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Happenings at OR and Cut-Bank Browns
Utah Brown Trout.
I'm sitting in the Salt Lake airport anxious to get back to Texas and some humidity; my gills are drying out up here. It has been a fun week, but I'm ready to get back to some real saltwater. You're probably wondering why my article is being written in Salt Lake City as there isn't anything salty to write about up here other than that big salty sludge they call a lake. However, I will be covering kayaks and trout fishing, so I guess it does have relevance for TSFMag.
I came to attend the Outdoor Retailer Show and check out what's new for the coming year in the kayak world and I have to say I am impressed. If you'll recall my piece last year, I was somewhat disappointed at the lack of new and updated kayaks designed for fishing at this show. I guess we'd been spoiled in previous years when a steady flow of innovation was directed toward our market. Last year it seemed the manufacturers paused to see if kayak fishing would remain strong enough to warrant continued effort.
Evidently it has; each of the big four had something interesting and another company has stepped up their game. That company is Pelican. Yes, I said Pelican. The Castaway has been popular among beginning kayak anglers for a while now. It is an economical way to enter the sport, but it lacks features and had little appeal among veteran kayak anglers seeking greater performance. Pelican has added Kelley Woolsey to their staff. You may recall Kelley at the helm of Confluence when Wilderness led the way in the kayak fishing market and his mark can already be seen in the Pelican lineup.
Pelican's new Elite Series is a big upgrade and they are serious about gaining a share of this niche market. The sit-on-top model has been dubbed the Strike and will be available in 11.5', 13' and 15' length. The Elite boasts 30% thicker plastic resulting in a stiffer and more durable boat. The lines of the Strike look good and while I did not get a chance to demo, it appears to be a major upgrade in paddling performance and should compare favorably with the traditional leaders in the field. The top deck is laid out well and the boats come complete with a fishing package that includes three rod holders, tackle box and comfortable after-market style seat. The 11.5' kayak has MSRP of $549 without a rudder. The 13' and 15' models come standard with rudder and list at $999 and $1099 respectively.
One interesting twist in the cockpit of the Pelican is a recessed dash. It consists of a piece of hard plastic mounted slightly below the level of the deck. The dashboard is removable and will accommodate GPS or fish-finder without drilling holes in the boat. To be fair, most of the other manufacturers have also added after-market fishing dashboards to their accessory lines. Some look better than others to me, but I'll let you decide which one fits your needs when they hit the market. My issue with most of these is the height and bulkiness of their designs; I like to keep things simple. Some of what I saw were obviously prototypes so hopefully they'll be slimmed down and streamlined before hitting stores.
Ocean Kayak has gone in two directions this season with something old and something new. The old is a reintroduction of the popular Scupper Pro TW that was discontinued a couple years ago. They caught grief from Scupper loyalists and have decided to give her another go. The fans of this model have medium to smaller builds and want a boat that performs well with lighter loads. This move should make some folks very happy. Ocean's new introductions are the Trident 11 and 13 to go along with the established Trident 15. All of the Tridents are designed with extra volume in the hull for paddling performance with heavier loads. This series is also known for having enough rocker to handle crashing surf and other rough conditions. The 11 and 13 share many of the 15's features; comfortable padded seat, large bow hatch, oversized tankwell and optional "rod pod" for inside-the-hull storage of your fishing rods. The Trident 13 shares the "sonar shield" of the 15 which allows you to cover electronics while busting through surf or during inclement weather. In addition, Ocean has gone to adjustable foot pegs instead of their standard molded footwells. Another cool option on the Trident 11 is an available rudder. Not many of the shorter kayaks on the market have that capability.
Legacy Paddlesports has continued to add to their popular Native Ultimate lineup with a new ten footer. They also recently introduced a new pedal drive system for hands-free propulsion dubbed Propel Pedal Drive. You can pedal it like a bicycle with a rotating stroke vs. the back and forth used by Hobie. The pedals drive a lower unit similar to an outboard motor at 10:1 gear ratio. The speed of this little rig is pretty impressive, and it pedals in reverse. The coolest part of the design is that it allows you to tilt the lower unit into the hull when entering shallow water. It's tough to describe in words, but check out the photos and you'll get the idea. They've also added several cool fishing accessories that will be available at your local dealers. Jimbo Meador just keeps thinking every time he goes fishing.
Many of our non-paddling buddies have said, "If you could put a motor on it, I'd get one." Well Legacy must've heard that too. They've teamed with Motor Guide to produce a mini-trolling motor that fits into the same mounting system as their pedal drive. And just like the Propel unit, it flips up to allow access to shallow flats. I enjoy paddling, but I'm looking forward to giving this thing a shot. It sure would make that long trip back to the truck against the wind more enjoyable, not to mention exploring with greater range.
Hobie had an interesting prototype that garnered lots of attention. It is something completely different and a radical departure from what we've seen in sit-on-tops. Apparently they aren't quite through tweaking yet and don't expect it on the market for a while. I was asked not to take photos or even write a description just yet, so I won't. Let's just say it is very different and leave it at that. The marketing people promised to provide details as soon as it's ready for release. Hopefully I'll get to test one and give y'all a full report in the near future.
The biggest redesign introduced at OR was the Wilderness Systems Tarpon line. Bob McDonough and his design team have completely updated the entire line-up giving them a new look, new features and better performance. I had the opportunity to work with Bob on the redesign of the Ride a couple years ago and really respect his abilities. We had a chance to chat and he explained all the changes. All of the Tarpon models received hull design tweaks, some more noticeable than others. In the past the different models shared the same family name, but the hulls didn't have the same genes. Now they look like they belong together all the way from the ten foot Tarpon 100 to the sixteen foot 160. Every model now sports the sharper bow entry of the 160 making them much more efficient. Bob also added volume to the hulls giving them more weight capacity and a drier ride.
While the Tarpon's hull tweaks might not jump out at you, the deck changes will. First, the hatches are completely different. The rubber lids have been replaced by hard plastic and are hinged. The front hatch has two latches and the one on the cockpit floor has one. The hatches displayed at the show were marked as prototypes, but with the exception of color they are pretty much what you can expect to see on the new models. The Ride will be getting the same hatches. The Ride's cockpit area has been refined with gear pockets and a seat area drain. The seats have been upgraded to the Phase 3 style that was previously available only on sit-inside touring models. My touring boat has this seat and I've spent many comfortable hours in it. The rear tankwells have been enlarged by doing away with the hatch behind the seat. This will put your gear closer for easier access. They also added aluminum rails along the gunnels at the bow and tankwell. These will be handy for adding accessories and also allow changing position of bungee cleats to secure cargo. On the structural side they've addressed the weakest point of any sit-on-top by including solid pre-formed scupper tubes. The seams of rotomolded scupper tubes have historically been a source of leakage and the upgrade will please many users.
This trip couldn't be all about working. Along the way I managed to sneak in a couple sessions on the Provo River with my four-weight and some dry flies. It was fun and I caught plenty of fish, but it was the first afternoon that'll get me back. Upon landing in Utah I visited Four Seasons fly shop in Heber City. I was fortunate to speak with an employee who was willing to give up his favorite fishing hole.
After forty miles of pavement and many miles of dirt I found myself in a beautiful backcountry canyon. Driving along the stream for twelve miles I saw only two fishermen. Arriving at my destination I had the entire place to myself. It was an awesome afternoon and evening of clean fresh air and trout willing to eat unpracticed presentations.
Just before dark I was drifting a grasshopper along an undercut bank when a monster brown rose and ate. I hate to admit it, but that fish was too much for my limited trout experience. He dove under the bank, turned downstream, and broke me off on a submerged log. My hands were shaking and the light was fading. After a dozen attempts I finally threaded on another hopper. Five casts later it was an almost exact replay. Same size fish, same downstream charge around that same damned log. All I could do was stare into the water and accept defeat.
Reluctantly, it was time to head back to civilization. As I write this we just flew over that little canyon. I could clearly see the place I parked and the cliff above the cut bank. I can think about is getting back up there for a rematch.
I came to attend the Outdoor Retailer Show and check out what's new for the coming year in the kayak world and I have to say I am impressed. If you'll recall my piece last year, I was somewhat disappointed at the lack of new and updated kayaks designed for fishing at this show. I guess we'd been spoiled in previous years when a steady flow of innovation was directed toward our market. Last year it seemed the manufacturers paused to see if kayak fishing would remain strong enough to warrant continued effort.
Evidently it has; each of the big four had something interesting and another company has stepped up their game. That company is Pelican. Yes, I said Pelican. The Castaway has been popular among beginning kayak anglers for a while now. It is an economical way to enter the sport, but it lacks features and had little appeal among veteran kayak anglers seeking greater performance. Pelican has added Kelley Woolsey to their staff. You may recall Kelley at the helm of Confluence when Wilderness led the way in the kayak fishing market and his mark can already be seen in the Pelican lineup.
Pelican's new Elite Series is a big upgrade and they are serious about gaining a share of this niche market. The sit-on-top model has been dubbed the Strike and will be available in 11.5', 13' and 15' length. The Elite boasts 30% thicker plastic resulting in a stiffer and more durable boat. The lines of the Strike look good and while I did not get a chance to demo, it appears to be a major upgrade in paddling performance and should compare favorably with the traditional leaders in the field. The top deck is laid out well and the boats come complete with a fishing package that includes three rod holders, tackle box and comfortable after-market style seat. The 11.5' kayak has MSRP of $549 without a rudder. The 13' and 15' models come standard with rudder and list at $999 and $1099 respectively.
One interesting twist in the cockpit of the Pelican is a recessed dash. It consists of a piece of hard plastic mounted slightly below the level of the deck. The dashboard is removable and will accommodate GPS or fish-finder without drilling holes in the boat. To be fair, most of the other manufacturers have also added after-market fishing dashboards to their accessory lines. Some look better than others to me, but I'll let you decide which one fits your needs when they hit the market. My issue with most of these is the height and bulkiness of their designs; I like to keep things simple. Some of what I saw were obviously prototypes so hopefully they'll be slimmed down and streamlined before hitting stores.
Ocean Kayak has gone in two directions this season with something old and something new. The old is a reintroduction of the popular Scupper Pro TW that was discontinued a couple years ago. They caught grief from Scupper loyalists and have decided to give her another go. The fans of this model have medium to smaller builds and want a boat that performs well with lighter loads. This move should make some folks very happy. Ocean's new introductions are the Trident 11 and 13 to go along with the established Trident 15. All of the Tridents are designed with extra volume in the hull for paddling performance with heavier loads. This series is also known for having enough rocker to handle crashing surf and other rough conditions. The 11 and 13 share many of the 15's features; comfortable padded seat, large bow hatch, oversized tankwell and optional "rod pod" for inside-the-hull storage of your fishing rods. The Trident 13 shares the "sonar shield" of the 15 which allows you to cover electronics while busting through surf or during inclement weather. In addition, Ocean has gone to adjustable foot pegs instead of their standard molded footwells. Another cool option on the Trident 11 is an available rudder. Not many of the shorter kayaks on the market have that capability.
Legacy Paddlesports has continued to add to their popular Native Ultimate lineup with a new ten footer. They also recently introduced a new pedal drive system for hands-free propulsion dubbed Propel Pedal Drive. You can pedal it like a bicycle with a rotating stroke vs. the back and forth used by Hobie. The pedals drive a lower unit similar to an outboard motor at 10:1 gear ratio. The speed of this little rig is pretty impressive, and it pedals in reverse. The coolest part of the design is that it allows you to tilt the lower unit into the hull when entering shallow water. It's tough to describe in words, but check out the photos and you'll get the idea. They've also added several cool fishing accessories that will be available at your local dealers. Jimbo Meador just keeps thinking every time he goes fishing.
Many of our non-paddling buddies have said, "If you could put a motor on it, I'd get one." Well Legacy must've heard that too. They've teamed with Motor Guide to produce a mini-trolling motor that fits into the same mounting system as their pedal drive. And just like the Propel unit, it flips up to allow access to shallow flats. I enjoy paddling, but I'm looking forward to giving this thing a shot. It sure would make that long trip back to the truck against the wind more enjoyable, not to mention exploring with greater range.
Hobie had an interesting prototype that garnered lots of attention. It is something completely different and a radical departure from what we've seen in sit-on-tops. Apparently they aren't quite through tweaking yet and don't expect it on the market for a while. I was asked not to take photos or even write a description just yet, so I won't. Let's just say it is very different and leave it at that. The marketing people promised to provide details as soon as it's ready for release. Hopefully I'll get to test one and give y'all a full report in the near future.
The biggest redesign introduced at OR was the Wilderness Systems Tarpon line. Bob McDonough and his design team have completely updated the entire line-up giving them a new look, new features and better performance. I had the opportunity to work with Bob on the redesign of the Ride a couple years ago and really respect his abilities. We had a chance to chat and he explained all the changes. All of the Tarpon models received hull design tweaks, some more noticeable than others. In the past the different models shared the same family name, but the hulls didn't have the same genes. Now they look like they belong together all the way from the ten foot Tarpon 100 to the sixteen foot 160. Every model now sports the sharper bow entry of the 160 making them much more efficient. Bob also added volume to the hulls giving them more weight capacity and a drier ride.
While the Tarpon's hull tweaks might not jump out at you, the deck changes will. First, the hatches are completely different. The rubber lids have been replaced by hard plastic and are hinged. The front hatch has two latches and the one on the cockpit floor has one. The hatches displayed at the show were marked as prototypes, but with the exception of color they are pretty much what you can expect to see on the new models. The Ride will be getting the same hatches. The Ride's cockpit area has been refined with gear pockets and a seat area drain. The seats have been upgraded to the Phase 3 style that was previously available only on sit-inside touring models. My touring boat has this seat and I've spent many comfortable hours in it. The rear tankwells have been enlarged by doing away with the hatch behind the seat. This will put your gear closer for easier access. They also added aluminum rails along the gunnels at the bow and tankwell. These will be handy for adding accessories and also allow changing position of bungee cleats to secure cargo. On the structural side they've addressed the weakest point of any sit-on-top by including solid pre-formed scupper tubes. The seams of rotomolded scupper tubes have historically been a source of leakage and the upgrade will please many users.
This trip couldn't be all about working. Along the way I managed to sneak in a couple sessions on the Provo River with my four-weight and some dry flies. It was fun and I caught plenty of fish, but it was the first afternoon that'll get me back. Upon landing in Utah I visited Four Seasons fly shop in Heber City. I was fortunate to speak with an employee who was willing to give up his favorite fishing hole.
After forty miles of pavement and many miles of dirt I found myself in a beautiful backcountry canyon. Driving along the stream for twelve miles I saw only two fishermen. Arriving at my destination I had the entire place to myself. It was an awesome afternoon and evening of clean fresh air and trout willing to eat unpracticed presentations.
Just before dark I was drifting a grasshopper along an undercut bank when a monster brown rose and ate. I hate to admit it, but that fish was too much for my limited trout experience. He dove under the bank, turned downstream, and broke me off on a submerged log. My hands were shaking and the light was fading. After a dozen attempts I finally threaded on another hopper. Five casts later it was an almost exact replay. Same size fish, same downstream charge around that same damned log. All I could do was stare into the water and accept defeat.
Reluctantly, it was time to head back to civilization. As I write this we just flew over that little canyon. I could clearly see the place I parked and the cliff above the cut bank. I can think about is getting back up there for a rematch.