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You are here: Home / Archives for Product Review

Tried Seaguar, Sufix and Promar Ahi fluorocarbon leader and line. Here’s my review.

January 20, 2025 By Scott 7 Comments

Over the years, I’ve used fluorocarbon as leader for my live bait rigs, and as the material I use to tie damashi/sabiki rigs. I’ve used Seaguar Premier, Seaguar Blue Label, Seaguar Invizx main line and Seaguar Inshore main line. Also used Sufix Invisiline and the new Promar Ahi GT4 leader. There are many other brands of fluorocarbon out there that I haven’t tried but these are my impressions of the fore mentioned.

Fluorocarbon is stiffer, and has less stretch than monofilament, and is less visible to fish because it doesn’t distort light that passes through it, while under water. Line companies sell leader material and castable main line made out of fluorocarbon. Fluorocarbon leader is stiffer, thicker and more abrasion resistant than the castable fluorocarbon main line, and costs more because more material that makes fluorocarbon fluorocarbon is required.

Seaguar

Seaguar makes the best fluorocarbon leader and line we can buy domestically. The parent company is actually Japanese, called Kureha, and the products are made in Japan to exacting standards. With fluorocarbon, thinner diameter is better and that’s what sets Seaguar apart from the rest. The Seaguar fluorocarbon leader and main line is thinner and more supple than the competition, and also more expensive. For the sake of thickness comparison, I’ll use 20lb test specs.

Seaguar Premier leader – 20lb .015 inch diameter, $0.68 per yd (Amazon). This is Seaguar’s 2nd best leader, after their Gold Label. I haven’t tried Gold Label because Premier was excellent and less expensive. It’s thin, supple, has low memory and is strong for its diameter. Very pricey. Good when the fish are line shy.

Seaguar Blue Label leader – 20lb .016 inch diameter. $0.50 per yd (Amazon). This is most commonly used fluorocarbon leader form Seaguar. It’s thicker than Premier and stronger and more abrasion resistant. Less pricey than Premier and recommended for offshore fishing.

Seaguar Inshore line – 20lb .016 inch diameter. $0.17 per yd (Amazon). It’s more supple than the same diameter Blue Label leader, and has less abrasion resistance. It’s quite a bit cheaper than Blue Label because it’s not leader line.

Seaguar Invizix line – 20lb .016 inch diameter. $0.13 per yd (Amazon). This line is meant for use in bait casting reels and fresh water. Even cheaper than Inshore line.

Sufix

Sufix Invisiline Leader – 20lb .017 inch diameter. $0.45 per yd. I’ve used this leader for my live bait leader and my damashi rigs. It’s very stiff and requires care when tying dropper loops but is incredibly abrasion resistant. I was mainly using it because we’re a Sufix dealer but now use the more supple options for damashi rigs.

Promar Ahi

GT4 leader – 20lb .017 inch diameter. $0.41 per yd. Same diameter as Sufix Invisiline but more supple and knots are easier to tie. More similar to Seaguar Inshore in suppleness but may be more abrasion resistant. Just started using it in my damashi rigs and like it for the knot tying ease and lower cost.

My Recommendations

For offshore or shore fishing around rocks, go with fluorocarbon leader and not fluorocarbon line, since you want the utmost abrasion resistance. If you can afford it, go with Seaguar Premier if you need stealth, or Seaguar Blue Label if you want an all-around excellent leader. If you want to save a bit of money, try the new Promar Ahi GT4 leader. If you want a really strong, abrasion resistant leader, go with the Sufix Invisiline.

For lighter applications like whipping inshore, the Seaguar Inshore line is a great, inexpensive option. I’ll keep using it for my damashi rigs until I notice that it breaks off easier than the competition.

Some of the new gear worked well and some didn’t

September 19, 2024 By Scott Leave a Comment

In case you were wondering how the test products were working, here’s the quick rundown.

DUDS

The VMC Octopus Live Bait hooks didn’t seem to hook fish any better when used on a damashi/sabiki rig, and were harder to quickly unhook from the fish. I did like the how the bent-back eye of the hook made the hook hang straight when tied with a snell, but the offset angle of the point didn’t release from the fish easily.

The scented 13 Fishing soft plastics weren’t any more effective than the Completely Hooked Lures minnows I normally use, and were more expensive.

STUDS

The flexible Rapala Fish Pro 6 inch Fillet Knife has performed really well, especially on soft fleshed fish. Such an improvement over my thicker, stiffer knives.

NOT TESTED YET

Haven’t used the 13 Fishing Concept Z SLD reel yet. Need to throw some plugs for papio or kaku while they are still close to shore.

I have used the Phenix 6’6″ Black Diamond Heavy boat rod and 6′ PE 2-4 Megalodan jig rod, but haven’t fought anything significant on either. I do like the lightness and strength so far, though.

I’ll drop a Duo Drag Metal Force Semi Long jig on the Megalodan jig rod.

And to add to my backlog of products to test, I purchased a Chasing Can Fish Lure underwater camera since the GoFish camera is discontinued. It has an external on/off switch, full 1080p and more than 2 hr of battery time. I’ve used it once so far and the ease of use and clarity was a big upgrade to the GoFish. If the camera turns out to be a winnah, I plan to become a dealer and sell it at our usual killer prices.

This was taken in 50ft of water and hasn’t been photo edited at all. I wasn’t able to drop on fish in the deeper water, but water clarity at 130ft was clearer than this shot.

BKK Hooks – Small bait hook, wide gapped jig head, offshore live bait hook, treble hook and assist hook. How did they work out?

July 11, 2024 By Scott 2 Comments

BKK Hooks are designed in Japan and manufactured to exacting standards in China. They are known for making very strong, sharp, long lasting hooks that meet specific fishing needs. They were tested by our various Holoholo reviewers. Here’s how they performed.

Red Octopus Beak

Tested as damashi/sabiki fly hooks for akule and opelu.

Product Description: The offset hook point provides much more contact with the fish’s mouth, resulting in a better hook-up rate.

Additionally, the red coating increases the concealment of the hook (matching the color of the bait used) and also guarantees great saltwater corrosion resistance.

Results: Akule and opelu flies were made with these. They kept their point and didn’t rust after 5 uses. Recommended.

Silent Chaser EWG Round Head

Tested as jig hook for oio whipping on the flats.

Product Description: The BKK Silent Chaser 1X EWG is a versatile round-head offset jighead featuring a wire jig hook with an Extra Wide Gap round bend, super sharp needle point and SS nano coating to enhance penetration when fishing with very light gear.

Predominantly used in finesse approaches close to the bottom, the Silent Chaser 1X EWG is designed for stealthier presentations and to be snag proof. Size range goes from size 1 to 4/0 for Texas rigging a wide array of soft lures.

Results: Multiple large oio were landed whereas other premium brand jig hooks bent open. Recommended.

Beastly Cat

Tested as rear live bait hook for offshore fishing.

Product Description: Designed with a thick wire, it features BKK’s signature Hand Ground hook point technology boasting an excellent penetration capability, being able to penetrate through hard bony jaws and reducing the overall weight of the hook structure.

The Super-Slide coating additionally minimizes piercing resistance and provides an instant and deep hook up.

Results: Used as an offshore live bait hook. More positive hooksets than other hooks used but corroded and lost its point after 1 use. Not recommended.

Raptor Z treble hooks

Tested as replacement hooks for plugs and poppers.

Product Description: The BKK-RAPTOR-Z incorporates BKK’s latest manufacturing technologies, being engineered to hook strong and aggressive “monster” fish and stay hooked to the very end.

Thanks to BKK’s Hand ground technology and Bright Tin coating, it is equipped with ultimate impaling power, being able to penetrate even the hardest bony jaws and superior corrosion resistance.

BKK’s Slim Ring Technology further allows for an easier attachment of split rings.

Results: Multiple ulua have been landed on these. The treble hooks don’t open up under intense pressure. Recommended.

Sea Ranger+ assist hooks

Tested as assist hooks on micro jigs.

Product Description: Developed to tackle big fish using a small jig.

Comes pre-tied with BKK high quality solid core assist cord, which is very robust yet retains its softness. Shimmering and glowing fibers increase the attractiveness of the jig, triggering more strikes.

It features a heavy gauge providing excellent strength to the hook and BKK’s Hand Ground hook point technology lightening the weight of the hook, providing an outstanding penetration performance. Additionally, the U-spade Slip Lock feature keeps the assist line securely in place.

Last but not least, the bright tin coating ensures sharp hooks in saltwater environment, preventing saltwater corrosion.

Results: Glow tinsel attracted small and large fish; hooks stayed sharp and corrosion free after countless uses. Never tangled on the jig. Recommended.

We didn’t sell these hooks in the Store except for the Sea Ranger+ assist hooks. Please let us know via the Contact Page if you’d like us to special order a box of hooks for you.

Tested the new Phenix Black Diamond East Coast rod and caught 3 different tackle strainers

October 7, 2023 By Scott Leave a Comment

Standard Black Diamond XHeavy on the bottom, Black Diamond East Coast Heavy on top. Zoom in to see details.

Recently became a Phenix Rod dealer to pair with the Avet reels we sell and realized not many, including myself, have used a Phenix Rod. Ordered two 7ft casting rods to try off the kayak: Black Diamond 30lb – 80lb Extra Heavy and Black Diamond East Coast 30lb to 80lb Heavy. The East Coast version is thinner and a little softer in the tip, with lighter components. The original Black Diamond series was made for West Coast style stand-up fishing, and built to fight big fish and take a beating.

(top to bottom) St Croix Mojo Salt 30-50lb, Phenix Black Diamond 30-80lb, Phenix Black Diamond East Coast 30-80lb

The St Croix Mojo Salt 30lb to 50lb is actually thicker and bulkier than the two 30lb to 80lb Phenix rods due to the tighter and stronger carbon fiber build that Phenix employs.

I put the diminuative Avet SX Raptor on the lighter Black Diamond East Coast and it felt very easy to handle.

The winds lightened this past week and I was finally able to explore a Windward ledge that has always intriqued me. I stumbled upon some big opelu inside the ledge and took one out to 270ft with no bites. One the way back into the shallow ledge I dropped the GoFish cam down and later confirmed it was a barren sandy area with just a few hagi too small to eat the opelu.

At the shallow ledge I traded out the big opelu for a slightly smaller one, and it got picked up by a strong fish with a lot of head shakes. To max out the ability of the Phenix rod and 2-speed SX Raptor, I put it in low gear and grinded away, hardly lifting the rod at all. 4 minutes later I was surprised to see an omilu over 10lbs trying hard to shake the hook. It was admired for its beauty and released. There is a video at the bottom of this post showing all the action, but don’t skip ahead!

Working my way back to the grounds I normally fish, I ran into more daytime opelu schools and caught 3 of them on my 3-hook damashi. That almost never happens to me. I put them out with a sliding weight and each got taken by something that pulled for a while and then held onto the rocks, and when I pulled the hooks out, the leader came out with no nicks at all. I have been suspecting a tako does this at this spot because when roi hole up in the reef my line gets nicked up. Whatever it was, it grabbed the 3 opelu and I was out of live bait.

I had fresh opelu from the Kalihi fish market, and sent one down. It got taken as I paddled away, and since I was so shallow, I assumed I hooked another papio. I was pleasantly surprised to see a kawakawa circle. I kage’d it to bring it onboard, and subdued it with Bert’s Brainer.

Since kawakawa always travel in schools, I put another fresh opelu down and it got taken immediately by a stronger pulling fish. Assuming it was a much larger tuna, I battled the hard surging fish, wondering what would have such strong head shakes. The fish had run through the rocks when it first grabbed the bait, and had pushed the sliding weight all the way up to the FG knot joining the braid to the leader. I couldn’t slide the weight back down and was worried I’d break the FG knot by trying, so I handlined the fish in. I was surprised and disappointed to see a small ulua gasping at the surface.

After releasing the ulua I pulled on the weight and sure enough the FG knot parted so I called it a day and went in.

The Black Diamond East Coast rod and SX Raptor were a delight to fish with yet, in low gear, brought all the fish in within 5 mins each. It was very easy to pull the rod out of the rod holder even when the fish were running, because the “slick butt” didn’t get hung up at all. What a powerful, effective combination.

Here’s the video of the action:

Holoholo: Urban JDM lure testing – Papio, broken rod and Tilapia

August 22, 2023 By Scott 5 Comments

On summer break before his Senior year of high school, Matthew Ikeda accepted my plea to test some of the oldie but goodie JDM whipping lures and give his feedback on an Anetik shirt. I had previously posted about the lures we had tested that day here.

Matthew:

A little while ago, Scott messaged me wanting to find a test spot for some JDM lures. We played around with a few options at first, but not wanting to show any landmarks, we chose a secret-not-so-secret spot that we were sure wouldn’t upset anyone. When Scott picked me up, he gave me an Anetik hoodie to try for the day. The sun was high and scorching by the time we arrived at the spot, so the semi-porous fiber of the shirt felt pretty good. I decided to start off with a Duo Tide Minnow Slim SSR, which was around four inches and in a pearl color. It casted well, despite there being a crosswind and its lack of an internal weight transfer system. In the murky water, the pearl color really stood out and because of its enticing side-to-side action, I felt confident using it. 

This spot is extremely dependent on the tide, so I was wondering if the tide was right for the Papio that sometimes run through. I began getting bites from Kaku early on, but there was no sign of the target species. The tide was rising fast, so I was depending on the influx of water to bring the fish into the canal. I got my wish 20 minutes later, when I felt a violent take that nearly ripped the rod out of my hands. I set the hook and let the fish take its first run. With the headshakes, power, and quick movements of the fish, I was pretty sure that I had just hooked a nice Papio. As I brought it closer in, I could see that I was correct. It was a good-sized white Papio (GT), larger than any I had hooked at this spot before. I babied the fight on the way in, unsure of how secure the hooks were, but the Papio eventually got tired. I grabbed the line and pulled it over the wall, landing the fish. Scott took some pictures, recorded a short video, and it was released back into the nasty water.

We fished pretty unsuccessfully for the rest of the time, as the bite went completely dead. We were just wrapping up when I got another bite. I set the hook and my rod crumbled. Shocked, I reeled the fish in with half of a rod, and I was pretty disappointed to see that the fish was just a snagged tilapia. It really sucked because the rod was my go-to O’io rod for the longest time, and there was a lot of sentimental value to it. To break a favorite rod on such a trash fish sucks, but that’s fishing I guess. In all, it was a good trip but the broken rod kind of killed the vibes. 

Reviews:

The Anetik Remix Tech long-sleeved shirt had great ventilation and felt soft. I never felt like I was sweating despite the midday sun. It fits my body well and is better at adapting to slightly different sizes than some other brands. It comes with a hoodie and drawstrings if you need to tighten it. One thing that the Anetik shirt does lack is a face covering. Nearly all of my fishing shirts come with a face covering (attached to the shirt) that I can cover my face with. If you need to cover your face while wearing the Anetik hoodie, you will need to buy a separate face buff, either from Anetik or another brand. However, Anetik shirts have some of the softest material I’ve felt while also fitting me perfectly, making it worth the hassle. The sizes tend to be small, so you may need to buy one size larger than usual. For example, I am normally a “large” but I needed an “extra large”. Rating: 9/10, just find a buff to go with it.

The Duo Tide Minnow Slim SSR is an intriguing lure. It has a thin profile that matches a lot of our young baitfish. Some other common lures like Rapala X-Raps have fatter midsections, which I’m not too fond of. It casts well despite not having an internal weight transfer system and moves well in the water without needing too much attention. It dives around 1-2 feet deep. Lighter lures like these are good, but are best suited for harbors, canals, and calm areas without wind and choppy surfaces. In other terms, I wouldn’t use it anywhere with waves and lots of water movement. Lures like these would probably struggle to cast directly against the wind, due to the lack of the weight transfer system. However, when used in the right areas, or casted downwind, it should be very successful. Rating: 8/10, need to use it in a calm area.

Anetik Performance clothing extensively tested during land sports and in humid Florida. Here’s where it shined and struggled.

August 17, 2023 By Scott Leave a Comment

The Anetik shirts have kept the kayak and wade fishermen cool and protected from Hawaii’s harmful UV rays. That had been established in this post. But how do they hold up during land sports worn by men and women, and how do the shirts perform in Florida’s extreme heat and humidity? Let’s find out.

Lori, golfer

Tested long sleeve Flight Tech 1/4zip on a very hot 88 degree weather day on the golf course. I like how it provides great SPF coverage while still keeping me cool…no sunscreen needed since it went all the way down to my wrists. The false collar provides extra back-of-the-neck coverage and the zipper is great to protect your chest area. 

This material is very breathable, but it can get caught on tees or the velcro from the glove. I wore a small but probably should have tried the medium top (for reference I’m a lululemon size 6 top), as I don’t like my golf clothes to be so clingy.

I also wore the top to work one day, it kept me pretty warm in the air conditioning too, so it’s a versatile piece, great for travel too.

Donna, pickleballer

I’m used to wearing short sleeves and putting on sun tan lotion, so at first it felt warm to wear the long sleeve Flight Tech w/zipper in this summer but I got used to it and liked that I didn’t have that oily feeling on my skin when I was done. And I got compliments wearing it. 🙂

Al, pickleballer

At my age the sun protection is important. I liked the long sleeve Root Tech shirt in the Sky Heathered color.

Mike, Florida wade and SUP fisherman

I tested the Remix Tech Hoody in Fl with 75% humidity and 98 degree weather. Felt like 111 degrees. It performed well. I’m 5ft 9″ and 200lb and wore a size Large that felt snug but didn’t restrict motion. If I need a looser shirt I’ll go up to size XL. The zippered pocket was a nice touch for keys, etc. I found that sticking the shirt in a cooler with ice water was great but due to the tight fit, it takes a little effort to get it back on. It’s light and comfortable with just enough protection from the sun. After it gets wet it dries quickly. I like it, it’s great for very hot days and protects you from sunburn. Hood is big enough to accomodate hat. 5 stars!

Review Takeaways

  • For optimum breathability, wear loose.
  • Light, porous material may be snagged by velcro and sharp pointed objects.

We tested those old Japanese Domestic Model (JDM) lures and caught a stud of a fish!

July 31, 2023 By Scott 5 Comments

I recruited Holoholo writer Matthew Ikeda, who has been red hot catching oio (bonefish) on the flats with a jighead and grub, to help test the old, used JDM lures I had banished to Second String status. Those lures were described in this post.

Matt suggested we fish at a not-so-secret urban canal in Honolulu in case landmarks were exposed. He was using spinning gear (8″3″ Major Craft rod, Shimano Twin Power 3000 reel) designed to cast 1/2 ounce lures and I dusted off my 7’3″ 13 Fishing travel rod and 13 Fishing Concept Z bait casting reel. I hadn’t whipped since 2019 so I needed a few practice casts to get going.

The wooden Lucky Craft Sammy and wooden Tiemco Red Pepper were duds. They just didn’t float as crisply as their plastic versions we’ve fished before. They’re X’d out in the photo above. The plastic Tiemco Red Pepper and Daiwa TD Salt Pencil seemed to bob up and down ok but the fish weren’t interested in top water lures so we’ll have to try them again later. They are marked with a “?”.

Matt was able to walk-the-dog with the Tackle House M Quiet in a wide, sweeping way, but the fish didn’t want that presentation either. The Maria Chase SW (Salt Water) wobbled erratically and looked good with my steady retrieve and I missed a couple short kaku bites I think. You can see the action of those two lures in the video below.

The lure presentation that stood out was the Duo Tide Minnow Slim SSR (Super Shallow Runner) under Matt’s control. That lure, circa 2015, has a fixed center weight unlike it’s rolling weight successor but still casted well and swam with a really tight roll.

This wasn’t photoshopped at all, it really is levitating. Zoom in – no cut and paste seams!

Sure enough it got slammed by a white papio (juvenile GT) you would think was too big to be in the canal. Maybe what they say about those fish being mutants is true – this fish seemed to float in the air when Matt lowered it to be unhooked.

Matt will be writing up his perspective of the day and that guest post will include the capture and release video. Stay tuned for that, and another round of whipping lure testing in easily accessible spots.

Action Hat GoPro mount captured the shark attack and saved my camera a few times

July 17, 2023 By Scott Leave a Comment

I don’t have any kayak photos of me with the GoPro mount since my partners don’t have mounts on their hats!

Been using an Action Hat DIY kit in my favorite fishing hat since 2017 to mount a GoPro Session 5 and ensure the hat would float. The thin foam didn’t make the hat noticiably hotter to wear, and saved my camera when I knocked the hat in the water a couple of times.

The head cam is the only one I use because it’s easier than a camera mounted on the kayak to turn on and off, and I can point it to the action as I turn my head. I usually just turn it on when I get a bite, but I had forgotten to turn it off after landing a roi (peacock grouper) on the Windward side and was so blessed to record the Tiger Shark approaching from the bow of my kayak, almost knocking me over, and then leaving after a kick in the eye. A kayak mounted camera wouldn’t have been able to capture the complete shark encounter.

The very popular DIY kit to mount to any hat was out of stock for quite a while but Action Hat was able to restock its supplies, and sent me a new shipment of kits and hats with the mounts built in. When the limited supply sells out at the low introductory pricing we’re running, I’ll restock.

You can purchase the DIY kit from the Store here.

These are “flat bill” hats in Camo, pre-fitted with the Action Hat GoPro mount. Check ’em out in the Store here.

These are “flat bill” hats in Black, pre-fitted with the Action Hat GoPro mount. Check ’em out in the Store here.

These are “curved bill” hats in Gray, pre-fitted with the Action Hat GoPro mount. Check ’em out in the Store here.

Anetik UV Performance Clothing, fully tested, long overdue endorsement. Get ’em for the humid Summer season.

June 17, 2023 By Scott 8 Comments

Scott in Shade Mask, Low Pro Tech shirt (Large) and Shade Socks
Scott in Roots Tech Hoody (Medium)

I started wearing Anetik clothing in 2019, initially to provide sun protection while kayak fishing. Their breakthough product was the Shade Socks (leg sleeves connected to socks) that eliminated the need for suntan lotion on the legs. I also used their Shade Mask and loved how fitted and non-billowy they were, and their standard Low Pro Tech long sleeve shirt was almost magically cooling. I didn’t get sun burnt at all. Loved ’em so much I started selling a few styles in the Store, and got a few tank tops and quarter zip long sleeve shirts for myself. I personally found that the sizing on their chart to be accurate.

But don’t just take my word for it. Three of our Holoholo writers have been wearing Anetik shirts purchased from other fishing supply stores. Here’s what they had to say about them.

Grant in Remix Hoody and Mission Underpant
Grant the uku slayer in Remix Hoody
Grant in Low Pro Tech Hoody

Grant, offshore kayak fisherman – The Anetik hoody long sleeve is by far the most comfortable, versatile SPF shirt I own. It’s cool enough for Hawaii weather and warm enough for Oregon weather. It’s my favorite travel shirt too. The Mission Underpants blocks out the sun, keeping me cool and comfortable without needing suntan lotion.

Devan sporting
Tokunaga branded Anetik hoody

Devan, offshore kayak fisherman – I’d say their sizes probably run a tad bit on the smaller side so XL fits me nicely. Extremely breathable, very nice form fitting, excellent comfort, and very, very well made.

Dino in Remix Tech Hoody

Dino, wade whipper – It has good ventilation and is super durable. I like the zippered pockets on the sides. Fits slightly loose but not baggy.

You really need to try the Anetik clothing to experience UV protection and cooling comfort from the Hawaiian sun.

In anticipation of a hot and muggy summer with possibly power outages, I’ve brought in the popular styles in most sizes for you to try. If/when they sell out at the crazy intro price of 25% off I’ll order more. but they won’t be at this unheard of pricing.

See all the Anetik products here.

Finally hooked a fish that stress tested my tackle, and me

October 7, 2022 By Scott Leave a Comment

Half a year ago I was given a St Croix Mojo Salt conventional boat rod to test. Here’s why I upgraded to that rod over the G Loomis Bucara I had been using. Since then I’ve been in a slump and the biggest fish I landed was a 6lb mahi mahi. Well, that finally changed.

Frank’s ulua weighed in at 17 pounds

Frank and I hit our Eastside spot and looked for bait at 9am. Only thing I saw was a promising large mark 75ft down in 170ft of water that didn’t bite. On the advice of someone who found bait a couple weeks ago, we spread out and traveled a mile up current but didn’t encounter much on our fish finders. Then Frank radio’d that he was on a fish and a good amount of time later said he had landed his first ulua and biggest fish ever!

You can see the black tunsten weight on the right side of the aha’s head

Stoked for him and realizing my unweighted frozen opelu hadn’t been touched at all, I put on a 1.5 oz sliding tungsten weight to get the bait down a bit and make it swim more naturally. A few mins later the ratchet went off but I saw a blue bone needlefish (aha) jumping in the distance. I really hate those things. As I unhooked it, I noticed it bent the wire stinger leader a little and nicked the fluorocarbon leader. I didn’t expect anything noteworthy to bite so I just used the dinged up rig and put a twice refrozen opelu out.

A few mins later the ratchet went off again, in spurts and the line seemed like it was going straight down even though I was in only 80ft of water. I could feel the fish running through underwater caves but miraculously the fish came out and headed towards deeper water. Since Frank had just caught an ulua, I assumed the strong surging fish was a big ulua and was worried it would reef me soon but it stayed on and was brutishly strong.

I tried short pumping it up to break its spirit but it still pulled line off and headed back down to the bottom. I kept my feet on the foot pedals to steer with my Bixpy motor, but had to counter balance when the fish pulled from the side of the kayak. I tightened the drag on my Avet SX Raptor two-speed as much as I dared, and dropped into low gear. The reel still needed to give up line if the fish suddenly made a dash in a different direction.

Shaven but not beaten, Sufix Invisiline

I knew this was the biggest fish I ever fought and really wanted to see how big it was but my back and biceps were burning. After more than 30 mins I painfully got back all my braid and just the 30ft or so of fluorocarbon shock leader and 6ft of leader were out. I could see curly cues of the fluorocarbon scraped by the reef. Smaller ulua usually give up and get the bends in the last 50ft but this one fought me all the way to color.

I could see it was a silvery jack, and hoped it was a really big kagami ulua but no, it was a thick white ulua or GT. It was really hard to carefully slide it onto my lap without damaging its gills or jaw and I was too tired to lift it up when Frank came by to video with my GoPro.

I put it back in the water, holding its tail, and it kicked off and swam down strongly.

Thanks for documenting the catch Frank!

This is the gear that withstood the punishing runs of the estimated 50lb plus ulua. All but the Knot 2 Kinky titanium leader and the St Croix Mojo Salt rods are sold in the Store.

  • Sufix 832 Advanced Super Line Braid – Neon Lime – 50lb – 300yd. We believe this is the best braid you can buy in the US. I recently upgraded from 30lb to 50lb because Shea on the Big Island said I need to be ready for bigger fish. Good thing I did!
  • VMC Black Stainless Steel Heavy-Duty Ball Bearing Swivel With Welded Rings rated 110lb. Super small and black so the fish don’t seem to notice them.
  • Sufix Invisiline Fluorocarbon Leader – 40lb. Man, this fluorocarbon leader held up against repeated runs through the reef.
  • VMC 4X Inline Single Hook – Coastal Black – Size 3/0. Used as the trailing hook to catch fish that slash at the bait.
  • Knot 2 Kinky titanium leader – 35lb. Stealthy and bite resistant.
  • St Croix Mojo Salt Conventional boat rod. Could easily raise the ulua when I needed to. Deceptively light for such a strong rod. Nice looking rod built to handle the rigors of kayak fishing in Hawaii.
  • Avet SX Raptor 2-speed. Handled the constant pressure of the ulua without heating up the drag and gearing. Low gear made it easy to turn the fish and keep it coming up, foot by foot. Such a small profile yet so strong.
  • Bixpy Jet Motor. The motor and battery are so light and small, together they weigh less than 10lbs! It allows me to go out 3 miles easily and cover more than 8 miles on a paddle kayak. Easy to install and great customer support from Bixpy.

St Croix Mojo Salt Conventional Boat Rod – Purpose built for my offshore kayak needs

May 11, 2022 By Scott Leave a Comment

Quick background: I’ve been using a 7ft 7inch G Loomis Bucara conventional trigger stick rod purchased in 2004 and put into offshore kayak use in 2018. It’s a super light rod with a lot of backbone, sensitive tip and a fat cork foregrip that brought up heavy sharks and target fish. I liked the length for getting around the bow of my 14ft kayak, and for trolling from the front, keeping the line out of my rudder. I didn’t have any complaints at all but started looking for a backup rod in case the Bucara needed repair.

Offshore kayak fishing is pretty rough on rods so I was looking for a graphite – fiberglass composite that I didn’t have to baby, was close to the 7ft 7inch length, had a comfortable foregrip, medium fast forgiving tip and a light mass to match the compact Avet SX Raptor reel.

I looked at what the name brand rod makers had to offer and the closest match was a St Croix Mojo Salt Conventional rod that debuted in 2018. I reached out to St Croix through their website, asking if they would consider selling their 7ft 6inch Medium Heavy, Medium Fast conventional rod rated for 40 – 65lb braid and weighing only 12.3 oz, at a reduced price if I would properly review it. Instead, big wave surfer, canoe and paddleboard paddler, well respected Costa Del Mar and FCS Fins marketing rep, and all around nice guy Keoni Watson contacted me. Keoni, who also reps for St Croix, managed to convince the marketing team that I would be able to provide a fair evaluation of their rod in the adverse Hawaiian offshore conditions if they sent me one.

Beyond grateful, I received the rod yesterday. The Mojo Salt Conventional boat rod is resplendent in purple like the G Loomis Bucara, but different in many ways.

Bucara on top, Mojo Salt on the bottom

The foregrip is much longer, comprising of EVA foam instead of cork.

Bucara on top, Mojo Salt on the bottom

The guide eyes and supporting structure are much larger and stronger.

The butt cap can be removed, revealing a gimbal butt. The tip is a more forgiving medium-fast taper.

G Loomis opted to keep the Bucara as light as possible, using less fiberglass fibers, smaller guides and cork on the fore and aft grip. In 2004, the Bucara retailed for $250 which is $380 in today’s dollars (I got it for $200 on sale). The Mojo Salt Conventional sells for $240, even less than the Bucara did 18 years ago.

The Bucara was really meant to be held all day, casting big baits and lures, or bottom fishing. The Mojo Salt is a much more versatile, durable boat rod yet still light and at a very good price point. Here’s what St Croix says about this beauty.

Avet SX Raptor on Mojo Salt

I can’t wait to see how the Mojo Salt + Avet SX Raptor feels on a big fish.

Product Review: The best Casio tide watch ever, G-Shock G-Lide GBX100

December 15, 2021 By Scott Leave a Comment

Disclaimer: This isn’t gonna be a techy or wordy watch review. It’ll be brief and hopefully convey why the Casio GBX100 has all the features you want in a tide watch without much bloat, at a reasonable cost.

I’ve had a couple of Casio G-Shock tide watches in the past. They were super durable, never broke, and had batteries that lasted for years. But the tide graph was limited, basically just telling you if the tide was rising or falling, and the watch band was a little stiff.

My most recent watch, the G-Lide GLX150 had the standard LED display, which made it hard to view the screen if tilted at an angle.

The curve of the tide graph, shown here, never changes, what does change is the highlighted section telling you were you are in the tidal swing. I couldn’t tell if the tidal swing was steep or shallow.

The G-Lide GBX100 came out in 2020 and was the most advanced G-Shock tide watch to date. The resin and stainless steel case is very light yet durable and sports the retro look of the 80s. The buttons are on the side and recessed, which makes them less likely to accidentally depressed, and the strap is very supple and comfortable. The strap’s drainage slits allow your wrist to breathe and stay dry, and has two metal prongs to hold the strap to your wrist. It’s water resistant to 200 meters.

The display uses a high-definition LCD which makes it viewable in bright conditions, and at an angle. If you need to view in low light, there is an LED backlight available at a push of a button. Very easy to make out the time and date, even with old eyes.

There are 3 screens that will aid your fishing.

Sun rise and sun set times with moon age.

(Sun is rising at 7:01 am, setting at 5:52 pm, and the moon age is 10.6 which is 4 days before the Full Moon)

The day’s highest tide and lowest tide.

(High tide at 2:21 am @ 2.00 ft, low tide at 6:54 pm @ -0.01 ft)

View at a glance of date, time, sun rise, sun set, moon age, where you are in the tidal flow, and next high or low tide.

(In this example, the tide is falling to a low of -0.01 ft at 6:54 pm)

This is the most useful screen.

The watch is technically a smart watch but faulty. It’s klunky to pair and use the fitness features with a smart phone so I opted to configure the watch manually.

I’ve used it for a couple of months now and love how comfortable it is on the wrist, how visible the screens are, and how helpful the solar – lunar data is for fishing.

The GBX100 retails for $160 but you can find it on sale online (I got it for 20% during an rei.com sale), and at 15% off at POP during December.

Cool products: Rogue Fishing Company phone tether and rod/paddle leash

May 27, 2021 By Scott 4 Comments

We’re always looking for new products that will enhance our fishing experience, and sharing recommendations with our readers. An ad for an improved phone tether showed up in my Instagram feed recently. I’ve been using a waterproof pouch on a lanyard attached to my pfd (personal floatation device) when I kayak fish, and it’s kept my phone safe, but I often can’t unlock my phone through the pouch. Even if I can, I have a hard time texting through it. Since my Samsung Galaxy S8 Active is waterproof, I really didn’t need the pouch. I checked reviews of Rogue Fishing Company, and their products, and all looked very positive.

So I joined their email list to save 15% off my first order, and ordered their 3rd generation phone tether ($19.99) and their rod/paddle leash ($17.99). A few days later the products arrived. I was very impressed with the ergonomics and quality of the components.

The leash of the phone tether is a compact fabric covered coil, the loops that hold the 4 corners of the phone are a durable silicone, and the carabiner and metal ring are corrosion resistant. The position of the silicone loops are designed to not interfere with the phone’s camera, and should stretch to fit most phones. Here’s Rogue Fishing’s product description and video of the Protector 3.0.

Even though my phone is supposed to be waterproof, if water gets in the charging port, a warning is displayed so I taped over that port temporarily. I took the phone tether and rod leash out to the deep this week. I could text on-the-water fishing reports to my buddies and ugh, answer phone calls freely. I resisted the temptation to take photos on the water, and instead used the GoPro on my cap.

I had been using a hard plastic, coiled paddle leash for years. It does the job and is very strong, but is heavy and rattles around on the deck of the kayak when I paddle. Rogue Fishing’s rod/paddle leash is much more streamlined, lighter, quieter, and the clip that attaches to my kayak doesn’t rattle. Even the elastic loop that cinches to the paddle has less resistance when I rotate the paddle, so it’s less taxing to use. Here’s the product information and video for the Defender Rod and Paddle leash.

Both the tether and leash were big improvements on what I had been using. I’ll post an update in a few months of hard use.

Update 6/5/21: The Protector phone leash and Defender Rod and Paddle leash are in the Store now.

How the Avet SX Raptor held up after a year of kayak fishing

May 23, 2021 By Scott Leave a Comment

The Avet brand of reels is not well known in Hawaii. You won’t see them in local tackle stores. I had heard of the brand but hadn’t seen a recent ad for them in years. Accurate is the much better marketed brand that also builds 1-piece aluminum framed reels with stainless steel and anodized aluminum components.

When I was at the 2020 Fred Hall Show in Long Beach, I was taken over to the Avet booth and explained to long time rep Ben Frazier how I needed a light, powerful reel to land strong fish and sharks as safely as possible on my kayak. Specifically, I wanted to troll my baits with very light drag and clicker on, and then increase the drag quickly once the fish was hooked. The problem I was running into with my star drag Shimano Trinidad, was that I took a while to spin the star drag to proper fish fighting tension, and the high gearing of the reel, while great for bringing in the bait quickly, was hard to winch sharks off the bottom. Ben suggested the small framed lever drag SX in the fully loaded 2-speed Raptor version. The Raptor came with a max strike drag of 17lb, full max at 26lb, with low 3.8:1 gearing and high 6.3:1 gearing. It even had a magnetic cast control to pretty much eliminate back lashes. The SX Raptor weighed in at only 17 ounces, and retailed for $395.

I had fished that little reel for a year, landing small ulua and large sharks with ease. In fact, anytime the high gear was feeling a bit bogged, I switched to low to bring fish in quicker. The lever drag mechanism was much easier to adjust properly while fighting a fish, and I liked how light it felt on the rod.

It was my first lever drag 2-speed reel and it exceeded my expectations. But then it was time to break it down and see how corroded it got. I watched a video on how to open it up and clean it, and it didn’t look hard at all but was very different from my Shimano casting reels. I played and paused the video as I took the reel apart. There was no trace of salt or corrosion in the reel. I was amazed. And no breakdown of the drag washer material despite fighting sharks at high drag, to try to bust them off. I couldn’t believe how pristine the innards were. I could have easily gone another year without opening it up. Later, I read that lever drag reels are sealed better at the reel handle than star drag reels, and don’t let much water in.

I just use the Avet as my bait trolling/bottom fish reel so I’ve never casted it. Never jigged it either. But for what I use it for, it has been excellent. From what I read online, the comparable Accurate reel is smoother but more expensive and requires more maintenance.

I definitely recommend the Avet SX Raptor as a light-in-weight workhorse reel and am looking to add another Avet as I step up into larger fish. Please let me know if you’re interested in purchasing an Avet reel. If there’s enough demand, maybe I could become a dealer for the Hawaii market.

Holoholo: My experience with Sufix 832 and 2 other braid brands

November 17, 2020 By Scott Leave a Comment

Holoholo writer and fly tier Matthew would like to share his positive experience with Sufix 832. If you’re interested in trying this braid that’s hard to find locally, drop us a line and we’ll try to add more to the Store.

Matthew: Braided line (braid for short) is very popular among all fishermen, but it is especially popular among whippers using lures. Its very thin diameter allows you to pack much more line on than a Monofilament line of the same strength. For example, I am able to fit around 240 yards of 20 pound braid (Sufix 832) on my Stradic 4k, while I would have to use 8 pound mono to get the same yardage. Mono also shortens the cast significantly, while braid can cast further.

A very popular discussion is, “What brand of braid is the best and why?”. Many people have different opinions about which brand they like, but I, along with many other dedicated whippers use solely Sufix 832. Keep in mind that I have only tried three brands of braid, Powerpro, Daiwa J-braid, and Sufix 832 but with the experiences I’ve had with the other two, Sufix 832 came out on top. Powerpro is a very stiff line and has a significantly wider diameter than Sufix 832. Powerpro is not necessarily a bad braid, and some like it, however many have had problems with Powerpro snapping randomly on the cast. 

Daiwa J-braid is more similar to Sufix, in the fact that it is a more limp and smooth braid, being not anywhere near as stiff as Powerpro. However, I have had some problems with it, including wind knots and quick fraying. My first two batches of J-braid lasted around 3 months before it frayed to the point where it was unsafe to keep fishing it. A recent batch of Sufix 832 lasted me around 4 months before I deemed it unfit for fishing. Keep in mind I fish at least two times a week and whip for 3-4 hours each trip, so there is a significant amount of wear and tear on the gear.

Sufix is the thinnest in diameter of all the braids I’ve seen, even thinner than J-braid. Thinner diameter means you can fit more line in your reel. A thinner line will also always lengthen the cast, which is helpful if you need to cast as far as you can. For boat/kayak fishermen, a thinner line also means that it is easier to drop baits into the deep. Sufix claims to have better abrasion resistance than Powerpro and J-braid , which in my experience holds true. This may be an experience isolated to me but I had some issues with Powerpro slicing up my fingers with normal use, while J-braid and Sufix 832 have not caused any cuts on my fingers so far.

Price is a big factor. Sufix is a lot cheaper than some premium JDM braids that I have seen, but for a braid that is readily available in the US and performs extremely well, Sufix 832 is reasonably priced. And while I have heard great feedback about some expensive JDM braids, Sufix is more than good enough. Sufix is slightly more expensive than Powerpro and J-braid, but it is well worth it in many ways. If you are looking for a deal on Sufix, Scott brings some in and sells them for below retail prices in the Store. If you don’t see the color and pound test you want, let him know.

If you are a whipper who uses mono primarily, I highly recommend you make the switch to braid. Even though braid can be hard to use and has quite a few disadvantages, in my opinion it is well worth it.  However, if you are just beginning to learn how to fish, stick with mono until you feel you’re ready for braid.

Here is a list of Mono vs Braid pros and cons, regardless of brand:

Mono Advantages: Very affordable, good abrasion resistance, easy to use, simple tangles can usually be fixed without cutting line

Braid advantages: Can cast much further than mono, greatly increased line capacity

Braid disadvantages: Expensive, hard to untangle any knots (simple or not), wind knots occur in certain brands, decreased abrasion resistance, can cut through skin if not careful

Mono disadvantages: Can’t cast as far as braid, wide diameter restricts capacity

Overall, it is all preference which brand of braid you choose, and all brands will work, but some will work better than others. For a fisherman that prefers good casting distance, more line capacity, top tier abrasion resistance (in terms of braid, mono always has better abrasion resistance), Sufix 832 is my recommendation, with J-braid coming in second place, followed by Powerpro in third place. However, this is only my opinion and analysis. There are many others that swear by the other two braid brands, although a great number of braid users in Hawaii use Sufix.

Thanks for reading this review of the different brands of braid that I have tried, and good luck fishing??

Retiring my Buff® Elite Gloves after 2 yrs of hard use

November 3, 2020 By Scott Leave a Comment

2yr old pair on left, new pair on right

These gloves have been used on every kayak trip for the last 2 yrs, have prevented blisters and sun burn, grabbed slippery fish, and have saved my skin from fish hooks but gotten torn up in the process. They smell like fish after each trip, and have to be left in the sun to kill the funk. It’s time to retire them with honor and start using a new, clean pair.

2yr old pair on left, new pair on right

I reviewed the gloves when I first started using them, and they exceeded my expectations. Unfortunately only brick and mortar stores are allowed to sell them, otherwise I’d love to share this hard to find kayak fishing tool with you guys.

If you paddle and fish, these are the gloves for you.

Holoholo: Patagonia Stormfront sling pack review

September 28, 2020 By Scott 11 Comments

Our on-the-water fly fishing reporter Jason would like to complement the sling pack review Dino submitted with a review of his current pack.

Jason:

Since Dino just did his review of the Simms Dry Creek Z pack, I though I’d give my impressions of the very similar Patagonia Stormfront, a bag I have now owned for almost 3 years.  

The Stormfront lives up to its name in Japan!

When I purchased the Stormfront nearly 3 years ago, I had already owned a couple of waterproof packs.  Like Dino, I recognized after a few “incidents” that a normal pack was was not going to cut it for serious wading.  My first two waterproof packs were both Fishpond Westwater Sling packs.  These were slightly smaller, but similar in style to the Dry Creek and Stormfront.  They were great bags, but I had my eye on the Patagonia since I started fly fishing.  At some point, I broke the zipper on the Fishpond, and that was all the excuse I needed to upgrade.   I am sure many of you can relate.  

Like the Westwater and Dry Creek, the Stormfront is marketed as a “waterproof” sling fishing pack, meant to be worn across the chest from the right shoulder down to the left hip (although not reversible).  All 3 packs have a large main zippered compartment with an internal zippered mesh pocket, a small zippered outer pocket, and use welded TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) construction, a magic technology that means the bag has zero stitched outer seams, leaving the zippers as the only potential ingress points.   To solve for this, Patagonia uses a fancy German-made TIZIP waterproof zipper, the same type used on the older generation Simms Dry Creek bags.   Like the Dry Creek, only the large main compartment uses the fancy zipper, although I’ve found the outer pocket to be relatively waterproof.  To be safe, I only use it to store trash like line clippings and food wrappers.   As Dino mentioned, the zipper must be maintained.  The Stormfront came with a small tube of TIZIP branded lube, which is just ordinary synthetic silicone grease.  When I ran out of it, I started using the same Super Lube Synthetic Grease I use on my fly reels, which seems to work just fine.  

Like the Dry Creek, the Stormfront is equipped with multiple lash points and D-ring, as well as two attachment points on the rear for the fly rod tube straps.  The two straps that attach to these can hold a standard fly rod tube up to about 4-5 inches in diameter, but can also be used hold a landing net, a shorter two-piece whipping rod, or even a sand spike or two.  The D-rings and lash points on the strap are useful for hanging a zinger, hemostats, clippers, or any other fishing-related paraphernalia you want to keep within easy reach while on the water.  If you need to get something from inside the bag, you just slide it around your torso like you would for any other sling bag.  This is especially handy on the water where a regular backpack can be a PITA to get stuff out of when you don’t have anything solid to put it down on.

The Dry Creek and Stormfront do have a few minor differences, spec-wise.  The Stormfront does lack the fly patch, but more importantly to me, it also does not have a net holster.  I usually just stuff my net between my pack and my back, which is not the most elegant of solutions, but it works, though I have to admit I do get a tinge of net holster-envy looking at that Dry Creek.    The Stormfront is also a bit larger, at 20L versus 15L, but I don’t think this will be an issue for most people.  My older Fishpond Westwater was even smaller, at about 13L and I never had trouble fitting several spools of leader, a spare fly line, Hydroflask, a few granola bars or spam musubis, and a couple of fly boxes in there (unlike Dino, I keep my birth control pills securely in the glovebox of my car).  During the rainy months, a small packable rain jacket can also be stuffed in there, no problem.

All in all, if you’re looking for a good dry bag for whipping, fly fishing or any other activity near the water for that matter, the Stormfront will fit the bill.  It’s waterproof, durable and more than large enough to store everything you would need for an entire day out on the water.  On top of that, you also get Patagonia’s legendary Ironclad Guarantee, a true lifetime, no-questions-asked warranty.  Will you have to pay for it?  Yes.  Like the Dry Creek, the Patagonia is not cheap.   It retails for around $229.99 currently, although I scored mine for $219.99 back in 2017.  Definitely steep, especially for a bag you may only use a few times a month.  But as Dino says, “buy once, cry once.”  In the modern age of disposable, planned obsolescence, there is something almost nostalgic about a product that can potentially outlive you.

Holoholo: Simms Dry Creek Z waterproof sling pack review

September 19, 2020 By Scott 3 Comments

Dino, a hard-core bait caster who recently has been obsessed with ultralight whipping, shares his thoughts on his first waterproof sling pack.

Dino: “Damn”, you say to yourself as you retrieve your lure back up to your tip. You turn around and stare at the shoreline some half mile away…“Lemme change lures…maybe that’ll work..” you swing your tactical sling bag you bought off of eBay for $12.99 around and bruuhhhh…everything is soaked inside. Your wallet, phone, birth control pills, all soaked. Now you’re real mad. The fish weren’t biting and now you have a waterlogged bag. You make your way back to shore as fast as you can, and whoops! You step into a hole and go under. Seal the deal brah, you’re completely soaked.

These kind of things happen. It’s happened to me. I went through a pretty good amount of bags during my time fishing. Some were good, some were not so good. After doing some research, I finally did it. I bought a waterproof bag. I prefer sling packs. I can swing it around and get to my gear without having to take the pack off. Especially when standing in the water which I do a lot.

Introducing the Simms Dry Creek Z waterproof sling pack. Completely submersible so your can protect your birth control pills or whatever…the pack has one big main compartment with a lot of room to store your tackle boxes and such. It also has interior zip pockets for smaller items. It can be a little tricky to access the interior pockets with it loaded out, but it’s a nice feature to have nonetheless. A smaller pocket sits on the front side of the bag, but it is not waterproof. It is water resistant so me mindful of what you store in this pocket. I keep my tagging kit in it.

Build quality is superb on this little guy with multiple attachment points for tethers and such with reinforced stitching. The shoulder strap is comfortable with an integrated handle cut right into the strap itself. It also features a landing net sleeve! One tricky thing about this pack is the TRUZip zipper. It is awesome and 100 percent waterproof, but takes some effort to close and open. Lubing it with some armor all or 303 aerospace lube will make it easier to open and close. There is also 2 hook and loop sections on this pack for all you fly fisherman out there, or if you just wanna stick a moral patch on it (that’s what I did. I can’t fly fish to save my life).

All in all this is a great waterproof pack. Lemme warn you now though…it is not cheap. It’s comparable to other high end waterproof sling packs on the market today. Running In the ballpark of $230. But I figure hopefully this will be the buy once, cry once pack for me.

Be safe, have fun, practice catch and release, and enjoy the outdoors. ALOHA!

~ Dino

Product Review: Bixpy kayak electric motor

August 26, 2020 By Scott Leave a Comment

I’ve used the Bixpy rudder-mounted electric motor on my Trident Ultra 4.3 seven times since the initial trip in April. It’s worked flawlessly except for the time I didn’t attach the power cable to the motor properly and the cable got loose in choppy seas. I had to paddle unaided 2.5 miles back to shore and it really made me appreciate the boost I get from the Bixpy.

The motor and lithium battery pack add about 9lbs and an extra 5 to 10 mins to my setup, depending how sleepy I am, and a little bit of drag if I’m paddling without running the motor, but man, does it extend my paddling range.

In the normal, slightly bumpy seas, I average about 3.5 – 4 mph with the motor on, paddling along to ease over the bumps. 4 mph is my top burst speed if I paddled without the motor, but with it, I can arrive at my deep spot 2 miles out without feeling tired at all.

I’ve been able to fish further, longer, and that has resulted in more fish caught. The motor, controlled by the remote on my wrist, also lets me stay in position, against the current, so I can fish right over a mark. And when I have to rerig I keep the motor running at low speed so I’m slowly getting to my destination.

The Bixpy turned my very seaworthy paddle kayak into a hands free fishing kayak. I love it and can’t imagine fishing the deep without it now.

If you have any questions about the Bixpy, send me a message through the Contact page, and I’ll be happy to share more about my experiences.

Kayak fishing improvements worked!

April 10, 2020 By Scott Leave a Comment

2 problems have been plaguing me kayaking the deep: 1) It’s been very hard to paddle against the current and stay on the productive spots, and I’ve had a recurring stiff right shoulder. 2) Been hooking more sharks than fish, and they don’t bite through the line like you’d think they would. After trying to raise a shark or two so I can cut it free, I’m spent, especially my left arm that holds the conventional rod.

To solve Problem #1, I’ve put a Bixpy electric motor on my Trident Ultra 4.3’s rudder. I just had to replace my rudder with theirs that held the compact jet motor, and was still able to use my existing rudder controls. The lithium ion battery that powers the motor sits on my fishbag in the rear tankwell and only weighs 7lbs. I can select the 12 forward speeds and 3 reverse speeds from the remote control I wear on my wrist.

Problem #2 was made worse because I’ve been using a high speed, gold Trinidad 14. Awesome smooth reel but the gearing of 6.2:1 doesn’t generate much torque and it’s been hard to turn the handle on heavy sharks. I met Avet rep Ben Frazier at the Fred Hall Show this year (right before they suspended the future shows due to Covid-19), and told him that I was having issues going from freespool to strike drag on my star drag Trinidad, and when I ended up fighting a shark, it was hard to lift and crank with my rig. He recommended the small (17 oz) SX Raptor lever drag reel with a low and high gear and max drag of 26lbs!

Look at the wake the Bixpy is producing!

Well the light wind day came to test both out, and my kayak fishing buddy Frank was able to join me. Very light WSW winds started the day and I cranked the Bixpy up to full speed at 5mph. Not bad since I can’t paddle that fast myself. I ran it on the 3rd or 4th speed while paddling along at a relaxed pace to get to our bait spot, and was easily getting 3.0 to 3.5 mph.

We couldn’t find bait and trolled out to 300ft for nada. I tried bottom fishing out there but the current was ripping near the bottom and my bait never hit solid ground. Soon we realized the west wind and west current had taken us more than a mile downwind. Frank coordinated his pedaling and paddling on his Hobie Revo 13, and made great progress heading back to our safe zone. I gave him a head start and used the Bixpy up to max speed at times, and finally caught him. Frank trolled frozen opelu and I bottom fished a fat opelu chunk after having two smaller frozen opelu pulled off by bait stealers.

Besides a humpback whale showing us his dorsal fin, it was a slow slog until I had my burrito sized chunk taken for about 5 seconds before the hooks pulled out. I dropped the tail half of that chunk down and a shark was on. Going from free spool to strike on the Avet lever drag was very easy and the shark slowed down. When it took line again I inched the lever drag up toward the max but made sure I could still pull off a little line with my hand so it wasn’t so tight the shark could yank me overboard too easily. In high gear I couldn’t gain much line so I dropped down to low gear and was amazed at how easy it was too turn the reel handle. When the shark ran, the drag would slip smoothly while I cranked but otherwise I could just crank and put a little line back on the reel. The shark really did’t run too far, and I put the rod butt down in front of my lap, like I was in a fighting chair and started to lean back and crank.

That was working well but when the shark lunged, I had to make sure the rod tip was parallel with the bow. I ended up getting the shark up in less than 15 mins, which is much faster than I have with other sharks. The low gear definitely helped a lot.

I was worried the shark would pull me over when it came up broadside so I braced my feet on the rails of the yak and kept moving them as the shark came within inches.

Judging from its pudgy shape and high triangular dorsal fin, I think this was a sandbar shark which isn’t supposed to be a man eater. Still it was spooky to have such a heavy animal with sharp teeth so close.

The south west winds started chopping up the water and it was time to head in. The rudder mounted Bixpy popped out of the water a few times as the kayak bow dipped into a small wave, but otherwise the motor, supplemented with my paddling, got me in at 3 mph. I had 2 of the 6 battery levels left after the 5 hrs outing.

I was very pleased with how the Avet SX Raptor and the Bixpy motor performed and look forward to fishing more productively with both.

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