Short McClure Report 5/23, trying out the new downrigger *Lots of pics*

Didn't get much time on the water since my two year old son was back at camp sick. So I got up early Sat. morning and got on the water at 5 am and off the water at 7am. I was very aggrivated to find out that my fishfinder battery was dead, so I paddled way out to a boat I saw fishing to find out the depth. 130 feet, cool. The water was very rough from the wind and there was already a lot of boats zooming around on the water. I was kind of weary about letting out the downrigger, but decided to go for it since I had the accompany of the boat next to me just in case there was trouble. I snapped on the 2 pound ball, snapped my line to the release. Started out at 10 feet and finally down to 35 feet. I could not tell there was a downrigger attatched to my yak while paddling. It wasn't any more unstable than it was before. I was very happy with where it was installed. Very easy to reach the steel cable, weigh balls and release line. One thing I will be changing is making a bracket to lift the downrigger up about 4 inches, with waves the pulley would dip into the water a few times which got annoying on the rough water.
Didn't expect to catch any trout/kokes, but wanted to get the feel for the downrigger to see if I would keep it on the yak and I decided yes I would. On the way back to camp I threw a crawdad crank along some points and caught one very tiny bass. I am glad I wasnt on the yak in the afternoon, there were hundreds of boats on the water.

Jeff

The 11pm launch



Ready to head out the next morning



The baby bass, lol



The spillway out of the water



Another shot



Downrigger in action, but too low to the water. Going to raise it and angle it up some.



Another downrigger shot



Our camp at the top of the hill by the boat



Halfway down the hill looking down at the yak



Another view



Halfway down the hill looking down



Looking up, it's steeper then it looks



My son looking at the kayak





View of the lake from camp

Good to see someone is taking advatage of there free time.  Good photos also.

Cool pics, that is the smallest bass I think I've ever seen. That hill looks crazy steep, did you have to haul your yak up that? Exercise! Glad to hear the downrigger worked out and you now know which wrinkles need to be ironed out, I read the rig post and was curious to how it would perform. So do you know if the trout bite is still on over there? I heard the DFG had been planting alot of brook trout this year along with the rainbows.

Cool pics, that is the smallest bass I think I've ever seen. That hill looks crazy steep, did you have to haul your yak up that? Exercise! Glad to hear the downrigger worked out and you now know which wrinkles need to be ironed out, I read the rig post and was curious to how it would perform. So do you know if the trout bite is still on over there? I heard the DFG had been planting alot of brook trout this year along with the rainbows.

Launched the yak at the boat ramp which was only maybe 500 yards from where we camped so it was nothing. The ranger said that Horshoe was producing fish since the water is flowing good and nice and cold at that end of the lake. I dont know the temp where I was but the water felt very warm. At 5 am you could feel wisps of warm air from the waves of the water. Was warmer than the air thats for sure.

Jeff

What is that fitting you have your Transponder Wires going through?  I have the same wires mounted the same way and have trouble sealing out water from the hole in the Yak.  Perhaps you have come up with an answer to my problem.

What is that fitting you have your Transponder Wires going through?  I have the same wires mounted the same way and have trouble sealing out water from the hole in the Yak.  Perhaps you have come up with an answer to my problem.

Give fishshim a pm, he is the original owner of the kayak and it was already installed when I purchased the kayak.

Jeff