Living in Delaware we don’t typically see many Red Drum in our waters. Traveling for the opportunity to target these game fish is exciting. Fortunately its only a 140 mile drive south from my home! It’s only a little over 2 and a half hours to make it to the trip to Cape Charles Virginia. I’m spoiled since I have been driving maximum an hour to the water all my life and now it has become my backyard. This drive is worth it though. This is the story of A Fourteen Hour Fishing Trip.

After Work Fishing

Midway through October 2017 and the days have been still warm. I have been getting out after work here and there for the evening Striped Bass bite close to my work. Some good fish but it’s still like summer. The size of the fish is still 30″ and below. Tuesday Oct 10th during an evening on the water I sent Joe H a text giving him a fishing report. He called soon after informing me that he was planning a trip to fish in Virginia for Sunday. The weather looked good so I decided to ask if it was cool if I met up with him there. The trip was on.

The Plan:

Photo by Joe Hosler

Meet up at 06:30 near the Eastern Shore Wildlife Refuge Boat ramp Sunday. Then go fishing targeting reds. Simple enough!

The Chesapeake Bay can get rough in this area but I loaded my Jackson Kayak Kilroy as i feel it is the best suited for saltwater creek style fishing. The kayak has a Torqeedo Ultralight 403 installed for those days when you need to get back quick or against a river style current ripping tide. It comes in handy!

Sunday Fishing Day!

Out the door by 3:45 am on the road. It’s still raining and foggy. The misting and fog finally became intermittent around 2 hours in.  I can spot the deer peering into my headlights while passing through heavily wooded areas. Warm coffee and maximum concentration. Thinking to myself how much i love my 2016 Ford F150 over my old truck. Waze on the consul broadcasting the distance traveled and my ETA its 6: 30 to start but traffic light s and such made it more like 6:40.

I arrived and everyone was there gearing up. It was just starting to become light. There was an eerie yellowish cloud as the sun hit it from below the horizon. We hit the water and fished a small creek. It was slow fishing only with a few small Speckled Trout.  So we crossed the channel and begun fishing that area. The tide was on its way out. A few more trout early. Paddling through the shallows I went as far back as I could. There were oysters all over in the sod banks. Not sure if these are edible or if they are even legal to harvest. I found one laying on the bottom and picked it up to examine it. They were pretty small and flat but i put it back and went back to fishing.

There was no water only an inch or two. I circled back and figured id throw some casts at a drop off I saw on my way in.

First cast reeling slowly bump bump across the bottom and bang fish on! Great fight on my bull bay rod paired with the Abu Garcia Revo Inshore casting reel. Peeling drag running towards the kayak and back deep again. A great fight to land a 23 inch healthy Red Drum!

Released him and caught a few more on that drop until there was inches of water left. The clouds had finally broken away to sunshine. It was nice and warm now as everything begin to dry out. The tide slowed to a crawl so did the bite. Managing a bunch of Speckled trout a few more reds and small Striped Bass. At this point it was 12:30. We realized we were now landlocked. We fished for another half hour on a slow bite until finally dragging the yaks across the sand bar to return to the launch.

I took a detour to go take a few photos of a large chunk of drift wood that had washed up on the sandy part of the island. As an amateur photographer I spot these things and have to get there to grab a few photos. This particular piece of drift wood i spotted from a mile away in the morning on the way across the channel. After getting my shots using the Torqeedo I went back full throttle. 6.5 mph most of the way. A following sea made it a bit strange.

Fortunately the drive home wasn’t so bad. I was worried that id be exhausted as I have been in the past coming back from really long fishing days in the summer heat. Arriving home around 5 PM the concluded the fourteen hour fishing trip.  Will defiantly be doing this trip again in the future.

Building a portable power; water resistant; Charging Station; for 2-3 12aH wire parallel batteries:

The intent of this parallel portable power pack is for primitive camping areas. Having the ability to charge devices, power LED lighting and even run a small 12V fan in your tent can keep you very comfortable!

Materials needed:

• Water Resistant Ammo Case
• Volt Meter, 12V Receptacle, USB
• (6) Female Spade Crimp On Connectors
• (2) 18″ length – 14 AWG Copper stranded wire w/ insulation Red & Black
• (2) Butt Connectors
• Fuse Block or Inline Fuse
• Parallel battery harnesses (previously made here)

Tools:

• Wire strippers/crimps
• Power Drill
• Heat Gun
• Hole Saw
• Screwdrivers

Using an Ammo Crate I purchased from Amazon.com the portable power battery pack can be expanded to run from a total of one to three batteries this size. Using the box creates a water resistant seal for all the electronics. Also adding a latching switch along with a 12V receptacle, USB charging port, and a volt meter.

The combination of the 3 can be purchased on Amazon.com.

The ammo crate is not water proof but water resistant. It does however have a gasket in the lid. The primary use of this battery box is for charging things such as phones and other electronics while camping. It will also be set up for Running a 12V oscillating fan on hot tent nights.

For a kayak battery box with parallel batteries I would recommend a smaller box first of all and the PVC style LFP battery packs.

Installing the port plate:

Remove the USB, Volt Meter, and the Cigarette lighter receptacle from the plate. Locate where you would like to mount it. Remember the receptacles will protrude inside the box 3″ also require room for spade connectors to wire them. So install where there  be about 4″ if rear clearance. Score a center line for each hole to be drilled. Using a hole saw drill out the 3 holes. Reinsert the accessories into the plate. Recess them into the box. Silicone the plate (optional) then drill 4 holes for the corner screws.

Wire each accessory to the positive and negative sides. Wire int he switch and your battery box is complete.

At Outdoor Retailer an invite only trade show for Manufacturers , Dealers, and press Jackson Kayak unveils their latest to its extensive line of fishing kayaks. The “Liska” geared at replacing the Cuda 12 series of fishing kayaks is geared up with all of the accessories which both seasoned and new kayak anglers are looking for.

Whats in the Name?

Jan Liska unfortunately died 2 years ago in a avalanche while skiing in the French Alps. He was the European Jackson Kayak fishing team manager. His passion of kayak fishing and the sport was tremendous. He is greatly missed.

Liska Features:

An excellent top featureof the Liska is the Elite Ergo high low seat system which is adjustable forward and aft like the Coosa & Cuda HD. The modified hinged center hatch is large enough to store a ton of gear and a fish finder battery without taking up much standing room. Molded in gear tracks alongside the seat and tank well and on the center hatch for additional mounting areas.  Standard with behind seat flush mounted rod holders. It also comes with some accessories that are standard from JK such as the RAM 2007 rod holder with screw ball track ount, the long load safety flag, and the stand-up assist strap. The standing pad is also included on the deck for non slip comfortable standing. Unlike the original Cuda line this kayak has a transducer scupper! Will it have a GoPro mount?

Differences from the Cuda 12:

The entry level aspect comes from the loss of rod stagers and the rudder ready ability. Also this kayak at this stage is not power pole ready.  Take off the RAM 2008 tube rod holders and well you still have a fishing machine. The kayak comes in at 12′-11″ long and 34″ wide which increases the stability compared to the Cuda 12. Its total weight capacity is still high coming in at 435 pounds. The overall weight of the boat is 79 pounds without the seat.

This kayak is a suggested retail MSRP of $1,349. Will be available early 2018!

Liska