Float Fishing Wood for River Cats and Carp

Pondboy and Team win Worldwide Freshwater Kayak Fishing Title!

I am very please to announce that our team Trout Mafia has placed First WORLDWIDE FRESHWATER KAYAK WAR FISHING TOURNAMENT! Kayak wars is the worlds largest multi-species kayak tournament. Teams of five catch a huge variety of species in a gauntlet of competitions every year from Feb 14 to Dec 14. Every Species caught has to be a certain size and is given a point value. Team members submit their catches over the season and the team with the most combined points wins! I would like to thank Tom, Mark, Kalvin, and Mike for allowing me to be part of Trout Mafia for 2015. 

These guys are the top 1% of multi-species kayak fishermen! To win kayak wars it takes a huge amount of angling knowledge of many species and the determination to find the fish that will give your team the points it needs.  A major key to success is knowing where point size fish are in your area and being able to capitalize on those opportunities. A fish that counts for points is not a small specimen for that species.The amount of combined hours competing on the water is just staggering as this is not your one or two day tourney. Snow, cold, wind, sun, heat, waves, illness, rain, ice, sore muscles, and darkness were all taken in stride by team Trout Mafia this angling season.

Our team also won First in region 6 of the United States. This was a region of 11 states. (click on image to enlarge)

We won First in all freshwater for the USA (click on image to enlarge)

We won First in all Fresh Saltwater Combined for the USA (click on image to enlarge)

I Placed Fourth as an individual for region 6! (click on image to enlarge)

TEAM STATS (click on image to enlarge)

I would like to thank some of my sponsors for their support this season! 

I could not have done it without your products!

Pivothead Advanced Camera Glasses

Mythicgear dry-suits

Beardhead Amazing looking Hats to keep you warm and Awesome

Aurora lures crankbaits that score

Crabby Bass Lures personalized plastics for success

Blaf - Gillz apparel for the hottest days

Notch Gear hats made for fishing 

Yarpin Kayak Carp Slip Rig Bottom Fishing

December Fog Kayak Crappie Fishing

Snow Kayak Crappie Fishing

Fall Kayak Crappie Fishing

Fall Kayak Crappie Fishing

After a long season of awesome Yarpin (Kayak Carpin),  the water cooled and the carp and catfish stopped biting the way they had all year. I stubbornly went a few more times then I should have because I had such a great year. It was time to switch gears. Jc Crappie of JCs Castaway and Aurora Lure Company said “You need to change what you’re doing and stop being so stubborn!”

So I switched species to crappie and we made a plan to get some.  Crappies we know will bite in colder conditions so we just had to prepare. Before we did anything we made sure we were safe in our yaks. We had our pfds, safety equipment, proper layers of clothing, and dry suits from Mythic Gear. The saying is dress to swim and rig to flip.

We used an arsenal of baits. I wanted to catch some numbers so I had to be prepared. These fish at this lake are bigger than most ponds in our area. The lake is catch and release, this has kept most of the poachers away and the fish have grown to 7-12 inches. I know dozens of crappie ponds but most have small fish not much bigger than your hand. A 9-12 inch fish is huge for the suburbs of Chicago. Had these fish all been tiny, ice jigs with plastics and tiny minnows would be all I needed. Since these fish were larger this allowed us to use full size crappie baits. We used cranks from Aurora Lures, Tubes, Lake Fork Shads, Large Minnows, Crawlers, Crappie thunders. I used all light or ultra light rods with 4-8 lb line. About half of my fish came on a double minnow rig under a Thill float. I caught several on a white crappie thunder as well. 

I also did something a bit different, since we were drifting slowly across the lake and not anchored I brought a straight line ice rod with a 1/16 ounce silver cicada. This worked magically! I caught crappie, gills, and a bass on it. It was a breeze to use while watching my floats drag behind my kayak. I went two mornings in a row and I ended up with at least 4 dozen hook-ups. Jc had a great time as well. I will definitely fish vertical from my yak more often.

So it’s not too late to go out. Dress warm and don’t be stubborn as I was and switch species and spots when you should. I hope you all have some Great Fall Crappie Angling Adventures!!

New Drysuit out soon from Mythic Gear

New Kiwa drysuits have arrived. Like the new yellow/gray design? We do! 
We'll have them entered into inventory and ready for sale by Monday. Forgive Mr. Mythic modeling his own goods -- he's just so damn excited!

Most affordable on the market!!! Don't Take risks and get one!

http://www.mythicdrysuits.com/