I picked up a new “Ride 115” from Appomattox River Company the other day, and headed over to YakAttack's shop to do a little rigging. I was really looking forward to tossing ideas back and forth with Luther; when you get two gear heads together, you never know what you will come up with. Since I mostly fish rivers, I didn't want to do a bunch of rigging just for the sake of rigging. The last thing I need is a bunch of unnecessary stuff on my kayak.

YakAttack makes a full line of products that give you options on how you rig your kayak from day to day. I was given the YakAttack “Mighty Mount” to review, and it is now an essential part of my kayak angling arsenal.

I was lucky enough to be able to purchase a new Ride 115 within the first couple weeks of it’s initial release. Since then I’ve put the boat through it’s paces on rivers large and small while guiding professionally and fishing for fun. Let’s just say I’ve got a LOT of seat time in this boat. It has quickly become by river chariot of choice on most of my kayak fishing excursions. This kayak offers great fishability and paddling performance as a result of a well thought out design.

In 2010, the Irishwaterdogs Invitational was born. A fundraising event for Wolfson Children’s Hospital, nearly 100 kayak anglers hit the waters around Jacksonville, FL, to fish the slam, win cash prizes, and hopefully take home new kayaks.  Registration for the 2011 Irishwaterdogs Invitational is now open.  Hoping to double last year's attendance, the Cleft Palate Center of Jacksonville will be this years fund raising recipient.

One thing folks ask me quite a bit is “What’s the best kayak I should get?” Since the variables are so complex, there’s no simple, cut and dry answer. It’s almost like asking someone what sort of shoes to buy. I’m sure that any kayak fishing guide or pro angler will tell you to get the kayak that they use because, chances are, they’re on a kayak manufacturers pro staff and that’s what they’re supposed to do.

Finally we get to see what Luther Cifers of YakAttack has been talking about on Facebook for the last month.  Yesterday, YakAttack makers of kayak fishing equipment; presented a video showing off the latest gear which should be available within the next four to five weeks.

Sponsored anglers from various different manufactures showed up bright and early on the St. Pete side of the Gandy Bridge for the first of many events hosted by Paddle-Fishing.com.  Anglers from Malibu, Emotion, Wilderness, Hobie and Mohawk Canoes brought several of their respective company’s kayaks and canoes for those wishing to try different models.
I have been sponsored by Malibu Kayaks for just over a year now, so I brought out three of the most popular models, the Stealth 12, the Stealth 14 and the X-13.

Let me start the scene from my point of view:

 For those who do not know, I live in the PacNW.  I haven't traveled a whole lot.  I've never been to the places I've found myself this weekend (Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee, Georgia, or Alabama, in that order).  I had never met Mark, Adam or anyone else on this forum or in the tournament.  I was very much the stranger in a seemingly lost world.

I had dinner with a friend last night and he told me about his most recent kayak purchase, the tarpon 120 by Wilderness systems.  He is a fellow Yak Angler and just raved about this boat, so after receiving his seal of approval about his new purchase,  I wanted to share this series with you fellow anglers.

While the Tarpon has always been rigged for the ultimate fishing experience; they've upped the ante with the new SlideTrax accessory system and new Orbix hinged hatch covers. Now, the sit on top that does everything can do even more.