How do you fish? - Boat Canoe Kayak...

[Taylormade]

Originally Posted by doorgunner

Taylormade;
Your boat is totally tricked out!!
How does the rear cooler work? are you pleased with it's ability to keep things cool?

Thanks and sorry for the delay in response... we're actually in the process of moving to a place where I can use my kayak every day!

The cooler is fantastic! It's lined extremely well and split in half so that you can keep beverages and ice on one side and food and cold packs or ice and fish on the other. I have a fish bag, however, that keeps any dinner I decide to bring home that fits perfectly in the bow of the Native, so no fish have hit the rear cooler yet.

The Native Ultimate's hull design puts your feet beneath the water line which is huge for stability while standing. This isn't my photo, but it clearly shows the stability.



Here's a pic of my native and my buddy's Cuda


Regardless of which vessel you choose, the important thing is to get out there and enjoy it. Pick whatever one is going to help you achieve that the most.

If it were me, I'd write down the top three demands (lightweight, easy to transport, fishable, long distance paddling, stability, tracking, etc) and do my research based on whatever priorities mean the most to you.

[MyNancy1977]

Wow thats good info I want to buy a sit on top but have to start at lower budget but good kayak mine works for now but nothing like a sit On top one...this was my first time using a kayak , fixed it to fish & was happy with it but yeah get a little tiresome without stretching. Right now money to 1977Nancy Airstream lol thats More important lol.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Airstream Forums mobile app

[Rich W]

Originally Posted by 1977nancy

Wow thats good info I want to buy a sit on top but have to start at lower budget but good kayak mine works for now but nothing like a sit On top one...this was my first time using a kayak , fixed it to fish & was happy with it but yeah get a little tiresome without stretching. Right now money to 1977Nancy Airstream lol thats More important lol.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Airstream Forums mobile app

Pretty clever on the outriggers Before I saw the videos on the tandem kayaks that's exactly what I was thinking of doing, but putting 2 kayaks side by side. You are an inventive person. Now think of a way to move around in there so you don't get tired of sitting. Maybe you can add a treadmill and use the power to move the boat along.

[Rich W]

Originally Posted by Taylormade

The Big Tuna is a monster. A very good friend of mine has one. It's extremely stable as he can stand with both feet on one side and not submerge it. It's also got the whole live well thing going for it, which is pretty cool. Two of my other friends have the Jackson Cudas and I have to say those are very well thought out fishing boats as well.

Taylormade, can you find out what kind of roof rack supports your friend is using? Are they Malone Saddle Up Pro?

Thanks

[Taylormade]

Originally Posted by richw46

Taylormade, can you find out what kind of roof rack supports your friend is using? Are they Malone Saddle Up Pro?

Thanks

He's got an F250, so he just tosses it in the bed I'm afraid. I've used the Yakima Hully Rollers with the Mako saddles with great success in the past.

[doorgunner]

Rich, and others
here are a few pics of the rear loader I made up. I used to install automotive parallelogram alignment lifts and thunk up this after a few adult beverages. It is my prototype and i just threw it together with whatever I found in my shop.A 75 yr old female paddler loaded a 95 fishing kayak on my subaru alone! yup and she is not a strong lady, just average paddler.It's all pretty self explanatory. Can also be used for 3/4" MDF sheet goods. just need to respect the load limit of the vehicle cross bars.

[doorgunner]

the second half. easy peasy

[batman]

We like to use our canoe for most trips. We combine fishing backpacking in the Sierra Nevada and use the canoes to get across lakes to base camp. Here is a picture of My son and I on a trip across Spicer Meadows Reservoir into Carson Iceberg Wilderness To backpack and fish some really remote areas. The second is at Modesto reservoir with a small rainbow ready to be released. We love the canoe because it is light weight and will transport loads of gear. Plus it is aluminum like our trailer.

[gandttimes]

Originally Posted by batman

We like to use our canoe for most trips. We combine fishing backpacking in the Sierra Nevada and use the canoes to get across lakes to base camp. Here is a picture of My son and I on a trip across Spicer Meadows Reservoir into Carson Iceberg Wilderness To backpack and fish some really remote areas. The second is at Modesto reservoir with a small rainbow ready to be released. We love the canoe because it is light weight and will transport loads of gear. Plus it is aluminum like our trailer.

Interesting outriggers. Did you make them yourself? We fish from an 18 ft cedar canoe I made 30 years ago. It has a 38" beam and only weighs 76lbs. The addition of the 3rd dog has made it a bit less stable and I have been looking for a solution like you have.
George

[Roadrunner]

So two years ago my cardiologist said you need to reduce the stress in your life...do something you liked to do when you were a kid. At my age many of those things can be ruled out...but we have some great fishing here in Western PA so fishing it is.

After taking my sons out for a day of fishing the Juniata River with a local guide, we were hooked. The difference was that we fished from kayaks. The challenge is how to take our Jackson Cuda along with the Airstream. We tow with a Ram 2500 but there is no rack on the roof. For now we either leave the kayak at home or take two vehicles. What a great way to relax.

The sit-on-tops are stable and wide open with lots of room for crates, tackle boxes, coolers, ect. Looking forward to another fishing/camping season here in the Northeast...

Bob
Indiana, PA

TAC PA-5
WBCCI 4871

[batman]

Interesting outriggers. Did you make them yourself? We fish from an 18 ft cedar canoe I made 30 years ago. It has a 38" beam and only weighs 76lbs. The addition of the 3rd dog has made it a bit less stable and I have been looking for a solution like you have.
George


Hi George, Yes the outriggers were designed and fabricated from aluminum by a friend of my son. They pivot up or down independently.
I have seen others at Bass Pro or Cabelas. Not quite the same but they may work for you.

-Dennis

[gandttimes]

Thanks Dennis.
George.

[Rich W]

Originally Posted by doorgunner

Rich, and others
here are a few pics of the rear loader I made up. I used to install automotive parallelogram alignment lifts and thunk up this after a few adult beverages.

That's pretty clever, Doorgunner. You'll have to figure out where to put the loader so you can use it at the lake as well. I've been trying to come up with something more compact, maybe with rope and pulleys but all the YouTube videos show everyone just putting the bow up on the roof rack and pushing the stern, either from the floor or from the wheeled carrier. (You still have to get from the parking lot to the lake and back.)

I'm pretty sure we're going with the Jackson Big Tuna. It's 90 lbs. and my roof rack tops out at 120 lbs. I've seen a video on YouTube about someone loading one of those on a 4Runner newer than mine. He had to make sure he didn't hit either his satellite radio shark fin antenna or the rear spoiler. I don't have either of those so I just watched what he did and it's pretty much put the kayak bow on the rear and push it up to the carrier. He says he pulls a trailer too and there's plenty of room for turns. The 4Runner window rolls down so you still have access to the rear cargo area even after it's loaded.

Yakima makes a roof rack mount that has wheels for the rear set so you get that assist instead of pushing against the regular brace. I'll probably get a set of the wheeled ones for the rear and the regular saddles for the front.

[Grrrwolf]

For traveling, inflatables are the way to go. I highly recommend the Sea Eagle brand for portability, functionality, and durability. I went with the 14' paddle ski and use a 2hp Honda outboard. A little over $2000 total investment. Oh, and I usually have my 100 pound Lab aboard with no problems.

You can definitely get carried away with some of the accessories but the swivel fishing seats would be a nice option. Have fun

[dznf0g]

Boat weighs 102#
Motor weighs 65#
Gas can weighs ~50#

[Stefrobrts]

This thread has really got me inspired to get out and go fishing. I think I'll have to go pull out the raft and find some water to play on soon!

[Rich W]

Originally Posted by Stefrobrts

This thread has really got me inspired to get out and go fishing. I think I'll have to go pull out the raft and find some water to play on soon!

You say the sap is beginning to rise in your casting arm?

I like being on the water just about anytime. I used to fish from early morning until either noon or until I got tired of casting. Then I'd turn on the radio, move to the rear deck, open my lunch and a beverage and just let the wind carry me across the lake. On the right day, it's heaven, or really close.

Now that I'm retired I find I'm not spending enough time out there because I'm painting or working in the yard. I need to fix that by getting the kayak and taking the wife out in the AS.

[Stefrobrts]

Wait, you're spending LESS time fishing now that you're retired?! That's not right at all!! Retirement is my only hope of having a peaceful day on the water as you describe. Right now we seem to fill our days with 'too dang much to do' every single weekend.

[Rich W]

Originally Posted by Stefrobrts

Wait, you're spending LESS time fishing now that you're retired?! That's not right at all!! Retirement is my only hope of having a peaceful day on the water as you describe. Right now we seem to fill our days with 'too dang much to do' every single weekend.

Concept vs. reality
Before retiring I asked a friend who had been retired for several years what it was like. "'Every day is Saturday' so you have all the time to do what you want but what you want to do is nothing, just relax. In a few months you're not only caught up on your fishing, you're actually tired of it." His bass boat is currently sitting in his backyard, grass growing around it, mold taking over the hull, tires rotted and blown. I keep asking him to sell it to me so I can get it for my son but he says... "Nah, I may get interested in it again someday."

There are things we have been putting off for years and years, now I'm slowly getting those things done. Besides, I have a couple of fishing trips coming up with my friends, heading down to Tennessee for a full week in May, then another in Wisconsin in July. The wife is interested in getting a kayak on the TV roof so we can fish when we take the AS. We're getting worked up again now that the weather is turning warm. I think our attempt at bank fishing convinced her to go with the kayak.

The best part? Now we can fish during the week when all the speed boats and tubing enthusiasts are working. We've gone a few times and the parking lots are mostly empty Monday through Friday noon; it's nice

[doorgunner]

Had the chance to paddle a "Stealth ProFisha 575" yesterday. Its a cross between a surf ski and a SOT fishing kayak. Made in South Africa, pretty nice boat. You can google it to check it out. My friend Dan at Headwaters Kayak in Lodi,Ca. has them in stock!! can I plug a business here? also find him on Facebook .