One more time before the front arrived

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Prof. Salt
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One more time before the front arrived

Post by Prof. Salt »

I got out on the water Friday morning and the 10 mph breeze soon laid down to nearly nothing. The fish were not aggressively feeding, but they were around if you watched for the details.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fki0TJ1ekjI&t=17s[/youtube]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fki0TJ1ekjI&t=17s
ben_beyer
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Re: One more time before the front arrived

Post by ben_beyer »

I watched this yesterday I have enjoyed your videos.

That's an 18' foot long kayak? Which one is it again?

Just curious.
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Prof. Salt
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Re: One more time before the front arrived

Post by Prof. Salt »

Thanks! The Stealth 555 is 18'2" long and 27 inches across. With a super low seating position, it is as stable as the Reload and much faster (and the Reload moves pretty well). Fly casting is simple from a seated position, and by staying low to the water the fish can't see me coming so I can sneak in close.
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Re: One more time before the front arrived

Post by ben_beyer »

I have a Jackson Coosa HD. Great for bass, OK for the Texas coast.

My dad has a mid 2000's Ocean Kayak Prowler Trident 15 (15.5' length) that I've been wanting to get out of their barn. My wife initially didn't like the idea but then expressed interest in going kayaking with me so now I have an excuse to grab it at Thanksgiving. I also brought up that it would be a good option for when we go to Port A and the winds would be too much for my Coosa HD.
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Re: One more time before the front arrived

Post by Yak Dog »

Ben I have the ocean trident 15 and love it It paddles very nice . Now it won’t compare to the Speed of the stealth prof. Salt has . You stated your parents have one that Is older so I’m sure it’s needing a piece or two replaced . There is an site from up north that carries parts , I have ordered from them before for a old kayak I still have . Let me look up the name and I’ll send you the info.
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Re: One more time before the front arrived

Post by Yak Dog »

Ben the place I’ve used was (toms top kayaker) and (TG water sports) . Hope it helps
ben_beyer
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Re: One more time before the front arrived

Post by ben_beyer »

Yeah I posted on it many months ago. It needs new carry handles on the sides but other than that, everything seems to be in OK shape. I bought a rack for the garage already and I'll have it if I want to do a longer paddle or if I think it'll be better suited for what I have planned.

http://www.texaskayakfisherman.com/foru ... 1&t=250727
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Re: One more time before the front arrived

Post by Kayak Kid »

Prof.,
It does my heart good to see someone fishing from a real (kinda) kayak. That 555 would probably be my choice if I were to commence kayak fishing...,unfortunately, a highly unlikely occurrence. :lol:

I've owned and used a plethora of kayaks in my life. My first was a canvas covered wood framed "eskimo" style kayak. Tippy (you needed to know how to eskimo roll), light wt (34lbs), and faaaast. Since retiring into full time fishing, I've owned several yaks, including a peddle driven, a flipper driven (Hobie), a couple of wilderness 16 footers, a 14 ft Hurricane, and a triple hulled thingy.

But, my overall favourite was a 17 ft, kevlar, SEDA Revenge. Twenty-five inches wide, 48 pounds heavy, and faaaast, it was a beauty both in looks and in paddling ease. Each stroke of the paddle produces a long silent glide forward until the next stroke commences. The person to whom I gave that boat appreciates it for what it is, and is enjoying it to the fullest.

The fishing kayaks have evolved exponentially during the past 15 to 20 years. The motorised, peddleised, flipperized, equipment and gadget bedecked conveyances of today, bear little resemblance to what I grew up with...,and, for the most part, the paddling one experiences is akin to that of paddling a bathtub.

Watching you searching for reds, as you swiftly move your unique kayak through the water with such ease, reminds me that there are still some folks out there who understand that fishing compromises only one half of the zen like activity we call...,kayak fishing.
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Re: One more time before the front arrived

Post by Prof. Salt »

Kayak Kid wrote:Prof.,
It does my heart good to see someone fishing from a real (kinda) kayak. That 555 would probably be my choice if I were to commence kayak fishing...,unfortunately, a highly unlikely occurrence. :lol:

I've owned and used a plethora of kayaks in my life. My first was a canvas covered wood framed "eskimo" style kayak. Tippy (you needed to know how to eskimo roll), light wt (34lbs), and faaaast. Since retiring into full time fishing, I've owned several yaks, including a peddle driven, a flipper driven (Hobie), a couple of wilderness 16 footers, a 14 ft Hurricane, and a triple hulled thingy.

But, my overall favourite was a 17 ft, kevlar, SEDA Revenge. Twenty-five inches wide, 48 pounds heavy, and faaaast, it was a beauty both in looks and in paddling ease. Each stroke of the paddle produces a long silent glide forward until the next stroke commences. The person to whom I gave that boat appreciates it for what it is, and is enjoying it to the fullest.

The fishing kayaks have evolved exponentially during the past 15 to 20 years. The motorised, peddleised, flipperized, equipment and gadget bedecked conveyances of today, bear little resemblance to what I grew up with...,and, for the most part, the paddling one experiences is akin to that of paddling a bathtub.

Watching you searching for reds, as you swiftly move your unique kayak through the water with such ease, reminds me that there are still some folks out there who understand that fishing compromises only one half of the zen like activity we call...,kayak fishing.
The simplicity and quiet of the experience is certainly a big part of the draw for me. Even the Stealths have lots of features that help make fishing more enjoyable but complicate it too. To me the trip in and out of the area should be enjoyed as much as the actual fishing and this kayak keeps me comfortable and happy while on the move! I get the feeling you're a guy with whom I would enjoy sharing the water.
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Re: One more time before the front arrived

Post by Yak Dog »

Well said kayak kid I’ll give you two thumbs up on that !
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TexasJim
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Re: One more time before the front arrived

Post by TexasJim »

I'm impressed, watching Prof. Salt turn that 18-foot kayak while one-hand paddling! Like Kayak Kid's comments, fishing kayaks have(de)volved into bass boats without engines.
When I raced sailboats, the ULDB(ultra-light displacement boats) builders had a motto: Fast is Fun!
No reason a fishing kayak needs to weigh more than 60 pounds. TexasJim
ben_beyer
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Re: One more time before the front arrived

Post by ben_beyer »

I would like to see some of the older designs similar to the Tarpon 160 come back. I think part of the issue is people are willing to pay the big price for something like a Hobie Pro Angler. Nice kayaks but a bass boat without a motor. I like my Coosa HD for Bass fishing but it needs a skeg, which I have contacted Jackson about, to really be salt worthy in my opinion. Jackson had the Kraken series but my guess is they didn't sell enough and now they have their own barge in the Blue Sky 360.

And I would like to be able to cover distance too and do it safely so given what's available I considered saving up and getting a Hobie Compass. But the more I thought about it, I concluded it was a waste of money because I mostly fish Port Aransas and Aransas Pass and a lot of the productive water is too shallow for those peddal drives.

I'll probably end up getting a 14' jon boat in a few years. Not because I want to get away from the kayak but because I have young children that I would like to take fishing and I want something that I can pole into areas that a kayak could go and going that route would be cheaper than a Hobie Pro Angler :D
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