak onto the roof of a Suburban or pickup with a cap is going to be somewhere between difficult to impossible. So choose a kayak that you can handle. The weight and your size matters.

Next you need to consider where you plan on using it. Keep in mind kayak fishing, no matter what you think it might be, is more than that. I like to use the analogy that you’re like Dorothy in the movie The Wizard of Oz and before getting a kayak you’re stuck in Kansas. After getting a kayak it’s as if you’ve landed in Oz. It’s a significant leap up the access scale in fishing. You’ll be able to hit lots of places shore-bound anglers can reach, along with lots of places boats can too, but the best part are all those neat places neither can effectively fish or reach. That’s where some of the best fishing is, because those fish aren’t seeing fishermen. So consider where you plan on using your kayak and what’s possible. That kayak you’re buying to fish the Susquehanna can take a road trip to the Jersey shore for stripers and bluefish, or can take a vacation down to Florida in the winter for snook, tarpon, redfish and more.

When I was a retailer I used to get a lot of calls from fishermen in eastern and central Pennsylvania. Many wanted a 15 to 16 foot kayak for fishing the salt. A longer kayak is a better choice for saltwater, but I’d talk them into a 12 to 13 foot kayak. That’s because while they’d make a trip to the Jersey Shore once or twice a month, they had lots of opportunity to fish in their own backyard. Many of these places were rivers or hike in-ponds and lakes. For such situations a shorter kayak was a better choice. Still these models performed well enough in the salt, but more important was they could maneuver much more easily in small tight places, environments those longer kayaks couldn’t handle.

That brings us to our next consideration: kayak dimensions and how it affects performance. Two things affect performance the most. They are length and width. The longer the kayak, the faster it will be, and the wider it is, the more stable. Most beginners are willing to sacrifice speed for stability, but this isn’t a good idea. While most fishermen have never been in a kayak before, the learning curve is very fast. It’s similar to learning how to ride a bike. Those training wheels were only good for a day or two. Learning to use a kayak is even faster. So you don’t want to sacrifice a lot of speed/efficiency for stability. The difference between an 8’ and 10’ isn’t worth it. That’s because you’re the motor and your energy is finite. Factors like wind and current have a huge affect on kayak efficiency and it becomes the most important consideration when you have to cover more than a couple miles on the water. This one phenomenon is why I am not a big fan of demo-ing kayaks. A good friend of mine said it well. Trying out kayaks without any experience is a lot like test driving cars without having gotten a driver’s license yet. There’s no point of reference. So most non kayakers buy the slowest, most stable kayak they can (a bicycle with training wheels) and after only a few times on the water they realize their mistake and want to get a more efficient model. Unlike the bike, where the training wheels come off, you’re stuck with the slow kayak. You may ask what the big deal is. So what if it takes a bit longer to get somewhere? The problem is. because you’re the energy source and that energy is finite, it may take more than you have to get somewhere, especially if you have to paddle against wind or go upriver against current for any distance.

To some people color is important. I say either go with a highly visible kayak or a dull one. Either way you can make a dull kayak bright by wearing bright clothes, having a bright paddle blade and most importantly by adding a flag. You can’t make a bright kayak dull, though. If you hunt, using a kayak for this sport is also growing rapidly, and camo or muted colors are the most popular with hunters. Even if you don’t hunt you may fish places where you don’t want to be seen by other people.

Now you’ve got a better idea of what you’re looking for in a kayak. There are some great resources to help you more. Online forums are a great place to ask questions. Also I’ve written the most comprehensive book on the subject, Kayak Fishing, and it covers everything you need to know. Another thing I tell beginners is try to find a used kayak, if possible. That’s because until you’re a participant in the sport, you won’t know what it’s truly all about. Getting back to kayak choice, don’t be an experiment either. By this I mean there are certain kayak models the majority of anglers fishing the same region and waters you do are using. There’s a reason -- because they work well in that environment. Let others test out the new kayak that looks cool, but nobody knows if it’s going to do the job or not. You don’t want to make an expensive mistake.

Within each class there are going to be several kayaks that will do the job nicely for you. Now your choice often comes down to a variety of criteria. Availability is one. If the shops in your area carry the model it’s easier to buy local, but keep in mind you can have it shipped to you. However, you can’t sit in it if it’s being mailed to you. So that’s a consideration. Each model is going to have different features. Some kayaks have integrated seats, while others allow you to add one. Some have accessory systems where you can attach things easily or have surfaces that allow you to mount things. It’s a lot like choosing between a Honda Accord and a Toyota Camry at this point. They both do the same thing, but people choose one over the other every day.

Whatever you do, don’t let paralysis stop you from getting started. Most of us who fish from kayaks wish we’d started sooner. You will too.

Jon Shein is a veteran kayak angler. His recently released book, Kayak Fishing, can be purchased at the following website: http://www.kayakfishingbook.net/

Friday, July 15, 2011

Elements, Part IV: Lunar (SFM, May 2011)

From the May 2011 issue of Susquehanna Fishing Magazine.
To download the current and back issues free, visit SusquehannaFishing.com:

http://susquehannafishing.com

Elements

By William Milheim

I learned to fish from my father; he was an early morning and after dinner fisherman. We would consider a mid-day fishing trip to be a time-wasting endeavour. Our mindset was fish feed early and late. Around 1980 I was reading an outdoor magazine and towards the back of the publication were the lunar tables, giving me the best time to fish for each day of the week. That particular day indicated best time to fish was from 11am to 1pm. Since it was a Saturday I decided to give it a try. What an eye opener, it was almost like magic. Fish were actively feeding in the middle of the day. I caught more fish in that time frame than early in the morning. Since that day I refer to the lunar tables to enhance my fishing success.



Still to this day some fisherman discounts this piece of information and look at it as if it were some type of voodoo magic.

The theory is that there are four periods (2 major and 2 minor) each day when the gravitational forces created by the alignment of the sun and moon become strong enough to have an influence on the activities of fish and wildlife. As we learned from previous articles, fish will react to weather changes and do react to gravitational forces. The fish’s lateral line (a nerve that runs on either side of the fish and down its length) is very sensitive to changes in the fish’s surroundings. This includes water temperature as well as barometric pressure.

The actual times published are when each major or minor period begins. Major periods will last from 1 to 2 hours, while Minor periods last for 1 hour or less. In most tables, a symbol is used to flag the days preceding and following a NEW or FULL moon since research has shown that fish and wildlife activity is greatest during these periods of each month.

When the lunar times fall within one hour of SUNRISE or SUNSET, this is a good time for daily fish and wildlife activity. This doesn't occur very often during any given month - but when the lunar times fall within one hour of sunrise or sunset and the lunar times are within one hour of MOONRISE or MOONSET - you have an "absolute best day"!

The lunar times are calibrated for the centre of all 50 states. The times will change 1 minute for each 12 miles E (-) or W (+) of the location. By adding or deducting 1 minute for each 12 miles from the base point you can achieve 1 minute accuracy for any location. The distance N or S does not affect the lunar times.

Again, the lunar tables are a theory which I believe is fact as it pertains to fishing. If you consider lunar tables, you will quickly notice that during a major moon phase weather patterns change. The fact is we receive a full moon each month, so we should be able to see it twelve times a year. Most often we’re lucky to see it four or five times because a full moon cycle has a tendency to bring inclement weather. Lunar tables are used for tides on the ocean and I know for certain it works in freshwater.

When referring to the lunar calendar, in most of the fishing seasons the best times are not early in the morning but trend towards late morning and early afternoon. I see so many fishermen calling it quits and going home right before the cycle begins and miss a feeding frenzy.

I always refer to the lunar tables if I’m booking a trip, and I try my best to be on the river when the times indicate good fishing. This is a key element that should not be over looked. In next month’s article we’ll look into bait.

Bill Milheim has been fishing and guiding the North Brach of the Susquehanna River for over 25 years.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Koinonia Guide Service Susquehanna Fishing Report, 6/18/11

From Koinonia Guide Services:
http://www.koinoniafishingguides.com/

Hi Gang,

The river was at 43 with 21,000CF of flow and 80 degrees at the beginning of the week and at the end of the week we had 4.5 with 23,250CF of flow and 72 degrees.

1. Trip #1 – Guide Scouting Trip – This was on Monday and we fished from 6:30 PM to 11:00 PM and we boated 1 Flathead and 2 Channel Cats. The Flathead was 4# and the largest Channel was 8#. We caught them all on live bait. We had 4.7 – Clear – Steady – 27,900CF and 72 degrees.

2. Trip #2 – Guide Scouting Trip – This was on Wednesday and we fished from 6:00 AM to 8:30 AM and we boated 14 Bass and 2 Fallfish. The largest bass was 18.25” and we caught it on a BPS Micro Spin. We call all our fish on Rattle Bait and Micro Spins. We had 4.6 – Clear – Steady – 24,750CF and 75 degrees. It was clear and we had a BP of 30.25 and steady.

3. Trip #3 – Guide Trip – This was a half day guide trip on Wednesday morning and we boated 8 bass. The largest was 14” and we caught them all on soft plastics. The same conditions as mentioned above.

4. Trip #4 – Guide Bait Trip – This was on Friday and we fished a stream from 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM and we boated 35+ Sunfish. The largest was 8” and we caught them all on worms. The river was at 4.5 – Clear – Steady – 24, 300CF and 75 degrees. It was sunny and hot.

5. Trip #5 – Guide Trip - This was a Saturday AM trip and we boated 6 bass and 1 Walleye. The largest bass was 13.5” and the Walleye was 10”. We caught them on In Line Spinners, Rattle Baits and Crank Baits. We had 4.5 – Clear – Steady – 23,250CF and 72 degrees. We had blue bird skies and a BP of 30.10 and Steady.

6. Trip #6 – Guide Trip – This was a half day PM trip on Saturday and we boated 22 Bass and the largest was 17”. We caught them on Crank baits and Rattle baits. We had 4.5 – Clear – Steady – 23,250CF and 76 degrees. We had clear skies and a BP of 30.10 and steady.

7. Trip #8 – No Trip

8. We now have our Catfish Gold Punch Bait in Stock. It comes in original and blood and the cost is $6.95 per pint.

9. We have updated the web site so please check out some new pictures and testimonials.

10. We will be taking a small group to Costa Rica on June 23rd and then a larger group to Alaska on July 15th. These are both great trips with two completely different attitudes. The Alaska Trip is all out fishing and we get to bring home some wonderfully eating fish. Costa Rica is a more relaxed atmosphere where we fish, snorkel and do eco tours. Let us know if you might like to join us on one of these great adventures. The Alaska Trip is sold out thru 2012 and we only have about 6 spots available in 2013.

11. I doubt I will have much communication from June 23rd – June 30th as we will be in Costa Rica.

HAVE A GREAT WEEK AND LUV THE TUG………REB

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Koinonia Guide Service Susquehanna Fishing Report, 6/11/11

From Koinonia Guide Services:
http://www.koinoniafishingguides.com/

Hi Gang,

The river was at 5.2 with 39,800CF of flow and 70 degrees at the beginning of the week and at the end of the week we had 4.3 with 21,000CF of flow and 80 degrees.

1. Trip #1 – Guide Bait Trip – This was on Wednesday morning and we fished from 7:30AM to 9:30 AM and we caught 50+ Sunfish, 1 Crappie and 1 Channel Cat. We caught them all on worms. We had 4.6 – Clear – Steady – 26,200CF and 72 degrees. It was sunny and hot.

2. Trip #2 – Guide Bait Trip – This was on Thursday morning and we fished from 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM and we caught 50+ Sunfish and 1 Crappie. We caught them all on worms. We had 4.5 – Clear – Steady – 24,750CF and 73 degrees. It was clear and we had a BP of 30.25 and steady.

3. Trip #3 – Guide Scouting Trip – This was on Friday morning and we fished from 4:30 AM to 9:00 AM and we boated 5 Flatheads. The largest was 16#12oz. and we caught them on live and cut bait. We had 4.4 – Clear – Steady -21,700CF and 78 degrees. It was cloudy.

4. Trip #4 – Guide Trip – This was a Friday PM trip on a lake and we boated 2 Walleye, 3 Yellow Perch, 1 Rock Bass, 10 Sunfish and 35 White Perch. We caught them on crawler harness and the client got to take home some good eating fish.

5. Trip #5 – Guide Scouting Trip - This was Saturday morning and we fished from 4:00 AM to 8:30 AM and we boated 4 Flatheads. The largest was 8# and we caught them all on live and cut bait. We had 4.3 – Clear – Steady – 21,000CF and 80 degrees. We had rain showers, windy and a BP of 30.25 and falling.

6. Trip #6 – No Trip

7. Trip #8 – No Trip

8. We now have our Catfish Gold Punch Bait in Stock. It comes in original and blood and the cost is $6.95 per pint.

9. Dave has a good Walleye and White Perch bite going at a local lake if anyone is interested in getting some good eating fish.

10. We have updated the web site so please check out some new pictures and testimonials.

11. We will be taking a small group to Costa Rica on June 23rd and then a larger group to Alaska on July 15th. These are both great trips with two completely different attitudes. The Alaska Trip is all out fishing and we get to bring home some wonderfully eating fish. Costa Rica is a more relaxed atmosphere where we fish, snorkel and do eco tours. Let us know if you might like to join us on one of these great adventures. The Alaska Trip is sold out thru 2012 and we only have about 6 spots available in 2013.


HAVE A GREAT WEEK AND LUV THE TUG………REB

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Featured Susquehanna Campground - Indian Head

If you are looking for a great campground along the Susquehanna River, check out Indian Head Campground in Bloomsburg, PA. Indian Head is located along the North Branch of the Susky, on the downstream side of Fishing Creek.

http://www.indianheadcampground.com/

Thursday, June 2, 2011

June Issue of Susquehanna Fishing Magazine Now Online!



The June issue of Susquehanna Fishing Magazine is now online and available for free download via Susquehannafishing.com:
http://susquehannafishing.com/

This month's articles:

Don’t Lay on the Beds... By J. Oast

The Ones that Got Away by J. Kirtland

Profiles with J. Veruete

This Month with a Susquehanna River Guide by L. Dunham

Oooo... Shiny! by L. Morris

The Quilback by D. Pelachik

About Bait... by W. Milheim

What Line... When? by B. Wilhelm

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Susquehanna Fishing Magazine, 16th Issue Out Next Week

Next week Susquehanna Fishing Magazine will be releasing its 16th issue for June 2011.



Keep an eye on SusquehannaFishing.com for the latest and all back issues of Susquehanna Fishing Magazine:
http://susquehannafishing.com/

Some of the June issue articles:

Don’t Lay on the Beds... By J. Oast

The Ones that Got Away by J. Kirtland

Profiles with J. Veruete

This Month with a Susquehanna River Guide by L. Dunham

Oooo... Shiny! by L. Morris

The Quilback by D. Pelachik

About Bait... by W. Milheim

What Line... When? by B. Wilhelm