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A Yard Sale...

Freshwater saltwater Lakes, Ponds, Rivers, Streams talk about the ones that got away. Show us the ones that didn't.
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BrokenolMarine
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A Yard Sale...

Post by BrokenolMarine » Sun Dec 03, 2017 10:12 pm

As the weather starts to turn cold, invariably I remember a March day many years ago as we moved from winter to spring, and Miss Tina and I caught an unseasonably warm day and decided to go fishing at the state park just around the corner from our little farm. We love the small lake there and know it like the back of our hands. We had been cooped up in the house all winter, and couldn't wait to get out. ;) The temps had shot up into the high 60s and we were itching to get out on the water... so we loaded the kayaks and headed to the lake. (Remember, we hadn't been on the water for several months, and we just wanted to get out and throw some lines. We didn't expect to catch anything, but the break would be glorious.

As we rigged the kayaks, I dropped a very nice brand new baitcaster in the rodholder behind my seat, and laid a spinning rod in the well in front of me. I left the fly rods at home. The water temps were way too cold for any topwater action so I didn't bother. In the off side rod holder I placed another nice spinning rod, and attached a leash, I doubted I could see any action with the light spinning rod, but better to have it... blah blah blah. :lol: Behind the seat in the tank well, a few selected boxes of tackle, and a small snack cooler. I was ready and rarin to go.

We launched and started working the shore lines, and I was soon into the rhythm of the cast and retrieve, and the day was beautiful. I had on a pair of sweat pants and a short sleeved sweat shirt with my life jacket over top. I was wearing my wading booties, rather than the heavier fly fishing boots with the cleats, since we were paddling and didn't expect to get out and wade. That water was cold. Miss T and I both had radios clipped to our PFDs and as was our practice, we began to separate as we fished. I was working along the shoreline and working the small coves, Miss Tina working the shore in detail, and I worked ahead hitting my known hot spots hoping for a strike. I moved a bit faster, opening the distance between us to give us both some room. :)

I glanced around at the clear blue sky, the windless day and marveled at how beautiful it was in the middle of March, when just the week before the ground was covered in snow. 8-) I thought I saw a swirl under an overhanging bush, a favorite spot for big lunker bass to lay up, I had caught a number of big 'uns there. I reached back with the rod to side cast so I could skip the lure under the bush... :twisted: ... He Was Mine.

A hard flick of the wrist.... needed some power for the skip and...
The lure hooked the brand new rod in the holder behind my seat,
and into the water it went.... I saw $200 plus sinking and without thinking...
Leaned over to make a grab and my fingers touched it....
Several things happened at once.... in a split second.

- I knew I just missed so I leaned just a bit farther. :o
- It suddenly hit me that I had leaned JUST a bit too FAR... :shock:
- It dawned on me that it was MARCH and that water was just weeks from it's thaw. :|
- It hit me that the kayak had started to roll.
:cry: :cry:
- I realized that because I wanted to skip the lure I needed more control ... so ....
I had put my paddle in the paddle dock on the side of the kayak. :twisted: :evil:

(A paddle across your lap is standard... you can grab it in a flash and use a brace with the blade to save yourself if you start to roll.)
The rod I was holding... was great for catching bass... not much help in that fraction of a second when I realized that I
was
going
to
get ....

WET...

The kayak rolled slowly over toward the rod I had dropped.
I figured since I was going to get wet anyway...
I reached hard and deep and grabbed that $200 combo.
Score... :D
That smile lasted about another 1/4 second.

I went in... and all the air left my body and the shock of the cold hit me. Every joint in my body locked. I couldn't breathe, and I couldn't move. The cold was a physical presence. It was an electric shock. (Taser anyone?) But, I had a rod in each hand, and because no physical movement was possible, I didn't drop them. :P My vest brought me to the surface, but I still couldn't catch a breath. I "REALLY" wanted to. "Really, really," as Shrek would say.

Miss Tina was on her way to help, but seemed to be having trouble paddling toward me. Really, really. It was because she had seen the slow motion roll and my fall into the water. SHE... WAS... Laughing her butt off. :lol: :P :lol: :P Seriously... she couldn't seem to get a rhythm and paddle... she was choking. :o I couldn't breath and she was ..... laughing.

She finally got control ... and paddled over about the time I started to breath. I handed her the rods and ... she was still grinning like Donkey.
(For some reason, in 40 degree water, I didn't find the situation funny.)
I performed a self rescue, where you pull yourself out of the water and into your kayak. We always practiced this regularly and I usually performed it easily. Usually I'm not doing a Popsicle impression. ;) I promptly fell out the other side and BACK into the water. :roll: This set Tina off again and she was laughing so hard, SHE nearly fell out of HER kayak. Luckily, she didn't drop my dang rods in the water. 8-)

Since I was already wet AND cold, the reentry wasn't a shock, and I was able to continue breathing, my vest popped me back to the surface, and I climbed back onto my sit on top kayak. :oops: I retrieved my paddle and looked around... I had gear floating around me. In the kayaking world, this is called a "Yard Sale." (There it is.... you were wondering about the title now, weren't you?) A yard sale usually occurs when you roll your kayak, dump it going thru the rapids, or just plain screw up and fall out. Sometimes folks will even YELL "Yard Sale" to attract the other kayakers to help collect the floating gear. :lol:

Luckily, most everything that wouldn't float, was leashed. After scooping up the floating gear we paddled to the beach and I opened the hatch and pulled out my DIP bag, and the first thing on the top were TWO big thick towels. The park was deserted, so I was able to wrap in the first towel and strip off the wet gear and dry off, then swap for the second thick towel, and change. The bag contained thick sweats, thick socks, a stocking cap and a pullover hoodie.

Miss T said, "Well, guess that's the end of the fishing."

"Ah, NO.... I'm warm now and don't intend to roll again." :roll:

My mistake, other than rolling, was dressing for the air temp and not the water temps.
I should have had on waders and a dry top.
I should have leashed the rod in the rear and then I wouldn't have tried to grab it,
and I should have remembered that the kayak follows your head.
KEEP the head centered and your kayak won't roll. :P

I have paddled that lake when the ice has just thawed, but I was DRESSED for it.
Bear Creek Winter Paddle.jpg
Bear Creek Winter Paddle.jpg (294.15 KiB) Viewed 3734 times
This of course is NOT a sit on top fishing kayak, but you get the idea. I wouldn't dress in this manner for bass fishing, but I have dressed like that for Salt Water fishing in the dead of winter for monster stripers.

The things I did right?

I had a pfd and I was wearing it. Our rule is pfd, parking lot to parking lot. If you see a pic of us fishing and you don't see the pfd, we probably have the auto inflate waist pfd on, or the flat one under our shirts. I know for certain that without that pfd I would have been in real trouble. The shock of hitting the water not only took away my breath but locked my joints for several seconds. The pfd not only popped me to the surface but put my head in the right position so when I DID start breathing, I could. :lol:

I had a partner... never fish extreme weather without one. You shouldn't fish alone, but many do, but you shouldn't fish extreme weather without help available.

I had trained to reenter my kayak. Many have no idea how to self rescue. If you get a new kayak, learn how to reenter the dang thing. Once you have that down pat, try it with the gear mounts, seat, and the equipment you normally fish with in place. Do it with your pfd on. A buddy discovered during our self rescue drills that he would have to remove his pfd to enter his kayak... he could NOT get back in with his on...just couldn't do it.

I had a dry bag and radio if I had needed it. I was prepared for the emergency. Without the dry bag, it would have been a long cold paddle back to the ramp, and I might have been in serious trouble. It was a short paddle to the beach, and if the beach hadn't been close, there were/are several shore landings all around the lake.

Take a realistic approach... we were just minutes from home and Tina was just around the corner. I joke, but if I had been in trouble, I think she might have stopped laughing long enough to help. (Probably.)

I haven't made that mistake again.
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BrokenolMarine
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Re: A Yard Sale...

Post by BrokenolMarine » Mon Dec 04, 2017 8:24 am

In the sit on top kayaks, there is an area behind the seats, called the tank well. It got that name because SCUBA divers first designed this particular style kayak so they could paddle offshore and dive and the depression behind the seats held two SCUBA tanks. Kayak fishermen quickly realised the kayak was the perfect fishing platform. The tank well slowly changed shape to match the footprint of the milk crate most of us were using to hold our tackle, lunch, drinks, and other loose gear. Add a hinged top and you could roll and never lose a single item.

The basic tank well has crossed bungees to tie down loose gear, but small gear slides around under the bungees, and pops loose when the kayak rolls unless you attach a leash.

When we first started rigging our kayaks, we went slow. Then we got a little carried away. This is an example.
The triple mount across the front dash holds all kinds of cool gear.
triple mount.jpg
triple mount.jpg (91.77 KiB) Viewed 3715 times

I do carry the necessary safety gear for fishing the salt water. Get caught in a rip and you can end up FAR offshore.
safety gear.jpg
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The SOLAS tape makes you VERY visible in day or night environs. Spin that heavily striped paddle and it's a strobe.
Solas works.jpg
Solas works.jpg (99 KiB) Viewed 3715 times
We rarely kept the fish we caught, Maybe a red or flounder now and then, but the Blues were hard fighters and a lot of fun. CPR was our rule. Catch, Photo, and Release. :P
jims blue.jpg
jims blue.jpg (88.22 KiB) Viewed 3715 times
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Henry88
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Re: A Yard Sale...

Post by Henry88 » Mon Dec 04, 2017 9:53 am

Pound for pound I would put a Bluefish with any of them.
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BrokenolMarine
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Re: A Yard Sale...

Post by BrokenolMarine » Mon Dec 04, 2017 10:00 am

Henry, a couple of our VA Beach friends with smokers loved blues. We lived hours from the salt... but to be fair, we CPR'd the fresh water fish as well.
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Re: A Yard Sale...

Post by BrokenolMarine » Mon Dec 04, 2017 10:03 am

Btw, the Solas flag on the kayak and the solas tail hanging from my vest... Miss Tina made those for years and sold them just above cost to keep our friends safe. Hang the tail on your kayak going down the road... when the headlights hit it... it's like having a strobe on the kayak and your batteries never die. :lol:
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Re: A Yard Sale...

Post by daytime dave » Tue Dec 05, 2017 7:56 pm

I'm glad to hear you survived the yard sale. That reflective and raised light are awesome. It's important for very small craft to be lit and visible at night.
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BrokenolMarine
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Re: A Yard Sale...

Post by BrokenolMarine » Wed Dec 06, 2017 11:26 am

That is a very old picture. The raised light is surely a great thing and made to let us be seen and it lights the cockpit so you can bait hooks and do many other things. Back in those days, we all made our own marker lights and designs varied widely. You have heard me mention our pal Luther and his company YakAttack... he designed a commercial version of the light, which he built in his garage and sold mostly thru word of mouth at first. He called it the Visi-pole. It has undergone many variations over the years but is still the mainstay of the kayak marker light market and an anchor product of YakAttack. His light is lightweight, and folds for storage in it's own bag, which becomes the flag. Over the years, he has offered accessory flags that featured various logos.
https://www.yakattack.us/visipole-ii-ge ... hty-mount/
https://www.yakattack.us/visibility-lig ... ety/flags/

The flags were a joint idea between Tina and I, I wanted the SOLAS and she made them work. Then we added the SOLAS tails. Put those on the kayaks and they are amazing. We added the tails to our light whips and dancing in the wind there is no excuse for the kayaks not to be seen in the water. One of the guys who bought one of the kayak tails from Tina at a boat show told her that he had a guy follow him for fifty or sixty miles down the interstate, get off at an exit where he stopped for gas, just to see what the heck he had on the back of that funny little trailer making that flash. When road grime got the tails dirty and they dimmed, you could hand wash them in DAWN dishwashing liquid and they would look good as new again. She would get calls/letters/emails looking for replacements. Mainly when the tails were stolen off kayaks stored on the trailers in the driveways. :lol:

As you can see in the series of pictures below, when we took the kayaks to FL, the combination of solas tape and bright colors made the kayaks visible, on the trailer or on the water. :lol:

Look at the tails here on the kayaks in the bright sun, the orange really shows.
yak taills.jpg
yak taills.jpg (298.03 KiB) Viewed 3688 times
Then in the weak light of dusk with the headlights hitting them, they morf into strobe mode... think of them dancing in the airstream behind the trailer. :o
morfed tails.jpg
morfed tails.jpg (216.28 KiB) Viewed 3688 times
When we got to St. George's Island, we took a run offshore to troll for Reds and the like.
bow plow.jpg
bow plow.jpg (219.83 KiB) Viewed 3688 times
Tina had more luck than I did... at least we took more pics of HER fish.
A speck...
tinas Speck.jpg
tinas Speck.jpg (142.17 KiB) Viewed 3688 times
And a Redfish.
Tinas Red.jpg
Tinas Red.jpg (220.2 KiB) Viewed 3688 times
I caught a Cat... and it slimed the entire kayak... and everything on it.
jims cat.jpg
jims cat.jpg (154.94 KiB) Viewed 3688 times
But trolling the island was a great time, especially on the sunnier days.
st georges trolling 326 2.jpg
st georges trolling 326 2.jpg (531.09 KiB) Viewed 3688 times
and there were things to see.... and to be seen by...
who is checking out who.jpg
who is checking out who.jpg (238.16 KiB) Viewed 3688 times
Last edited by BrokenolMarine on Wed Dec 06, 2017 11:58 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Sir Henry
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Re: A Yard Sale...

Post by Sir Henry » Wed Dec 06, 2017 11:47 am

Great story and yes I was wondering about the "yard sale".
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BrokenolMarine
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Re: A Yard Sale...

Post by BrokenolMarine » Wed Dec 06, 2017 2:06 pm

If you note in the warmer day pics, we are wearing the suspender type inflatable life vests I talked about in a previous post.
The Coast Guard approves these for use in non-powered craft but they must be worn, not just ON board. :P
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Re: A Yard Sale...

Post by daytime dave » Wed Dec 06, 2017 7:15 pm

I have those suspender vests for the kayaks and canoes at camp. They are easily worn. I would find them useless otherwise.

I bought a kit at Walmart for small craft lighting. It has a red / green bow light and a "raised" white led. It's surprisingly good for what it is and what it does. I don't worry at all being on the lake at night.
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