WAVEWALK KAYAKS

The Connecticut Fishermen won this round, the state rolled back fishing/hunting fees, fishing is now $28. instead of $40.
A big plus for the state, even though I still paid the $40 in March, there was no way I was going to fish without my fishing license.

The fishing has been good.
I have not taken my yak out for a fishing trip yet.
But I have gotten out with my friend Daddy Pickle, since March.

We’ve fished Congamond Lake and the Connecticut River.

Congamond Lake is an amazing body of water, it holds many trophy fish, and I had the pleasure of fighting and landing one.

March 10th 2010 Congamond Lake:

If today was my last day on earth, this is how I want to go.

My First Atlantic Salmon ever, and a Trophy Salmon to boot!

30″ and at least 12 lbs if not more, my batteries in my scale were dieing, so the reading wouldn’t read correctly.

It was 20 minutes of pure heaven and pure hell, all rolled into one!

All caught on my RayZ custom Smallie med-lite St Croix rod, with a Prodigy 1500 reel spooled with vanish 8 lb test.

This Fish hit like a freight train, my drag screaming, I’d gain a little ground and ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ off she’d go.

I’d gain some back and ZZZZZZZZZZZZ, get her boat side and ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ, this fish was beating me up good, my arm was killing me.

To afraid to touch the drag, in fear of breaking my light line.

After two more runs out to deeper water she tired enough for Daddy Pickle to sweep her into the boat, even though she did not fit in our Bass Net.

It is a catch, that will be forever etched into my brain.
She was released to be caught another day.

I still can’t wipe the smile off my Face!!

I’ve been chasing Stripers and Smallies on the Connecticut River.

Some were caught from shore, and a few were caught in my Buddy (DaddyPickles) Boat.

I caught my first Keeper Striper of the 2010 season.

29″, caught with a 4″ paddle tail by Strike King, sexy Shad color.
It was a great battle in the strong current on the Connecticut River.

Some very nice Smallies have been caught in the mix too.
All smallies were caught with a 1/8 oz ball jig, rigged with a 2″ paddle tail grub, in rainbow trout color.

So I’d say my season has started off with a bang.

Next week I will be starting some yak adventures along with the release of the
Snapping Turtle (Berine Mack) I rescued last Year from Rainbow Reservoir.
He’s grown quite large, and is ready and able to fend for himself.

Hope all is well.

Tight Lines.

Rox

Fishing for bass has many fans, including in the W kayak fishing community.

Here is a list of some prolific W bass kayak anglers:

Rox Davis, Kayak Bass Fishing Superstar, from Connecticut

Norm Craig, from Rhode Island

John Fabina, from Wisconsin

Jeff Lenkowski, from Massachusetts

Wayne Taylor, from Florida

Jamie Harter, from Wisconsin

John Zoltner, from New York

Doug Hord, from Long Island, NY

Donavan Campbell, from North Carolina

December 2nd Season ending trip for Rainbow Reservoir.

Well the ice has come to Ct, and I am very sad.
Dec 2nd was my last trip, I was hoping to get out one more time, but I’ve been busy, and when I got to my Favorite Smallie waters, they were iced over with 1 1/2″ of ice on Monday December 9th, Tuesday was no better.
Time to switch gears, get ready for ice fishing, and chase some trout on the upper Farmington river, which never freezes here in Ct.

All Smallmouths caught on a 1/8oz jig, rigged with a 2″ paddle tail white, with a red dot added to the belly with a red magic marker. (I always carry red and black markers)
I cast out to where the waters run to and around an old dam, letting it drop to the bottom and popping it with long pauses, and waited for that little tic, and only lifting my rod tip to set the hook, if you set it to hard, it resulted in missed fish.
Water temps were 42 degrees, slight winds at 8mph, Air temps were 40 degrees. Current was moving pretty good, they had the lower dam open for the upcoming rains.

I find myself wishing for Spring already……………..

Safe Paddling All And Happy holidays!!
Rox

Nov 2nd, spent an hour fishing and got two nice smallies In 13′ to 18′ of water with a crank bait.

November 3rd I went to Rainbow (again)   in the W500. Got on the water at 2pm, off at 4:30pm– Windy, partly cloudy/sunny, water temps were 49 to 52 degrees.Got to my first spot after paddling against the wind, positioned my yak, went to reach for the anchor, And it’s not THERE!! I took it out to empty the container because it had water in it yesterday…………….And I forgot to put it back in!!!!!—Soooooooooooo I couldn’t hold position, where I needed to. Many shorts, which I didn’t take pictures of, and Jinxed myself. Always take a picture , or the big ones won’t come!!!!!!!!!!  —I got tired real fast, so I decided to just drift back to the launch along the steep drop offs in 25′ to 14′ of water. Picked up another small smallie, and snapped a picture. 3 cast later my crank bait got SLAMMED!!!! And this is what I got:

5.4 lbs on the scale, never touched the brown with my hands or net, thank God for boga grips.
I removed the hooks as quickly as possible, wish I took the length, but didn’t want to lay the Brown on the tape.
She swam away STRONG!

Life is Good!

Rox

Went to Rainbow Reservoir in Windsor Connecticut, to fish with a friend on his boat.
Mike (known as Daddy Pickle) wanted some small mouth Bass.

I figured I cast a few from shore while waiting.
I must have cast 20 times, and on the last cast with the lure just rising out of the water by shore, a Huge Pike rushed and slashed at the dinger.
I almost $#!^ my pants, totally caught me off guard. With this approaching storm, my hopes weren’t too high.
We had slight winds to friggin pain in the >@$& winds, cloudy, water temps were a steady 50.5 degrees
everywhere.

Today, the back of the boat was a good place to be.

Pickle did start us off with the first smallie, but he said it wasn’t picture worthy, I think that smallies buddies heard him, so they wouldn’t play nice with him after that.

My arm and Hands are Killing Me!!
I couldn’t even tell you how many cast Pickle and I made today.
But if the bait wasn’t moving, you weren’t getting Nothing!

Cranking was the key, no pauses, most fish came out of 14′ to 30′,
deep down bumping bottom FUN!
I haven’t used crank baits in a long time, but Pickle has helped
rekindle my first Love…………….Cranking.
He may be sorry he did!

Another thing, when the winds did pick up, the bite stopped,
then when there was a lull in the winds, one of us would hook up!

LIFE IS GOOD!!!!

Rox

Hi,
Here’s a trip I did on Oct 19th fishing from Shore at Rainbow Reservoir, in Windsor Ct.
As you know they drained this place to repair the Dam, and since Oct 5th, it’s been refilling.

Walked down to one of my favorite fall spots, can’t wait to get my W500 back in here.
Armed with a hair jig with a small craw attached on my 6’6″ Custom St Croix smallie ultra lite rod with 8lb test vanish. And my 6’6″ St Croix rigged with 10# fireline with 10# vanish leader with a c-rigged worm.

What a beautiful day it turned into.
I got to the waters edge at 10:30am left at 3pm.
Windy, sunny no idea what the water temps were.

Fished deep water to shore, as far as my little arms could cast out to.
As I was crawling the hair/craw jig along the bottom, I got a solid Thump, set the hook, and the battle was on.
Pulling drag at will, the beast headed out to deeper water, got her turned and battle her back to me.
She came up to show me her big old head, and in that moment I was wondering, how the heck I would land her, 8#test and a bunch of rocks, so I figured I was gonna get wet.
This is one big Bass, get her closer to shore, then in an instant, she’s gone. She straightened the Hook!!!! Holy S#*****+!! Guess I should have fought her a little longer. :banghead:

Landed a good 2# smallie bumping bottom with a new hair jig and craw, she gave me a good strong fight, then another as the rig hit the water. And the very next cast…….Bam another smallie. :cha:
Then nothing, must have been a school moving around.

Moved down the bank some more and Grabbed the c-rigged worm and started working it from deep water to shore.
Slowly dragging it, and making long pauses, I worked down the shore line about a football fields length.
I would cast and work it back to me, take 10 sets from the spot I was started, repeating it over and over, then BAM, Big Fish, shaking her head Like crazy, 20′ from shore, Up she Comes with a Big Somersault and dives, My Drag is screaming, gain some ground and Off she ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ again, I get her turned and I all STOPS????????????????? Shes snagged on a stump or something, with my line taught, I can feel her shaking her head!!!!!!!!
I start running to the right with my rod tip Held High, hoping to free the Beast, she still on I feel her pulling then Bink!!! Off she comes on what ever she was hung up on, Lord Have mercy, I got to land her PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now the battle is won, she’s tired, I’m reeling her in with no fight left. Get my thumb in her mouth and She’s Mine!!! :cha: Frigging fish will be the death of me yet, my heart is pounding, my hands are shaking, snap a couple of pictures, get her back in the water holding her tail, I don’t care that I’m wet, I’m making sure she swims away strong, she feels like shes ready, I release her tail, she rolls slightly looking at me with the Big old Bug eye then in an instant she was gone. Caught a bunch more, all put up great fights, digging down deep. Man I love fall Fishing!!!
LIFE IS GOOD!!!!!!!!!

Rox

Sept 8th Rainbow Res.
Hit the bow at 12pm, off at 5:30pm.
Water levels are up, temps were 70 to 74.3 degrees.
Cranks, chatter, ball jig, dingers-

Cranks got nothing, chatter baits zip, dingers, of course, put the Bass in the boat.

Fishing the flats produced a 3#er and a 2 1/2#er.
Caught on the dinger fished like a jerk bait.

Then while fishing an over hanging tree in 10′ of water with the ball jig and That Bait Pickle, on 8lb test on my custom smallie rod from RayZ!!!
Pitched it up and under the tree and started reeling it in slowly, when all of a sudden, it all comes to a stop……..dang I snagged a
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ Holy Cheese On Rice, BIG FISH!!!!!!!!! I can’t turn the fish!!
Drag set as tight as I dare, back down past me she flies!!
I turn her and up she comes besides the yak……………………. It’s a Huge PIKE!!!! ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ Off she goes again, I’m stuck between two trees, and shes dragging
my yak towards one of them, I yell to James, in his boat anchored
down below me for a Big Net, it has to be at least 38″ long and thicker then my arm, he’s watching me now, I turn her again, and
shes towing my yak, turned me back towards the opposite tree.
Then Up She Comes for a Complete somersault, I watch as she wraps herself up in the line, and snap she was gone.

Lord have mercy, 5 minutes of pure heaven and 5 minutes of pure hell,
all mixed into the same pot!
I knew there where Pike in here, now I have proof, and a witness.

Spent the next few minutes clamming myself, hands shaking some bad,
I couldn’t retie a new ball jig on.

Sept 10th Weathersfield Cove, Weathersfield CT:

Hit the Cove today, got there at 12:30 PM.
WINDY WINDY WINDY, white caps sometimes, and did I tell you,
it was WINDY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Water temps were 69+degrees, sunny, partly cloudy.
Fish came to hand in 1′ to 14′ of water.

Bad news, I broke my first rod of the season, my Med Heavy Premier St Croix rod!!!!!!!!!!!! I was drifting and was blown into a tree
that I had just pulled a bass out of, didn’t see it till it was to late.

Had a Huge blow up and was cut off by Mr Pike over by the Police dock.

Best part of the day was near the end of my trip.
I was getting plenty of smaller bass, perch, and a few crappie.
But had no real solid bass in the yak yet.
Till I found the magic tree.

Life is Good.

Rox




On September 13th at Rainbow res.

Hi All,

Here’s a recap of Septembers W500 adventures.

I can’t believe September is come and almost gone.

Fall is approaching way to fast this year, maybe it’s because June and July, we were faced with rain, heavy rains.
I feel a little cheated this season, August was good to me, September was Outstanding.
Some of my best Small Mouth Bass fishing ever.
The Large Mouths were Pretty Great too. 
And a Bonus Pike.

I fished Rainbow Reservoir, and Weathersfield Cove, which is a Cove Off the Ct River.
Sad part is, Rainbow Reservoir has been Drained for Dam Repair, Last pictures I got were very bleak.

On September 11th:

While fishing in the Rain, prior to the draining of the lake.
I was thinking what 9/11 has done to our country, waiting for that next ball to drop!
But we got threw the day, no mishaps, and even a few bass came to hand.
I was only out for 3 hours.

On September 12th:

Today water levels low, no movement of water, wind was blowing one way,
I’d anchor up, but Mother Nature changed her mind, and would swing me in the other direction.
Thats okay, I can take what ever she had to dish out.

Sooooooo, She opened up the skies for me!!!
But today I was ready, and good thing, because I couldn’t hide under any trees, unless you beached and walked in ten feet to the trees.
My handy dandy tarp worked out great, kept me high and dry!!

Outside view of my weatherproof yak

Inside view of my weatherproof yak

A tree I found with the sonar in 20′ of water, was Lit up with a big School of smallies, but I could not hold position to fish them, the wind was whipping, and my Anchor wouldn’t hold me!!!
Time to upgrade the anchor!!!
So I paddled out to a fellow with his 2 sons, and told them to hit the tree that was sticking out, I told him to tie on some grubs and hang on.
Within 5 minutes, the boys where Screaming like Girls!!!!!!

I met them at the launch when I was leaving and loading my yak.
He came in Thanking me for making his sons day.
His boys and himself caught 18 smallies off that tree, and his youngest boy got the biggest Smallies. (his older brother was pissed)
His first and best ever was a solid 3lb smallie, then he landed a 5lb Smallie, his Dad was so Proud.
He shook my hand and thanked me saying, “I’ve never had anyone give me help on what to fish, let alone a spot like that to fish from, Ever”

It made my day to see how happy those boys were.

I got there at 10am and left at 6pm.

Life Is good!

Then the rest of my September, was outstanding, Last day I fished was the 21st.

My hard work had paid off, and the Bite was on with each trip.
The last trips I made were with the yak cart, they had closed the Parking lot at Rainbow, do to the draining, so it was an easy
walk down to the waters edge, but the walk back was All Up Hill!!!!
(in my best Roseanne Roseannadanna voice) “I Thought I was Gonna Die!!”

I’ve never landed so many Quality Small Mouth Bass, some over 3 pounds, and the Biggest went 4.3lbs, caught on my last trip, September 21st of the season.
She turned my W500 in a complete circle while I battled her, once she was in the net and I lifted her from the waters, I knew she was a big girl.
I include the release photos of this 4.3 pound Smallie.

All of this Brought to you by……………..The W500 and W300, best fishing Kayaks in the World.

I also included a Video of Rainbow Reservoirs Draining, I am heartbroken.

Hopefully they will have the repair done before the Ice comes.

Tight lines all, and Paddle Safe.
Rox

Took my green monster out on Monday 31st, to Rainbow Res. in Windsor Connecticut.On the water at 9:30am off 5:30pm.

Water temps were 64 to 67 degrees, strong winds, but I had my anchor to hold me in place.