Tag Archives: Equipment

Reviews

Lindy Elite Rod Bag Review

Packing my gear for the upcoming trip to Lake Fork for the Yak4It Tournament of Champions is giving me a chance to once again use a great Lindy rod bag that a friend recommended to me a few months ago.

Lindy rod bag holds 4 to 6 rods with reels.
Lindy Elite Rod Bag Packaging

I had been looking for a way to efficiently carry multiple rods in my truck while on kayak bass fishing road trips and the Lindy Elite Rod Bag has been a great and inexpensive solution. I love my Dobyns fishing rods and want to keep them protected and make them easy to carry. Lindy says on the package it is for 4-6 fishing rods, but I’ve been able to put as many as eight in the bag at once, although six seems to be the best fit with baitcasters.

Lindy rod bag protects your reels.
Lindy Elite rod bag is a safe way to transport multiple rods.

When placing rods in the bag I prefer to have them in rod sleeves, which just makes them easy to handle and gives some extra protection. Once inserted into place, there are two velcro straps that help secure the reels/handles so they don’t slide around. Having them all in the bag makes it easy to carry to and from the truck and it fits great in the cab. I also like the security of having my nice rods and reels covered up in the bag instead of exposed to someone walking by the vehicle.

Dobyns rods secured in the Lindy rod bag.
My Dobyns Fury Series rods are nestled nicely in the Lindy Elite rod bag and ready to go.
Reel Protection

The area around the rod handle end has a bit of extra padding to help protect your reels and thankfully the zipper performs flawlessly when opening or closing. Many times zippers are cheap and get hung up and difficult to use…very annoying and not a problem with the Lindy rod bag.  The handles on the bag are placed at a perfect spot for balance and the rod bag stays parallel to the floor while being carried.

Lindy rod bag zips up cleanly.
All zipped up, the Lindy Elite rod bag has handles for easy transport.

This bag is made of a very thin but tough material that makes it very lightweight and easy to fold up into a small profile for easy storage. The nylon for the bag is also quick drying, so no worry about moisture issues. I also have a couple of longer fishing rods and was worried they wouldn’t fit – but Lindy added a small velcro opening at the end of the bag to let a rod tip through if needed.  Each end of the bag also has a cord loop you can use to hang up the bag if necessary.

The Lindy rod bag is good quality and was a good price, at just over $30. You can order one from Lurenet.com directly.

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Spotlight: Yak4It Tournament of Champions, Heddon Video, Fishing with Kids, Lurenet.com

This recent spotlight features one of the most exclusive kayak bass fishing tournaments in the country, a product feature, tips for fishing with kids and one of my favorite tackle sources:

The Yak4It Tournament of Champions at Lake Fork, Texas, is coming up in November and I’m excited to have qualified again this year to compete. This tournament is by invitation only and qualifiers are selected from tournament circuits or events around the country yak4it-toc-300x257based on how the anglers have performed in those events. This is the second year in a row I will be competing representing Arkansas along with other qualifiers from the state. The tournament is held at famous Lake Fork and Lake Fork Marina and Motel serves as the epicenter of the event. Last year was my first time on the lake, am hoping for a better finish this year.

As the tournament season begins to close, I want to thank brands who have shown the support for me this year on the tournament trail: Bending Branches, Dobyns Rods, YUM, Booyah, Rebel, Norman, Smithwick, Arbogast, Cotton Cordell, Bandit, Bomber, Heddon, Fish Allure and Stormr.

Heddon is an old school fishing brand that I love to throw because I simply catch fish with these lures. Here is a nice video from Heddon showing off some pond fishin’ with a Pop’n Image.

Kayak Fishing Blog is my favorite website for reading about kayak fishing topics and once again they have a great article, this one on 15 Tips for Kayaking with Kids. Taking kids out on the water is a great way to create a legacy and grow the sport. Make it a great trip by using the tips in their handy infographic.

If your local big box store doesn’t carry some of the plastics or lure variations you need, check out Lurenet.com for baits. This site carries only certain product lines (including some big ones like YUM and Booyah) but has the deepest selection from within their offerings. For example, I like to use the YUM 10″ Ribbontail worm in Black/Blue flake, but this is a hard one to find. Lurenet.com has it and a lot more.

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Spotlight – Drop Shot Tips, Dobyns Fury Series Rods, Cold Water Kayaking Dangers, Katrina’s Story

Here’s a roundup of some of the things that caught my eye this week that are worth a look from fellow kayak bass fishing anglers:

Tim Hotchkin is once again back with a solid video, this time he is breaking down his approach with drop shot fishing. He’s an excellent drop shot fisherman and I’ve learned a lot from him on the water about this topic. Golden’s Baits is featured – they make some great plastic bait options. Check out this video for some insider tips:

I’ve recently written a Dobyns Rods review here on this blog, but here is a more comprehensive breakdown on the Dobyns Fury Series by Justin Brouillard that identifies five of the best rod options in this new rod set. I’ve been using a 734C version and like it so much I am currently adding more to my arsenal. This article has been very helpful in reviewing options – hopefully it helps you as well. For value-minded kayak fishing shoppers, Dobyns Fury series is a quality option at a really nice price point.

Safety is always a paramount concern when kayaking, kayak fishing or just paddling. Increased danger emerges in winter when water temps start dropping and flipping your kayak can put you in a life-threatening situation. With the recent news of multiple fatal accidents, I’m hoping people will take extra caution when hitting the water. This article on Dangerous Cold Water Submersion by Chris Payne at Kayak Fishing Blog is a harrowing account of an experience he and his son had in a cold water situation. Additionally, this article and video from Paddling.net are good for anyone who kayaks in the winter to see. Be safe out there!

On a local note, this blog article on Yakfisharkansas.com is a touching story by Katrina DeGraff about why she joined the Arkansas Kayak Anglers and really illustrates the community aspect of kayak fishing. Katrina is a great person and I look forward to continue to get to know her and Luke better at future events.

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Spotlight – New Year’s Resolutions, Kayak Buying Tips, Paddle Questions and Destroyer Baits

It’s a new year and a good time to get your gear right and your mind right for the upcoming kayak fishing season. Here is a roundup of some of the best kayak bass fishing articles this week:

Our friends at Yakfisharkansas.com talk about New Year’s Resolutions, including a couple that resonate with me. They mention improving with a hard jerkbait (which I believe is difficult to fish from a kayak) and drop shot. For me, I have a focus on improving with jigs and swimbaits in 2016.

Did you get a new kayak for Christmas, or want to know how to get started kayak fishing? There are a couple of good articles this week worth a read. First up is Four Tips for First Time Kayak Buyers from Kayak Fishing Blog which has some good items to consider. It touches on budgeting for your kayak purchase, which should include additional funds for the key accessories and paddle.  I’d like to underscore though, invest in the most comfortable kayak you can possibly afford – sitting in one for hours will make you regret going cheap on the seat situation.

Next up is an article by a good guy I know, Garett VanWie, on Where to Begin for kayak bass fishing. Garett echos my assertion of buying the right kayak and paddle instead of simply buying the cheapest. Congrats to Garett for this article on Bassresource.com.

I personally use a Bending Branches Angler Pro paddle, which I love. Having the right paddle for you is very important to fully enjoy the sport of kayak bass fishing. This article, Kayak Paddle Questions, provides some sample questions in evaluating the key aspects of choosing the right paddle for you. Like a kayak, my advice is to do your research, talk to some expert staff at a quality sales outlet and get the best paddle you can afford. Durability and weight are a couple of key factors for me – a heavy paddle makes for a long day on the water.

My friend Tim Hotchkin has a good breakdown of Destroyer Bait Spy Jigs. Shout-out to him for a great job with the video.

 

Reviews

Dobyns Rods Fury Series Review

As mentioned in a previous post, I have been wanting to try out a new Dobyns Rod I’d picked up recently while on the road at a tournament event. Then I wanted to do a Dobyns Rods review.

A friend had told my about Dobyns Rods and suggested I try one out, so I did – and he was right, I’m impressed. My Dobyns is a Fury Series 734C, one of their more affordable rods with a suggested retail price of Dobyns Rods review$109.99, but it is balanced and has the feel to me of a higher end casting rod. The 734C is 7’3″ long and is geared toward techniques including buzzbaits, horny toads, jigs, senkos, swimbaits and spinnerbaits. The Fury Series hasn’t been around long, just been since May of 2015.

For the Dobyns rods review I was able to get out and use the rod extensively on a fishing trip to the Elk River and it performed very well. The first thing you notice is how comfortable the grip is with a nice cork main handle and then a butt covered in a “Hypalon” material, giving you more grip for long casts. Starting out with a Booyah spinnerbait I had a nice bass hooked within the first 30 minutes and the rod performed beautifully. Whether launching long, accurate casts, setting the hook, or reeling in an upset largemouth, it felt silky smooth. Again, feeling in the hand like a higher end rod than the actual price. Later on when switching to a jig, it was no problem for shorter and more accurate casts.

Dobyns Fury Series Rod

Dobyns does offer four other levels of rods: Champion Extreme, Champion, Savvy, and Savvy Micro Guide. Overall I am very pleased with this Dobyns Fury series rod, a great value for the price and plan to look into more Dobyns rods in the future. Find them at an local dealer or online at sources such as Tackle Warehouse.

News

Norman Lures Acquired

Thinn
Norman’s Thin N

One bit of news in the tackle business world caught my attention as Norman Lures was recently acquired. Norman Lures is a local company (based in Greenwood, Ark.) and has been producing
baits for more than 50 years. This news is interesting to me because of the fact Norman Lures is a local company, one of the oldest and well-respected bass fishing brands and is a producer of some of my favorite crankbaits.

Depending on the time of year, my kayak has several Norman lures on board including the Deep Little N, Thin N and Fat Boy in particular. It’s been announced that the specific Norman lures like the DD22, Deep Little N, Mad N, Flat Broke, and Fat Boy will be continued. No definitive word yet on some of their other lures. I’m personally a big fan of the Thin N, so I hope they keep it around.  The Thin N has a unique “coffin-bill” shaped lip that combines with the thin profile to give it a different wiggle than many other squarebills. This could mean I need to stash some more Thin N lures just in case they become unavailable.

Overall, this seems like positive news and will allow a great brand and some great baits to continue to be available to fishermen. Norman Lures was purchased by PRADCO Outdoor Brands, and you can read more about the acquisition in the Southwest Times Record. PRADCO produces many brands that I love to use including Booyah, Yum, Smithwick, Bomber, Bandit, Heddon, Rebel and Arbogast.

Reviews

Great Service by Dobyns Rods

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Would like to recognize Dobyns Rods for some excellent service recently, which is important from a fishing equipment company. At a recent visit to Lake Fork I purchased a Dobyns Rod at the tackle shop and once I was home recognized a small problem with it. Being hundreds of miles from where I purchased it in Texas, this kayak fisherman was at a loss of what to do.

One email to Dobyns Rods directly with an explanation of my problem resulted in a quick reply from them with a proposal to fix the issue. The assistance was quick, it was courteous and I could tell they really wanted to help me out. I’ll be reviewing my Dobyns rod very soon here on the blog. As I previously wrote, I’m looking for a new go-to rod company and they have certainly made a great impression so far.

Reviews

Manley Rods Review Part 1: First Impressions

Recently I’ve been looking to choose a new fishing rod brand to use and have a few in mind I wanted to check out. One of these brands is Manley Rods, which caught my eye with their MRF (“Adjust-a-Butt”) system, which allows for the angler to adjust the length of the rod butt based on the situation. This is particularly appealing when kayak fishing due to being in a sitting position most of the time a
nd the rod butt can get in the way with certain techniques.

First of all, a word about Manley Rods service. Before they shipped my rod I received a friendly phone call from Manley to confirm something in my order. They just wanted to take a minute to ensure I was going to receive the correct shipment – which I really appreciated. I’d ordered a Platinum Series Medium Heavy Fast Action casting rod which is either 6’9″ or 7’3″ long, depending if the butt is extended or not.

Opening the box upon arrival, the rod was very well packaged in plastic and bubble wrap, giving me confidence it was safe during shipping. First thoughts were that it was a nice and sleek looking rod, with components that look and feel solid. Love the feel of the cork grips which are very soft to the touch – I immediately wonder how durable they are. Adjusting the butt position is easy, but it feels like the handle may have a little more total weight because of this feature.

Overall, I’m pleased with what I’m seeing here and can’t wait to get it on the water. Manley claims on their components page that the special Microwave Guide System adds up to 30% further casting distance over standard guides. Looking forward to taking it out for a field test and sharing the results.