Fishing Black Light
Why We Kayak Fish
Why We Kayak Fish
By Capt. Pat Horrigan
When you think about fishing you realize that there are many forms of the sport. Sight fishing is by far the most challenging approach to be taken. In order to be successful in sight fishing, you must have a stealthy approach or you will do nothing more than spook your quarry. Wade fishing has its’ place for sure but it can be a long walk and as you tire, you are naturally noisier by default. Using a flats boat is very popular and always will be and kayak fishing may not be for everyone as it requires patience. To achieve the most in stealth a quality kayak makes the difference between a long walk and a very expensive flats boat. There are many different fishing kayaks on the market today and that’s great. I looked for a long time for the right kayak to sponsor the Kayak Fishing ClassicS national tournament series. The Freedom Hawk 12 by Freedom Hawk Kayaks packs everything a kayak fisherman needs into a very slick, quiet unit. The biggest advantage yielding feature of the Freedom 12 is the easily deployable outriggers. This feature truly makes it the Stand -Up Kayak Fishing standard on the market. Why is that important? When seated low in a kayak it is difficult to sight fish. Great sunglasses like the Ocean Waves Sunglasses really help however having the ability to stand on a mobile, stable platform is invaluable. The sunglasses are still a must have item and Ocean Waves Sunglasses are the best ,in my opinion.
So now you have a stealthy, stand- up fishing kayak to make the experience better and you can see thru the water like a hawk. That still doesn’t answer why we kayak fish. Before I do that, lets’ add another stealthy approach to the fastest growing water sport in North America. Fly Fishing! Talk about stealth. Fly fishing is so quiet and natural. Light Tackle fishing can be very stealthy as well if done correctly and both are popular ways to fish from a kayak. Albright Fishing Products is the maker of some very fine fly rods and conventional rods. To touch on their fly rods for a moment, we feel that they are the best fly rod on the market today for what we do. That is saying a great deal considering some of the other brands. Tom Brokaw once said “ if fishing is a religion, then fly fishing is high mass.” Fly fishing is a subject for another conversation. Now you are ready to sneak up on the fish. Simply put, Kayak Fishing is extremely challenging and incredibly beautiful. You are on the water surrounded by nature. The fish don’t even know you are there. You lay out a fly and a huge snook charges and takes. If you do that just once, the question will answer itself for you. Many kayak fishermen, and in that I include women of course, also enjoy wade fishing. There’s nothing like a good stretch after a good paddle to your favorite fishing spot. Lets’ talk about that for a minute;
Have you ever heard someone say ‘you have to think like a fish’? To me what that means is what am I doing that triggers a fishes strike or fear responses? I want the fish to strike or take my presentation so how do I trigger the strike response? Or what did I just do that spooked the fish or triggered its’ fear response? One huge factor often overlooked is Visual Quietness. Just what is that? Have you ever been in a swimming pool, underwater and looked up at someone walking around the pool? If not, try it sometime and it will make a believer out of you in what I am about to share with you. In order to better understand Visual Quietness you need to understand Visual Noise. Everything in nature is a blend of many things in nature surrounding it. Wait,..What? For example a bright color on a bird is muted by surrounding dull colors. There are very few birds of a solid, bright color and those that are have developed that for a specific reason in nature. If you look up at someone walking around the swimming pool wearing a bright white shirt you’ll realize just how much that stands out. Or a bright green shirt or black or any solid color just jumps out against the background. If you are in your kayak or doing some wade fishing and you are wearing solid colors, regardless of the color itself, you may as well just go home because every fish in casting distance can see you. Remember, the bigger the fish, the smarter or more experienced the fish is. I never wake up in the morning and say to myself, I think I will go out and catch a small fish today. We fish for big fish because they are more of a challenge and more fun to catch. So why make it harder on yourself. Wearing camouflage clothing that matches the background of where you are fishing makes a lot of sense to me. Let’s take it up a notch. Let’s wear camouflage clothing that matches the background the way a fish see it. Remember how that bright white shirt looked when you looked up form underwater in the pool? It was also distorted and wavy. Here’s the notch; AQUA DESIGN has come up with a camouflage that mimics how the background looks to a fish. That is huge when you think about it.
When you put all of the gear together with a little practice, you have a very Visually Quiet, Stealthy, Stand-Up Kayak Fishing package. In my pursuit of putting together a World Class national kayak fishing tournament series, I searched many equipment manufactures to provide product and expertise for our fishermen. It quickly became evident who made the best gear and why they made it the way that they do. I then pursued those companies as series sponsors. The sponsors that you see involved in the Kayak Fishing ClassicS are not just sponsors. They are the best at what they do and the most qualified in the world to call themselves sponsors of the Kayak Fishing ClassicS. If you take the time to learn about these fantastic people and the products that they make you will walk away with more knowledge of how and why the game is played the way it is. The book is being written on kayak fishing and we want you to be a part of it. Please visit us at http://www.KayakFishingClassicS.com to be a part of it. FishGreen
About the Author
Kayak Fishing ClassicS utilizes college journalism students as staff journalist. Each article will begin with the authors’ name.
Please Touch Museum’s “Fly/Fishing” theater show preview
|
|
GREEN Glow in the Dark Paint Daytime Invisible Range 15ml This is a 15ml 1/2oz bottle of high grade Glow in the Dark Acrylic water based paint. Used by professional Cosmic Star Ceiling Artists. In the Dark this paint will glow for hours, uses Sunlight or UV Black light to charge and will GLOW every night for years. ProGLOW Glow in the Dark Paint dries to a hard, clear waterproof finish. This product can be used externally, however under moon light , stre… |
|
|
The Ultimate Edge Model 4NFP Sportsman Utra Light, folding Diamond Sharpening Steel with Belt Pouch $26.74 Sportsmen will find this sharpening steel indispensable for camping and hunting trips. Designed to be lightweight and compact, the steel unscrews from its storage inside the 5-inch handle and screws on in a different direction to form a 9-inch-long tool. The 4-by-1/2-inch oval-shaped steel is covered with a fine, 600-grit microcrystalline diamond mesh bonded with nickel that sharpens and realigns … |
|
|
SE 3 Pc. Power Extension Socket Bits for Drills $1.81 Add versatility to your power drills. 3pc Power Extension Socket Adaptor has Hex bit for all power drill chucks. Comes in 3 Sizes : 1/4 in. , 3/8 in. & 1/2 in.for your full range of sockets…. |
|
|
Rayovac SE3DLN Sportsman Xtreme 300-Lumen LED Lantern $22.66 With optimized beams, rubber grips, and tactical switches, Rayovac’s Sportsman Xtreme lights are what you need for the outdoors when you head for the hills, woods, or even the backyard. Nicely compact and ultra-portable at just 7 inches tall and under 3.5 inches wide, this Rayovac SE3DLN lantern also provides an incredibly bright 300-lumen light. See larger image. Rayovac… |
|
|
Leatherman 830846 Skeletool Multitool $72.00 Leatherman packs the full-size Skeletool with the tools you’re likely to use most often. Introducing the Brand New Skeletool from Leatherman Now you’re ready to lighten your load and boost your survival skills — with Leatherman’s Skeletool. At a mere 5 ounces the new, full-sized multitool keeps weight and volume to a minimum without sacrificing quality and true functionality, and that’s wh… |
|
|
Bravo-Fit Heat Sensitive Memory Foam Sleep Mask $4.39 Heat-Sensitive Remedy┢ Memory Foam Sleep Mask – Remedy┢ Memory Foam Sleep Mask provides optimum comfort and maximum light blockage for a wonderful nightâ?TMs sleep. The mask is contoured inside to completely block out ambient light without touching your eyes. Luxuriously soft velvet completely covers both sides of the foam mask and provides ultimate comfort. The mask fits securely with an… |
|
|
Orthodontic Elastics Bands 1/4 Inch Medium – Great for Dreadlocks and Braids $1.24 These little beauties are just the ticket for finishing double ended dreadlocks or open ended braids! Ortho Bands are very hard to break, unlike most of the clear bands on the market!! They are 1/4″ in diameter when un-stretched. They have a slight yellow color to them because of the high tech polymers that give them a power packed stretch…. |
|
|
Seagulls Metal Frame Full Sun Readers (NOT A BIFOCAL) for Youthful and Active Men and Women Who Like to Look Great and Read in Comfort as They Work or Play in the Sun. $32.99 Do you love to read outside but canÕt bear the glare and reflection of the pages caused by the sun? Now you can have UV 400 protection while you eliminate the brightest rays of sun as you read outdoors. Seagulls full sun readers are a must have for your next vacation. Wear them whenever you are relaxing by the pool, at the beach, or simply on a lounge chair the back yard with a good book. You wil… |
|
|
- Adjustable Vented Laptop Table Laptop Computer Desk Portable Bed Tray Book Stand Multifuctional & Ergonomics Design Dual Layer Tabletop up to 17 $44.15 Need a multifunctional laptop workstation? Or a TV tray for food / snack? Even a bed tray desk to enjoy your breakfast? We have them all cover. This adjustable VENTED aluminum laptop notebook table features air vented cavities design which reduce overheating on your laptop / notebook. The extraordinary locking button that can be set in full 360 degree angles to fit any body position, even laidback… |
|
|
Polarized P4 Super Light Frame Sunglasses for Fishing, Golf & Active Lifestyles $49.95 Top Quality POLARIZED Polycarbonate shatterproof Substrate Lens Provides UV-A and UV-B Protection. UV 400 rating Anti-Fog Hydrophobic water repellant lens coating Anti-Scratch lens coating Lifetime Breakage Warranty Sweep lens allows 180 degree field of vision… |