Fishing during dark hours is one of the most productive times to fish.  But, fishing at night from a kayak increases risk. Safety is first on my list.  That is why I use the Scotty Kayak Sea Light Pole when fishing at night.

The Scotty Kayak Sea Light Pole has an overall height of 42″. It can be removed from the base and can be adjusted to any angle across a 180 degree range. The highly visible light is water proof and can run for 8 hours on two AA batteries. The bright orange flag provides additional visibility.

If you fish or are planning to fish at night in saltwater or freshwater, then pick up a Scotty Kayak Sea light. Why? To see and be seen by seen by other boats! 😉

When chunking the surf, my first reel choice is conventional. Conventional reels can store lots of line; they have formidable cranking power; and they can cast large loads: 8+ oz of lead and bait. Casting 8-plus-bait via spinning reel is very challenging and can cut through your index finger’s protection. My go-to chunking reel is the Truth SM reel.

I got my Truth SM reel during the New England Saltwater Fishing Show. While I was in the Truth booth, Wes Seigler, Founder and President of Truth Fishing Reels, disassembled my reel for a final inspection. I was speechless as I stared in amazement at the simplicity of the reel’s mechanical design. In addition to SM’s amazing machinery, the reel has some serious performance and features:

• Line Capacity: 450 yards of 50 lb braid
• Gear ratio: 6:1
• Weight: 16.8 oz
• Drag: 34 lbs
• Line Retrieve: 38″

My first cast was during an incoming tide just before sunset on a Cape Cod beach. The line peeled off the spool smoothly. I thought I was going to hit Martha’s Vineyard! Thank you ceramic ABEC-7 bearings!! When my presentation hit the water, I felt the change is spool speed instantly and applied my thumb to stop the spool. No “bird’s nest”!!! Guiding the line onto spool under the new moon was effortless, complements of the counter balanced handle and Truth’s signature bridge-less design. Bottom line, the reel felt great!

For me the star drag is a must. It allows me to adjust the drag incrementally without changing my hand positions on the rod. I also love the clicker. When a fish hits and runs with your bait, there is no mistaking that repetitive sound!

During my field test, I had a second rod with a large capacity spinning reel spooled with the same 80 lb Power Pro braid and with the same custom surf shark bait rig. With the wind and tidal current moving in apposing directions, the 5 oz pyramid sinker could not hold bottom! 🙁

During my seminars, I meet anglers who are intimidated by casting conventional reels. Ladies and gentleman, if you can learn to ride a bike, you can learn to cast conventional reels. It’s a simple mechanical skill that is totally learn-able. If you were to pick one reel for chunking all conditions and locations (surf, inlets, bridges, and back bays), then go with an Truth SM reel. Full stop. 😉

Targeting large predatory fish under the blanket of night increases your success rate. But, it also introduces risks. One risk is getting disorientated when fog settles down. Hence, I always carry a compass! 😉

When you are fishing at night on a remote rock, beach, or lake and the fog settles in around you, having a small compass in your pocket is better than no compass. But, I personally prefer the Suunto SK7 wrist compass.

The liquid filled and water proof SK7 has a 2.25″ diameter face and a phosphorescent card, which makes it super easy to read under all conditions. Despite it’s size, the SK7 is surprisingly light. During my trips, I often forgot that it’s on my wrist.

I am an all species and all methods angler. The Suunto SK7 is my go-to compass for surfcasting, skishing, and kayaking. Whatever compass you choose, make sure it’s accurate, easy to read, and easily accessible.

Hunting carp requires good gear, tasty bait, and perseverance. When a trophy fish engulfs your bait, you do not want to miss it! A bite alarm is an indispensable tool. An analog alarm is better than no alarm. But, I prefer to go high-tech. So I purchased two Fox Micron+ bite alarms.

The Micron M+ has high-end features at a low-end price. First, the unit operates on two standard AAA batteries, which are readily available. Second, the Piezo speaker and 5 mm red LED will sound and light when a fish is swimming away with your bait. I like to turn the indexed volume knob on the front all the way up. But, when stealth is required, I turn the volume down. Third, the robust rubber ear inlays prevent rod slippage. I target BIG fish. Rod slippage is not an option.

If you are targeting carp, you need a bite alarm. If you go digital, I strongly recommend the Fox Micron+ available from Wacker Baits.

This year I decided to start fishing the dark side of the Cape Cod Canal. So I ordered some jigs from James Jewkes. The four things to consider when buying jig heads are: weight, geometry, hook, and color. For the Cape Cod Canal, I would recommend 4 oz, 5 oz, and 6 oz jigs. These three weights will work the lower portion of the water column as the tide floods or ebbs and the current changes correspondingly. The geometry of the jig head determines how the jig is going to function. For example, round heads will drop and bounce across the bottom. Flat sided jig heads swim through the water column. Pointed jig heads sink fast. Hence, the head geometry depends on what and how you want to jig. The most important component of a jig is the hook! James Jewkes’ jigs come with a strong and sharp 8/0 Mustad hook. Jig head color is important because it forms part of your presentation’s color profile. I like white, red, chartreuse, and black jig heads.

I am a fan of two-tone bucktails, which are effectively Lefty Deceivers with a lead head. I tie my own bucktails because the color profiles I fish are not commercially available: chartreuse/white, blue/white, yellow/white, red/white, red/yellow, blue/green, chartreuse/yellow (a.k.a. “parot”), black/yellow, black/chartreuse, black/purple (a.k.a. “blurple”), and black/blue (a.k.a.”bluk”). Frankly, I am surprised more surfcasters do not fishy bluk jigs, which mimic black sea bass.

Soft plastics catch fish! But, they do not cast or sink well unless they are weighted. I like to fuse soft plastics with a lot of tail action onto jig heads. This presentation casts better and can work the entire water column. When fish shun plugs and bucktails, I serve them “rubbah”!

Mounting a soft plastic onto a large jig can be challenging. I use a power drill with a 3/8″ drill bit to bore out the tip of the soft plastic. This results in a better fit without splitting the soft plastic. I use a strong adhesive to fuse the soft plastic to the lead head.

When you cast up-current and let your jig work the dark side of the Cape Cod Canal, you will hook fish! But, you will also lose jigs!! Buying naked jigs and tying your own bucktails or mounting soft plastics will reduce your cost by as much as 80% and give you a custom presentation!!!

Sliding sinkers (a.k.a. “leads”) are common in carp fishing. Their primary function is to allow the carp to swim way with the bait in it’s mouth without feeling the weight of the lead. A carp gripper lead does this and more!

Carp gripper leads are multi-functional. They hold bottom without rolling. They feed carp. And they allow the line to pass without resistance.

Commercial bait mixes are available.  I make my own with one can of cream corn, one cup of corn meal, and a 1/4 cup of Oats. I add just enough water to get these ingredients to adhere.  Carp chum! 😉

Obtaining carp gripper leads in the U.S.A. is unfortunately challenging. They are not readily available is most bait and tackle shops or online stores. However, they are available from Wacker Baits in 2 oz, 3 oz, and 4 oz.

Why use mono-functional lead? Increase your hook up rates by using a multi-function lead. Fish carp gripper leads!

I use the YakAttack Zooka Tube rod holders for holding my rods in the front of my kayak. LOVE them! I have been using PVC pipe rod holders on my milk create to store my rods in the back. HATE them! I almost disconnected my right shoulder on a trip trying to insert a rod into one of the PVC pipes. That night I ordered RAM® 2008 Composite tubes with 1.5″ screwballs from YakAttack.

The tube has a diameter of 1 7/8 inches and a depth of 9 3/4 inches. Hence, it can accommodate a wide range of rods. The tube also has two modeled holes for clipping a lanyard.  It is only currently available in black.

I really like the screw ball mount because it allows me to quickly secure the rod holder to the Yakattack Mighty Mount behind my seat. The screw ball allows you to adjust the angle of the tube. But, frankly I would not recommend using this rod holder for trolling. The bottom of the tube is closed. Hence, when a fish strikes, the rod butt will not provide full leverage. When trolling, leverage is what sets the hook. For trolling, I recommend the YakAttack Zooka Tube rod holders.

When I started kayak fishing, I had one rod and no rod holders. I now kayak fish with four rods and four rod holders. Having my rods pre-rigged, untangled, easily accessible, and ready to cast has helped me to catch more fish!

Lanyards are gear items that are often forgotten.  If remembered, low cost ones are often used.  After almost losing my expensive waterproof digital camera of into the Poseidon’s abode, I ordered my first Dragon Tail Lanyard from Paulie’s Tackle of Montauk.

The Dragon Tail Lanyards are the real deal.  They are rated at 200 lbs each.  I now have four.  Would I ever carry 800 lbs with me?  No.  But, when it comes to guaranteeing that I will not lose my camera, pliers, knife, and Rapala lock-n-load lip gripper / scale, I’ll take the strongest Lanyards on the market!

As an all species and all methods angler, I have no shortage of fishing gear. There is a reason why my Chevrolet Suburban sleeps outside! I am very selective about my fishing gear. I research all my gear before I buy it. I then exploit my science and technology background to field test my newly purchased gear. I target trophy fish. Gear failure is not an option.

I have worked with several entrepreneurs and companies. My constructive feedback has allowed them to refine their products. If you have a new or existing product that you would like field tested, drop me a line.

Do you fish swimming plugs? Do you fish metal? Do you fish long range lures like Roberts Lures? I do! But, not with naked tail hooks!! I like to dress my presentations with custom tied hooks!!!

My hook of choice is the VMC open eye siwash hook in 6/0 (model number: 9171 PS). Why? For three reasons. First, this is a strong hook. Second, it has a sharp point. Third, I can secure it to the tail end of my presentation (metal, plug, or jig) without any additional hardware.

I like to match or complement the colors of my presentation. I have found that a simplified Lefty Deceiver pattern works really well. By “simplified”, I mean a Lefty Deceiver pattern minus the feathers.

Tackle shops tend to stock dressed tail hooks. But, the hooks, hook sizes, and colors can be limited. I prefer to tie my own during the hours I cannot fish.