LIP GRIPPER [ R IGG ING]
DITCH THIS! W
UNCLUTTER YOUR KAYAK TODAY BY PHILLIP GENTRY
hether you are a novice kayak angler or a seasoned veteran, no one is immune
to the what-if bug. It lights on your shoulder during pre-trip planning and infects you with fears of what might happen. The mania that follows results in an overburdened kayak piled high with unnecessary gear. The cure is to get real about your equipment and ditch what you don’t need. Here’s what kayak pros across the continent leave behind:
CORY ROUTH AUTHOR OF KAYAK FISHING: THE COMPLETE GUIDE: Lures. I rarely use half of what I take with me. I try to pare them down but it’s like a condom or a gun. I would rather have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.
JOHN OAST
FISHYAKER.COM: Novelty gear. It seems like these days everyone just throws as much stuff as possible on their ‘yaks, so they’ll look like they have the coolest outfit. It’s not necessary.
ROB ALDERMAN OUTER BANKS EXTREME OFFSHORE GUIDE: Nets. I do not use nor carry them. They are just another thing to tangle in or lose. I enjoy the challenges of landing any and all fish without the comfort of the net. Most of the time I land the fish. Sometimes I do not.
Invisaswivel PHOTO: COURTESY INVISASWIVEL
CHAD HOOVER WILDERNESS SYSTEMS PRO STAFFER: Hard-sided plastic coolers. They take up too much space and create a big flat surface that catches wind and makes it hard to position the boat.
JASON STOCK FLORIDA GULF COAST KAYAK GUIDE: Too many rods. It’s just more to mess with when I can get by with less.
TONY NARCISSE GEORGIA KAYAK FISHING FOUNDATION: Scales or other measuring devices unless I’m in a tournament. Forget about weighing and measuring every fish. It puts too much stress on them. Get that quick picture and release those fish for a future battle.
BACK TO BASICS
Big City Fishing TV host Jamie Pistilli is one who’s dumped the clutter. “I keep it simple,” Pistilli says. “I spend more days on the water. I fish peak times and fish from a basic kayak that does not even have rod holders. I only take two combos rigged with my favorite presentations. I used to spend more time on the water changing baits than fishing. Now when I come up with a game plan, I stick to it.”
THERE’S MORE TO INVISIBLE THAN FLUOROCARBON [ TACK LE]
VANISHING POINT BY BRIAN COPE
Some days the slightest detail can be the difference between a bite and a slack line. We need that swivel and we need that weight, so what are we to do? Go invisible!
Invisible Sinker PHOTO: SAM ROOT
Aquateko’s Invisaswivel
Just as low-vis as fluorocarbon—it’s made of the stuff—the Invisaswivel vanishes in water. It swivels as smoothly as brand new metal, but unlike traditional varieties the Invisas- wivel doesn’t corrode, rust or develop sharp edges. Worried that such a flexible material can’t hold up to a fish hell-bent on destruc- tion? Don’t be, this is the real deal in both strength and stealth. Available in eight sizes ranging from 12-pound test up to a kayak- excessive 200 pounds, the Invisaswivel is neutrally buoyant and virtually bulletproof. $5 for five,
www.aquateko.com.
24 …KAYAK ANGLER SUMMER/FALL 2011 Invisible Sinker
You’ve cured your swivel dilemma. Don’t thread a chunk of clunky gray lead onto your line now. Go with the Invisible Sinker, a precision-crafted lead crystal weight that is so transparent your fishing partners will snicker, sure that you’ve forgotten a weighty essential. You’ll get the last laugh when the extra stealth buys a tough-day bite. Invisible Sinkers are durable and eco-friendly, and will ratchet up your stealth factor to a level the fish have never seen—nor ever will! Available in 1/4-, 1/2-, 1- and 3-ounce sizes. $3–$4 per package,
www.invisiblesinker.com.
The Final Touch
Slip a clear glass bead in between your sink- er and swivel to get the traditional knocker sound without the unsightliness. $2.50 for 25,
www.basspro.com.
ILLUSTRATION: LORENZO DEL BIANCO
PHOTO: SAM ROOT
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