Just got my new kayak. Its a Wilderness Ride 115. Looking forward to a sleigh ride with some big stripers soon. First test is tomorrow on the back side of IOP though. Got some docks that have been calling my name for weeks.
Got some good inside tips that the stripers are schooling pretty thick all times of day now. Big boys being caught on top as well, instead of the usual 19"-21". Heard of many 8-10 pounders caught on topwater. All from Shull Island down to the dam.
I have been tugged around a good many times on Murray in my old yak. The only drawback is that once people get wind of the schooling the fish start moving fast and they go from feast to famine. The ability to stay on em was the key for me.
I never did drop a freeline(s) from the yak either. You and Chip may be on to something.
Nice looking sled.
“There is something about hunting those fish that will stick with me and my future fishing plans like a bad case of striper herpes”
-SCOF
Schooling has been real hit and miss for me. Went out yesterday morning before work and ran into huge schools and they stayed up as long as I remember ever seeing. Not a boat in sight. Got done pretty quick, so I just video’d them after that. lol I hear of others catching decent fish schooling too, but I’ve only been able to find 16-21" fish.
Went back out this am looking again with Crabjack and never saw a thing other than one small school that caught us by surprise on the way in and they weren’t up long. We never even got a cast into them. All the conditions were the same as the day before except the wind did a 180 and switched from NE yesterday to SW today.
The first thing you guys probably want to do is add something to hold the paddle in place whenever you want to lay it down to cast, fight a fish etc… Otherwise, it will want to roll all over when you lay it down. They make plasic holders, but I just use velcro.
I’ll get a fully rigged pic tomorrow while in the salt. Hopefully have some slime on it.
Mine has a bungee paddle keeper on the side with a recess made into the hull for the paddle handle. It also has a bungee across the bow with a cool rubber washer that you can slide the blade under and the paddle will not move while casting.
Here are some full length pics. Had a blast fishing IOP yesterday. One of the most relaxing fishing days I have had. Got lucky and brought home dinner as well.
