Monthly Archives: June 2013

Organizing Fishing Gear Part 2 – Clothing

Organizing Fishing Gear ClothingIt’s 12:00AM and just three hours before crawling out of bed to beat the sunrise to the water’s edge.  Frustrated and tired, the one piece of clothing needed is no where to be found.

Sound familiar?  The challenge to maximize available space and utilize it for saving time pays dividends.  A good night’s rest and low stress is important for enjoying the most out of a fishing trip.

I’m always looking for something that can’t be found just before going fishing.  I’ll admit it.  So, I decided to find one space that could store all my fishing clothes.  I also needed a way to quickly access small and large pieces in less than a minute, literally.

A company named Canopy manufactures a very useful hanging closet organizer that has a hook and loop attachment that wraps around a clothing bar.  Three large shelves within the organizer allow for both warm and cold weather under and outer wear.  Below are eight smaller boxes that store a surprising number of items to be at the ready when needed.

Those items I wear most and some that are hard to find will go into the organizer in the middle of the closet.  Hanging to the right and left are jackets, long pants, or heavier shirts that I sometimes select based on weather or fishing conditions.  This simple solution for organizing my clothes will go a long way toward a relaxed preparation for a great day of fishing.

Copyright 2013 by icastinayak.com. All rights reserved

Conservation Articles Published in Kayak Angler Magazine

Conservation Articles in Kayak Angler MagLast Christmas I entered a writing contest upon viewing an ad.  The winner was to be published in a second quarter print edition.  I drafted an essay and submitted the paper by the New Years Eve deadline.

A week or so later I received an invitation from the publication to make a query for an upcoming edition.  What a surprise!  Upon inquiring to the Editor about the contest, he laughed and informed me there was none, but that I could consider myself the winner anyway!  I had evidently submitted the entry to the wrong publication, or maybe not.  Funny how things turn out sometimes.

Conservation ranks equal if not higher in my book, to that of fishing.   In the early summer edition of Kayak Angler Magazine, I have the honor of sharing two conservation articles.  I am thankful to have spent some time with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and one of the top tagging anglers in the country, Kayak Kevin Whitley, for developing content on the subject of fish tagging programs.  Check it out on page 30.  Also, on page 12, read how a small tarpon caught in Mobile Bay is big news for conservation.

Find the print edition of Kayak Angler Magazine at your local kayak shop.  The digital version can be found at the following site:
https://www.rapidmedia.com/kayak-fishing/categories/news/item/1252-kayak-angler-digital-edtions.html

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries:
http://www.ccalouisiana.com/cca11/fish-tagging-program

Gulf Coast Research Laboratory:
http://www.usm.edu/gcrl/

For info on Kayak Kevin Whitley and his great instructional material, click here:
http://www.kayakkevin.com/home.html

Copyright  2013 by icastinayak.com. All rights reserved

Her Season

Fly fishing with someone special can be a great experience.  Introducing the sport to them can be a rewarding journey.

The 2004 fishing season was the third since introducing my wife, April, to fly fishing.  She wasn’t sure if she had the coordination to cast a fly-line.  But after practicing in the backyard, sitting through hours of Fly Fish TV, and being an enthusiastic listener, she became a quick study.

We decided to make a trip to the beautiful northern lower and upper peninsula’s of Michigan that season.  The Black River near Bessemer, MI was our first destination.  Bessemer is a ski town in the winter months, and an outdoor playground during the summertime.  The Porcupine Mountains were the initial reason why we planned a week’s visit, but we quickly realized the Black River Scenic Area alone offered unique opportunities for activities and relaxation.

Her Season 1Potawatomi Falls of Black River
Photo by Aaron Rubel

We stayed with Stan and Sue of the Black River Crossing Bed & Breakfast.  Stan and Sue own a beautiful two story log cabin on the shore of the river.  We woke to classical music and enjoyed a hearty breakfast every morning.

Her Season 2Black River Crossing Bed & Breakfast in Bessemer, Michigan

We were thankful for the local area knowledge Stan and Sue volunteered to share with us.  We enjoyed hikes to many magnificent waterfalls along the Black River, and Powderhorn Creek.  We kayaked the shore of Lake Superior, and found our first agates on pebble strewn beaches.

Her Season 3
Gorge Falls of Black River
Photo by Aaron Rubel


The kayak trip bears mentioning.  Lake Superior lies on the north side of the Upper Peninsula.  The lake is very large, deep, and that means cold.  At the time I sit here writing this blog, Lake Superior water temperature rests at 48ºF along the shore nearby where we kayaked.  On that July day, the water temp might have been in the low 50’s, but no higher.  The trip was both our maiden voyage in a kayak, and April sat at the bow in our tandem paddle craft ready to enjoy a relaxing afternoon.  We launched, and so did an incoming two foot roller, cresting the bow and into my brides lap.  We learned lesson one in kayaking: Dress for water temperature, not air temps.  It was cold trip for her, but an extra change of clothes from a friendly camping couple got us through, and we laugh about it today.
Her Season 4

April and I after a refreshing first leg of a kayak trip along the very cold Lake Superior shoreline.
Photo by Stan Carr

Among all the adventure, we managed to get in some fishing too.  Upon making our first step into the river near the B&B, we were excited to see trout rising to Blue Winged Olives.  Our success, or I should say April’s, came on a #16 pheasant tail nymph.  April’s practice and study paid off by catching a Rainbow, Brown and finishing with a Brook trout to complete a hat trick in one evening!  Impressive.

Her Season 5Fly Angler, April Rubel, catches a Brook trout
Photo by Aaron Rubel

Later in the summer we went fishing with Jon Ray, Guide of Hawkins Outfitters.  It was on this trip that April realized she had successfully trained muscle memory in her casting stroke.  Jon worked with her during the trip on the Manistee River to make subtle improvements as we swung wet flies.  April landed three nice trout including a very nice sixteen inch Brown.  What a great season of experiencing the out of doors with someone I love so much.
Her Season 6Fly Angler, April Rubel catches a 16″ Brown trout with Hawkins Outfitters Guide, Jon Ray
Photo by Aaron Rubel

For more information on Black River Crossing Bed & Breakfast in the beautiful west Upper Peninsula of Michigan, go to:
http://www.blackrivercrossing.com/index.htm
For more information on a Michigan Lower Peninsula fly fishing adventure with Guide, Jon Ray, go to:
http://www.hawkinsflyfishing.com/fishing_guides.php

 Copyright 2013 by icastinayak.com. All rights reserved