Chatter THE EDITOR WAY OUTSIDE
HIS COMFORT ZONE. PHOTO: SCOTT MACGREGOR
EDITOR’S ANGLE A KAYAK ANGLER LEARNS SOMETHING NEW EVERY DAY
THE SCHOOL OF HARD ROCKS
T
here I was, strapped into a cramped, six-foot- long whitewater kayak staring down a rocky
river of boiling whitewater. As a coastal kayak angler, I’ve paddled bluewater and green water, even brown and red water, but never whitewater. Bobbing next to me in his kayak, Rapid Media publisher Scott MacGregor, a former river guide and my boss, assured me that the cauldron of rocks and foam was “nothing,” adding, “I took my mother-in-law down this backwards.” A few minutes before, Scott gave me a crash
course on kayak control. He showed me how to enter the current by first paddling upstream, then leaning downstream to turn and launch into the rapids. I tested the small boat’s handling and learned how to shoot across the current and carve into an eddy. We played around in some riffles to try out my new moves before facing
8…KAYAK ANGLER
the gauntlet. “Just ferry into the current, then go right, left and right,” Scott yelled over the roar. I tightened the strap on my helmet and entered the raging river. A few days later, I’m back at home on Chesa-
peake Bay, paddling my 12-foot sit-on-top through the tightly packed pilings of the Hamp- ton Roads Bridge Tunnel. The tide is flooding at three knots and the wind is blowing 15. As the water rushes past my kayak, I lean hard downriver, ferry across the current and land in an eddy behind one of the pilings—the trick I learned from my whitewater experience. Not only does the move save time and energy, but it feels cool to let the water do the work. One of the things I love most about kayak
fishing is the endless opportunities to learn something new. Whether it’s tying a new knot,
targeting a new species of fish, exploring a new body of water or learning a new move in my kayak, every trip is a chance to improve my game and increase my advantage over the fish. Too often, I get tunnel vision when I focus my
efforts on one species. Bull red drum make me myopic each spring. And big striped bass con- trol my brain all winter. But this year, I resolve to learn how to fish for largemouth bass, cast a fly rod and surf on a standup paddleboard. While I don’t plan to become an expert in any of these fields, the skills and tricks I pick up will certainly have value when I head out to chase my favorite targets. Kayak Angler magazine is dedicated to dis-
pensing the best kayak fishing skills, latest news and freshest trends in this growing sport. In “Tournament Masters” (page 51), you’ll learn as much from redfish pros as bass pros. Even if you never fish freshwater, you’ll find value in Brad Wiegmann’s “Catch More Crappie” (page 36) and Mike Cline’s article on wading moun- tain streams (page 38). While this issue contains plenty of material
that speaks to any reader,
there is also value in learning about unfamiliar disciplines and exploring virgin waters. In the never-ending race to outthink a fish,
the best lessons are often learned from outside your comfort zone. —Ric Burnley
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84