I received the Ranger 15 just last week, and it was with great anticipation. I was intrigued with the first glimpses of the kayak and wondered how it would handle. Coming in a single seat (15.1) and tandem models (15.2), the Ranger 15 is Malibu’s entry into the hybrid kayak market.

Many kayak anglers won't even consider an inflatable kayak for fishing. Those folks are missing out on river fishing in those holes behind the Class III and higher rapids. They're also hauling around their hard-to-store-without-a-garage hard plastic kayaks in trucks that get gas mileage in the low teens. They're missing out on a kayak that can fit in a backpack and fit in the trunk of even some of the smallest cars - or even on the bus. It's called the NRS “Pike”.

When I was growing up around the Hampton Roads area of Virginia and just learning about fishing, I never really gave much thought to the fishing rods I was using. Most of the gear I had was rather generic, except for the reels. I had to have Daiwa or Shimano reels because they were brand name, but the rods, line, and terminal tackle were usually whatever came with the combo.

After receiving it from the shipper, the first impression I had of the Bending Branches “Navigator” paddle was that I would probably hang it up on wall rather than use it. It has beautiful black willow blades and a checkered carbon shaft, and is absolutely beautiful. It spent a few days in my living room while I fawned over it, until my wife told me to do something with it. After my feeble attempts to convince her that this was a work of art and not a paddle, I finally decided to put it to its intended use.

I’ve had the chance to use a lot of different types and styles of radio equipment in my 30+ years of Amateur (“ham”), aviation, and other radio activities. Icom gear has always been top shelf in terms of quality, reliability, and ease of operation. In addition to their amateur, commercial and aviation lines, Icom also makes marine radio gear. The newest addition to their handheld VHF radio line is the Icom “M24 Float ‘N Flash”, which lives up in every way to my expectations for Icom’s high standards.

With the advent of loop-to-loop connections from fly to leader, many fly fishers have gotten away from the tried-and-true nail knot. I’ve tried both (and other options), and among them all I find the nail knot to be the strongest connection with the least likelihood to “hinge”. My long-time tool to make tying the nail knot easier was an inexpensive small U-shaped channel that was attached to a nipper. It was great for years in fresh water, but only a year in the salt had the pivoting joint bound up tight in spite of being cleaned and lubed after every trip. I went online to dig up a replacement, and found the Duncan “Tailknott’r”.

Most of the contestants in the Kayak Fishing ClassicS spend a lot of time on the water pre-fishing the areas of our next tournaments. Scouting an area is a key to success in any fishing tournament and it can take up a lot of time. In a kayak, just getting there can do the same. “Bassyaks” has the answer!

There are very few accessories for your kayak that you’ll use more during a day of fishing than your seat, and probably none that will contribute more to your comfort while you’re on the water. I have low back problems, so after a bit of sitting with my legs out, I generally need to get into shallow water and on my feet for a while. I’ve tried several seats with “traditional” cushions, and always wind up shifting my weight every few minutes to eliminate the “pressure points” under my sitz bones. I was looking for a solution to the problem, and I found Skwoosh.

I will be the first one to admit that I am not too keen on change. I have been paddling fishing kayaks for about ten years, and have never had any issues. The folks at Estero River Outfitters had been after me for the last couple of years to be on their Hobie Fishing Team. I kept declining because I liked the kayaks that I was using. Finally, Jeff Stuller talked me into trying out a Hobie. WOW!

Last fall, I received a YakAttack “Mighty Mount™ Scotty® 241 Track Mount Kit” to try out. This kit comes with two “Mighty Mounts”, a Scotty “241” base, and the hardware to install it on Wilderness Tracks (5/8” track) or ½” wide tracks like the YakAttack “Gear Track”. The kit retails for $30 on YakAttack’s website, and for an extra $5 you get both sets of hardware so you can mount it to any track system. I don’t have a kayak of my own with a track system, so I had to sneak my wife’s Tarpon out to give it a try.