Fishing Journal April 11, 2015

After what seemed to be a never ending winter spring is finally here in mid April. Typically New Jersey has experienced a few warmer weeks by now. This was the first weekend to actually get out and shake it off by doing what we love the most.

It begun Saturday afternoon on the bay-shore of Cliffwood Beach. Myself I have never stepped foot on dry land there. An invite from Sean ‘Rednedk’ a friend of mine and also joining were my friend Dan and a good acquaintance Pat. Fer me this was to be an experience due to the last time fishing from a beach i was in my young teens fishing with my father. We weren’t really ever fond of the style of surf fishing. My father had a boat so we were always fishing from it. It was great to learn that nothing has changed. It still consists of a minimum 11′ rod and a 6000 series spinning reel. Sean and Pat are experienced surf fisherman Dan however was new to it. It was great to teach him the basics of how to tie on a rig shuck a clam and hurl and loft the bait as far from the beach as possible.

It turned out to be a sunny but cold windy afternoon with a sustained 25 mph wind gusting  to 35 mph. My first cast crossed both Sean and pats lines as the wind grabbed my pop fly cast and took it to the right. After reeling back in and walking back past their lines I was able to throw a much more decent cast.  A few hours went by more shooting the breeze with fishing stories of the past and it was time to pack up and go get some Chinese style all you can eat Buffet. For the future I’m never doing buffet before fishing in the AM again.

Although we were completely skunked it was great hanging out fishing again!

Upgrading a 2014 Big Rig to 2015 status is pretty simple! A few modifications have been introduced on the new 2015 Big Rig. These upgrades can be purchased from your local Jackson Kayak dealer or from the Jackson Kayak online store.

The new additions include:

1. All new Seadek style adhesive Deck Pad.
2. Upgraded leaning post Grip Shrink pads.
3. The brand new Elite 2.0 seat with Thermarest back support.
4. The brand new CAM style seat latching system which can be applied to the 2014 model.
5. Upgraded all deck rigging bungee to yellow.

Installing the deck pad:

Prior to installing the deck pad clean the deck thoroughly. Let dry completely then wipe down with rubbing alcohol and again let dry completely. The install should be done when it is warm out above 50 degrees but under 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

Using a sharpie marker align the deck pad and mark the corners where it aligns with all scupper holes. Peel back the paper that covered the adhesive align with your markings and press down firmly. The adhesive is very sticky so you really only have 1 shot.

Upgrading the leaning post pads:

You’ll need a heat gun for this operation and a razor blade for cutting the Grip Shrink. The standard grip size on the 2015 Big Rig are (2x) 4″ for the sides and (1) 9″ for the top center. Cut accordingly.  Remove the leaning post from the kayak. Remove one support brace. Slide on one 4″ piece first. position it where you would like it to be on the side with the support brace that you did not remove. Heat and shrink it in place. Repeat the same step with the 8″ piece centering it on the top portion of the bar. Once complete replace the support brace and using Loktite on the bolt that it swivels on. Reattach it to the kayak and your 2015 leaning post is complete!

Updating to the new Elite 2.0 Seat:

I am hoping replacing the seat eliminates the creaking I used to experience with the original seat. The new Elite 2.0 seat fits the 2014 Big Rig but requires the Cam seat latch system.

Cam Conversion Kit:

The cam conversion it is a easy install. It includes the star hex bit for removing the screws that secure the security bar. Simply remove one screw and loosen the other enough to slide on the loop of the cam strap. Make sure the cam lever is facing the bow. Tighten and the install is complete!

GoPro filters are almost a necessity when capturing underwater or above water footage. The definition of a filter is a piece of glass secured over the camera lens to create image effects, balance, and enhancements. In the case of the gopro there are several filter options created. Being an action camera the GoPro can go into different environments. Filters can help enhance the raw video.

This article covers several available filters by Polar Pro that snap over the GoPro Hero 4/3+ housings.

Polarizer Filter:

The glass lens is easily installed/removed by pushing on and pulling off the standard GoPro housing. The polarizer is for use above the waterline.

Effects of the Poarizer are:

• Great Reduction of Glare
• Improved Color Saturation
• Capturing Sharper Images
• Includes storage bag and tether

The Polorizer is ideal for snow and watersports.

Magenta Filter:

This filter is for use in capturing underwater footage. The new treated lens is 10x stronger than previous lenses. The magenta is Iridium Arylic which provides precise color correction in green tinted waters. Like the Polorizer lens the magenta lens is push pull on off the standard GoPro housing.

• Green water color correction
• Working depth up to 75 feet
• Storage bag and tether included

Red Filter:

Like the magenta filter for use underwater but suited for color correction in blue water.

• Blue water color correction
• Working depth up to 75 feet
• Storage bag and tether included

Neutral Density:

This filter is more for fast moving video capture. It may be used for action shots from outside your vehicle to give a blur fast moving effect. The glass lens is for optimal clarity and like all of the other filters is a push/pull on of system. The Neutral Density filter is perfect for motorsports.

• Slows down cameras shutter speed
• Eliminates jello effect and wobble
• Illustrates High Speed Movement

Macro Lens:

The macro lense is for close-ups. Like the Polorizer and Neutral Density lens’s it is all glass for optimal clarity.

• 3.8x Magnification
• Focus distance from 3 – 12 inches
• Capture creative close up shots