Bass Plugs - Replacing Trebles with Single Hooks

At the beginning of each season, I like to replace the hooks of my Bass plugs.  The plugs came with trebles and I have always replaced them with trebles.  However, this season I have decided to experiment with single hooks.  Two reasons for deciding to use single hooks and the first is to make it easier to remove the fish from the kayak net; trebles can be a nightmare when tangled in the net. The second is singles should cause less damage to fish that I intend to return.

The problem with replacing trebles with ordinary single hooks is the eye is too small for the split ring, which means the hook cannot rotate correctly and sometimes sticks on the ring hampering the action of the lure and hooking potential. However, replacing trebles with singles is becoming more popular and now you can purchase single plugging hooks with large eyes.

The hooks I purchased are Decoy Pluggin' Singles 27, which come in packs of eight.

Most of my Bass plugs are between 125mm and 130mm and the size 2 hooks I purchased appear large enough and rotate on the split rings with ease.  The other good thing about these hooks is the eye sits parallel to the hook, which means the hook point hangs in line with the lure instead of at right angles.

Time will tell if removing trebles reduces hooks ups or increases lost fish during the fight however, one thing is for sure, it should make removing fish from the net easier and quicker meaning more time fishing in the sometimes short windows of opportunity when the Bass are there and feeding. In the future, I may experiment further by reducing the number of single hooks from three to two, which I know some plug anglers are doing.

Kayak Filming - iON Air Pro Waterproof Action Camera

Back in November 2013, I decided to start making videos of shore and kayak fishing trips along with some how to videos.  I started with my standard cheap £50 compact digital camera that shot videos in VGA or HD 720p.  That was fine to start with and as a taster however, not suitable for the long term mainly because the camera was not waterproof and a camera on a kayak that is not waterproof will not and did not last very long!  Clearly, if I was to continue making videos I needed to upgrade my equipment.

I decided to purchase a waterproof HD action camera, and based on my limited experience to date, my criteria was as follows:

1. Waterproof without the need for an outer case.
2. Capable of shooting HD 1080p @ 30fps.
3. Remote control.
4. Decent battery life.
5. Wide angle FOV (field of view).
6. Lightweight.
7. A head mount for my shore fishing videos.
8. Capable of shooting stills.
9. Tri-pod thread.

Research suggested the most popular waterproof action camera is the GoPro however, when filming, I like to talk about what I am doing and the GoPro is only waterproof within its waterproof housing and my research suggested the housing muffles the sound.

Next, I looked at the Drift Ghost-S, which ticked nearly all of the boxes except the head mount.  I could get a helmet mount, or ski goggle mount, or shoulder mount, but I did not fancy going shore fishing with a crash helmet or ski goggles!  In addition, I felt a shoulder mount would be unsuitable due to too much movement when fishing for example, when casting or playing a fish.

I then considered the Kodak Playsport zx5, which again nearly ticked all of the boxes except no suitable mount for my shore fishing.

Finally, I looked at the iON Air Pro-Lite.

This ticked all of the boxes and the features are as follows:

• Lens Type: Fixed Focus (2ft/.6m), glass
• Aperture: f/2.8 (high performance in low-light situations)
• Field of View: (Degree of Angle) 1080p/30fps = 127 degree, 960p/30fps = 170 degree, 720p/30,60fps = 150 degree, WVGA 30fps = 150 degree
• Video HD Resolutions: 1080p: 1920x1080 (16:9), 30 FPS. 720p: 1280x720 (16:9), 30 FPS/60 FPS (Slow Motion). 960p: 1280x960 (4:3), 30 FPS
• Default Switch Settings: Full HD-1080p/30 FPS/127 FoV OR HD-720p/60 FPS/170 FoV
• Sensor Type: 1/2.5" HD CMOS, 2.2ìm pixels
• Light Sensitivity: Super low-light sensitivity (>1.4 V/lux-sec)
• Video Format: H.264 compression, saved as MPEG4 (.mp4) file
• Exposure Control: Auto
• White Balance: Auto
• Microphone: Built-in, mono with AGC (automatic gain control)
• Audio Format: ADPCM
• Photo Resolution: 5MP
• Capture Modes: Single Shot
• Memory: MicroSD card, up to 32GB capacity (Not included)
• Average Recording Times: 1080p/720p: 8min/GB
• PC Connection: USB 2.0 (data connection and battery charging)
• TV out: HDMI + Composite
• WiFI: Included with Wi-Fi models
• G-sensor (Auto-rotation): Yes
• Vibration sensor (Shaketrigger): No
• Battery Type: Rechargeable 1100 mAh Lithium-Ion
• Battery Life: Approximately 2.5 hrs
• Charging: Via USB to computer or optional power adapter
• Charge Time: 80% capacity after 1 hour with optional power adapter, or 2 hours with a computer's USB port
• WaterProof: IPX8 (30 feet)
• Construction: Metal + Plastic
• PC Compatibility: Windows® Vista and 7; Mac OS® X 10.4.11 and later
• Dimensions (H x W x D): 37x107mm
• Weight: 130 grams
• Dual File recording: Yes
• App Support: iON
• Low Battery indication: Yes
• Slide to record: Y

I decided to purchase the basic iON Air Pro-Lite at £99.00 and add the accessories to suit my needs for example:

The iON Remote PODZ, which comes with the remote control.

The head mount for my shore fishing.

Based on the videos I have made to date and considering the cost of £99.00, I am impressed with its performance.  The picture quality at 1080p/30fps is sharp and the sound is good.  The camera is solid and robust and the main thing for me is that it is waterproof to 30 feet without the need for a waterproof housing.  iON do supply higher specification cameras such as the iON Air Pro 3 however, for me higher specification is pointless when YouTube limit specification when processing uploaded videos and the quality on YouTube is never as good as the original.

The only settings you can change manually on the camera are either for full HD 1080p/30fps = 127 degrees FOV (the default setting) or HD 720p/60fps = 150 degrees FOV, by removing the rear casing which exposes a FHD or HD button.  Access to the full settings is via the iON App accessible when you plug the USB lead into your computer or via Wi-Fi.

The picture quality of a GoPro Hero3+ Black Edition is arguably the best however, for the price of one Hero3 Black; I can purchase three iON Air Pro-Lite cameras making it more affordable to have more than one camera on the kayak in different positions.  At present, I mount the single camera using the YakAttack Dog Bone Camera Mount however, future plans are to add more mounts and cameras to give a wider choice of shooting angles.

Below are links to example videos shot with the iON Air Pro-Lite at 1080p/30fps and best viewed in HD.

Fishing the Wreck of the SS Stanwood
Inshore Reef Fishing for Pollack
Fishing for Gilthead Bream
Kayak Fishing for Shellfish 
Creek Fishing for Grey Mullet
Plug Fishing for Sea Bass
Kayak Fishing: The Unexpected Catch - Fish Finders Do Find Fish
Rough Ground Fishing for Cod with Weedless Lures

Drift Fishing for Plaice 11-04-14

As an eating fish, Plaice is one of the UK's most popular.  I enjoy eating nearly all of the fish and shellfish the Cornish waters provide however, Plaice is one of the finest.  I fish for them a few times throughout the year and today's trip was to target Plaice by drifting over clean ground with bait. The following is a video of the trip.

 

Kayak Fishing at Anchor - How to Deal with Wind over Tide

I recently had a trip fishing at anchor with a wind over tide situation causing the kayak to sit broadside (sideways on) to the swell making it awkward to fish particularly with two rods.  Below is a video that demonstrates the effectiveness of using a drogue to counteract a wind over tide situation.

Kayak Fishing - Drift Fishing with Bait 15-03-14

I spent a few hours drift fishing with bait on the south coast of Cornwall.  There was a brisk off shore wind and the drift chute was a great asset.  It was not a great days fishing but managed a flat fish and a few bonus Mackerel as they passed by.  Below is a short video of the trip.  Due to wind noise on the sound, I had to limit live commentary.

Using a Drift Chute when Drift Fishing from a Kayak

I do a great deal of drift fishing from the kayak and find a drift chute a great asset for that type of fishing.   Below is a video showing different ways a drift chute can be used when casting lures from the kayak or vertical jigging.

New Kayak Seat - Crazy Creek SOT Kayak Seat III

My Ocean Prowler Big Game kayak came with an Ocean Comfort Plus seat however, after nearly three years of use the two bars that act as supports for the backrest have worn through the material causing damage to the kayak by scraping the plastic.  Efforts to repair the material and contain the metal bars proved fruitless.  Clearly it was time to invest in a new seat before the damage became a hole in the seating area.

Rather than purchase another Ocean seat I decided to look elsewhere and purchased a Crazy Creek SOT Kayak Seat III from H2o Kayaks.

The seat is advertised as the "formula one of sit-on-top kayak chairs" and reviews from other kayak users suggested that this was indeed a very good comfortable seat.  I sometimes spend up to 8 hours on the kayak fishing therefore, a comfortable seat is very important and it will be interesting to compare the new seat with the Ocean seat.  The advertised features are as follows:

• The “Formula One” of sit-on-top kayak chairs.
• 4 brass swivel clips secure seat to kayaks with attachment cleats. 
• Chair is easily detached from kayak for use in camp. 
• Adjustable back is ergonomically contoured for exceptional comfort. 
• Zippered pocket on back with drain fits 70 oz/2L hydration unit. 
• 5″ closed-cell foam back and 1″ memory foam seat. 600D coated polyester. 
• Limited Lifetime Warranty.

The dimensions measure 32" x 16" with the backrest and seat divided as 18" x 14".  These measurements are fine for my kayak.

Fitting the seat to the kayak was fairly standard and straight forward with the four adjustable straps, two at the front, and two at the back clipping onto existing pad eyes using the brass swivel clips.

The zippered pocket on the back with a drain hole is something I did not have with the Ocean seat and this could be useful either for a hydration unit as advertised or for other bits and pieces.

Sitting in the seat it does feel comfortable with plenty of support for the back and plenty of cushioning for the backside, more cushioning than my Ocean seat.

A recent trip proved the seat is indeed very comfortable however, time will tell how the seat wears after many trips out at sea and how long it lasts before I need to replace it.

Anchoring a Kayak at Sea

When I first started thinking about fishing at anchor, apart from how to set up an anchor system, I had other questions such as, how much line I should let out, how the wind affects the position of the kayak, and how do I retrieve the anchor. Below is a video I have created that hopefully, contributes in some way to answering those questions based on my own experiences in the areas I fish.  See Kayak Fishing Set Up Video for how to set up an anchor system.