New To Forum...Introduction

Hello everyone. I just came across the forum and have been looking for more people who fish around my parts from Kayak. I have a freedom hawk 14 and am primarily a Largemouth and Smalllmouth. I fish any time of day and try to get out a couple days a week from about April through November.

I fish all smaller lakes in northern panhandle and will travel down to Hayden, Anderson, Black, CDA & Thompson Lake in Idaho.

Here are some pics from last years outtings. I will probably start hitting the waters for prespawn around early and mid march if there is anyone else interested in joining...

Welcome to the cure ILH. Them's some nice LMB's and love the pics. Bring it on!

Z

welcome ILH, Good to see someone from Idaho on here.

There's not alot of you, It really needs someone out there gettin people excited about it..

Welcome to the forum.  Looking forward to some reports from out there.

-Allen

Oh yea, Great LMB's!!

My goal this summer is an over 15 inch smally and an over 20 inch LMB...

You'd think after all the basss fishing shows i watched, i'd be an expert, but nope, not much luck on these species so far.

Any tricks or technique's you wanna share  would be most welcome.

Welcome aboard ILH! 

I make it out your direction a couple of times a year but always stop short of the border.  I'm looking forward to seeing the reasons I should keep travelling East.

Those are some nice bass  IdahoLunkerHunter.  If you're interested, our year long virtual tournament called AOTY (Angler of the Year) has two bass categories you'd probably do really well at.  Who knows it might even get you to expand your kayak fishing a bit into a few other species (trout, panfish, steelhead, etc...).

Brian

 

Howdy, ILH. I'm guessing I'm about 3 hours west of you, along the East Slopes of the Cascades. You ever been to Banks Lake, in WA? Could be a good halfway meet up place.

Thanks all for the warm welcome. Can someone explain the angler of the year thing?

Howdy, ILH. I'm guessing I'm about 3 hours west of you, along the East Slopes of the Cascades. You ever been to Banks Lake, in WA? Could be a good halfway meet up place.

Yep I'm up for anything. During the summer pretty much every weekend I'm out fishing. I really want to get over to potholes here probably around early/mid march. Pre-spawn should be starting to kick up.

here's a link to the rules page.. It's fun, it's what got me to Bass fish for the first time.

It's simple, 40 bucks to join, points per inch for allowed lagally caught species.....he/maybe she someday with the most points wins!! and a Kayak is First Prize.

http://aoty.northwestkayakanglers.com/user

Oh yea, Great LMB's!!
My goal this summer is an over 15 inch smally and an over 20 inch LMB...
You'd think after all the basss fishing shows i watched, i'd be an expert, but nope, not much luck on these species so far.
Any tricks or technique's you wanna share  would be most welcome.

Anything in particular you want to know about? Make sure to be fishing pre-spawn conditions April - June. This will probably be your best bet in hooking your goals while learning. After the winter they are feeding like crazy while on beds and they are very territorial. 15" Smally shouldn't be a problem learn drop shotting, if you don't already do it, but seeing you are into ocean fishing I'm sure you have some technique that should be similar.

I throw big lures and use big gear most the time. These are my lure choices (Not In order):

Largemouth:

Lucky Craft, Rapala, and BPS cranks 4"-7" (red craw, charteuse/black), 5"-7" senkos (Watermelon, oil, watermelon/chartreuse, junebug, Black/silver, Look up Alluring Baits tell Brent I sent ya, he'll throw ya some freebies), 10" worm (watermelon, junebug, black, alluring baits), 4" Tubes, GYCB Fat IKA, Chatterbait swimming Jig's (Brown, black, blue with chunk), 1/4oz - 1oz Jig (Same colors as swimming, strike king), Buzzbaits(Green/Chartreuse, Blue/Black, Black, Silver/Blue, strikeking), Flukes (I use Sluggo brand) Spinner Bait willow blades and Colorado Blades (I use two blade series same as buzzbaits, strikeking), Jitterbugs, frogs, Poppers, zara Spook, 12" Snake.

Smallmouth:

2"-5" Tubes (Strike King and Alluring Baits), Creature baits (GYCB and Alluring baits), GYCB Fat Ika, Lucky Craft, Rapala, and BPS cranks 2"-4" (red craw, charteuse/black, green), 4"-5" Senko (Watermelon, Silver/Black, Junebug, Watermelon/Chartreuse).

These are probably my go-to baits. Like most of us I assume Ive got three huge tackleboxes and too many to describe but this is where I would start.

Line Choice: You want to have a reliable line and the best I have found is Yo-zuri Hybird Super Soft. Ive gone through fireline spiderqire etc...(You know the drill). It has great strength very little memory and hasn't let me down yet. I use power Pro Braid.

IdahoLunkerHunter, thanks for the bass info.  We don't have much warm water fish expertise around here. 

I'm still in steelhead and sturgeon mode, getting ready for spring salmon mode, but I'm sure I'll have plenty of questions come April regarding fishing the pre-spawn.  Henry Hagg Lake near Portland has put out some really large smallmouth (8+ lbs) in recent years and my bass fishing goal this year is to land a 4-5 lber.

Brian

ILH,

I guess I do have a question for you to answer while you wait for your ice to thaw. 

How do you like the Freedom Hawk 14?  Do you use the Integrated Outrigger Design^tm much?  How does it paddle with the outriggers folded in?



I don't think I've seen a serious review of this kayak from a kayak angler before.

Brian

Its absolutely awesome. I use the downrigger when ever I have a pole out I do a lot of flipping and standing up is almost key to getting the perfect flip! Paddles great when downriggers are in. I couldn't thnk of fishing from kayak without it. I have stood up in 15-20 mph winds with 1-2 foot swells. I have tried to tip it over but can't get it to budge. It is easier to fall in than tipping it over