Teen kayaker rescued on Willamette River http://www.kgw.com/news/local/Teen-critical-after-rescue-on-Willamette-River-138291259.html

This shouldn’t have happened. For those of you outside of the area, we’ve had a tough couple weeks of rain, and a bit of snow. There are some small rural highways that are still underwater from flooding. Here’s what I see need to be learned from this situation:

1- The water is high. There’s all sorts of crap in the water right now. Forests, docks, cars, you name it. Its all in the water and moving at a pretty good clip. When rescued, an hour later, they were 6 miles downstream from where the first accident happened. Yeah, the river’s moving.
2- Its cold. 40 degrees cold. Yesterday, when this accident happened, it was actually a nice day out. I’d imagine they weren’t wearing appropriate padding gear, and dressing for immersion.
3- There were 3 guys in kayaks. One guy ended up out of his kayak. How were the other two unable to get him to safety?? That’s where I’m the most confused. Ok, so the kid is suffering from shock of the cold water, but it seems he was still able to hold onto his dad’s kayak. This is where dad needs to start paddling to shore.

I’m still at a bit of a loss.

Worst part is that wasn’t the ONLY kayak rescue in the Willamette yesterday. There was another, less dramatic rescue just earlier that day in the same area.

Aaahhh. The rain finally let up yesterday, so I just had to get my new Diablo Chupacabra on the water. I had a late start unfortunately. First I wanted to pick up a SUP paddle to go with the stand-up paddleboard/kayak hybrid. Yes, I could have just used my regular kayak paddle, but, believe me, that isn’t an ideal situation. After checking out the dismal selection around town (hey, don’t tell me its the “off season.” Christmas was just a month ago), I picked up a decent, barely used paddle at Alder Creek Canoe and Kayak They had a couple others I would have really liked, but $300+ is out of my price range. From there, I had to head back home, load up the kayak, eat some lunch, and hit the water.

We had some pretty heavy rains last week. Actually, we had torrential downpours last week. Most rivers in the area pushed flood stage, and many towns an hour south of me are under water. That meant a couple things:

1. I’m staying out of the main flow, and hitting the backwaters
2. the water is dirty. filthy would be more like it. 8″ visibility.
3. there’s a ton of crap in the water (literally and figuratively)

I didn’t anticipate that I’d be fishing much, if at all. I did, however, bring along my 7wt fly rod and one good small sculpin pattern to toss around. That really didn’t happen. I did give it a throw, but mostly to see how the Chupacabra reacted to fly casting while I was seated on the elevated Larry Chair and while standing. The Chup performed excellently. I was quite impressed. But, as I mentioned, the water was nasty. So I just paddled around, but seated and standing.

The high water also means all the crap people kept in their back yards, or on their docks, ended up in the river. When the water’s dirty, it’s time to clean, so that’s just what I did. In the end, I had about 200 lbs of trash collected on the kayak. Fortunately some of that trash included large bins to put everything I collected. My single garbage bag wasn’t going to be of any use on this day. Worst of all the garbage was an oil drain pan, sitting just about a yard away from the waterline. And it was full. Not water. Oil. Fortunately it didn’t seem to leak at all, as it was most definitely underwater just a couple days ago. Horrible.

Plenty of other stuff too. I didn’t make it back to the launch until dark, so I couldn’t get a decent photo of the pile I made for the parks department (which I have notified). But, yeah, right around 200 pounds of trash, DVD player, CD cases, interior door handles, half of a TV, tire, and more.

The lil Chupacabra packed it all quite well!

When you’re on the water, other boats can present hazards for kayak fisherman. They can also be a lifeline. Cell phones are great when you find yourself in a hairy situation, but they don’t always work. That’s where the VHF radio comes in. It allows for on-the-water communication with other boats on the water, the Coast Guard, and you can also get weather information in case you don’t notice the storm moving in on your location.

I picked up the Uniden Atlantis 250 a couple years ago. I used it almost everywhere I fished: The Columbia and Willamette Rivers, the Puget Sound, and the Pacific Coast. The Atlantis was more than useful. I remember a very foggy day on the Columbia River sturgeon fishing. It was hard to see past the bow of my kayak, but between the VHF radio and my GPS, I knew where I was and I knew if anyone was coming. Sure enough, the radio alerted me to a huge cargo ship heading my way. I barely had my anchor in the water when it appeared just 100 yards away from me, and I was most definitely in its path. Had I not had the radio, I would not have had sufficient warning.

I chose the Atlantis 250 for a number of reasons. First off, price. My limited budget at the time allowed me to get the most basic of handheld VHF radios. The Atlantis 250, for just around $100, gave me the most features. It’s waterproof (JIS4 standards), comes with AC and DC chargers (and I charge the radio in my car way too often), and a backup battery pack to keep in my dry box. When it comes to electronics on the water, its always good to have a backup battery.

What I really needed, however, was a backup radio. The first time I pounded through the surf on the Oregon Coast I took a nice wave to the face. It wasn’t anything too serious and the waterproof rating of the VHF radio should have more than taken care of things. It wasn’t long until I heard a Coast Guard report sing through the Atlantis radio. Well, it wasn’t so much of a song as it was a cackle and gurgle. The speaker had filled with water. I shook out what I could, but for most of the day I had a real hard time hearing anything. The worse part is that I was fishing in a high traffic area, and the radio was important to inform me of boats coming in and out of the area.

From then on, I put a bit more care into the Uniden radio. I protected it better on surf launches, and, as I try to do with all my gear, cleaned it when I was done fishing for the day. It worked fine enough, alerted me to weather and boat traffic. I used it to let the Depoe Bay Harbor Master know when I was coming and going.

But it was a long time later until I used it to talk to others on open water.

I was about a mile away from a half dozen other kayak anglers on the Oregon Coast. I was fishing a killer school of rockfish and lingcod, and just had to invite the others. I knew they couldn’t have had as good of luck as I was having, so I gave them a call. Silence. I tried again. Silence. I switched channels. Silence. Ok, guess they don’t want to fish with me. I could see them in the distance and with all the paddling they were doing they couldn’t have had such good fishing as I had. Awhile later I was limited out and was ready to head back in for a beer. I started paddling towards the other kayakers and gave them another radio call to let them know I was heading back in. At this point, a half mile away, my radio call was returned with silence. I halfed the distance and at this point I could almost yell at them. It was then that they finally heard me. Later they reported that even when they did eventually hear me on the radio, it wasn’t great.

Now, I understand that sitting on top of the water as we kayak fisherman do, radio range is often reduced. However, if I could see someone, the radio should be able to do it’s job. Most advertised ranges for radios are line-of-site. And the Uniden Atlantis wasn’t living up to its potential.

The last straw came on my most recent trip to the coast. The night before I put the radio on the charger. Grabbed it in the morning as I headed out. The battery pack was a bit warm, so I figured it had a good charge. A few hours later, as I was gearing up, I clipped the Atlantis to my PFD as I normally do and turned it on. Nothing. Switched to my back up battery pack. Nothing. Terminals were still a good gold color and I saw no oxidization. But, I also had no power.

I still fished that day, against my better judgement, but I also kept close to others.

To me, the VHF radio is just as important as my PFD. Until I get this one replaced, I won’t be doing a whole lot of kayak fishing. It’s safe to say, I won’t be going back to another Atlantis VHF radio. If you have one of these now, I strongly urge you to find a waterproof case if you’re not ready to replace it.

Pros:
Clear speaker audio when not wet
packaged with DC and AC chargers
comes with a backup battery pack (AA batteries not included)
inexpensive

Cons:
speaker fills with water, sounding horrible
transmit range is very minimal
transmit quality is sub-par

Rating out of 5? I’ll give it a 1.5

I’m just too excited. I just got off the phone a short time ago with Thomas at Diablo Paddlesports. I’ll have a new kayak on the way here shortly!

I’ve wanted one of the Diablo Paddlesports kayaks since their Audios was debuted. What makes the Diablo line up different from the rest is that they’re a hybrid between a stand up paddleboard and a kayak. Sit down and paddle like a kayak. Stand up and paddle like a paddleboard. The 36″ wide kayak is plenty stable stand on, as you would do for a paddleboard, and that also makes it excellent to use to stand up and do some sight casting to bass, carp, and even rockfish on the coast!

Furthermore it has a very shallow draft. It’ll float me and my fishing gear in just a few inches of water. I honestly feel that this will be the ideal kayak for coastal river steelheading and for stalking Columbia River flats for carp.

I can’t wait to get it outfitted also! I’m working up an order for YakAttack accessories like the Gear Trak, PanFish Portrait, and other rigging to make this an awesome fishing kayak. I’m getting the Chupacabra which is their shorter kayak. Having paddled both the Audios and Chupacabra, I knew I couldn’t go wrong with either one. They both had plenty of speed, and the Chupacabra had a bit more maneuverability, ideal for river fishing.

The Chupacabra is the second model in Diablo’s line of hybrid SUP-Yaks, a cross between a Stand-Up Paddleboard and a Sit-on-top kayak. As one of the most stable platforms, our unique design is great for extra weight and can even get the big guys in shallow water without sacrificing maneuverability.

Features: – Tri-Hull design allows you to get in shallower water and gives you more stability. – Pull-up Strap in front to make standing up to paddle much easier. – Adjustable Foot Pegs – Wet Storage in front and back of boat o 1” webbing in the stern and bungee on the bow o Mold in well for fishing crate in rear – 2 drink holders, one fits 12oz beverages with a koozie, the other fits 32oz water bottles – Traction pad in cockpit for secure footing – Front Dry storage accessible from cockpit – Two 6” dry access hatches at the rear of cockpit – Two paddle holders – Over size cockpit for comfort standing or sitting o Fits most 4 point seating systems – 5 comfort carry handles – Smooth, flat surface allows for suction cup mounts for fishing rods, GPS, fish finders, etc.

PS: my appologies for the extended vacation from the blog! I don’t have a real good reason for it.

If you’ve been to my blog before, then you know I’m a supporter of Recycled Fish. I have been since the moment I learned about them. My support has grown and now I find that I’m the PR Director for Recycled Fish! How cool is that!?!

Anyways.

Recycled Fish just opened an online fly shop, powered by West Fly. Through the fly shop, Recycled Fish can earn 30% from the sales, which can be a significant and very useful source of income for the non-profit. Buyers will find high quality flies for a variety of species – trout, salmon, bass, pike, redfish, stripers – and very affordable and competitive pricing.

To help sweeten up the deal and to help promote the new Recycled Fish Fly Shop, there are a BUNCH of cool give-aways going on. Throughout the rest of October (and actually started on 10/5) and running through November 10th, every purchase on the fly shop will be entered to win a brand new Rise Fly Rod. It’s super nice, and we’re glad that Rise is supporting us in this way.

Also, we’re asking bloggers to talk about our fly shop. Check it out. Check out Recycled Fish if you haven’t heard of us before (no, we’re not new, we’ve been doing this for awhile). And, if you blog about our new Fly Shop, you’re automatically entered to win a loaded fly box. It’s a sweet box, especially if you’re fishing in my neck of the woods, loaded with nymphs and dries. Great for river trout, the box carries a retail value of $65 through the fly shop. I don’t think it’d be hard to argue its worth much more than that either. Also, blogging about the Recycled Fish Fly Shop also enters the blogger into the same give away for the new Rise Fly Rod as those that make a purchase from the fly shop.

Finally, there’s one more deal – the first 10 bloggers to spread the word about the Fly Shop are getting free flies. Yes. The first 10 blogs that mention the Recycled Fish Fly Shop will get a half-dozen flies. Not a bad deal. I’m hoping that some of these folks will fish the flies, and review them too. But we’re not asking for that. We’ve had a number of posts made, but we’ve still not hit 10 – so there’s still time (and I’m not going to include this one). If you’d like more information about Recycled Fish, or the Recycled Fish Fly Shop, let me know!

Well. There isn’t one. I know not everyone follows along with me on Twitter, Facebook, or Google Plus, so here’s what happened.

The morning before I was set to work going over gear, again, for the 3rd time, as I loaded up the car. My new TFO TiCr had just arrived. I needed to pick up some backing and sinking fly line after work. My conventional rods were loaded inside the kayak, and the kayak was strapped on top of the convertible. Also inside the kayak was my dry top, seat, and PFD. I had a small tote with my waders, shoes, tackle and flies, cameras. I was set.

All I needed to do was go to work for 4 hours.

After all was loaded, I came back to get my phone off the charger. There was an email: “Isaac, head’s up, trips cancelled.”

After weeks of perfect conditions on the coast, things were forecast to get nasty the day we were to go. Ug. Really?!?

We had plans to reschedule, but the seas really haven’t calmed down much since.

Doesn’t look like the trip is going to happen this year. Lame.

Much thanks to the guys over at The Functioning Fishaholics for hooking up the new logo! I had casually mentioned the desire for a logo over on Google+ the other day, and, I’m assuming out of boredom, put a little something together for me. It’s nothing I had even thought of, but totally awesome and appreciated!

Thanks guys!

I’ll have some content later this week. Baffin Shoes. What I still haven’t learned about tournament fishing. and more.

I’m coming close to my dream fishing destination this next week. No, I won’t be traveling down to Cancun. There won’t be beautiful beaches, jungle canopies, or seemingly flat seas. But I will be in blue water chasing pelagic species. I’ll have a taste of my dream trip.

The Dorado or Mahi Mahi (aka Dophin too) has long been a dream fish of mine, and I’ve long felt that Pureto Aventuras, just south of Cancun, was where I would catch my first. The bright flash of blues and golds. The pull on the line. And, of course, I’ll be on the kayak, getting the slay ride in the Caribbean!

Why Cancun? It made simple sense to me. Especially Pureto Aventuras, the fishing is very close, and not a difficult paddle by any means to get onto the Cozumel Trench – just where you want to be to catch some of the warm water’s finest sportsfish and good eats. Fishing in the Summer months Blackfin Tuna, Bonito, Sailfish, and Marlins are also great fishing options – but I’ll be targeting the Dorado. My own devil.

Dorado and Sail - MobileBaits.com

I can see it…

Wake just before sunrise to a hot pot of coffee. I gather my gear and walk down to the beach to load my kayak up. Sonar. Check. GPS. Check. PFD. Check. VHF. Check. Safety Flag. Check. Fly Rod. Check. Spinning Rod. Check. Trolling Rod. Check.

As I warm up in the glow of the sunrise, it’s time for me to shove off. I make my paddle, pretty much straight out from the beach, the slight breeze giving me a bit of help. A short distance from shore, it’s time to drop my trolling rod. I know the trolling speed of 6kts that you’d have in a power boat is difficult in a kayak for any sustained amount of time. No trouble though, Just go. The Rapala Magnum X15 will do its job just fine.

Onward I go towards deeper water.

While just paddling along, enjoying the sun, the warm water, and the scenery, the rod goes off. FISH ON! Leaping out of the water is the flash of dorado. The golden sides only accented by the warm glow of the morning sun. As I fight this fish, I see the blue-green flashes of the rest of the school. I begin to sweat. Anxiously I almost seem to forget about the fish on the line, and start thinking of my next moves. Then, just inches from the boat, the fish I was fighting go airborne again! Wow! Wake up Isaac! Fight the fish, then worry about the rest!

Joe Hector - 30# Dorado

I swing the flyrod perpendicular to the kayak. If this fish wants to fight, I’ll use the kayak to my advantage. He’s gonna have to fight me sideways. He Jumps. Oh. My. God. This fish is huge. A trophy. Back in the water he continues working his way into my backing. I have to do something to keep this fish. I turn back, putting the rod parallel to the kayak, and start cruising along with this fish. The slay ride is on.

Pulling me and the kayak along is wearing on this beast. I start bringing the line in, inching the two of us together. Again he jumps. My-oh-my. I keep bringing in line as the fish allows. Working this fish the best I can. Finally, it sees the kayak. He knows what he’s in for. His color flashes again, and now he’s angry and screams off again. But, he’s tired. Short sprinted runs and aerial displays are wearing on him quickly. Time to finish this battle.

Kayak Dorado. BlueWaterJon.com

As I land, on the beach, my wife walks out from the jungle where she’s been walking around, laughing with monkeys, and searching for snakes and bugs to tell me about. I pull out my two dorado. One Monster. One a nice average. She gives me a congratulatory kiss, and, with a grin, I ask, “Up for some ceveche for dinner?”

This blog entry is my submission for the Red Tuna Shirt Club and Outdoor Blogger Network Writing Contest.

Oregon, this last weekend, joined its neighboring states of Washington and Idaho with mandatory boat inspection stations. Kayaks are not exempt from these inspections which seek out possible invasive species that include quagga mussels, eurasian milfoil, and more. Failure to stop will get you pulled over, and ticketed by the state patrol. Let’s take a look at common trouble areas on kayaks and how to deal with them.

There are several areas on kayaks that can be easily overlooked, and will harbor fugitive invasives that can be spread to other waters. Some of those key areas include the foot wells, seating area, tank well, and scuppers. Water spends a lot of time in areas, mostly with thanks to scuppers allowing water into the kayak. Splashing from waves, as well as just fishing in general, brings more items into the kayak.

After a good rinse to remove most of the sand and mud that might have accumulated, spray the kayak with a good non-toxic, biodegradable cleaning agent. Many folks have Simple Green around the home by now, and this cleaner will do great. Pay close attention to trouble areas and make sure they are well saturated. When that is complete, it is time for a good scrub. A scotch brite pad or veggie scrubber will help remove particles that have gotten into the textured areas of the kayak.

When scrubbing is complete, its time for the rinse. Work areas thoroughly with clean water and keep your eye open for areas that might need another scrub. Deep corners are likely areas needing a second scrub – around the tank well, and foot well areas, especially if your kayak’s foot wells are molded. When the top side is complete, flip the kayak over and keep on going.

At the bottom of the kayak, there are few areas to be concerned about. Again the scuppers are a target, but do not overlook areas that have heavy scratches like the front and rear keels, or other areas of the kayak that might have gouges. The smooth bottoms of kayaks makes cleaning easier than the deck, but nonetheless important to clean. This is also a good time to clean your rudder system, if equipped, and also inspect the kayak for damage.

With the kayak all rinsed up, you’re all set to go. Optionally you can apply a plastic treatment like 303 Aerospace Protectant, or other UV blocker. These will make future cleanings easier, and protect your kayak from harmful UV rays. Before you put everything away, check out the rest of your gear like anchors, waders, and shoes.

Another, most excellent option, if available to you is the local DIY car wash. Many car washes now re-use the wash water, so you can use less water when cleaning your kayak! Alternatively, wash your kayak on the lawn, and count it as a watering so you can skip it next time. Who knew washing your kayak could cause a green lawn!

More and more states are requiring boat inspections to track down possible aquatic nuance species before they get in the water. Some states, at the time of this writing, include Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Colorado, Wyoming, California, Utah, and New Mexico, with Nevada’s program starting in 2012. The quick, 10 minute inspections cost nothing, and, if there is something clinging to your kayak that shouldn’t be, cleaning is free as well. But, should you pass up an inspection station, the fines will set you back that new reel you were thinking about.

Invasive species can quickly over run a non-native system, eradicating food sources for native species, choking out vital nutrients, and cause damage to dams and piers. By simply washing your kayak, you can rest easy knowing that you’re keeping your waters safe and clean for the fish we’re trying so hard to play with.

For more information about keeping out waters clean check out:
Recycled Fish
Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers

I’m preparing for my first mothership kayak fishing trip. What’s that? Well, 6 of us are meeting up in Newport, OR, throwing our kayaks on a boat, going 30 miles out, and doing some kayak fishing for albacore tuna. Needless to say, I’m STOKED for the trip.

I’ve never fished for tuna, and I’ve been out of kayak fishing for awhile with a bad back. With my back improvements, I’m definitely ready to hit the water again, and what a better chance than to slay some tuna! Fortunately my wife does a lot of canning already, so we’ll easily be able to make use of all the fish.

There isn’t a whole lot to do to the kayak to get ready. With the fast action of the tuna, a fish finder isn’t necessary, so the sonar will stay home. Same goes for the anchor trolly, as it’ll only get in the way.

Instead, I’ll be rigging up some proper bow and stern lines, which I’ve not had until now. The reason for these lines is to make moving the kayak around the boat easier when I’m not in it. Also, we can string up the kayaks behind the boat as we near proper fishing waters.

Aside from the bow and stern lines, the only thing left to worry about is the rod holders. The rear flush mount holders on the Ocean Kayak Tridents should hold just fine, but I’d rather use my RAM Mounts. I might have to rough up the ball-and-socket style mounting system with a bit of sandpaper to give it some extra holding power. Before I do that, I’ll do a bit of testing. I’d also really like to get a RAM fly rod holder, because I’d like to pick up at least one albacore on the fly.

The gear is probably the toughest part. The Oregon Albacore fishery is well renowned, and there is a lot of gear to go along with it. Ideally, I’d like to slimline the gearing to just a few items. I’ll be loaning an appropriate rod and reel from Marvin of Marvin’s Guide Service. That alone is saving me a couple hundred bucks in gear that could be better spent elsewhere. As far as rigging goes, I’ll be running 30# fluorocarbon leaders to either Rapala X15s or 1.5oz jigs with 4-5″ swimbaits, conditions making the call on the lure. Butterfly jigs are also an option that I might take with me.

As I hinted, I’d love to take a fly rod with me. I could troll with it, but, of course, casting to jumpers would be the ideal situation. There isn’t a whole lot of information about fly casting to Oregon Albacore. I have managed to find a couple patterns that would be good if I can find them – 4-5″ long Clousers and Shock and Awes are the usual flies called upon, especially in sardine patterns. Those that have used the fly against albacore have suggested 12wt rods. Sadly, I don’t own one. I thought I might have been able to find a 10wt to borrow, but a 12wt is likely out of the question. There are very few 12wts being fished in Oregon, and many area fly shops don’t even have them stocked. I’ve still got my fingers crossed though.

Ambush Charters is the first to say, “Yeah, we’ll take you guys out!” The first ever mothership trip out of Oregon was just a couple weeks ago, and went off pretty well. The second trip ever is less than two weeks away, and I couldn’t be more excited. Much thanks to the Ambush crew for taking on this adventure.