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Today was a beautiful day to be on Lake Shannon, 1 week prior to short season closure. Only 3 other people on the lake, clear skies.
I launched my Kayak at 0830. Lake at about 75% of full pool. It was a day of shaking down new gear on what still feels like a new way to fish, kayak fishing via a Hobie PA14.
1st fish on 30 seconds into troll.. take rod out of new RAM mount rod holder, SNAFU.. rod holder not connected, falls to the bottom. 2nd issue... Hobie safety flag on back of kayak, apparently not meant to stay on during trailering. Snap! $90 )-:

I also got to use my new GoPro Hero 7. That was a lot of fun. Now to learn the editing software. (-:

I was fishing my newly retrofitted Scotty DR. I see now how on a kayak even a few inches difference in placements of things can totally throw you off.
I trolled via the DR, BC spoons, chrome/blue, 35’ on the braid, various plugs similar to the Mag Lip. On another rod it was lead core line running an in-line spinner made by some small Montana company.
The lead core was 4-5 colors out, and could have caught rainbows all day. Small ones were 8-9”, larger were 13-14”. All bows were very bright, yet skinny. Caught 8, kept 3.
Picked up just one on the DR, with the BC spoon.

The lake is just so darn beautiful. Imagine Baker lake with no one else fishing it, no roads on it, no houses, people etc.

I like to head up lake to where it becomes very narrow. I think this is a great ambush spot for larger fish to ambush your trolled gear from behind the amazing amount of stumps.
Obviously the lake is the dammed Skagit river, and it is FULL of not only F150 size stumps, but full grown trees of 120’ are standing up from the bottom of the lake, in 150’ of water.
Do the math... your DR ball (manual) is 50-60’ down, tree is 120’ tall on Sonar..
Oh oh!! DR ball gots a problem! You can hang a ball so easy on a tree in this lake it’s shocking. In a kayak that would not be pretty.

Fair day of fishing for bows. No Bull Trout came to visit.

JoshH

10/24/2018 9:17:38 PM

Jealous of your GoPro 7! I am still using a Hero 3+. I need to upgrade! I've also snapped one Hobie safety flag. It's a definite plus to have it, as I have had people tell me at the launch that is why they saw me. Yea DR placement can be tricky. Too far forward and you are off balance some due to the reach, too close and it's a pain to let the ball down or retrieve it.


I've heard that about the stumps in Shannon. Ive had my DR ball get hung up a few times because I like to drag bottom a lot. Key is if that happens, pull the release as soon as you see it so there is slack, and of course stop pedaling :) Every time for me so far the ball will drop and I have been able to get it loose pull it up.

The Quadfather

10/24/2018 10:31:17 PM

@JoshH, I’m glad to hear that you have quick grabbed the DR release, and it all worked out for you. I was rehearsing that scenario.
I only 1x snagged a ball on a stump in that reservoir near Wallace Falls..
Trolling 1.5 mph, my 14’ Aluminum came to a immediate halt. We all nearly fell down.
I had visions of flipping the kayak.

ballardbrad

10/25/2018 7:31:18 AM

Quad. Sorry to hear about your mishaps. Looks like a great place to fish. In happier news I just stocked the shelves at Outdoor Emporium with new RAM Rod HDs and extension arms. They also have flags. Believe everything is 10% off. :)

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