First blood on Kraken!

Picked up my new all black Kraken on Friday and took it out Saturday for its maiden voyage!

Didn't have any time to really pimp it, but my first impressions were super positive.

I really like the new seat and the way it LOCKS into place super tight and secure with the new cam strap. HUGE improvement IMO over the previous JK seat retention system!!

Also, love being able to slide seat forward/back. When I set it where I wanted it, I didn't even have to put the foot pegs all the way forward! At 6' 4" I think this is the first time that has ever happened to me! 

Like the center hatch that hinged and opens forward as well, way nicer than opening up to the side. Plenty of room inside to easily stow my weight belt, two guns, floatlines, hawg trough, long fins, mask/light, and wetsuit top. 

Front hatch has a killer neoprene gasket/cover on it so no worries about getting water in there. Huge bonus IMO.

Tankwell is nice and roomy as well with gear tracks on sides and front to mount my Pacific Nalu dive flag.

Launching out in AM water was glassy and calm and the yak glided along really, really nicely. Also had no problem plowing over a few thick kelp patches and maneuvering around to get on top of my GPS marks.

Also, did not feel tippy at all and had no problem all day jumping in and out and paddling around to different spots with my weight belt on.

Was with my young buddy Jesse so went to a spot I have dove at a few times where there is often a BIG school of blues hoping to let him get a gun he had just got dialed in.

The blues were there and I picked off a few while warming up and then went to go hunt the cracks and boulders down underneath. Found a decent Ling I decided to shoot...made a crappy shot and shaft grazed his head and got stuck far in the back of crack. Shooting line broke from rubbing on rocks before could get shaft out.   

Went and got my back up pea shooter and took the 25 inch Ling that was still sitting there. 

Wife had asked me to bring home a rocky limit so went back to blues and took my time popping off some nice chunky ones all between 15 and 16 inches.

JJQ was in the area and I told him to come drop his jig so I could film the fishies around it...was cool and frustrating at the same time to see the fish looking at his tasty looking jig and not biting it! 

I knew he wanted a greenling for AOTY and could see one right underneath his jig so got a quick little bit of footage of it, but it wanted nothing to do with his jig. 

Jesse and I then moved spots to a hole that I know that has produced mutiple lings and cabs over the past few years. There was a nice 21 inch cab in there this time that cooperated and stayed still long enough for me to shoot him in the head, even after the first time I pulled the trigger the safety was on. 

Nearby I found another Ling for Jesse to shoot and after he missed the first time I found it holed up nearby and he didn't miss the second time. 

Moved spots again and found one more Ling for Jesse to shoot to fill out his limit.

Only one Ling left to go for me, so went to one more spot and popped another 25 incher.

Back on surface I came across StinkyPete who had done MUCH better than me with bigger Lings and a fat chunky Verm!! Great job buddy!

Then Nelson paddled up (he was MEANT to dive with us but as usual was about six hours late  ) and we chatted for a bit before heading back in.

On way in got treated to a nice little show by some passing dolphins.

Felt good to get out on the Kraken, see Jesse having fun and smiling (he's been going through a rough patch in his personal life recently), and to have such awesome visibility and abundant fish life.

Wish I had found some bigger Lings or a big Verm or sheep, but I figure I am just putting in my time and will get to cross paths with the monster I'm looking for soon. 

Little vid and a few pics...JJQ you can see your greenling at 1:40ish



 

Sincerely,

Jim

That's a nice looking kayak! Dig the decal work.
Nice Lings also! Great report Jim!

Way to go Bro... Nice Yak tooo

Bad ass...
Nice report Jim.   Can't wait to demo The Kraken.


Tim

That's a beautiful kayak! Love the black! Nice catch! Hope I can get a black kraken!

Awesome conditions and sweet looking yak Jim. Congrats to the Boths of you

Wow, great report.  Lots of fish in that kelp area too.

Hope Jesse is doing well.  Looks like a killer day indeed....

Dam your 6'4" from your pics I thought maybe 5'10" max.I was wondering why your called bigjim, that really puts those trophy fish on perspective

DUDE!  Why didn't you hop back in with the dolphins?  Woulda been an awesome underwater shot...

Wow that was a really cool video again. I never knew the schools of rockfish were so big. Awesome.

wow. killer report. Need to get into a school like that someday. nice looking yak 

Thanks guys!!!

Jerry, Jesse is doing fine. He got married at a very young age, and as most of us kow, marriage 'aint easy! 

I'm definitely no expert on realtionships/marriage so just been trying to be there for him to talk to, get him out on the water to take his mind off stuff, and encouarge him not to make matters worse by arguing/fighting with wife or doing something stupid like drinking and driving...

He's a great guy and it has been awesome to see him progress to the point where he now can get out and harvest his own fish and abalone whenever he wants. 

Dune12... yeah...6'4" 240-250...would prefer to be a bit smaller...

BrianUnderwood, I thought about jumping in, but usually they are gone as soon as I grab the gopro so was happy just to get some decent surface footage. 

RBark, yeah man in certain spots the schools of blues will get crazy big like that, and you'll get some blacks on the edges and maybe a fat olive or two lurking around...really cool to see. 

Thanks agin fellas!

 

Sincerely,

Jim

Congrats on ALL COUNTS Jim!! You sure know how to throw a good report down!
Thanks For All You Do!!!!

Great freeking report Jim!!!  Some really nice fish there!  I'd like to see your old and new yak side by side sometime!   Did the cabbie get the finger treatment?    First Blood on your new yak is always a memorable day!