Pre-spawn bass on the yak

Pre-spawn could be very rewarding to a bass fisherman hunting for the illusive big bass. They are most willing to take a bait during this time of the year and in a month or three it will be prime time.

Hooking up with a big one in the trees and brush is trouble in many cases. The bass will wrap your line in the branches if you are not careful or you don't know how to manage that type of situation. Most people instinctively tend to real as fast as they can with heavy gear and line and horse the fish out. However if you are in close proximity with tree limbs on a kayak the fish may be able to pull you in and wrap you around the trunk. This is not only bad news for you but also bad news for the fish. For it will face certain death if it can't shake the hook or break the line.

Not having propulsion when fighting a big fish is the problem. So I am trying to find out how you kayak experts deal with this type of scenario.

Good topic, compa!
Here's my take:
1) position your kayak perpendicular to the structure because it is awfully difficult for a bass to pull a kayak sideways (more resistance from the water), as opposed to pulling it straight forward.
2) straddle the yak with your feet in the water. This is a good practice for bass fishing because you have better balance for that Bill Dance hookset BAM!

PK

I've had some decent luck by getting right into and on top of the structure, (treetops, etc).  It seems like it would scare the fish, but I've pulled numerous fish one after another out of a single tree doing this, and it allows you to drop straight down into the various pockets instead of casting.  And if I can't muscle the fish out right away and I feel a snag I immediately give some slack.  Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.  But if it doesn't at least you're right there on top of the snag, so you've got a good chance of saving the fish.

Fins are trolling motors for kayaks.

 When im fishing nesting grounds in a kayak, it doesnt take a monster hen to drag me into the trees and I will usually get more than just my line tangled up. When the fish rushes back under the canopy or into the branches of a submerged tree, I attempt to back paddle, right after the hook set, to gain some time/space. Then carefully muscle the bass a little to coherse it from getting too deep into the trees.
 If I fail and the fish starts wrapping branches, its time to go in. Being a 10# kind of guy I dont have much choice.  This is when deck simplicity comes into effect. If you had another rod in a holder, its probably not there anymore and hanging in a tree or worse. I try to move the rod tip around the branches to see if I can establish nuetral ground. Try to ignore the branches in my face or what ever insects are now on me. Sometimes if you are patient the fish will help itself out of a jam. My patience seems to be variable depending on the size of the fish.
I poached a picture from Adam's (FH) 07 post. Its a nice example of how far back you can go in the yak.
The other picture is of Adam fishing the front side of this same point.
And a third of standard issue fish that took me into the trees at that same faithful spot.
That area is now above the water line.
way to think ahead compa

Fins are trolling motors for kayaks.

Fins on a kayak! Have you done this or you are just pondering? I have wondered if it can be done with fins. I am sure that after a full day of kicking with the fins one may feel like when dismounting a horse! 
One question:
Wound the fins get in the way sometimes?

Hydrospider,
You got exactly what I had in mind. I have tubed in those conditions and since I use light tackle I shy away from getting on the inside. However I fish the outer edge and inside the pockets like in that second picture. I try my best to avoid the fish being wrapped around a tree. As I said before, it could mean a death sentence for that fish. In the past year I have had 2 break offs inside trees. One was unavoidable but the second one totally preventable after I learned how to. It made me feel guilty to let that happen.

You said you back paddle first when fighting a fish in the trees. Do you set the rod inside the holder in order to do that? Won't the fish have enough time to go in deep into the trees while you are doing that? Or even spit the hook?

Once the battle is on, im not usually the kind to ever set the rod in a mount. I think you are asking to lose that fish. What I practice is to keep the rod up with my left hand and backpaddle with my right. If your not a paddler this technique may sound confusing but ill do my best to explain how to pull this off.
With the rod high in your left hand, take the paddle with your right and dig in ,a little bit behind you, on left side of the boat, at a moderate angle.
 This backpaddle stroke uses your chest as a fulcrum instead of your left hand and you get a good powerful thrust.
The opposite side isnt as strong.
 Still holding the rod up with your left, dig the paddle blade in on the right side of the boat. This time you have to bend your right leg to bring up your knee so that you can use your leg as the fulcrum for the rightsided backstroke. This one is weaker because your torso inhibits a full swing of the paddle.  This gets me moving back enough to start working the fish, repeat as neccessary.
It looks lame in writing, but with some practice you can find a groove and its effective.
you can always hold the rod with your legs if you have a situation like current and you have to paddle out of trouble but again youre giving the fish a greater chance of escape.
I hope that helps put a picture in your mindseye.
It sounds like alot of bungling in the trees but its all worth it when you emerge from the jungle with perma-grin and there are 2 or 3 basscar guys wanting to know what its like "backinthar"
The yak also gives me the freedom to rescue any fish that are tangled, though you may have to get wet, its worth it.
 Almost forgot a picture.
This was taken by Adam (FH) over by the state park. We were working another wooded point tight in the trees.
Juan was on the other side of the point and we could hear that he was putting on a clinic.

I've found that the fish's "pulling vector"......is to your rod-tip....and to nothing else.

If I'm holding my rod-tip right at the bow of my boat, the bow will turn toward the fish.    If I hold my rod-tip all the way back at the stern of my boat, the stern will turn toward the fish.

By moving the rod-tip forward and aft....I can keep the allignment of the boat perpendicular to the location of the fish.    This presents max drag to the fish and mostly keeps me from getting drawn toward the structure.

Judd

That is a tricky maneuver and I sort of knew someone has a way to do what you described. It takes good coordination to accomplish the task. Very nice!

 

Once the battle is on, im not usually the kind to ever set the rod in a mount.

The trick is to set it down before the battle begins. I am not sure if it will work for you guys and I have no way to prove it out. So I'll throw it out there for you to ponder. Here is what I think would work and I suggest you try it before you actually have to use it for real. It is a method you could use with any weightless bait.

First you need a rod holder that has the capability to swing back to allow for a hookset while the rod is set down.

With your hand, hold your rod tip up high while you are fishing. The reason for that is that you want to give out slag when the fish bites. Once you feel the bite do not set the hook, but set the rod down in the holder.

Start paddling back as fast as you can and when the tension is on rock the holder to set the hook. The boat is already in motion so you can let the rod down again and keep on paddling as fast as it is possible.

Reel in slag if needed to keep the pressure on, but keep that boat moving until the fish is out in the open.

I'll tell you what will happen when you back paddle as fast as you can. The fish (big or small) will get confused and think you are running away. It gives up the fight completely and will let you plug it from deep inside the branches.

I know it is hard to believe and you have to experience it to believe it. But I can tell you that I have pulled 24" fish out of trees with 6# test line with a method similar to this in the float tube, only I had free use of my hands if needed.

Got to go now, but I could explain some more about this later.

Interesting approach!  This is Sun Tzu stuff!!!  Exactly why I signed up for your clinic.  Can't wait.

Fins are trolling motors for kayaks.

Fins on a kayak! Have you done this or you are just pondering? I have wondered if it can be done with fins. I am sure that after a full day of kicking with the fins one may feel like when dismounting a horse! 
One question:
Would the fins get in the way sometimes?

Spoken from experience. Of course, I've not spent an entire day finning around. I'll paddle from spot to spot, and then use the fins to maneuver once there. One other important bit of info - I'm in a boat that doesn't have a lot of freeboard, so it's easy to hang my legs over the side. I have my doubts about how well this would work in a boat that's got a deep cockpit. The fins didn't get in my way, but I sure look goofy when I'm wearing them and paddling around.

Scott

Compa, I admire the work you do down there and its clear that you are doing something very right.
I may be misunderstanding but its sounds like you are fishing weightless plastics without rod in hand? and a rod holder that swings to set the hook?  This sounds like scwafish style "draggin hog".
I am coming from the far side of another philosophy when working senkos, creatures, flukes and other plastics weightless.
 After the cast I allow the line to settle on the surface. I keep the rod low and watch the rate of fall by how fast the line is disappearing. While gently bringing in the slack, Im watching the line for any change in direction, premature stops, or just plain running away. I take up just enough slack so that I feel some pressure on the finger touching the line and continue to watch and feel the fall. Then I add a little wiggle or twitch for flava.
With heavier creatures, like a brushhog or bigger guns like jigs and swimbaits, its easier to feel that subtle tap when the bass picks it up. I struggle more when I down size the plastics so ive switched to using carbonfiber handles on my bass rods. It really has made a difference when bass are being subtle. I feel if I set the rod down, I lose the connection to the thing im trying make look alive.
If you are talking about letting the fish hold the bait in its mouth while you build momentum backwards you are a more patient man than I.
Thanks for bringing up one of my favorite topics and congrats on all the success youve had.

hydro, compa fishes from a float tube. he uses his fins to back away from a hooked fish in the forest. he's holding the rod the whole time. for some reason, the fish kind of follows the commotion out, then compa is able to land him. kind of sneaky, 

so I think he's wondering if he could use the same tactic from a kayak. I think scott could, by using the fins to reverse out of there, and making a commotion for the fish to follow, while holding onto his rod.

I think small fins would work fine, even just a few inches would give you enough power to work the kayak around like a trolling motor works a bass boat. I haven't tried it, but I have seen little fins for swimmers, just big enough to provide a little propulsion while swimming laps.

John

I may be misunderstanding but its sounds like you are fishing weightless plastics without rod in hand? and a rod holder that swings to set the hook?  This sounds like scwafish style "draggin hog".
I am coming from the far side of another philosophy when working senkos, creatures, flukes and other plastics weightless.
 After the cast I allow the line to settle on the surface. I keep the rod low and watch the rate of fall by how fast the line is disappearing. While gently bringing in the slack, Im watching the line for any change in direction, premature stops, or just plain running away. I take up just enough slack so that I feel some pressure on the finger touching the line and continue to watch and feel the fall. Then I add a little wiggle or twitch for flava.
With heavier creatures, like a brushhog or bigger guns like jigs and swimbaits, its easier to feel that subtle tap when the bass picks it up. I struggle more when I down size the plastics so ive switched to using carbonfiber handles on my bass rods. It really has made a difference when bass are being subtle. I feel if I set the rod down, I lose the connection to the thing im trying make look alive.
If you are talking about letting the fish hold the bait in its mouth while you build momentum backwards you are a more patient man than I.
Thanks for bringing up one of my favorite topics and congrats on all the success youve had.

Thanks Hydrospider but I can’t take credit for the success. It is The Other Ken who I owe for teaching me about bass fishing and behavior. I am just trying to pass it along.

Fish as you normally do until you are sure the fish has the bait in its mouth. Then set the rod down or hold it in between your legs as you said earlier. Once the fish has your bait and does not feel the line it will not spit it out. As a matter of fact when the water is cold they will mouth it forever and just sit in one place. That's why I was missing so many bites last time I went out with Yellowboat.

"If you are talking about letting the fish hold the bait in its mouth while you build momentum backwards you are a more patient man than I."  Yes that is exactly what I am talking about. But it seems like your back paddle trick will work for you. The only thing is that if you stop in the midst of the trees you never know if there is a submerged branch somewhere in the vicinity. Keep on paddling until you know you are completely in the clear. The fish will not fight you while you are paddling.

I have lost fish just because there was a submerged tree in the area that I did not know off before. Big bass are always (and I must emphasize ALWAYS) near some sort of major structure. It is either a big boulder, tree, sharp drop off, creek channel, etc. Of those big boulders and trees are the most dangerous. Boulders will cut your line in no time. Specially when using braid. They will use the trees to wrap you up every time they can. So when I hook up with a big fish I make a rule for myself to kick as fast as I can and pull the fish away from wherever I hooked it to the middle of the lake. It is much easier and safer to drag a non-fighting fish with your boat to the open than to pull the fish out with your reel and you will lose less fish to the obstacles. When the fish sees that you are getting closer to it is when it will fight the hardest.

Heavier lures such as jigs while are easier to feel to you are not as natural to the fish and they will spit them out quickly. So this method is more for weightless or very little weight like in the range of 1/32 oz or less of lead. Heavier lines are also a detriment and the fish will feel them easier and spit the hook sooner. That’s also why using braid and leader is best because braid is so limp and have such a small diameter that it will give very little drag in the water.

Those are some very nice rods and quite expensive too. I can't afford that kind of equipment so I use braid to increase the sensitivity on my equipment. I use 10# high visibility braid with 6' of 8# test Maxima leader. This helps me with the soft bite we are experiencing right now in the cold water. Light tackle will help detect the bite better also. The Maxima leader also helps in the sharp rocks and is more abrasive resistant than most lines. I forgot to mention that I loosen the drag one full turn after the hookset. This helps when the fish are barely hooked by the skin.

Compa,  Im more clear on what you are saying now. I am also more amazed by the technique. You are FAR more patient than I.  This is why I am missing fish on the swimbaits too. Work in progress here, so thanks for sharing the bass wisdom. Ill try it but ill be fighting my instincts.

These rods may not be as expensive as you might think. Definately less expensive than the G.L stuff and other "highend" brands. Check out rogue rods site. But I wouldnt make a purchase until talking with EK at KZreelrods. I believe he can add this grip style to a blank for you.