Gear: Meet Kayak Monster and the Powered Kayak Dolly

Next week we will be meeting up with some of the original Blue Ridge Fly Fishing Association crew at the Paddlesports Retailer Show.  The purpose of our reunion is to help our buddy Jeff launch his company's new product aimed at making life easier for kayak enthusiasts. 

"The Powered Kayak Dolly is designed to allow a single person to easily move a kayak.  It also significantly reduces the amount of time it takes for them to launch or land their boat.  With fully rigged kayaks weighing upwards of 100+   pounds, the Powered Kayak Dolly gives paddlers a competitive advantage on and off the water." 

The product itself launches at the show so  this is just a teaser.  Be sure to keep an eye out here and on twitter (@flyfishmagazine) for our coverage.  In the mean time check out their Facebook page and pay particular attention to the  videos that show you how much quicker you can get on and off the water using this new product!  

Gear: The Mayfly Kayak - Optimized for Fly Fishing.

Jackson Kayak Designs recently announced production of the Mayfly.  The Mayfly is a kayak optimized for the fly fisher.

From their press release:

This kayak will feature some great new fly fishing specific accessories and features like fly patches, fly rod and hidden fly box sized storage.

Kayak anglers will appreciate these MayFly features:

• Thoughtful design to aid in fly line management
• Longer length – 12’6” for increased speed and tracking
• Versatile hull design for flat and calm moving water fishing environments

• Increased width – 34” for enhanced stability while seated and standing, beginner-friendly
• New Elite Seat System with Hi-Low and Fore-Aft trimming for better comfort
• Rod tip tubes to protect gear
• New hinging hatches and footrest designed to be fly line friendly
• YakAttack track systems to add accessories and customize placement within reach
• Standing pad for comfort when sight fishing
• Standard accessories like RAM Mounts® fishing rod
• Designed to easily add on Power-Pole® accessories for customization

“Kayak fishing had matured to a point where there’s a kayak made specifically for nearly every fishing style and body of water – except fly fishing,” explained Jackson Kayak Brand Manager Damon Bungard. “There’s always something that got in the way. That time is over. As the specialty leader, we felt it was time to make a no-compromise fly fishing kayak with the features and performance demanded by both beginner and dedicated fly anglers. We’ve come up with a hull optimized to perform in still-water and in-shore conditions, prioritized stability for standing and casting and developed features focused on fly line management – like a snag-free footrest and hidden fly box compartments. The MayFly represents years of real-world experience kayak fly fishing all over the world, and says that yes, you too, may fly fish from a kayak.”

Jackson Kayak is located in Sparta, TN (near newly returned home, FlyfishMagazine contributor, Jay Moore) and the Caney Fork River where we all enjoy wetting a line.  

The Mayfly will be available in 2017 with a MSRP of $1,799

On the Web: Hardcore Kayak Fishing Team

My little brother called today ( he benches about 400 so I probably should refer to him as my younger brother) and put me in touch with Tim "stew-rat" Stewart. Tim is one of the founding fathers of the Hardcore Kayak Fishing Team. Team Kayak Hardcore are a group of "Plastic Pirates" who menace the lakes and rivers here in North Carolina, paddling and making sore mouthed fish in the process. If you see a kayak flying their version of the Jolly Roger, you might as well strike your colors and heave to! One look at their manifesto website tells us that they are our sort of people.

We are Hardcore. We are kayak fishermen. We are a brotherhood of dedicated and experienced anglers continually honing our skills. We are united to pursue and promote the sport of kayak fishing. We are stewards of nature and fishery management advocates. For over 10 years Team Hardcore has been among the vanguard, blazing a path for the ever expanding Plastic Armada. Paddling silently past convention into uncharted waters while teaching and bringing others to the sport we love.

We are Hardcore. There is no off-season. Hardcore is all year, all conditions. We are wherever and whenever the bite is. Hardcore is 125 plus outings a year. It`s 4:30 a.m. roll-outs. Hardcore is adaptability to wind, rain, current, drought, fog, scorching sun, and frozen equipment. Hardcore is not a hobby. It is a lifestyle. Hardcore is not wanting to kayak fish. It is needing to kayak fish. Hardcore is knowing in your soul that you will never quit.

So grab a paddle, but leave your problems at home. Bring your rod, but leave your reservations on the dock. Anybody can help us but nobody is gonna stop us. Push, pull, or get out of the way, cause we`re gonna bring it .

Why these boys are almost family. Sidebar links added. Be sure to check out their video slideshow and watch for more news of their exploits here at FlyfishMagazine.com.

Gear: The Peekaboo Yak

Via OceanKayak.com comes a sit on top kayak with built in viewing window. The Peekaboo is designed to carry an adult while allowing photo ops through the in deck viewing window. The makers say it will allow anglers to see structure and fish from a cozy vantage point above the waves. MSRP is $899.

Our verdict? Not quite as cool as a woman in a peekaboo dress, but cool none-the-less. An examination of our sick and twisted minds reveals the inevitable picture that we imagine on the roll of film..

Row v. Wade on the Chattooga

Via TheFishingWire.com comes more news on an ongoing battle between rafters, kayakers and anglers on the Chattooga River.

Kayakers say the U.S. Forest Service’s ban on the “steep creek” section prevents them from kayaking or canoeing on plunging drops, narrow chutes and Class IV-V rapids.

Anglers say the kayakers are the waterborne equivalent of ATVs, interfering with fishing and solitude. Hikers also want the ban left in place to help preserve the National Wild and Scenic River corridor.

Check out our previous coverage of this controversy here and here . Commentors have pointed out that 2/3rds of the river are already open to use by rafters and kayaks and also gave us the (Row v Wade) title.

Tip of the fishing hat to Bill Aucoin and his Aucoin report.

Steve Buck: That Darn Cell Phone!

New FlyfishMagazine.com contributor and saltwater fly angler Steve Buck sent us this article that describes one fly fisher's dilemma and how he was rescued from the brink of the abyss by a combination of strong moral fiber and good cell phone reception.

That Darn Cell Phone!

Before I tell this story, you need to know that Grouper is one of the best tasting fish is the sea. So much so, that Florida has gradually increased the legal size limit to ensure the long term survival of the species. Also, juvenile Grouper begin life inshore, then move offshore as adults. I don't keep up with the size limits of Grouper because I seldom fish offshore.

The day was overcast and the breeze was blowing out of the east in anticipation of a cold front. Such conditions are ripe for a productive day fishing. After paddling my kayak out of the bayou, past the mangrove shore line and boat docks, I started fishing at one of my "spots". If I were to tell you the location, I'd have to kill you (insert winking smiley face). On my fist cast an 18" Spotted Sea Trout slammed the jig just as I was pulling it from the water. She gave a good fight and put a big bend in my ultra light spinning rod, but I got her to the boat. But, some fish are just too pretty to keep. Even though the size limit on a Sea Trout is 14", I let go the 18"-er. Later on, I threw back a 15"-er.

Knowing that there were fish in the area, I pulled out the fly rod. For the next couple of hours I caught numerous juvenile Grouper in the 6" to 9" range. This was very unusual, but a very good sign for the species. As I drifted across the grass flats I switched back and forth from fly fishing to spinning rod, both methods were productive in bring fish to the boat; Sea Trout, Grouper, and Mangrove Snapper.

Around 11 AM with fly rod in hand, the line went tight, very tight! Whatever was on the other end pulled harder than anything else that day. I thought it might be a grouper because of the way it fought. When a Grouper is hooked, it heads for the bottom looking for some sort of structure to rub against and break the line. The fish pulled and pulled, and my adrenaline rushed and rushed. Finally, the fish was getting closer to the boat and I could see it through the clear water. Sure enough it was a Grouper, and much bigger than any I've seen before on the inshore grass flats. Still fearing that the line would snap, I gingerly raised it out of the water and into the bilge of my kayak. As it laid between my feet I measured it to be 16".

Remember those cartoons where the two guys stranded on an island would look at each other and see a roasted chicken leg? Well that's what happened to me and that Grouper. All I could see were two wonderful fillets, I could even taste that flaky white meat. But,,, I was sure that a 16" Grouper was too short to keep. The angel on one shoulder said "You know it's too short, better throw it back." The devil on the other shoulder said "Consider all those other fish you threw back. You even threw back two legal size Sea Trout. No one will ever know you kept this undersized Grouper." So, I called my conscience (my wife).

Gotta love cell phones!Of course Leah wouldn't know the legal size of a Grouper, so I asked her to look it up on the Internet. The ensuing minutes were a battle of right and wrong, good and evil, and the integrity of my environmental conservatism. But more than that, the integrity of my spiritual convictions, and realizing of how closely I (perhaps, we) flirt with sin. My desire for my own way, verses obedience to the governing authorities that God has placed me under, Romans 13:1.

The story ends well for the Grouper. After a short period of resuscitation, holding the fish next to the boat until enough water flowed across its gills, it swam away none the worse for wear.

If only I had one of those dropped calls like we see on TV, I might have had a Grouper dinner that night. Darn that cell phone!


Editor's note: When Steve isn't paddling Florida's inshore waters and saving large grouper he runs Steve Buck Consulting. We look forward more articles from him in the future.

My hand built Yak

Here are a few quick snapshots of my Kayak. This is my father's design and he has built several of them over the years. The one pictured is my second. The frame and trim are made of basswood which is light, strong, and flexible enough to make the curves needed to give it the proper shape. The "skin" is denim coated with oil based paint. While they are very light weight, they are surprisingly sturdy. When Dad was testing them back in the 70's, he and my uncle made some serious whitewater runs through the Nantahala gorge. Almost all of the kayaks survived the trip. I am looking forward to getting this one in the water soon on our local lake.

Fly fishing the salt in a wooden kayak

More photos from Steve Buck showing the beauty of fly fishing in the salt from a wooden kayak. Another one of his favorite fish to catch on the fly is "the poor man's tarpon" aka the ladyfish.

Blue Heron Kayaks

The heron is a beautiful bird that moves silently through the water in search of fish. This kayak certainly fits the bill.