301 Bridge Potomac River - Report

[Jesserkirk]

Put it at the beach at Aqualand Marina at about 11am today. Overcast skies, no noticeable wind, air temp 43 and water temp 42.

Trolled some paddle tails and jigged some marks but didn’t catch a thing.



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[ronaultmtd]

You got out and tried to find stripers...thank you for trying...we need our kayak anglers alerting us to the migrations and willingness of fish to bite...been a long cold winter and lots of us are chomping at the bit to get out and fish...was the power plant hot ditch discharge running? I have had most of my success there when the outflow is really ripping- throwing lures across and letting the current sweep them back with intermittent jerks

[Jesserkirk]

Glad this helps, I haven’t seen much out there regarding stripers movement yet. There were a couple boats all hanging around the discharge, I didn’t see anyone catch anything. Getting a dry suit was a game changer to expanding my fishing.


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[baitball]

Jesserkirk,

Thanks for sharing - you'll get 'em next time.

BTW, I like what you did with the small Hobie H-Rails. That seems like a convenient feature for an Outback. Would you mind sharing any tips and tricks to installing those? They seem like a great place to hang extra ball mounts (like you have done).

[Jesserkirk]

Jesserkirk,

Thanks for sharing - you'll get 'em next time.

BTW, I like what you did with the small Hobie H-Rails. That seems like a convenient feature for an Outback. Would you mind sharing any tips and tricks to installing those? They seem like a great place to hang extra ball mounts (like you have done).

Hey Baitball, I had Delaware Paddlesports install them upon purchase. They install accessories for free if you buy them from them. I got the idea as one of the guys they sponsor did the same thing. It’s Nice to have a spot to put h-rail accessories.


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[J.A. Veil]

Jesserkirk,

Thanks for sharing - you'll get 'em next time.

BTW, I like what you did with the small Hobie H-Rails. That seems like a convenient feature for an Outback. Would you mind sharing any tips and tricks to installing those? They seem like a great place to hang extra ball mounts (like you have done).

Manny -


I have no experience with mounting accessories on Hobies or H-rails. I use all Scotty equipment for attaching rod holders and electronics to my kayak. On my 16' center console boat, I have a metal rail that runs around the top of the windshield. Since I liked using Scotty rod holders on my kayaks, I decided to try them on the boat too. Scotty makes an inexpensive bracket that allows a standard rod holder base to attach to a rail (model #242). I use three of them on the windshield rail. There are never enough rod holder slots on a small boat -- that system gave me three extra ones.

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[baitball]

Manny -


I have no experience with mounting accessories on Hobies or H-rails. I use all Scotty equipment for attaching rod holders and electronics to my kayak. On my 16' center console boat, I have a metal rail that runs around the top of the windshield. Since I liked using Scotty rod holders on my kayaks, I decided to try them on the boat too. Scotty makes an inexpensive bracket that allows a standard rod holder base to attach to a rail (model #242). I use three of them on the windshield rail. There are never enough rod holder slots on a small boat -- that system gave me three extra ones.

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Hey Baitball, I had Delaware Paddlesports install them upon purchase. They install accessories for free if you buy them from them. I got the idea as one of the guys they sponsor did the same thing. It’s Nice to have a spot to put h-rail accessories.


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Thank you gentlemen. Great tips.

Jesserkirk, after studying your picture a bit more I think I may be able to gain access through the large front hatch of the Outback to make sure the H-Rail bolts are secured properly.

John, I was actually thinking about putting an extra tackle bin or two on those Hobie H-Rails. Hobie sells a tackle bin made specifically for the H-Rail system. It seems like a convenient, low-profile, easily-accessible place to put soft-plastic bait bags, small waterproof tackle boxes, or other odds and ends so as to not have to reach behind and go digging through my crate. My BlackPak crate, as well as all the molded-in rod holders the Outback comes with, afford me more than enough rod storage. Like you, I am also a fan of Scotty-brand products. (Personally, I wouldn't use a ball-mount to hold my trolling rod. I don't think it could withstand the torque - over time - caused by the strike from a large fish.) I use Scotty-brand bases and rod holders to secure my trolling rod set-up.

This is how I had it set up on my old Hobie Revolution
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[ronaultmtd]

No rod holder that pivots or swivels does, Manny...I have pretty much gone through all...I no longer use those at all...my homemade behind the seat PVC setup is all I use...and it works great...solid as a rock...I use the two rocket launchers mounted at a forward, outward angle as my trolling and bait fishing rod holders exclusively...still have all the YakAttack aluminum rails and the different mounts that fit them...doesn’t hurt a thing to have the versitility even if you don’t use them...

[baitball]

No rod holder that pivots or swivels does, Manny...I have pretty much gone through all...I no longer use those at all...my homemade behind the seat PVC setup is all I use...and it works great...solid as a rock...I use the two rocket launchers mounted at a forward, outward angle as my trolling and bait fishing rod holders exclusively...still have all the YakAttack aluminum rails and the different mounts that fit them...doesn’t hurt a thing to have the versitility even if you don’t use them...

Ron, those homemade PVC rod holders are a thing of beauty - some look like they should be on display at a modern art museum :-)

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But seriously, they are handy, easy to build, and seem to work well. Everyone I know that has one really enjoys them.

As for me, I wanted to experiment a bit by combining the YakAttack track system along with the Scotty bases and rocket launchers. The Scotty-brand system uses a (patented?) star-patterned tooth system that locks the holder in place to prevent movement. The teeth also allow the angler to adjust the angle of the rod holder, in relation to the long axis of the kayak, in minute increments. I took advantage of this last characteristic on my Outback.

When rigging my Outback, I was inspired by the convenience and the simple genius of the homemade PVC rod holder design. In the case of the PVC holders, two of the (trolling) rods are adjacent to the angler's hips, angled slightly forward, and within eyesight of the angler. This design feature makes for an easy-to-reach rod without having to stop or slow down your pedal stroke, as was the case when the rod holders are far away and positioned in front of the angler. In my case, I also wanted the option to move the rod holders out of the way if/when I wanted to paddle without the impediment of a rod holder getting in the way of a full paddle stroke. That is the Achilles's heel, in my opinion, of the PVC design - you can't readjust those forward-facing rodholders. Ultimately, those forward-facing rod holders have the possibility of being in the way and bumping your elbow and/or paddle.

So I dropped a YakAttack track system in the cavity that Hobie designed next to the angler's seat on the Outback. Once that was done, it was as easy as installing the Mighty Mount - Scotty base - Scotty rocket launcher combination into the cavity. Now I have a system that is strong, secure, within eyesight and easy reach so I can grab the rod while I continue pedaling, plus it affords me the opportunity to move the rod holder out of the way if/when I want to paddle.

In this picture my rocket launchers are stowed facing backwards for transport. Once I'm ready to start trolling I rotate them into position and lock them into place 90deg from centerline.
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