I just finished up my second late winter and early spring fishing season using my Stormr STRYKR Jacketon the worst weather days. It has kept me warm and functioning on the water in extreme conditions. Most recently this year in a KBF tournament on Lake Bull Shoals it protected me in windy and snowy weather with water temps in the 20s. Hours on the water were made much more comfortable with this piece of equipment.
The Stormr STRYKR jacket was great protection against the wind and snow on Bull Shoals. – kayakfishingfocus.com
When kayak fishing in freezing and windy conditions I wanted to have a jacket that was warm, stopped the wind but wasn’t too bulky to wear and move freely while in the kayak seat. The waterproof and windproof Stormr STRYKR jacket is an impenetrable shield against the elements.
Stormr STRYKR Jacket Specs
What makes the Stormr STRYKR jacket so effective in protecting against foul weather are the materials and construction. The water and windproof neoprene exterior is an excellent outer shell, while the fleece lined interior is comfortable and holds in body heat. This is the warmest thing I’ve ever owned – hands down. Many other elements contribute to the warmth and comfort:
Two-way Adjustable Hood
Fleece-Lined Interior
Non-Corrosive Splash Proof Zipper
Full-Length Interior Storm Flap
Glued, Blind-Stitched and Thermal Taped Seams
Internal Neoprene Cuffs
Abrasion Resistant Material for High-Use Areas
Adjustable Velcro Cuffs
Adjustable Waistband with Two Interior Cord Locks
Practical Usage and Functionality
As already stated, the jacket isn’t bulky or heavy, both a major benefit for a winter coat for the kayak angler. Aside from keeping me warm and protected, the jacket comes with many extras that were well thought out and make it easy to manage my gear. Some of my favorite features include all of the convenient pockets that allow me to safely store my phone, keys, and anything else I want to keep on me with easy access. Worried about wearing a jacket if going into the water? The Stormr STRYKR jacket has 5 lbs of positive buoyancy which, along with your PFD, will help keep you afloat if you capsize. Some of the other key convenience and safety features:
Interior Cell Phone Pocket
Two Chest Gear Pockets
Two Fleece-Lined, Waterproof Exterior Pockets with PU Coated Non-Corrosive Zippers
Two Interior Mesh Gear Pockets
Adjustable Waistband with Two Interior Cord Locks
Two D-Rings for accessories or kill switch tethers
3M Reflective graphics for high visibility
Available in Smoke, Orange or Black and White edition
The Bottom Line
The Stormr STRYKR jacket is a top of the line foul weather solution for kayak fishing. It’s not cheap, but is a piece of equipment that will protect you for years on the water. The only negative I have on this jacket is I wish there was a way to remove the hood for days where I don’t need my head covered but want the warm jacket on my body. The hood will lie back and I don’t have to wear it, so not a big deal but it would be better if I could detach it.
Staying warm and protected in a jacket that also allows you to be nimble in your kayak is worth the investment. Before the next winter season comes, check out the Stormr STRYKR jacketfor ultimate foul weather protection. I don’t use them, but Stormr also offers STRYKR bibs as well that would cover you head to toe.
When I signed up to enter the Kayak Bass Fishing (KBF) Trail event to be held on Bull Shoals in April, I had visions of clear water, 60 degree water and bass beginning the spawn in my head. Boy was I wrong about that. What 53 anglers encountered on the beautiful Arkansas lake was a blast of winter that may not have bothered the fish, but it froze the butts off a lot of anglers.
It was my first trip to fish this lake and I had heard a lot of great things. Upon arrival I saw that the rumors were correct, it was a beautiful fishery with clear water and lots of rock and some shoreline cover in the form of flooded bushes almost everywhere you went. The communities of Bull Shoals and Lakeview did a fantastic job of hosting the event and really rolled out the red carpet for us. Quick shout out to Gaston’s White River Resort which was a great place to stay, definitely want to get back there and do some trout fishing on the White River.
Tough Day of Fishing – Dominant Performances
Overall the results showed a difficult day, partly due to the weather I would assume. A major cold front moved in overnight and brought with it sleet, snow and 27 degree temps at lines in. Temps didn’t get above freezing until almost noon. It seems that Smallmouth and Spotted bass were key for a lot of the anglers who did well.
Of the 53 anglers who entered, only 12 (23%) turned in a limit of five bass, and only 30 (57%) turned in at least one keeper. This is on a lake that is recognized as being crammed with bass and usually is a pretty easy touch.
This 20.50″ Largemouth bass caught by Brian Hillman was the biggest fish turned in for the 2018 KBF Trail on Bull Shoals.
The top finishers were Jason Adams (Ark.) with 89.25″, Josue Rodriguez (Okla.) with 79.5″ and Garrett Morgan (Ark.) with 79″ overall. This was a very large margin for the winner, making it not close for first place. You can see the full 2018 Bull Shoals results here. Read below for some insight and video of Jason’s winning day.
Here is a recap of the top 10 finishers:
Jason Adams (Ark.)
Josue Rodriguez (Okla.)
Garrett Morgan (Ark.)
Ben Spangler (Ark.)
Roy Roberts (Ark.)
Hans Bentz (Mo.)
Cody Milton (Ark.)
Brad Case (Ms.)
Brian Hillman (Mo.)
Dorman Hughey (Mo.)
Angler Recaps
The top three finishers participated in a roundtable to share some thoughts on how they did it. Jason Adams, Josue Rodriguez and Garrett Morgan answered my questions about the event.
Where did you go and why did you choose that part of the lake?
Jason – I wanted to go to the furthest area that was in bounds but still in Arkansas. I was looking for dirty water and found it in the mouths of the creeks.
Josue – I went to look at several spots before the tournament and just fished from the bank trying to figure out some type of pattern. We decided on the east side of the lake, close to the check in.
Garrett – I went to Coon Creek and fished secondary points as I knew fish have been making there way to the backs of creeks as the spawn is approaching. I knew the cold front would push them out a bit but didn’t feel they would travel too far away. So, midway back toward the lake seemed like a good way to spend my time on deeper points of flats near deep water once the sun came out.
Main baits that worked for you?
Jason – I used a Ned rig on a Solid Tackle jig head and a senko cut in half. The big bites later in the day were on a Skirmish one-knocker square bill in chartreuse.
Josue – Drop shot and an A-rig.
Garrett – My two baits I caught fish on were an A-rig and a wiggle wart.
Any particular approach or strategy you wanted to employ to try to win?
Jason – To try and get a limit at my first location was my primary strategy. Then move to another location to fish with a crank bait to try and catch larger fish to upgrade. I wanted to crank and cover water.
Josue – When I started to fish I was having problems right off the bat with my micro guides, they were freezing over. So fishing slow was difficult for me because the line kept getting stuck. I caught my first fish on a drop shot, it was only 9.5 inches and I was just happy to catch a fish at the time. Then I picked up an A-rig and fished a pocket and caught two fish back to back…after that i went looking for similar pockets. I had three fish at the time and that’s when it kinda went south for me. I was really cold and wanted to get out and walk around a bit. I couldn’t feel my legs so when I stood up in my kayak I fell in the water. Lucky for me only my legs got wet but I was still freezing at this point. I was ready to call it quits and I couldn’t fish because of how cold I was. I started to paddle back to the truck. On the way back I saw a good looking cove and I wasn’t very far from it so I decided to fish it really quick. I’m glad I did because I caught my last two fish and cull my smallest one.
Garrett – It was a roller coaster day of highs and lows and highs! My rods, reels and feet were locking up from the cold. I managed to catch a nice Smallmouth in the same area an hour later and lift my spirits a bit. A few hours and spots later my feet were so numb I couldn’t feel them. I headed to the opposite side of the creek channel from where I had caught my first fish, rolled up on a flat reached for the wiggle wart and caught another Smallmouth! A few minutes later I managed my only Largemouth on the A-rig. By this time it’s 11:30 and I’ve got three fish and feeling much better. I tried my spots again and noticed other folks headed in, I turn my phone on, check the time and see it’s about 2:30 and decided to head back toward my first spot one more time on the way in. I fish it about ten minutes and then head in with three fish for the day. As I approach the gravel ramp I see a nice breeze catching the front of the first drop out in front of it, which I noticed on my graph when I headed out that morning and never fished. At 2:43 I cast out in front of the gravel ramp area and hook up with a Smallmouth. I quickly grab my phone to take a pic, only to realize it has 1% because it’s been searching for signal and I never turned it off after the last time I checked the time. On low battery mode it had enough to snap a quick pic. I cast out at 2:46 and three revolutions of the reel later I’m hooked up with a another Smallmouth. I boat-flipped it in my lap, threw it on measuring board, prayed my phone would take a photo, and it did! Released the fish in the water and with the help of fellow competitors was loaded in less than 6 minutes.
Anything else interesting that happened or you wanted to mention? Thoughts on Bull Shoals?
Jason – When the sun finally came out and the fish moved up on shallow road beds – I happened to be in the right place when it happened. I quit fishing at 2:00 but knew I could keep upgrading if I had kept going, I’d caught around 30 fish at my second location and culled 7 times.
Josue – Overall I really like the lake. First time fishing it and I see that it has a lot of potential living up to the hype.
Garrett – This game is 10% skill and 90% mental in my opinion. I’d say I was tested harder mentally than any other tournament. I may have cursed a few times, but I was able to reset and never believed I couldn’t get back in contention as long as there was time left to fish. Adjusting little things like the color of my swimbaits at 2:00 pm when the sun popped out and I only have three fish, is not giving up! You got to believe it can still happen on any cast! I was glad it did on my last one!
Final Thoughts
I definitely hope that KBF comes back to Bull Shoals next year, it was a great lake and venue and the town really seemed to care that the tournament was in town. I was asked several times over a couple of days about the tournament by locals and they were genuinely interested.
The event was well-run and really turned out to be cold, but a fun experience on the water overall.
The first Kayak Bass Fishing (KBF) Trail event of the year in Arkansas will take place on Bull Shoals, a 45,000 acre reservoir on the White River in Arkansas.
The 2018 KBF Trail – Bull Shoalswill take place on Saturday, April 7. Anglers will be able to use any ramp in the lake to launch and chase their limit of winning bass. Participants should register for the event using TourneyX by Friday, April 6.
Tournament Schedule and Meeting Information
The captains meeting and check in will be at Beacon Point Restaurantlocated at 3553 AR-178 in Lakeview, AR 72642.
Friday April 6
* 4:00 p.m.: Prefishing ends
* 6:00 p.m.: Event ID Code Released
* 6:00 p.m.: Captains Meeting at Tournament HQ
* 6:00 p.m.: Registration Deadline Saturday April 7
* 5:00 a.m.: Earliest Launch; registration deadline
* 6:15 a.m.: Start-of-competition; first cast/lines in water
* 3:30 p.m.: End-of-competition; lines out
* 4:00 p.m.: Photo upload deadline (Shows on TourneyX as “end of competition” time)
* 4:00 p.m.: Check in to Tournament HQ. (Late or Failure to check in will result in disqualification.)
Event sponsors include:
*Bull Shoals Lake & White River Chamber of Commerce
*Ozark Mountain Trading Company
*Beacon Point Restaurant
*Enterprise Printing
Gerber Gear, NuCanoe, Torqeedo, Yeti, NRS, Nines Optics, Lowrance, Power Pole, YakAttack, APR, BooneDOX* Title sponsors – please tag in when posting in social media at this event
Bull Shoals Dam at the south end of the lake.
Bull Shoals Tournament Analysis
Jason Adams, event tournament director, previews the tournament and what anglers may expect on Bull Shoals.
What do you expect from Bull Shoals, lots of fish? Big fish? Will it be primarily largemouth or a mix of largemouth, spotted bass and smallmouth?
I believe catching a five fish limit will be the most important aspect and could come from a limit of Smallmouth. These are the first fish to move up for spawning as temperatures start to rise. We saw that at the National Championship this year where a limit each day was key to placing high. One thing to note was the minimum length at that event was 12″, however, for the Trail and Challenge events, the minimum length is back to 8″. This should really be encouraging to anglers who fished the NC and went home skunked.
Is there anything that makes bull shoals unique?
Bull Shoals is a deep and clear highlands reservoir impoundment located in on the border of Arkansas and Missouri. It is centrally located in the United States and has hosted numerous elite bass tournaments. This will be the first time a major kayak tournament has been held on this lake and the locals are ecstatic about the idea. We partnered with the Bull Shoals Lake White River Chamber of Commerce late last year and have had an some great dialogue on the future of Kayak Bass Fishing in this area.
What should anglers coming in from outside of the area know about the Bull Shoals region?
People coming into this area will be welcomed by banners provided by the local Chamber as they drive into this world famous fishing destination. The place will be packed with bass boat and kayak anglers, as well as fly fisherman. This place is nostalgic and knows how to keep you dreaming of coming back. Ozark Mountain Trading Company is the closest kayak shop, located in Cotter just a few blocks from the White River. Area native Brad Eubanks is the store manager and has been known to put people on fish. He said mum is the word, but I bet you can charm him into sharing a few local secrets.
What’s the guaranteed prize for first? Is there a big bass element?
Payout is to 10% of the field with $1,000 minimum to first place. There is no Big Bass side pot collected on TourneyX.
It’s always great to find a small tackle company who makes some product which is perfect for your bass fishing needs and has products that just flat out work. PJ’s Tackle Company is a local company which produces lures and colors that are designed to be effective in the clear water applications found in places like the Ozarks. Fishing some of these clear water lakes and streams requires the right look and colors to be effective.
PJ’s Tackle Company grub heads and finesse jigs ready to catch some bass. – Kayakfishingfocus.com
My dad first introduced me to PJ’s Tackle Company (formerly known as PJ’s Finesse Baits for those who’ve known about them for a while) by recommending their weedless jigheads which work great on a grub bounced along the bottom. These jigheads just fit the grubs I like to use perfectly and I really like the unique weed guard which is very flexible and doesn’t impede a hookup.
PJ’s Tackle Company Lures
Their jigs are fantastic looking, with the colors that you need to look natural in clear water reservoirs like Beaver Lake, Table Rock, Bull Shoals and others. Can’t wait to get the Green Orange/Crawfish version on a rocky bank with a natural color craw trailer. In addition to the grub heads and finesse jigs, they also make football jigs.
Fora different style of fishing PJ’s makes a line of Maribou Jigs designed to work on small streams and rivers to catch fish of all types. These lures put off a subtle realistic movement in the water that entice the bite.
The bottom jig head shown is a PJ’s Tackle Company grub / worm head I use sometimes to rig a YUM Warning Shot or Kill Shot. – Kayakfishingfocus.com
PJ’s Tackle Company Story
This company also has an interesting background and mission. Lures are hand-tied by women in small villages in Central and South America in a program to bring work and a faith-based mission to those areas. From their website:
“We have two passions that are the foundation of the mission and vision of our business: to create high quality fishing lures that catch fish and to help women living in poverty in remote rural villages by providing employment opportunities.”
If you fish in really clear water situations and want to support a Northwest Arkansas based company, give PJ’s Tackle Company a look. They have a great mission, story and products.
Catching bass with jerkbaits begins to heat up as the water temps cool down. This season I have a goal to improve my fishing with jerkbaits in particular. In the past I’ve caught some fish with them but haven’t committed myself to using them as often as I should. Sitting in a kayak makes fishing one very difficult, but I’ll work to get it down. Learning a new bait takes time and research, which led me to a very good article on Smithwick’s website about bass fishing with suspending jerkbaits in the winter. The article includes techniques for clear reservoirs and mentions some lakes close to me such as Beaver Lake, Table Rock and Bull Shoals. For some good info on fishing a suspended jerkbait, READ MORE on Smithwicklures.com.
warm and protected, the jacket comes with many extras that were well thought out and make it easy to manage my gear. Some of my favorite features include all of the convenient pockets that allow me to safely store my phone, keys, and anything else I want to keep on me with easy access. Worried about wearing a jacket if going into the water? The Stormr STRYKR jacket has 5 lbs of positive buoyancy which, along with your PFD, will help keep you afloat if you capsize. Some of the other key convenience and safety features:
