Must have fishing gear...

It all starts here, with the rod and reel.  The spinning reel is, in my opinion an absolute must.  They can be used with any type of lure and are easy to use and maintain.  When you are using small lures such as light jig heads and weightless worms, this is the one to have.
I am a huge fan of Shimano reels, they have a wide selection and a variety of prices.  Abu Garcia is another great reel manufacturer and you really can't go wrong with either of these.

Time to Turn On some Crappies!

Now is a killer time if you love crappie fishing. The water is warming up and these fish are getting hungry after a long, cold winter. It's also spawning season ( give or take depending on your location) and crappie are ready to rock!
As the water gets up above 60 degrees they become more active and hungry and will chase a wider variety of lures. I love small crankbaits, in- line spinners, beetlespins, and jig/ bobber combos. Be sure to have a variety of colors for your jig trailers so you can find what the crappie want.
Now get out there and catch some slabs!

Finally an upgrade to the Plastic Navy!

Well I finally broke open the piggy bank and upgraded to a Nucanoe Frontier 10.  I have only had her out one time, but I am in love with this craft!  It has the best stability I have seen in any kayak, I was able to stand up and cast with no problem.  The raised seat is extremely comfortable and was very easy on my bad back, the ability to stand and cast is also a welcome relief for weary backs and knees after hours on the water.  I can't recommend this kayak enough, if you get the chance to try one I know you will love it too.

Support Chris Kyle's Family

We have lost a true American hero.  Chris Kyle was tragically killed while trying to help a troubled veteran.  Chris was the most decorated sniper in US history and saved countless American lives as a Navy SEAL sniper.  He gave all the proceeds from his book "American Sniper" to charity and spent so much of his own time and energy helping our veterans.

He is survived by his wife and 2 young children.  Please do what you can to help his family by donating HERE.  Mercury 1 and Glenn Beck have set up a fund to go to his family.  Also be sure to keep the Kyle family and all our veterans home and abroad in your thoughts and prayers... Thank you for your service and Rest In Peace Chris Kyle!

70 Degrees in December!

When I saw the weather report a few days ago, I knew I HAD to do some fishing!  High of 73 in December, love it!
I decided to hit a small pond in our next door county.  I had fished there a few weeks ago and managed a few small bass and crappie.

I only fished from the bank and caught 12 crappie, 2 small bass and a tiny bream.  Not a bad for a few hours and I loved every minute of it.  I caught most of them using a 1/8 oz Road Runner jig with a pink tube trailer.  This is a great little crappie rig and even bass like them.  I like it in cold water because you can absolutely crawl them along, most fish are moving a little slow in December so I like something I can fish slow.

Been a long time...

Never fear...I HAVE NOT stopped fishing!  An extremely busy summer at work and at home put a damper on my blogging.
I will post a few sccess stories from the summer.  The first being a trip to the New River in southwest Virginia with my nephew.
We left early and drove up to Foster Falls where we put the kayaks in.  We floated about 4 miles down the river with frequent stops at promising fishing spots and to eat some lunch.  I managed to land 14 smallmouth bass and missed another 6 that I really should have gotten into the boat!

I was using Texas-rigged crawdads and pumpkin green 5" senko style worms.  An awesome trip in one of the most beautiful places I know of!  The picture is of my nephew Chance in his 10 foot Pescador.

New Rig...

This is my "new" fishing rig.  It's a 10' Future Beach Spirit 120 I got from Craigslist for $200 including the paddle.  I added a swivel rod holder in the front and a crate with pvc tubing for rod holders on the back.  I have only had her out a few times, the pic on the left is from back in August on the New River in Virginia.  I absolutely love it, it tracks great, is stable and has plenty of room for my gear.
I know there are a lot of "kayak snobs" who think you need a $1500 'yak, but just get what you can afford that will get you on the water!  TIGHT LINES to all!!!