Fishing Journal April 12, 2015

After getting to bed around 10 PM the night before my previous meal that consisted of Asian buffet food made it a rough nights sleep.  (As mentioned in Part 1) Unfortunately one of those nights where it was impossible to find comfort. From this experience I now recommend do not eat dinner at a buffet the night before fishing early in the morning.

Four o’clock AM the alarm woke me up. A quick shower and on the road tot he fishing spot. It was a cold morning 33F on the truck thermometer. Picked up a coffee and a breakfast sandwich on the way. Typically I enjoy a hot breakfast on the road prior to a days fishing.

For myself and my fishing buddies the NJ Kayak Fishing Season was officially underway! Was the first one to arrive at the beach at 5:30. Then came my fishing buddy’s for the day Sean and Justin within 10 minutes. We loaded our gear and hit the beach just before sunrise.

The bay was calm like a mirror. Not a cloud in the sky it was the perfect morning with a breathtaking sunrise. Not long after launching a breeze settled in.

I started trolling a tube and worm. A tube and worm is exactly what it is. A Tube and a Worm! The tube is 12″ in length. I particularly use Kayak Carl’s as his are proven to catch Stripers in the NY and NJ area. The worm part is an actual live sand worm on the hook that gives the tube more action and the scent of the worm. Use sand worms not the gulp alternative. The gulp does not work nearly as well as a live sand worm. Please check out Kayak Carl’s Tube and Worm at his website http://www.kayakcarl1.com.

Rigging the tube and worm you will need to use ball bearing swivels. This is very important as the tube is to be shaped to spin like a cork screw. That action is typically what makes the tube as deadly as it is. I will go over the tube and worm in more detail in a future article.

Trolling on the Jackson Big Rig equipped with a Torqeedo Ultralight 403 Electric motor system is a breeze! Trolling 2 rods one rigged with the Tube and Worm and the other rigged with a floating SP minnow that dives around 4 feet. Along with the stock RAM Mount rod holders angled outward spreads the lines out to prevent tangling.

As the morning went on it became windy out of the NW. Wearing dry gear it is tough to plan what clothing for the day. The daytime it was to be in the mid to upper 60’s at this point it was in the low 40’s but with a 5-10 MPH wind. Made it chilly. Gloves were a must and it would have been nice to have something more for my ears other than the Buff i was wearing.  The wind eventually died out and it became warmer. Still trolling from the morning with out one strike the decision to clam was ideal.

Justin and I drifted about 500 yards off the beach hoping for fish on the flat to be looking for the warmer water. Couldn’t seem to even find any readings of fish on my Lowrance Elite 5 Chirp.

Around 9:30 Justin had to bail so we took a break. Sean and I went back out again. Trolling for hours. By now the wind had diminished. The bay was once again like glass! Sean decided to drift clams again and came over the radio stating he had a fish on. I didn’t believe him at first. About 30 min later he came over the radio stating he had another. So I went back by where he was fishing and drifted some clam also. 20 minutes went by and I had a hit. Lifted the rod too fast and pulled it from the fish. Striped bass in colder water tend to mouth the bait rather than in hail it.  Another 15 minutes passed and tap tap line moving another fish! Waited 1 2 3 & set the hook. Boom!

A nice 23 inch striper and not skunked for the day! Points baby!! First on the board for kayak wars!

The fish was really healthy great color and very wet! In from the clean ocean waters. A very good sign. Bigger fish should be in very soon. The bay will be on fire within the next week or two!

Looking back to the planning of the day, next time it will include targeting winter flounder. Having yet to catch one from the yak and always wanting to give it a try. There probably were flounder on the flats. With a light rod and some cut clam it may have proved to be a successful day of catching winter flounders.

A great resource is the Asbury Park Press Zone fishing reports by John Oswald and Dan Radal. Check it out at the Asbury Park Press Fishing page!

If you have any questions about Striper Fishing in New Jersey please comment and ask!! I will be happy to answer your questions!!

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!

Installing electronics on a kayak can bring on many challenges. One of the major challenges are how to wire through the kayaks bulkhead and what products are manufactured to cap large drilled holes post wiring the fish finder. This article covers common Types of Hull Pass-Throughs.

After a lot of research here are a few types of hull pass-through caps for wiring electronics on your kayak.

Rubber Stopper 1/4″ – 1.5″ Drill

Commonly used for drain plugs and scupper holes the Rubber stopper can also be used for Thru Hull Wiring. Simply with a sharp box cutter cut a slit from the outer diameter to the center hole. This will allow you to pass the wire into the center of the stopper. Runt he connecting plug through the hole and simply press the stopper in small diameter of the flange first to make a seal. This method works but is not recommended for a permanent install. The stopper over time can come loose so check it every now and then. It wouldn’t hurt to silicone them in.

Cable Gland 1/4″ – 1″ Drill

The cable gland is a wiring connector that is able to match wire diameters with a grommet that seals tightening down a lock nut.

On the bottom of the gland is a threaded portion that is able to pass through a drilled hole in the hull and tightened down with an included ring nut. Cable glands do work great but the only problem i see with them is the protrusion they create. They are easily snagged by fishing line. In areas that fishing line will not snag they are great.

Cable Clam pass through 1″ – 2″ Drill

Cable clams are a good solution but protrude the most. They require 4 large screws holes perfectly aligned. Personally I think they are the most unsightly for applying on a kayak. They are purposed more for boats. They are also the most expensive and hardest to install.

TH Marine CeaCap 3/4″ Drill

The CeaCap is the most flush option but will only work with cable plugs that will pass through a 3/4″ hole. It is threaded and will turn the wire 90 degrees so it is flush with the hull. IT will allow for two 12 gauge wires to pass through.

West Marine Wire Cap 1″  Drill

The best out of them all I have found for large connectors is the West Marine Wire Cap. Fish finder connectors with 1″ diameter will work with this cap to cover the required hole to pass through the wire for both the transducer and the power. You may run two wires at 14 gauge through this cap max and 1 wire at 8 gauge id say max.