Mission Bay Classic in the Kraken

The 2nd annual Mission Bay Classic, a Heroes on the Water fundraising event, was a huge success! With over 70 signed entries, the saltwater bass division was full of competition. Fellow Jackson Kayak Team Members Jarrod McGehee and Richard Penny were also in attendance.

Though the fishing was great, it was extremely tough being able to weigh fish, with having regulations set at 14" minimum. No matter the case, it was a great event helping out a great cause.

I took out my Jackson Kayak Kraken, for some easy Bay fishing. Having my Kraken plumbed with the KKrate as a livewell, made for easy catch and release with no fishes harmed (besides being hooked!).

Here's a quick video showcasing the Kraken out in San Diego's Mission Bay!

SD Bay Last Week(end) Quick Report

I've been meaning to put up a report of my recent fishing from last week and this past weekend, but work has been keeping me quite busy. So, better late than never.

I'd recently bought a new boat, the Jackson Cuda 14 last Monday, and was quite excited to try it out that day.

Didn't really have much time to rig it up fancy, so I went out with just a couple rods and hit up the South bay. First impressions? I absolutely love this boat! Very stable and quite fast, like my Trident 15. Lots of deck space, and quite the comfy seat! The weather was a bit snotty, and the Cuda did really well in windy weather. Having the rudder especially helped with tracking straight in the wind and chop. 

Hit SD bay over the weekend as well for some nice players.

I was able to pick up my first ever bonefish from the south bay! Those suckers are fun little drag burners. Also picked up 20+ spotties in the same session. Good times out there in the new boat. Hoping to take her out in La Jolla soon. Thank for looking!

Hanapa'a!

mbay 1/14: slow night

During the winter months, historically, this is the time when the salt water bass fishing goes off. Check out my 2012 posts and before, during the months of December through February and you'll see what I mean. So, it's been a long time since I've hit the little bay and decided to check it out.

Slid the kayaks into the water around 7:30 pm, to warm ambient temperatures and fairly warm waters. Little to no wind at first.

We did a basic loop of this cove, which I've done many times for great success, but last night we just couldn't find them. Couple bites here and there, but unfortunately we only pulled 3 spotties, total!

Off the water by 10, for an extremely slow winter night. Where have all the spotties gone???

MB 8/12: w/ the new yak

Welp, had my Pelican Castaway 116 for about 2 months now. It was a great starter kayak, and got me to places I couldn't from shore. It's allowed me to catch many fish as well. But, as my confidence grew, and my yearning for new waters, I knew I had to upgrade to a better kayak. Posted up my wants on BigWatersEdge (SoCal kayak fishing forum), and someone from OEX Mission Bay messaged me with a used demo OK Trident 15 that he was willing to sell! Went and tried it out the very next day!

This kayak was big! At 15' 7.5", this thing was nearly 6' longer than my Castaway! I feared that it would be too long for what I needed, but once I was out on the water on this thing, my mind changed. Plus, in the long run, you can't add length. This kayak was much more stable than my previous. It also seemed much easier to paddle, going much faster. It also held its drift much better. However, being that it was a longer boat, it was much harder to turn on a dime. After testing it out for some time, I had made up my mind. Time to take this baby home!

Here she is, on my truck. No racks, but this will do...

Couldn't wait to try her out, so after work I set out in Mission Bay for a little fishing session. To note, being that it's a longer boat, it was a little difficult loading and unloading by myself. But, I'm sure with more practice, I'll get a better system down.  

Made my way near Ski Beach launch and paddled out. Outgoing tide with some chop from wind, and some jetskiers out, this was the perfect conditions to test its stability and handling capabilities. Didn't have anything really installed on it yet, so stopped at some places that looked fishy. The best thing I noted about this boat is that it holds its drift really well. Even with wind and chop and my relative light weight (its rated to hold 500-550lbs), I held my drift perfectly. This allowed me to be in the right spot at all times.  First cast rewarded me with a nice spottie!

I like the fact that I can also sit sideways on this kayak, and still feel quite stable. Paddled around and fished a bit more for 6 spotties and a barracuda. Not bad for 1.5 hours, but my main goal was to feel out my new ride. All in all, I'm extremely satisfied with my new purchase. Put in a new paddle, and some minor upgrades (bait tank/fish finder) and I'll be set with my new kayak!