If Only For A Little While...

 I begin my journey through the dark down a scarcely traveled trail but the rising sun soon greets me as a narrow sliver of purple light appears at the horizon and slowly becomes shades of orange and red. I take it all in as I know this moment will last only for a little while.

The sun breaches the horizon and brings life to all that calls this patch of trees along a remote river bank home. Birds sing as the morning dew weighs down the few blades of grass that have managed to sprout to life under a protective canopy of cedars and oaks. Squirrels play tag among their limbs and only stop for a moment to chatter in showing that they are aware of my presence. Even the smallest visible living things seem to greet the new day as tiny flowers begin to bloom from the  damp earth below the trees. I take it all in as I know this moment will last only for a little while.

Slowly I creep into a clear shallow stream that runs over smooth round river rock beneath my feet. The gentle ripple of the slow moving river is the only sound to be heard. Sunfish jolt from the stones they have been using as ambush points for their prey of small minnows and bugs floating on the surface of the water as my steps spook them. I can just make out the silhouette of a bass who is no doubt making the frightened sunfish her meal. This is my prey. Gently I place a cast just in front of her nose and the fish cautiously approaches my fly. A sniff and a turn of the head and she is gone ignoring my presentation. This task is repeated hundreds of times through the day. Some are fooled by the bits of plastic, feathers and fur I have prepared for them, most are not. I take it all in as I know this moment will last only for a little while.
 
   As I exit the cool clear water of the gently flowing river I reflect on how fortunate I am to have spent these precious hours taking in all that is in this moment. Back through the trees I wonder finding perhaps the same squirrels that had been so active that morning now moving a little slower with the sun beginning to set. The setting sun is near blinding as I pass the tree line and find my truck just where and how I had left it many hours ago. I stop for a moment and turn back to see the path I had just hiked wondering when I may be fortunate enough to return. I take it all in as I know this moment will last only for a little while....

Gear Review....C-Tug Kayak Cart

  I have used several different kayak carts in the search for one that would actually hold up to the abuse that I put on them while launching in some seriously remote locations where the terrain can be hard enough to walk on much less drag a fully loaded NuCanoe Pursuit behind you without losing my sanity! The ones I have built myself always had the most promise but it became apparently clear that I am no engineer as my designs would eventually break under the load after just a few uses. Carts available that were not so hard on the wallet did great on flat terrain or pavement. Take these on rough terrain however and they just wouldn't work. The biggest problem I would have is keeping the kayak centered on the cart or have it slide completely off from tipping over. No matter how tight I would get the straps it would always slide to a point where they would come loose and I would lose my load. You can imagine the headache of this happening 2-3 times before reaching the water only 50-100 yards away!
  Well no more! Problem solved! After all of the advice I ignored due to the high price compared to other carts, I broke down and purchased the C-Tug from Railblaza, At the price of $189.95 with the Sandtrakz wheels, it was a bit more than I really wanted to dish out but after using it a couple of times I realized what a small price it was to pay to maintain my sanity! Im telling you right now....THIS IS THE CART! If you have had the same problems I have described, stop looking. Whip that credit card out of your wallet and order one now! I'm telling you....Put down that burrito, step away from the computer and run down to your local paddle shop and pick one up! If they don't carry them there, start shopping somewhere else that carries the best of the best. The next best thing is not good enough for you my friend!

  Ok lets start with assembly. I'm sure it came with instructions but I didn't need them. It's simple, stupid simple. The whole thing snaps together in a matter of seconds. The only thing that took a little time to figure out was the strap. I was concerned about there being only one but that would turnout to be a non issue. I have heard negative reviews about the strap and people changing them out after purchase but I'm thinking maybe C-Tug has changed them. That would have to be confirmed but I believe this is the case.
  The Sandtrakz wheels on this thing are amazing! Rolling over rock, sand, limbs, roots you name it. I have yet to find anything they will not make it over. The cheaper wheels that the cart can be purchased with at a lower price, $140.00, maybe better on hard flat terrain but when is that the case? The upgraded wheels are worth the extra $50.00 in my opinion.
  Now to what keeps your boat from sliding all over this cart. The rubber padding on this cart almost sticks to the hull of the kayak. One strap that is included is plenty to keep the C-Tug under your kayak where it belongs. No more will you have to stop half way to your launch to reposition your boat on the cart or pick up all of its contents after dumping it because the cart slid out of position. No more headaches! Be sure to check out a video review of how this cart handles rough terrain coming soon on my You Tube channel link below.

  If you are local to the Dallas/Fort Worth area, you can pick yours up at Angler's Pro Tackle or Mariner Sails who are both NuCanoe dealers as well. Links below....

http://www.nucanoe.com/
https://www.facebook.com/lonestarkayakguide/
https://www.lonestarkayakguide.com/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqSwAkif1uNvkD3oOJhW6nA
http://anglersprotackle.com/
http://www.mariner-sails.com/



 

Gear Review....NuCanoe Black Pack

  There were lots of new and really great accessories from NuCanoe in 2016! My favorite, the NuCanoe Black Pack. In a collaboration from NuCanoe and Yak Attack, we have the Nucanoe Black Pack. It is a slightly smaller size than the original for a great fit in the NuCanoe Frontier but still plenty of room for all that you need for a day on the water. It comes to you broke down with assembly required. I think it took me all of 15 minutes to put it together.

 

The kit includes one set of rod holders for three rods (I added a second set to mine), two hinges for the lid, two mighty mounts and all of the panels and hardware for the crate. What makes this crate so great are the hinges. They allow the lid to stay open in any position without falling down behind the box or closing on you but still open easily. They are just stiff enough to function perfectly!

 

 Now you do not have to own a NuCanoe to enjoy the use of this great piece of gear but it certainly does help! You can pick one up locally in the DFW area at one of the two NuCanoe dealers, Angler's Pro Tackle in North Richland Hills or Mariner Sails in Dallas. (links below) They can certainly be purchased online from NuCanoe or purchased at your local Nucanoe dealer as well.

A look at these great hinges!

Storage in the NuCanoe Black Pack

http://www.nucanoe.com/
https://www.facebook.com/lonestarkayakguide/
https://www.lonestarkayakguide.com/
http://anglersprotackle.com/

http://www.mariner-sails.com/

 

The Path Less Traveled

  With the daily grind of working a 9-5 job and guiding on my days off, I stay extremely busy! Trying to balance work, fishing and family can become a full time job in its self. From time to time I have the need to escape it all to recharge my batteries just a bit. This could involve a full weekend alone on a slow flowing river or just a few hours on a small stream with a fly rod in hand. Whatever the case, you can bet that those trips tend to have me following an unbeaten path. It's a must to get away from it all. These locations are often more remote and the access can be challenging at best! From time to time, you have to do something just for you....

 

https://www.lonestarkayakguide.com/
http://www.nucanoe.com/

"Hey, That's My Spot!"

     I hear this time and time again and it drives me completely insane! "That's my spot!", as if I am doing someone an injustice just by the physical presence of my being! With that said, I do have places that I consider "My spot" but that doesn't mean that I view it as wrong for anyone else to stumble across it and sore lip a few hungry fish while they are there. Fact is, to consider a patch of water "my spot" a ton of work goes into it. It doesn't take hours or even days to do this. It takes YEARS! I don't think it can truly be considered your spot until you can be successful in patterning its local finned inhabitants in any weather condition and any month of the year. This takes some true dedication to the sport. You have to be out there in the most horrible conditions as well as the most pleasant. The satisfaction that comes with gaining this knowledge is unmatched as an angler. It is what IT is all about. This is the reason I don't give up all of its secrets (my spot) when questioned by another angler. Some think you are just being rude but the fact is, I wouldn't want to be responsible for taking that satisfaction away from anyone. So next time you cross my path while out paddling and I say "Hey, that's my spot!" know where that's coming from, take notes and fish on!

https://www.lonestarkayakguide.com/
http://anglersprotackle.com/
http://www.nucanoe.com/

Product Review.....Tackle Webs

    I am absolutely guilty as charged when it comes to packing entirely to much gear for what should be a simple day of fishing from my NuCanoe Pursuit fishing kayak! Loose bags of soft plastics, sun glasses, hand towels, cameras and a slough of other necessities always find their way around my feet or somewhere on the deck of the boat. I am completely shocked that I have not surrendered more gear to the bottom of the depths then I have. So in steps Tackle Webs to help clean things up a bit and add a little bit of organization to my often cluttered deck....
   I had seen these before in my local tackle shop (http://anglersprotackle.com/) but have yet to see them out on the water. Looked like a quality made product so I figured what the heck! The 16x12 looked as if it would fit perfectly to the back of the seat of my Pursuit so I picked that up. After looking at all of the different sizes and styles, I found the Vantage Holster Set that looked perfect for the sides of the seat. These ran $25 for the 16x12 and $50 for the Vantage Holster Set.
   The install was super simple and took all of 15 minutes. All of the required bungees are included.
The velcro closures are elastic so that they will close themselves after you are done digging through the bag to get to your things. Seem to be a well made product and as useful as a pocket on a shirt! My only concern his hooks being caught in the netting that they are made of so I will have to do my best to avoid that situation....
  

 Can't wait to get on the water with my new and improved seat! Maybe I can keep a little organization in my day on the water with the help of Tackle Webs....Be on the lookout for a full on water review...

http://anglersprotackle.com/
https://www.lonestarkayakguide.com/
http://www.nucanoe.com/

Galveston Fishing Report 11/19-11/21.......

  Unusually high tides and an approaching cold front had us really searching for the reds and trying to get in all of the fishing that we could before the front passed through on Saturday. The tides were very high and gave up the first clue as to where those marsh donkeys would be hiding out at, the backs of the backs of the marsh! The mullet and the red fish making a meal of them were as far back in the marsh as they could get. Small schools of reds were gathered in the middle of the back lakes and would occasionally give chase to the schools of mullet circling the pools. Water clarity was vary good but the wind made it difficult to spot the fish who were constantly on the move. Gulp under a popping cork was the ticket to hooking up. 
  After doing battle with the reds in the marsh, we hooked up with my fishing bud, Gerardo Olmos, and headed to a spot that he suggested we try at night under the lights. Speckled trout was the targeted species but as we found out, plans do not always go the way they are intended to. It was near every cast. Sand trout after sand trout were shaken from hooks to avoid bringing them in the kayak along with their slimy coats. We did manage a few keeper sized speckled trout but I would guess the ratio to be about 25 sand trout to every 1 speckled trout. All great fun regardless!
  Waking up to heavy rain and thunderstorms Saturday morning, we decided to cut our trip short and head home. There is no doubt that this last front will change things on the coast so I guess it will be a hunt for the fish on the next trip down. That's half of the fun anyways! Give us a shout on the website below or hit us up on Face Book to come join us on our next adventure......

https://www.lonestarkayakguide.com/                        <<<<< BOOK YOUR TRIP HERE!!
http://anglersprotackle.com/
http://www.nucanoe.com/