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House Fire, Kinda – The River Log Ep 6

This week on the boys had tree drop next to their house nearly catching it on fire and blocking them from getting to the river. Bryar Skinner shows up, cuts the boys out of a tight spot, and send it on to the river for a warm lap on Manns Creek. By: Corey Lilly – Boof & Destroy > Watch More River Log Episode

The post House Fire, Kinda – The River Log Ep 6 appeared first on Kayak Session Magazine.

House Fire, Kinda – The River Log Ep 6 published first on https://realpaddleandpole.wordpress.com

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39 km Paddle on the White Salmon River to the Bar!

Follow the SEND crew on a 35 km paddle down the White salmon river all the way to the bar in Hood river…  » Turns out the whiskey tastes even better when you earned your way there. » By: Dane Jackson, Adrian Mattern and Bren Orton / Send

  The post 39 km Paddle on the White Salmon River to the Bar! appeared first on Kayak Session Magazine.

39 km Paddle on the White Salmon River to the Bar! published first on https://realpaddleandpole.wordpress.com

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Prepare for Liftoff in the Rockstar 4.0!

The Rockstar 4.0 is very different than Jackson’s past playboats. The Rockstar 4.0 features more volume, higher knee placement, more leg room, and a narrower haul, resulting in bigger tricks and infinite amounts of river play!

When I first sat in the Small Rockstar 4.0, it was a dramatic change from the 2016 Rockstar specifically, in the knee placement and volume. I am 5’ 6” and weigh 130 pounds. I outfitted my Rockstar 4.0 with one and a half inch foam pads, one 100 bean count sweet cheeks, two hip pads, and I moved the seat forward to the furthest setting. I have a short torso and generally prefer to sit higher. Outfitting the boat best suited to you, can make a huge difference in your performance.

The change in volume wasn’t as challenging as I would have thought. It took a little while for me to figure it out, but after just a day on the river, I could bowstall, sternstall, cartwheel, and flatwater loop as easily as I had with my previous boat. This boat is slightly less stable than past boats, probably because of the narrow haul and higher knee placement. As far as downriver tricks go, they are just as easy to maneuver, except you go way bigger!

When surfing holes, you can literally fly whether you do a loop or even a fly squirrel! After going from a boat with less volume to the 4.0, I discovered that being patient on your tricks, and focusing on your technique made a world of a difference. The Rockstar 4.0 isn’t the type of boat you can just throw around. However, it is easy to control the edges compared to the 2016 Rockstar. Overall, focusing on the basics of the tricks, improves your paddling and will help you master your tricks.

The biggest complaints from past boats was the little foot room. The Rockstar 4.0 provides just enough space for your feet, maximizing your comfort. My feet have not fallen asleep ever in the Rockstar 4.0.

The narrower haul makes the boat less stable than the past playboat, the 2016 Rockstar. It forces you to use better technique on your roll and with some practice, its a piece of cake. If you are in need of more stability, I recommend lowering your seat to give yourself a lower center of gravity.

All in all, the Rockstar 4.0 has a cutting edge design best suited for you to perform your best. Depending on the way you outfit the boat, it can affect the stability. If you are a beginner at whitewater, this may not be the boat for you, as it is slightly unstable. I recommend trying it out for yourself at your nearest Jackson Kayak dealer!

  Prepare for Liftoff in the Rockstar 4.0! published first on https://realpaddleandpole.wordpress.com

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Cold Water Paddling

Always be prepared when paddling in cold water. Best investment ever made is a drysuit.

Cold Water Paddling published first on https://realpaddleandpole.wordpress.com

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Spring Fishing Show Hungary – photo report

As in the last years, we worked together with Zoli (@kajakpeca.hu) on the “evangelisation” of kayak fishing here in Hungary. The show was held from 1st to 3rd March. This is the biggest fishing show of the year, took place in a sports hall with fishing brands from almost all fishing segments, tons of fishing tackle and full of people in the whole 3 days.

I walked through the whole exhibition during the 3 days, but to be honest the most interesting part and the most extravagant place was the Kajakpeca stand with the Jackson kayaks and YakAttack gears showing the pure Bite and the fully equipped Coosa FD in the middle. Both kayaks were introduced on the water too. (There was a pool in the middle of the exhibition with a lot of programs and demos.)

I stop writing so enjoy the pictures.

Spring Fishing Show Hungary – photo report published first on https://realpaddleandpole.wordpress.com

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SPBriverfest 5.0

One of the yearly highlights for the French kayaking community is the SPBriverfest. Usually this is one of the earlier competitions for most paddlers, the kayaking community is awakening out of its yearly winter sleep and sets off to compete in Saint Pierre De Boeuf.

As every year No Pasa Nada did an amazing job at organizing the competition. They managed to make the perfect blend between fun, excitement, rivalry and friendship during this event.

Due to the huge success the last few years, the competition could count on a good number of paddlers ready to tackle the different kayaking competitions. There were over 80 freestylers present to battle for the medals in the different categories and many more to participate in the other events. As every year there were a couple of brave internationals ready to try and take the medals away from the Frenchies. Belgium, Ireland, England and Catalonia were all fired up to take on the challenge.

This year the weather wasn’t so kind on the competitors, a cold wind and some spats of rain made it a rather chilly weekend, but that couldn’t temper the paddlers motivation.

During the weekend there were loads of different events running such as: ⁃ Freestyle ⁃ Mix Master Contest ⁃ BoaterX (in sit-on tops) ⁃ Dynamic Duo BoaterX

As this event was sponsored by Jackson Kayak our team manager Adrian Durrant was present to inform the paddlers about the newest models Jackson Kayak has to offer. Everyone could try out one of the new Rockstar 4.0’s, Antixes and the new MixMasters.

To add something different to event, there was a MixMaster contest this year. It basically meant you had to do as many cartwheels in a minute and your best mystery move. The winner managed to do !52! cartwheels in a minute. Very impressive! It was good fun watching the event and seeing the paddlers disappear under water doing some sick mysteries!

One of the other events that’s always fun to watch is the boaterX, because the boaterX is performed on sit-on tops there is a lot of carnage of people flipping over, crashing into each other and someone even committed to swimming the course with her boat!

Now the highlight of the event, the freestyle competition! The freestyle competition is a little different than most other competitions as you can use 2 holes to perform your tricks in. The first hole is a deep but flushy hole, great for aerial moves, but harder to stick the more advanced moves. That’s were the second hole comes into play, it’s pretty shallow but nice and retentive.

As usual the well-known names as Quim Fontané Maso & Seb Devred were dominating the K1 men division. They were absolutely killing it! Tom Dolle my fellow JK team member and first year senior! Decided to do something about that, he absolutely killed it in finals and came in close second behind Seb Devred and Quim took third.

Very impressive to see Tom throwing down so hard in his first senior competition! The seniors are warned and know who to look out for in the coming events!

In the women K1 my fellow JK team member Marlène Devillez, absolutely dominated the women’s class. She won with over 600 points, very impressive! Marine Izac became second followed by Marie Helye in third.

In C1 maestro Seb was almighty and won with a comfortable point gap, Tom Lay became second and our own Tom Dolle managed to grab the third spot with a very nice ride.

Yet again a great year of SPBriverfest.

Thank you to No Pasa Nada for organizing and running the event so smoothly, it’s always a pleasure to come and compete. Thank you to Jackson Kayak for providing the support to No Pasa Nada to run the event. Thank you to Kina Photo & Valentin Parasme for the awesome pictures!

SPBriverfest 5.0 published first on https://realpaddleandpole.wordpress.com

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Bending Branches Angler Pro Carbon, a “Wow” Factor Paddle

I have been giving kayak fishing talks for 10 years and in each one I suggest to those in the audience that they don’t scrimp on their paddle.  I tell them to buy the most expensive, lightest paddle they can afford.  A heavy paddle will make a day on the water less fun.  The formula is for every ounce heavier your paddle is, it’s like paddling an extra 100 pound around per hour.  Wow!  So, if your paddle is 35 ounces and mine’s 26 ounces, you’re working a lot harder than I am.  

The Redesign

I’ve been fortunate over the past 10 years to use some very nice, light, oversized blade paddles to push my fishing kayaks.  This past year I’ve had the pleasure of paddling the best kayak paddle I’ve ever used, the Bending Branches Angler Pro Carbon Plus.  Several years ago, Bending Branches, Osceola, Wisconsin came out with the Angler Pro, voted top kayak fishing paddle four years in a row.  Last year, working with their design pros and several top kayak anglers around the country, they made a great paddle even better.  With the redesign of the Angler Pro, Bending Branches stepped it up a notch higher and introduced the Angler Pro Carbon and Angler Pro Carbon Plus.  The Angler Pro Carbon has the same extremely light carbon shaft as the Angler Pro, but, uses very durable multi-laminate carbon blades dropping the weight to an amazing 25.5 ounces.

The Blades

All oversized blades are not created equal.  Even if the square inches per blade are the same, the shape is critical.  A shorter taller blade will push a good deal of water, however, can add unwanted stress to a person’s shoulder.  I’ve felt this first-hand with an oversized blade that was too short and tall.  The dimensions of the Angler Pro Carbon are 7.25” by 18”.  This gives plenty of blade to push those heavier fishing kayaks, but, without adding extra stress to your shoulder.  Bottom-line, when I’m out chasing smallmouth bass, I don’t even want to think about my paddle.  I want it to just seem like it’s part of me.  At 25.5 ounces and the amazing feel while paddling, the Angler Pro Carbon simply gets a big “wow” each time I finish on the water. 

  The Carbon Shaft

Adding to the “wow” factor with the Angler Pro Carbon, Bending Branches designed into its light carbon shaft an ovalized shape for comfort, which I can attest to.  Also, for those big smallmouth bass I catch, there’s a 40” ruler on the paddle’s shaft. The Angler Pro Carbon comes with the snap-button closure that allows for adjustable feathering options.   However, my choice is the versatile telescoping ferrule.  This offers infinite feathering options and depending on water and wind conditions has a 15 cm range for expanding the length.  It comes in a 230 – 245cm version and a 240-255cm, which, is what I use.  This is also a great feature if you have more than one kayak, or, sharing with a friend.

It’s interesting how many people will buy a high-end fishing kayak, and then go cheap on the paddle.  Investing in a great paddle that is going to be with you enjoying your time on the water and fishing for years, is a very wise investment! 

Bending Branches Angler Pro Carbon, a “Wow” Factor Paddle published first on https://realpaddleandpole.wordpress.com

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Erin Savage 2018 Reel

Follow Liquidlogic paddler Erin Savage throughout 2018 that took her paddling all over the southeast, in the Pacific Northwest, in British Columbia, and in New Zealand.

The post Erin Savage 2018 Reel appeared first on Kayak Session Magazine.

Erin Savage 2018 Reel published first on https://realpaddleandpole.wordpress.com

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Indian Winter in Rishikesh

I have been lucky enough to have the winter work free for the first time in about 4 years so I decided to do some exploring I found myself for 2 months in this beautiful place surrounded by beautiful people that is Rishikesh on the banks of the Ganga river. By: Zach Bassett

The post Indian Winter in Rishikesh appeared first on Kayak Session Magazine.

Indian Winter in Rishikesh published first on https://realpaddleandpole.wordpress.com

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Dealing With Dislocated Ribs

Owie! I bent down to untie my shoes for a yoga class in Columbus, Georgia, stood up and suddenly, couldn’t breathe. I had a sharp, stabbing pain under my left shoulder blade and my entire left side felt like it was on fire and simultaneously frozen. I couldn’t stand, sit, twist, or breathe without pain.

I lasted all of an hour of telling myself that I would be fine before giving in and calling a chiropractor, explaining that I thought I had dislocated a rib and that yes, I had done this before.

Kayaking can be hard on our bodies, whether playboating, river running, or running waterfalls. But it doesn’t have to be a big impact that can cause problems. The first time I dislocated a rib I was squirt boating on the Ottawa, and all it took was twisting to the right. That time, I didn’t know what I was dealing with, and it took me several days to realize that I hadn’t tweaked a muscle in my back or had a big knot behind/between my shoulder blades.

The second time, my back was stiff and sore from long days in the car, but I was impatient to get on the water at Glenwood Springs, reasoning that I could just take one warm-up ride. I did, and one spin was all it took before I called the chiro. I’ve struggled with rib pain- some minor, some major, like this last incident, which kept me off the water for a week- for several years. I’ve seen many other kayakers struggle with similar issues and thought I would share some of what I have learned.

Triggers: While everyone is different, when my back muscles- specifically my traps and rhomboids inflame, they aggravate my costo-vertebral joint and the little muscles that attach my ribs to my spine, pulling my rib(s) out of place to create the exquisitely painful situation mentioned above. This can happen from overuse, like trying the same trick on the same side over and over and over again, from having poor technique that rounds my back, exposing the little muscles in between my ribs and my spine, or even from having poor posture as a result of being sat in the car or at the computer all day. Or apparently, from tying my shoes after ten days of kayaking and going to the gym with not enough rest or stretching.

Root Cause? Visiting the chiropractor in Columbus, GA, they took X-rays, and I learned that a significant contributing factor to my “chronic” rib problems actually originates in my neck. C4 and your C5 vertebrae, it turns out, can pinch on a nerve that runs down your arm, with a tiny little branch that runs down right to my problem spot in the middle of my back, causing those muscles to aggravate and pull my ribs out of place.

A big reason for this? Repetitive whiplash-like trauma (i.e., kayaking and mountain biking), age, and a little luck, I guess.

So how to deal with it? Though eventually your body may relax and let your ribs go back into place on its own, if you are like me and a WIMP, you may want to deal with it more immediately. Keep in mind that I am not a doctor, but if you suspect a rib may be out of place, I highly encourage finding a knowledgeable chiropractor that can help reduce the errant rib to provide (almost instantaneous, if sometimes temporary) relief.

But what if you aren’t around a chiro? And what can I (you) do to help prevent this from happening again? After chatting with the chiro, living with dislocated ribs, and excessive googling, I found a few of the following resources. (Again, disclaimer. I am not a doctor.)

Short Term First, NSAIDs- anti-inflammatory drugs can help lessen inflammation and pain. I found that the combination of Tylenol and ibuprofen (Advil) worked best for me.

Ice/Heat can both help. I like to use the 8-hr heat packs that stick on your back, available for purchase at most drugstores and Wal-marts.

I also encourage using a Voltaren Cream, Arnica Gel, or CBD oil for topical relief.

Massage: My new best friend is my Thera Cane, which helps me hit trigger points in my back to help the muscles release. Rolling on a foam roller, or a tennis ball or small massage ball while moving your shoulder can also target the sore spot in question. Or you can pay one of those fancy massage artists to help you.

Rest: It may take time (way more than you want) for your muscles to calm down and allow the aggravated joint to heal.

Longer term, you may, like me, need to work on posture and technique to prevent triggering the muscles from being angry. I bought a computer stand to help while at work, and am trying not to walk and be on my phone at the same time. I have also used KT tape for postural cues to keep my back muscles in a better position. I have been working on refining my cartwheel and split wheel technique, tricks I know for a fact tend to aggravate my ribs.

I (apparently) also need to work on my neck- stretching, strengthening, and using traction to create return more curve to the spine and create more space between the disks, so they stop pinching on the nerve in question.

One of the best resources I have found for explaining and targeting rib dislocation problems is Dr. Alex Ritz’s Instagram account. He has a bunch of great videos with some additional PT exercises. I haven’t tried his exercises yet, but I will soon!

Massive Thanks to my main chiro man, Dr. Steve Olsen (Cobden, Ontario) and Dr. Mike and Dr. Brodwyn in Columbus, GA, for fitting me into their busy practice and helping me work through the last week.

Happy paddling!

Dealing With Dislocated Ribs published first on https://realpaddleandpole.wordpress.com

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Travelin’ Light

A recent work trip had me pointing the rental truck south and heading to the flats around Tampa…. I mean had me working near Tampa. I did have a job to do, but with a couple hours of daylight left each day I knew there was better things to do than stay in a hotel room. The problem was, I didn’t know the area or what I might be in for as far as launches or places to fish or photo. I knew I would either find some fins or feathers; I just wasn’t sure what it would take to get to them.

I decided to go as light as possible since I wasn’t sure how far I would have to pull the kayak to get to water. Our Tripper is the lightest boat we have, is great for fishing and makes one heck of a camera platform so that is what went in the truck. That rig, secured to a C-tug cart, would let me get to the water no matter how difficult it may be.

I could not wait to get done that next afternoon and head to the water. The folks I was working with said I left a vapor trail heading to the parking lot! After a short portage I was launched and paddling towards a patch of mangroves about 2 miles away. I knew they would either hold fish for the rod, or birds for the camera.

Sure enough, as soon as I pulled up to the mangroves, I was surrounded by pelicans, night herons, ibis, tri color herons and even a few reddish egrets. I got so busy shooting with the camera, I almost forgot to fish. I was able to sneak over to a nice grass flat and play tug of war with a few speckled trout before the trip was over so don’t think I totally lost my mind!

I paddled till the very last light and loaded up for the long walk back. I was certainly glad that I decided to run light for this trip. There is something to be said for shedding a few pounds to make things easier. The Tripper proved itself to me yet again as a lightweight fishing boat that also hauls more camera gear than a person could ever need. If I ever get sent back there for work, I can promise you I know what will be loaded in my rental truck.

Travelin’ Light published first on https://realpaddleandpole.wordpress.com

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The Kayak-Fishing Community

 Whether it was the Love of fishing or the Love of Kayaking that brought you into the sport of kayak-fishing, you are now part of a new and rapidly growing community.

   One of our Local Tournaments “Eastslope”, biggest tourney in Western Canada

 There are a few top reasons why I got into the Sport or Hobby of Kayak fishing. One, it has allowed me to get active again with my favorite goal in mind (Catching fish) as an incentive. The second is gets me to travel and try new locations that I wouldn’t have tried as just a shore caster.  Also, the versatility of kayak fishing, you can get to places that boats only dream.

 One of thing that I feel gets over looked along the way of deciding if you want to start Kayak fishing, is the Community Aspect. As a Veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces, I truly love a sense of being part of something bigger, sense of comrade, Kayak fishing fills this void. 

Friendly Kayakers helping my daughter take her first “strokes”

From the time you make the decision to buy a kayak, you start your journey into the Kayak fishing (KF) Community. You start researching and Joining FB groups and browsing used kayak ads or visiting Kayak stores, watch YouTube videos, maybe a few demo days at your local dealer, all these are the start of you KF journey. 

Couple “Western Canadian Kayak fishing” FB group memebers

Once you’ve made your decision on the Kayak you want it’s time to get it wet and the next best thing is to Join a local KF group in your area. Facebook is usually the best first option and will allow you branch out from there. If there isn’t a FB group for your area, start one up … be a pioneer, post a couple photos or videos of your fishing adventures and I’m sure you’ll have requests to join right away. This is where Kayak fishing shines in my Opinion … it just looks like such a great way to fish (from an outsider’s perspective), and now that you are part of the community … you know how great it is.

Tournament wrap up

As your KF career grows and the more people you head out on the water with you will start find other communities within the same community of KF, you may join a Kayak rigging page, or a Tournament group, maybe a KF trip planning page. The possibilities are endless, and you can go as deep as you want or just dip your tow in, you get out of it what you decide you want.

Chinook Salmon Caught using my #Jacksonkayak and #raymarine Axiom 7

I hope to see you on the water and Tight Lines and endless sleighrides

The Kayak-Fishing Community published first on https://realpaddleandpole.wordpress.com

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The top 5 fears and questions people face when starting kayaking:

How do I get started?

There are a few ways to get started. To me the two best ways to get into kayaking is either going out with a friend who knows how to kayak or take a kayak class at a river near you. The kayak class can be a great option if you don’t know anyone in the sport but are really interested. Not only do they provide all of the equipment you need in order to kayak you get an instructor that teaches you how to kayak properly and how to be safe on the river. There are many things having a more experienced kayaker around can help with, such as; cleaning up, demonstrating technique, and giving feedback as well as confidence.

I can’t afford kayaking stuff.

A lot of the kayaking gear is pretty expensive, however there is a lot of high quality used gear you can purchase for a good price. Many shop you take kayaking lessons at will do an end of the year sale where they sell the kayaks they used as demos. If you’re not quite ready to buy a kayak, many shops will rent out a kayak to you after you have completed a course with them. This allows you to keep working on your skills while not having to fully commit to all of the gear.

I feel like I am stuck in the kayak and can’t get out!

A lot of people right when they sit in a kayak for the first time feel like they are trapped and there is no way they can get out. Luckily the first thing you do in most kayaking classes if flip over and wet exit the boat with an instructor standing right next to you. You quickly realize how easy it is to actually exit the kayak. Once you pull the tab on the front of your skirt water floods into the kayak and carries you right out. Once you do this a few times you feel much more comfortable in the kayak, and know it’s easy to get out.

How do I know where to go?!

When you first go out with your friends or an instructor people normally follow someone down the river. However, sometimes you find yourself ahead of them or you took a totally different path not on purpose. When this happens there are many different things to look for. The biggest thing to remember is paddling a kayak is like driving a car. If you look at the bad things around you you will probably run into them. So when you are headed downstream you want to look for the deepest places where the most water is. If you see flat “green water” it’s normally a good idea to right down the middle of it. It’s important to keep your eyes and focus away from the rock and other dangerous features in the river and keep focused on the places that look best.

I’m going to hit my face on rocks.

Flipping in flat, deep water can seem much different than flipping over while in the middle of a rapid. In a rapid you also may notice that they are not always very deep. Hitting your face is a real danger, but there are many ways to mitigate the danger. For example, when you are paddling down the rapid it is important to stay sitting forward, this gives you a better center of gravity and offers better paddle strokes; if you stay in this position if you flip over your face will be looking at the boat and not the rocks. Also when you practice the wet exit you are supposed to be tucked forward to the cockpit of the boat with your face down in the boat protecting your nice smile from the rocks. Practicing in a controlled environment until you are comfortable with these skills gives you a better chance of staying safe on the river, having more fun and protecting your smile.

Have an awesome time on the river!!!

– Johnny Chase

The top 5 fears and questions people face when starting kayaking: published first on https://realpaddleandpole.wordpress.com

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The Unplug

This is the reason that I do what I do and also why I do it so much. You cant put a value on being able to remove yourself from the day to day and putting yourself in the middle of something that moves and operates regardless of if you’re there or not.

The Unplug published first on https://realpaddleandpole.wordpress.com

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Draggin’ Flies: for still-water Trout

There are several Trout species that tend to inhabit deeper parts of still-water lakes. Lake Trout, Splake and even Rainbows spend a significant amount of time feeding in the mid to deep range on stocked put-grow-take lakes.

To reach these deeper Trout, a fly angler has to find a way to deliver the fly into the strike zone and keep it there. One of the most efficient and easy to learn techniques I call Draggin’ Flies. A technique that I believe will consistently lead you to greater success in catching still-water trout in the 10-20 foot range. Think of it as yet another tool in the fly-anglers tackle box.

This trolling method uses full sinking fly line to get the fly down to the desired depth. Once the fly is in your planned strike zone, it stays there while you slowly paddle to potential hotspots. It’s an absolute killer technique that can illicit aggressive, heart stopping hook ups.

On an early spring trip to a backcountry trout lake last spring, I managed to catch three times as many fish than my friend who was casting out of a float tube. He couldn’t believe the success I was having with this simple technique. To me, it made total sense. I was covering 100 times the amount of water, varied structures and vegetation. His position (while off shore and in a float tube) was stationary; effectively limiting him to the length of his cast and what lies beneath.

I like to think of Draggin’ Flies as the great equalizer. An angler doesn’t even need to know how to cast!

Rainbow Trout caught on a brown leech streamer in 15ft of water

Technique

I like to place the fly rod between my abdomen and belt line. This allows the fly angler quick access to the fly rod to add twitches and jerks between paddle strokes. If this technique doesn’t work for you, a rod holder placed close to your body is another option. Zig-zag across the lake hitting potential hotspots such as mid lake humps, drop offs, shoals and weed beds. When you get rocked by an aggressive trout, circle around and hit the same spot again. Soon enough you will develop a route that will continually target the most productive areas. Bites aren’t subtle. The Trout will smash your bait giving give you that instant shot of adrenaline all anglers crave.

Equipment

For this technique, I choose an inexpensive nine foot, stiff action, five/six weight fly rod combination in the $100 range. A decent fly rod combo should already be spooled with floating line. For an extra $30-$40 you can buy an extra fly reel, and spool it with 100 feet of type 6 full sinking line. This gives you the ability to change your set up’s as needed. (Tip: Paint a one foot section on either side of mid-point of fly line with a silver sharpie. This gives you a visual clue as to how much line you have out. For example, 50ft of line behind the kayak sinks approx.10ft. The full length of line out to the back would sink to approx. 20ft.) For your leader, tie a 9 foot section of 6lbs fluorocarbon leader material such as ‘Berkeley Vanish’. A good sonar isn’t a must, but does help locate structure and fish.

Late fall is prime time for Draggin’ Flies for Lake Trout and Splake

Flies

Flies should be tied on a size four to eight hook. Streamers are the go to presentation for trolling. These are a good choice because they can imitate a variety of aquatic species such as leeches, minnows and crayfish. Streamers tied with rabbit hair or Marabou give the fly an undulating, life like look with each propulsion and pause of a paddle stroke. Bead head Wooly Buggers are another solid choice for this tactic. I’ve even caught Trout on Mickey Finn’s. As always, experiment with color and flash. What works well in one lake may differ on another.

Splake caught in 20 feet of water on a Mickey Finn

Speed

When Draggin’ flies, try starting out with a slow, gentle pace. Paddle slow enough that you are slightly moving, but not so slow that there isn’t constant tension on your line. A few paddle strokes forward, followed by a pause, then a twitch-twitch of the rod and repeat. If paddling into the wind, obviously you will need to paddle harder. Vice versa if the wind is at your back. Setting the hook As with any trolling technique in a kayak, the hookset is simply a few solid paddle strokes forward. With so much line out, the fish will hook itself. To further drive the hook home, simply pick up the rod, and firmly sweep it forward. Last words Draggin’ flies has been my absolute go to still-water Trout tactic. This tactic is highly effective and extremely efficient. It makes sense to cover as much water as possible. The important point when trolling is to find the right depth and speed to trigger a bite. Don’t worry, if you put the fly in front of fish, they will bite, and bite HARD!! So tie on your favorite fly, go for a leisurely paddle, and get ready for some bone-jarring strikes. You’ll be hooked in no time.

Draggin’ Flies: for still-water Trout published first on https://realpaddleandpole.wordpress.com

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Road to Worlds With Team Jackson

Name: -Katie Fankhouser

What country are you competing for? -Unites States of America

Favorite place to train? -Buena Vista, Colorado USA

How many World Championships have you competed in before? -1 Argentina 2017

What are your previous placements at Worlds?

-4th in Jr women

How does the level of competition at World Championships compare to any other freestyle competition?

-The most competitive Jr competition I’ve done yet

What’s your favorite part about World Championships? Or if you have never been to a Worlds before what are you most excited for? (Location, people, party, competing, training, etc.) -Getting to meet other paddlers from all over the world

Road to Worlds With Team Jackson published first on https://realpaddleandpole.wordpress.com

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Wrap up of my Fish Species of 2018

Estuary Perch: 27cm

This is the first species I caught in my Cruise FD. Caught from my local Werribee River, these fish were stocked into the river system around about 4-5 years ago, so they are still have lots of growing to do. 

They are great little fighters no matter their size!  Hit hard like a Bass and love to hang out in the snags. 

This one was caught a Munroe Soft Plastic lure rigged up to a jig spin (like a spinnerbait) I purely Catch-Photo-Release these fish.

Redfin (English Perch): 37cm

Better known to us Australians as ‘Reddies’  

This Reddie was caught on a day trip I made to Lake Fyans where I had entered a kayak competition that was ran for the first time at this location and my first time fishing the waterbody.

 I really struggled in this competition day 1 only catching the one Reddie which I didn’t bother to weigh in as it wasn’t that big. Even on day 2 was tough although I did pick up 2 Reddies, but once again they were only small so didn’t bother to weigh in. most of the local guys were weighing in decent fish of around the 35cm-50cm! 

So, I was determine to get back to this lake and try out different lures that I didn’t have for the competition and try my luck, this is where I picked up this nice 37cm fish! Caught a little ¼ chatter bait, Reddies are a great fresh water eating fish! Classed as a pest in Victoria but you are aloud to release them if you wish, which I’ll do with anything under 25cm. 

Flathead: 64cm

Flathead are one of my favorite salt water eating fish, they put up a great fight, with lots of head shakes and runs. 

This one here was a by-catch when targeting bream! It was a very tough day fishing with very high winds up to around 80kph and smashing rain in the morning, I couldn’t find any bream on this day, but this guy put up a great fight on just 4lb braid and leader.

– Craig Richards

Wrap up of my Fish Species of 2018 published first on https://realpaddleandpole.wordpress.com