Fishing

[Tony Storaro]

And there are some others that are not for eating :

Fishing&Cycling in the summer plus Skiing in the winter-never a dull period...

 

[mikes781]

I agree that Hobies are the best, nothing beats the Mirage Drive.
And for me, all things considered the Outback is the best fishing yak ever.

Those are exactly Atlantic bonitos (Sarda sarda). Caught on slow jig.

I started with and outback, then a revo, then a pro angler and now back to an outback. Liked them all for different reasons but the outback is much nicer getting off the top of my truck than the pro angler. Ideally I’d have a kayak quiver but at that point might as well buy a boat!

Those bonito are tasty. I release 99.9% of what I catch but they don’t find their way back into the water. We only have a very short window on when we catch catch them here and it’s very hit or miss. They along with False Albacore are pretty much my favorite fish to catch here in the NE US.

Are you mainly fishing in the Mediterranean?

 

[Tony Storaro]

I started with and outback, then a revo, then a pro angler and now back to an outback. Liked them all for different reasons but the outback is much nicer getting off the top of my truck than the pro angler. Ideally I’d have a kayak quiver but at that point might as well buy a boat!

Those bonito are tasty. I release 99.9% of what I catch but they don’t find their way back into the water. We only have a very short window on when we catch catch them here and it’s very hit or miss. They along with False Albacore are pretty much my favorite fish to catch here in the NE US.

Are you mainly fishing in the Mediterranean?

A friend of mine is the local Hobie dealer, so I got to demo them all. PA is fantastic for inshore and freshwater fishing, but not so good for the sea. Too heavy and with that tall seat-too easily flipped.
Revo is nimble and fast but a bit too narrow.
I can live pretty comfortably with the Compass as I do not carry too much stuff with me but the Outback offers the best combination of features, comfort, room etc.
I always use the AMA kit outriggers, they make the yak virtually unflippable.
We have lots of False Albacore, especially in the fall, my goal for this season is to start catching them regularly on fly rod, that'd be exciting stuff. They also get released.

Yeah, the Med-the seas around Greece-Ionian, Aegean etc. Fishing is usually pretty decent.

 

[mikes781]

I used my PA in the Atlantic but certainly prefer the Outback and Revo for getting through the surf. Knock on wood I’ve never flipped in the ocean outside of some interesting landings. False Albacore are a blast on a fly rod. Watch your knuckles!

 

[Tony Storaro]

Knock on wood I’ve never flipped in the ocean outside of some interesting landings.

You might want to give the outriggers a try. The difference is day and night. Seriously.

 

[mikes781]

Are you going through any kind of surf with them? We don’t see outriggers used very often if at all here. I would think if you were casting or trolling they might get in the way fighting or landing fish no? I’m think the only time I’ve seen them in use was in the Florida Keys standing up sight fishing.

 

[Tony Storaro]

Are you going through any kind of surf with them? We don’t see outriggers used very often if at all here. I would think if you were casting or trolling they might get in the way fighting or landing fish no? I’m think the only time I’ve seen them in use was in the Florida Keys standing up sight fishing.

Yeah. I guess it is incomparable to what you have, but still-not a problem. You keep them in the highest position so they do not touch the water and do not create drag and they only come into play when you lean the boat.
Trolling and casting are not a problem, just need more attention but the positives far outweigh the negatives, as once you set them up, you forget about the need to keep balance, to not move too much around etc. The stability of the yak with outriggers on is truly unbelievable.
I'd not be without them.

 

[mikes781]

Gotcha once waves get over three feet I don’t go out in the ocean I don’t normally stand in my outback unless it’s flat calm and even then not so much. The PA was much easier to stand in.

All this fishing talk has me itching to get out. Technically we have a curfew but there are striped bass in thick 20 minutes from my house right now. Kayaking at night could be considered exercise right or at least food shopping? I have barely been able to fish the past years with my daughters playing travel softball from March through November and me coaching. I have a few more years to enjoy that with them and will get my free time back.

 

[Tony Storaro]

Kayaking at night could be considered exercise right or at least food shopping?

Well, kayak fishing is an epitome of "social distancing" so you can use that as an excuse.
It is basically impossible to get closer than 6 feet to anyone, especially with the outriggers on...

Fly fishermen can use this:


I dug out mine a week ago and already broke all my accuracy records at 2.5, 5 and 10 ft..

 

[martyg]

Releasing a Taiman.

Lenok.

Little ger on the prairie.

 

[Tony Storaro]

@martyg :

Taimens are becoming a rarity these days I hear, especially on the fly. Lenoks is what I want to try my hand at and also-the huge graylings living there.

Some day...

 

[martyg]

@martyg :

Taimens are becoming a rarity these days I hear, especially on the fly. Lenoks is what I want to try my hand at and also-the huge graylings living there.

Some day...

Thanks so much.

There are big Taimen to be had. They are in rivers that flow in the dark recesses of Outer Mongolia. Places where commercial outfitters don't go. Places where the Tuvans still live, and don't necessarily like outsiders.

To get there you don't take a chopper. Then the pilot will know where you are going, and will likely go back, with their friends.

I used to guide in Mongolia. On an exploriory trip we took a puddle jumper from Ulaanbaatar to a little town. 4 hours in a 4WD Russian van to Hatgal. Holed up for 3 days on June 1 as a blizzard hit us, then 11 hours in a 6WD Russian troop transport, then 4 days on horseback, and we were in. We floated out on inflatable kayaks that we packed in. We hooked Taimen in every pool.

It was extremely memorable. A real trip of a lifetime.

Outhouse. June 1. Hatgal.

Our commercial outfitter vehicle. The original title of the phoo was "4WD is for pussies". The driver is one of the toughest guys in Mongolia.

Camp, some days later.

Taimen bug. Tied as tube flies.

After the trip above, which was a First Decent (Class 1 water, Class V approach) I guided a 7 day canoe trip on a more well know, accessible river. These are guests, just chillin'. Few Taimen on this river. Lots of Grayling.

Mongolia feels a lot like Idaho, only the food is a lot worst. Nothing like a steaming cup of mare's milk.

 

[Tony Storaro]

@martyg: Man.....let's just say that my initial reaction was to create 100 fake accounts just so I can give you more likes.

That's proper, proper, PROPAH stuff! That's a dream material right there!
Well done! Very well done indeed!

Would it be too much if I asked you to post some pics of DA FISHES? Them taimens are a joy to behold.

 

[Uncle-A]

This is from FB an 11 year old from Breckenridge a 30 LBS Lake Trout. Can some member from Breckenridge see if it is real?

 

[Wilhelmson]

I didn't catch anything but it was nice.

 

[crgildart]

Saturday I saw about 4-5 teens with fishing rods headed towards the creek and little bird sanctuary type place pond in Duke Forrest. If they were headed where I think they were it's pretty nasty because the local neighborhood sewers all feed through there as well, both storm and the nasty septic sewer pipes run though there. Stinks, but still nice wildlife. deer, foxes, turtles, and definitely see fish in there as well. If it were a little closer I might walk down there and cast some lures just for fun. Definitely a hard pass on keeping/eating LOL

 

[Wilhelmson]

This guy didnt want to let go of the hook but i got him off in time to swim away in ok shape.

 

[wooglin]

Skunked except for one small perch. Still beats sitting around doing nothing.

 

[Uncle-A]

Skunked except for one small perch. Still beats sitting around doing nothing.
View attachment 104052 View attachment 104054

Nice photos, is the lake in NH?

 

[wooglin]

Nice photos, is the lake in NH?

Yes. Grafton Pond.