Review: YAK ATTACK "GEAR TRAC"

“This is going to revolutionize the way people are rigging out a kayak” That was my first thought when I picked up a peace of Yak Attack’s new Gear Trac. It is a track system made from strong, but light weight 6000 series aluminum. I has a very attractive military grade hard coat anodized finish to protect it from the harsh elements to which it will be exposed .  The Gear Trac is attached to the kayak by countersunk screws that are set on 1 ¾” centers running the length of the track on both sides. The Gear Trac is offered in 4”, 8”, 12”, and 16“ lengths.
 
Placing the Gear Trac on your kayak will allow unlimited mounting options.  Placing Yak Attack’s screwball to the Gear Trac opens unlimited mounting options with ram mounts utilizing a ball mount.

Or by choosing the Mighty Mount system adapter, Scotty bases can be attached so that all Scotty brand mounts may be used.  Not only can they be mounted to the Gear Trac in one place, they can quickly be loosened and slid along the length of the trac allowing them to be secured to any place on the trac.

My 12” trac will be used to secure a Visi-Carbon Pro and a Panfish to mount my camera. It will allow me to mount the Visi Carbon pro light at the rear of the gear track and still give me plenty of room to mount the panfish.  The panfish will be mounted to gain a vantage behind the shoulder shot to record videos. I will also be able to mount the smaller panfish portrait to get those low to the water shots. For the kayaker that wants to record himself/herself on video,  the ability to place cameras in different places on the kayak by simply sliding it into and out of the trac is going to be a great feature.

One of the best features of the Gear Trac is it’s low profile. When the day is done and everything is removed from the kayak the less then ½” tall Gear Trac is unobtrusive and does not get in the way while loading or unloading the kayak.
To secure it to the kayak with screws is a great way to use the Gear Trac. However, it certainly lends it’s self for unlimited options.  In my case I wanted my Panfish portrait to be mounted  next to my  fish finder. This would allow me to get a great vantage point for my “grip and grin” shots while keeping me from drill more holes in my kayak. To allow more mobility with my fish finder and camera I mounted the trac on a double ball socket arm which attaches to a 1” ball mounted on my kayak. My camera and FF can now be moved together or independently to get angle I might wish.

With just a little imagination the Gear Trac and  Mighty Mount systems allow you to place equipment  on your kayak just about anywhere you want.

I made a video of the installation of the Gear Trac. I however had technical difficulties with one of the cameras.(I forgot to put a sd card in the forward facing camera) Anyway, I ended up with only one “overhead” view. 

I also thought a short video to show the whole set up might be helpful.

In conclusion I think Yak Attack has hit another home run with the release of the Gear Trac. The amount mounting options are limited only to your imagination.
For a list of distributors and more information about the new Gear Trac and other products they sell can be found at
www.YakAttack.us


Shaun Russell
Russell.shaun@ymail.com

Fall get together at Mariner Sails

Well the fall get together was held this weekend. This year the tournament had to be called off because of the high winds. It's always a tough call to have to call off a tournament but the safety of the kayakers has to come first. We didn't have quite the attendance as we had hopped for but it was a great gathering of good people.
Here's a couple pictures from outside :

My Outback set up to show the new YAK ATTACK equipment.

Robbie was there to give out samples of X-Cite baits.

 Inside the store Mike, and Aris setting up.

 Aris was working hard to get everything set up and it certainly showed. The store looked great.

A few shots from inside Mariner Sails. They have a great selection of Kayaks, and rigging options.

I was very happy to hear Aris announce that Hobie had excepted me on to the "Hobie Fishing Team"

 Some of the goodies from Mariner and Hobie for being on the team.

 Everyone standing around my next ride. The Hobie Pro Angler. Hopefully soon I'll be able to able to use this platform to fish in tournaments across Texas.

We had a great time at the get together. Josh announced he would be hosting a new bass fishing tournament in 2012 called the North Texas Kayak Trail. Three tournaments held at Ray Roberts, Lake Fork, and Lake Grapevine.

http://texasfishingforum.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/6862153/North_Texas_Kayak_Trail#Post6862153
I'm very excited to be able to fish both the North Texas Kayak Bass Tournaments and the South Texas "Kayak Angler tournament Series" or K.A.T.S. this year.
http://texasfishermen.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=668 I'll have to get my truck tuned up because this year she will be doing some sight seeing..........
***Just a special thanks to Mike, and Aris from Mariner Sales for helping me get on the Hobie Fishing Team. They worked hard to make this happen and I certainly appreciate their efforts. I'm sure this will open a lot more doors for me in the future to work towards the goals I have set for Bass fishing in a Kayak. Thanks guys!!!!

REVIEW: YAK ATTACK's VISI CARBON PRO

When I go fishing my focus is on catching big bass. I don’t want to be worrying about my equipment or safety. I am also a true do-it yourself type person.  If I can build it cheaper and maintain quality I’m all for it. That was my mind set when I decided I needed a light for my Kayak. After several failed attempts (and a few wasted dollars) of making my own I found a product from Yak Attack called the “VISI-Carbon Pro. 

The VISI Carbon Pro is built around a carbon mast that folds down to three 14” easily manageable lengths.

Inside the tube is an elastic cord that runs the length of the tubing allowing the unit to fold flat on itself.  Simplicity at it’s finest! Mounted on top of the carbon mast is an extremely bright 360 degree, 2 led light. On the Yak attack website they boast 100 hours of life with the three AAA batteries used to power the light. I’ve had mine for a couple months now and it is still just as bright as the first time I turned it on.

The body of the light was specially designed  to mount a flag secured by two small bungee cords to the shaft. The light is easily turned off and on with a quick turn of the diffused light cover. It’s a nice design that won’t allow the light to accidentally be turned on and drain the battery.  On the body of the light you will find marine grade reflective tape. I didn’t realized how well it worked until I saw it reflecting light as I was walking up to my kayak at night. The orange (also offered in green)  flag is 6”x18” and is constructed of two ply nylon.  It’s a nice size of compromise between improved visibility and keeping the drag down from the wind.  One end of the flag is sewn shut while the other is left open with two pieces of Velcro sewn in as to create a bag.

That’s correct, the flag also doubles as the storage bag to store the complete unit. What a great idea to save space!

Yak Attack offers different mounting options where the shaft connects to the kayak,.  Ram, Mighty Mount, and Tallon are all available. The base is covered with a buoyant foam allowing the entire light assembly to float in case it is accidentally dropped overboard. They had the forethought to make the outside diameter to fit in the flush mount rod holders on my Outback kayak. In the event the kayak overturns there is an elastic tether securing it to the kayak.

I’ve been using the VISI-Carbon Pro for a few months and am impressed with the illumination provided by the light. It’s so bright that I also use it to illuminate the area while preparing my kayak and fishing equipment in place of a flashlight. While in the kayak the height that it is mounted behind me doesn’t blind me while fishing.  Although I really appreciate the visibility the flag offers me I often forget it’s back there until I am fishing heavy timber. I love to fish back in heavy,  nasty stuff that most people will go around.  Sometimes the kayak will just barely squeeze though. Being mounted in the rod holder means that the light is kicked out to the side of the kayak like a rod would be. This is no problem in open water but if you are trying to squeeze through trees on both sides of you it will hang on the light/flag. This has allowed me to see the durability of this product. On numerous occasions I have  hung up on trees, branches,  vines, etc.  I will  tell you first off that the VISI-Carbon pro was NOT designed to scrape bark off a tree, be bent over backwards, or stressed out like I have done. However it has proven to be very durable and I have certainly put it to the test!

In conclusion, I’ll say that I’m extremely impressed with the design of this product.  This light is well worth the investment and I would recommend it to anyone.  It was money well spent!

Pros--    *Very bright light
    *Long battery life
    *Collapsible and compact design
    *Fits in it’s own bag (The flag)
    *It floats
    *Reflective tape on the light
    *Lightweight but extremely durable
    *Tether to secure to the kayak

Cons--  *Haven’t found any

Red River Fly Fishers Get Together

Today I went to the RRFF November get together held in Sherman, Tx. Jerry Hammon, President of RRFF did a great job organizing the event. There were Kayak demos provided by Mariner Sales. There was lots of talking about fly fishing and the different types of equipment from fly rods to tying flies. Listening to these veteran fly fisherman and women gave me the itch to pick up my fly rod again. The delicious lunch was cooked and prepared by Mr.Hammon and members of the RRFF club. I was very impressed with the friendly, good hearted nature of the people in the club. they made me feel welcome the minute I stepped out of my truck. It was a very relaxed and comfortable event held at a local Sherman lake. It started out cool in the morning. But warmed up very nicely to a bright blue bird day.  If we could have talked mother nature in to letting the wind lay a tad it would have been better. But hey, Any day outside in Gods country is a good day in my book.
http://www.rrff.org/

Shaun

Kids go Catfishing

I had the pleasure of volunteering to help the Gainesville middle school kids go fishing Saturday.  Everyone caught a fish and had a great time. If you get a chance to go fishing. Take a kid. It's our future you'll be mentoring.

Hobie "Horizontal Rod Holder"

 

One of the inherent problems we have as Kayakers is the small amount of space to put our tackle. We don't have the luxury of a huge deck to store our equipment like those that are fishing out of a bass boat. Well Hobie has helped resolve at least one of our problems this year with increased rod storage space. Hobie has come out with the "horizontal Rod holder". The holder consist of two pieces, a rod protector tip and a rod butt holder/shelf which attach to the hull. 

Mounted on the front of the kayak is the rod tip protector. The rod tip protector is formed from hard plastic and attached to the kayak by three stainless steel bolts, washers, and nuts.The other part of the rod holder attaches to the middle of the kayak and holds the reel close against the hull. It is attached in a similar fashion with three provided stainless steel bolts, washers, and nuts. If reaching inside the hull to mount the holder is a problem then screws are also supplied.

After mounting the rear rod holder/shelf there is an eyelet post to be installed. It is an attachment point for the rubber strap that secures the rod when not in use. I would suggest putting a rod in the holder and stretching the rubber strap in place to find the point to mount the the eyelet.

I found the mounting of the rod holder to be very easy.  Hobie provides clear instructions with illustrations to show the processes of mounting the unit on the kayak. 

I mounted one rod holder on each side of my kayak late one afternoon and still had plenty of daylight to go fishing!

 

TIP : When placing the rod in the holder turn the eyelets of the rod toward the kayak. Most of the time when bumping in to trees the kayak hull will hit the tree first but if the tree trunk is just at the right level it will bend the rods eyelets back.

I've been using the "Horizontal Rod Holders" for four months now. I am extremely pleased to have them on the kayak. I spend about 90% of my time bouncing off trees while I'm fishing heavy timber. I use to have my rods mounted vertically. I spent most of my time leaning over pulling my rods out of the trees I had just passed. I tried laying them on the surface of the kayak in front of me but that to was a mess having three rods scattered in my lap. With the horizontal holders I am able to bring three rods with me in my kayak and be very comfortable. Four can be done but it sometimes gets a little crowded when bass fishing as I primarily do. 

As mentioned above I did mount a horizontal holder on each side of  my kayak. This presented an issue with the existing anchor trolly. So on the side where I have my anchor trolley I only mounted the front rod protector. The rear holder/shelf looked like it might be something the trolley could hang on so I chose to leave it off for now. On the Hobie Outback there is a strap provided to secure the paddle. It is is the perfect place to hold the rear of the rod to the side of the kayak. The anchor trolly can be used with the a rod in the holder but it does restrict the full motion of the trolly.

One of the beauty's of the rear holder is the design of built in shelf. There is a rubber strap that will securely hold your rod in the holder if you are in rough water.  While you are are fishing, you are able to remove the strap and let the rod sit securely in the shelf. At first I was afraid the rod would fly out of the shelf and in to the water. This has happened once as I was passing a low lying limb and it grabbed the rod on the way by.

In the last few months I have found myself using the rubber strap mostly when I'm securing two rods at the same time. You can place one rod in the holder and have it sitting on the shelf for easy access.

The Horizontal rod holder is one of those inventions that you say "Duh, I wish I would have thought of that".

The rod tip protector is very sleek and slides off trees and other obstructions while protecting you rods tucked away inside. The rear of the holder provides a way to securely attach your rods with a strong rubber strap. If your out fishing you can release the strap and still have a shelf for the rod to sit on for quick access.

I've banged it around for the last few months and it is still doing a great job. I feel that it is one of the best added features I have put on my kayak

Shaun Russell
russell.Shaun@ymail.com
northtexaskayaker@gmail.com

horizontal rod holder kit (part# 72021060)

http://static.hobiecat.com/digital_assets/hobie-kayak-parts-accessories-fall-2011.pdf

http://www.hobiecat.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=35650

Doug Hannon Wave spin reel

This review started with the purchase of this spinning reel on 7/3/11. I bought a spinning reel for throwing weightless worms and drop shoting for bass. After fishing with the reel for almost a month a terrible thing happened. I was out in my kayak fishing at my local lake when I heard a "kerplunk". As I turned to see what had made the noise I saw my new rod and reel combo sinking in 16' of dark, murky, stump filled water. I thought it was gone forever.

Well, after reading on a kayak forum where people were dragging their anchor to pull up their lost rod and reels I thought I would give it a shot. So on 9/26/11 I went back out to the exact spot where I lost the reel. The water was now a little lower because of the summer heat but I located the spot by finding the marked limb I had left behind when the reel took that fatal swim. I threw my anchor out and as I dragged it back in felt some resistance on the line. When I got it to the kayak I noticed it was my rig. I couldn't believe what had just happened. I was hoping to pull up the lost combo but never in a million years did I really think it would happen. And on the first throw of the anchor to boot.

Well I rubbed off some of the caked on mud and algae and for kicks I gave it a couple throws. I was amazed.  It was casting with out any problems. Heck, it was casting better than some of the new less expensive spinning reels I had used on occasion. When I reeled it in you could hear the sand in it so I knew it needed cleaning badly. Before I left the lake that day I made a short video of what had just happened.

I was so impressed with the reel and what it had been through I thought I would send an e-mail with the short video to Wave Spin Reels. I didn't really expect a reply but just wanted to show them what their reel was capable of. 

Several hours after I sent the email I got a return e-mail from Russ Riley,VP of Wave Spin Reels. He told me to send the reel in to him to be rebuilt. I have to be honest with you, I thought he was pulling my leg. I was the one that dropped the reel over in the lake and he was offering a free cleaning? LOL.... Now that's what I call customer service. A few hours later I received an email from Doug Hannon himself. It seems Mr. Hannon has a good sense of humor. I got a kick out of reading his reply to my accidental drowning of one of his reels. He seems like a very nice guy that stands behind his product with excellent customer support.

I sent the reel in to Russ on Monday and on Friday I received a pkg in the mail. I opened the box to find a bright and shiny reel. Now he said he wanted to rebuild it but I'm not sure what on this reel was original as it looks suspiciously like a new reel to me. :)

At a time when money is so tight it's great to have purchased a product that has proven it has been built right and can go the extra mile!  To have a company that will stand behind their product  and offer this type of customer service makes a really good impression on me, the consumer.

  * This reel is very smooth, and responsive when reeling in.
*As far as casting this reel, it will cast a small crank bait, or weightless worm with very little effort.
 *On their website Wave spin boast that it is tangle free. I too have found that the nasty tangles I've experienced in the past with other spinning reels are finally gone.
 *The largest bass I've caught on this reel so far has been in the 4lb range and the drag did a great job through out the transition.

The bottom line is that this is a great reel that I find myself casting more on each trip to the lake. If you are looking for a spinning reel for bass fishing give the DH3000 a try. I think you will be as pleased with the reel and the company as I have been.


Shaun Russell
russell.Shaun@ymail.com
northtexaskayaker@gmail.com