LIP GRIPPER [ R IGG ING]
LIVE WIRE
BY BRENT TORGESON E
lectronics have a nasty habit of failing at the worst possible moment. Fishfind- ers die when you can’t buy a bite. Live wells croak with a tank full of tournament lunkers. Either miniature disaster puts a serious crimp in your day. When electronics fizzle, it’s usually due to wiring issues. A fishing kayak is a rough, sog- gy environment. Saltwater is especially brutal. It’ll chew through your wires like slow-motion acid. Fight back with high quality marine components. They’re more expensive and sometimes hard to get, but they’ll last several times longer. With fishfinders, the fuse holder is the
most likely slacker. Prevent power outages by choosing an ATC or ATO design such as the Ancor 607019 Waterproof In-Line Fuse Holder. It’s gasketed with anti-corrosion ar- mor. It also includes a handy anchor so you
[ TACK LE] BREW BAITS THE ONLY SURE THING—CATCH A COLD ONE F
ishing and beer. Can you have one without the other? Whether you enjoy your brew in celebration of a trophy catch or to drown your sorrows, there’s a fish- themed draft to match. Need an excuse to buy that sixer? Salute your supper. Pour a few ounces in that fried fish batter and send that snapper off happy. Here are four of our favorite pours:
BALLAST POINT BLACK MARLIN PORTER
Big, bold and powerful, marlin are the kings of the sea. Ballast Point’s name- sake English porter is royalty to match, a full-bodied brew rich with dark mys- tery. The roasted malt character charges across the tongue with bracing chocolate and coffee notes, balanced with the as-
26 …KAYAK ANGLER EARLY SUMMER 2011
sertive hoppy kick characteristic of San Diego’s electric fishing scene. Hook up and hang on—you’re in for a wild ride.
www.ballastpoint.com. —Paul Lebowitz
DOGFISH HEAD RAISON D’ETRE
For most anglers, dogfish are trash. Toothless, spiny and stinky, these squirmy pests are usually thrown back. Dog- fish Head beer, on the other hand, is a keeper. Brewmaster Sam Calagione’s creativity has spawned more than two dozen varieties and a reality show on Discovery Channel. Raison D’Etre is one of the most popular. It gives any angler a reason to live. Featuring the dark flavor of raisins, it complements grilled meats or fish—even grilled dogfish.
www.dogfish. com. —Ric Burnley
FLYING FISH BREWERY HOPFISH INDIA PALE ALE
Flying Fish HopFish is a Jershey Shore native, an outstanding member of the India pale ale genus. This is one tasty
can mount it well above the bilge. For the wire itself, try 16-gauge treated marine grade boat cable. The smaller the gauge the larger the wire; think big, like rope. Connection components should be marine grade too, heat shrink butt connectors and shrink tubing. Scrimping here now causes downtime later.
KEEP YOUR ELECTRONICS KICKING
Installation is straightforward, just a gentle application of heat. Simply slide a cut-down length of shrink tubing onto the wire. Next, slide the exposed end of the wire into the butt connector and apply heat. Finally, slide the shrink tubing up over the connection and give it a little gas. The finished product is ro- bust, unlikely to rattle apart and more or less waterproof.
If you don’t have much practice slinging wire, consider taking your boat into a kay- ak fishing friendly paddle shop. Pro riggers crank out clean work, usually at a modest price. They rarely make mistakes and when they do, they stand behind their work. It’s easy to tell whether the local kayak chop shop is a rigging nirvana. Look for tricked-out boats, ‘yaks mid-rig, plenty of bulk parts bins and posted installation prices. Marine-grade wiring can stand up to pun- ishment. Still, every so often give it a good going-over. Corrosion starts at the connec- tions and creeps up the wires. If you see signs of rot, get to it quickly to avoid more extensive replacement work.
BRENT TORGESON is a certified master kayak mechanic, or he would be if there was such a thing. Torgeson owns OEX Dive and Kayak, a chain of kayak fishing savvy Southern California shops famous for custom rigging.
LIGHT MY FIRE—CAREFULLY! A heat gun
is better than a scorching gas torch. PHOTOS: PAUL LEBOWITZ
TOP INSET: Shrink wrapping done right.
BOTTOM INSETS: A plethora of parts signals a rig-savvy paddle fishing shop. Fighting fuses; if it isn’t marine grade, junk it and replace.
PHOTOS, LEFT TO RIGHT: BALLAST PT, DOGFISH HEAD, BRIAN COPE, SEAN WHITE
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