Ok, got a pic of my kayak

AllenOK

New member
It's a 2007 Perception Search 13. 13' long, 30" beam. I've got a fishfinder installed, and several additional rod holders. The yellow thing in the tankwell is my drift sock.

2007perceptionsearch131.jpg


And yes, I have registration stickers on the bow. I know many states don't make you register a kayak, but in Oklahoma, "if it floats, it has to be registered".
 

waybomb

I'd rather be blown
Where's the engines?
I would so fall out of that! Especially if I had a fish at the end of a line. Would be a fun ride though!
 

AllenOK

New member
Engines? What engines? I AM the motive power!

I haven't fallen out of it, yet. I will admit that I've only taken it out on blue-bird days, with maybe 1" high waves. I've only had to deal with a boat wake once, and that wasn't very high, either.

I haven't caught anything big enough to tow me, yet. I have had a shellcracker about 1 1/2 lbs. pull the bow around 30 degrees to starboard, but that was it. I've caught a couple small channel cats, but they didn't pull me around. Now, a largemouth bass, big striper, big bluecat, big flathead, big gar, those are another story. That's actually another why I carry the drift sock. In a pinch, I can clip it to the anchor trolley (the pulleys and bungees that you can barely see on the side of the kayak) and dump it overboard. It will act as a parachute, and provide even more drag against the fish.

This thing is STEALTHY! One time, I was paddling slowly, quietly, into a really shallow area (about 1 1/2 - 2 foot deep) that had some trees stuck into the mud. I stopped paddling, and just glided. I had the paddle resting across the thwarts (gunnels/gunwhales?), just above my thighs. Suddenly, there was a HUGE swirl and splash under the paddle blade on the left side, just inches from my yak. My blade had just passed within inches of "something" that was resting just under the surface. I never saw the critter. It could easily have been a big bass, gar, or turtle.

I'm going to be making a 360 degree masthead light to stick into either the rod holder at the back of the crate, or make a special attachment inside the crate for it. I already have the light, a cheap, $5 LED lattern that I got from Wally World. I also have a headlamp, with either 5 LED's, 10 LED's, or 5 UV LED's. Since my boat is under 16', that's all I'm required to carry at night. My numbers are reflective, and I've got some reflective tape on the angled rod holders now. I'll probably put some reflective tape on the pole for the masthead light as well.

That said, I don't really go out at night. At least, I haven't yet. I also tend to stick to smaller bodies of water, or backwaters, to avoid the powerboats. I don't want to get run over.

I'll try to post another few pics as I get them. Probably one of the finished yak w/ light, and one or two of me actually fishing.
 

waybomb

I'd rather be blown
We had a Royak brand ocean kayak when we had a boat in Ventura Ca. My wife was scooting around the harbor one day when a "playfull" sea lion decided to bump her a few times. I had to sell the thing after that. Oh, that same day, my kid was I dunno, maybe 8 yoa, he was fishing off the dock and caught a harbor shark. My wife did not know harbor sharks were around either.
 

AllenOK

New member
I'll probably get splashed by a beaver this year. I've been noticing A LOT of beaver damage on trees near the river lately, and at least one of the lakes I usually go to has beavers in it.
 

Doc

Liquid Addiction
Staff member
Good pic Allen. Very nice Kayak you got there. I've never seen one so decked out. :thumb:

Like Fred said, I expect I'd get pulled over if I had a fish on the line. I'm curious, why did you go with the kayak vs a more conventional flat bottom john boat for fishing?

This thing is STEALTHY! One time, I was paddling slowly, quietly, into a really shallow area (about 1 1/2 - 2 foot deep) that had some trees stuck into the mud. I stopped paddling, and just glided. I had the paddle resting across the thwarts (gunnels/gunwhales?), just above my thighs. Suddenly, there was a HUGE swirl and splash under the paddle blade on the left side, just inches from my yak. My blade had just passed within inches of "something" that was resting just under the surface. I never saw the critter. It could easily have been a big bass, gar, or turtle.

I enjoy the stealthy mode. Years back we had a canoe which we would take to spots few others got to. I loved how nature would come alive all around us. :thumb:
 

AllenOK

New member
Doc,

1) Price - this thing only cost me $700
2) I don't even need a trailer. Just load it into the back of the truck and strap it down. Heck, if I'd get a rack system for my car, I could haul it with that!
3) I can get into areas with the kayak that a jonboat can't get to. This thing will float in about 2 - 3" of water without me in it, once I drop my chunky butt into the seat, it floats in 6".

When fighting a big fish from a kayak, keep the rod pointed to the bow, if at all possible. If the fish is big enough to tow you, by keeping the rod pointed forward, the kayak will tend to pull around and face the fish. It's MUCH harder to flip (or as we say, turtle) a 'yak that way. It's even easier if you have a rudder installed, which I don't, at this time.
 
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