So.......

[duffy]

Wow Russ, Looks like you had an excellent summer! I like the way you catch the fish, the wife tends to camp and even the dog brings in the veggies!    We didn't get to do squat this summer and I just dug out some of my tying stuff today because I'm stuck in the house with a cold, but it's gotta get better sometime right? 
In you garden, work in all the leaves and yard clippings into it this fall and maybe work in a bag or two of peat moss too. Some gypsum wouldn't hurt either to get that hard old clay softened up.

 

[Radtexan]

Awesome spread Russ. Glad to see the family doing well and having a great summer !!! Good to see ya posting again !

 

[AtticaFish]

I have issues with my back as well. Did hit 40 this year..... but the back and hip problems have been on going for me since an auto accident back in 2001. I do my best not to let it slow me down. I tried a smaller aluminum canoe as my first solo boat and threw my back out on one of my first trips. After that, had to have my wife along to load and unload off my car. The yaks are much easier.

Hopefully my kiddos take away a few memories. Me and my wife sure love camping and will most likely continue on with it even after the kids are out of the house. Crazy how fast they have shot up.

I did mulch in some leaves and hopefully will have time to rake up and move the rest over to the garden. My soil is bad bad news. I mean SOLID clay...... feels like i could make dinnerware out of it. Even hired a youngster with a heavy tractor and PTO tiller to come over and till the ground from scratch for me. Actually had to have him come out twice because the first time he literally only took off the grass and flattened it out. I will be adding a sh!t ton of peat to it next spring.

 

[duffy]

I had several spots in a field that the wheat would only grow about 6" tall, head out and then the cheatgrass would take over. Some were 50' X 50' and others smaller. I took a 3 shank subsoiler through the spots @ 18" deep and it stopped the tractor in it's tracks. After many passes I finally got it broken up and it was like shattered glass. The soil test lab said there was about 200 lbs of N and 50 lbs of sulfur with a lot of salts tying up all the nutrients. My field man had some stuff they called Revive. It was basically liquid gypsum and he gave me about 11 gallons of it to try. I just sprayed it on the spots with my 4 wheeler that fall and worked the field like normal the next spring. When the wheat came up that following fall it was lush green and stayed about 8-10" taller in those spots than the rest of the field. I put it on pretty heavy like 5-7 gal per acre but the spots still look pretty good and that was in 2000 when I did that. It takes time to change but it's worth the work.

 

[Bucho]

Main reason for a SOT i.m.o. is the amount of space you can utilize. Every inch is accessable, plus under deck storage. Very easy to launch if you have waders or in the summer. High center of gravity is a concern only uttered by people who never sat in one.

My home board is about kayak angling, very few guys with sit in, mostly sea kayak enthusiasts who are interested in kayaking first fishing second.

 

[AllenOK]

Black *and* White Crappie?!?!

I may have to get down to that lake. It's only about 25 minutes from me. I haven't caught any White Crappie since I moved to MI.

 

[AtticaFish]

AllenOK - It is an awesome lake. There is a little bit of everything to fish. The main open areas of the lake have deep water and there are some big open shallow flats on the West end. Found some areas with laydowns in a little deeper water. The good spot we found was around the corner from our campsite where the lily pads and other aquatic weeds came together. Would love to make a trip up there over the winter to try it out on the ice.

 

[hookup]

High center of gravity is a concern only uttered by people who never sat in one.

We have to agree to disagree on this statement.

I've owned a couple Jackson Coosa's, and paddled many others in their line. Currently own a Ride 115 with both the high & low seat. The high seat has never gotten wet.

Bought a Surf to Summit seat and modified the Coosa's to take it - similar to their first year models.

BUT ... I paddle head waters to major rivers, run up to class III rapids, then fish the holes between. And I've fished with many experienced paddlers. Every one who has had the seat in the high position have lost gear during a flip.

Now if you're on calm water, a still lake or pond, then that's a completely different story

 

[Bucho]

I meant that with respect to general concern Sit-In vs. SOT, not the elevated seats. I absolutely agree that those can be tricky, just like some SOT are less stable than others.

I had a very broad, flat RTM Key Largo and now own an Hoby Outback and both are far more stable than the beginner sit-in I once tested.

 

[hookup]

With that we agree - the Outback's a very stable yak but not a yak for shallow small creeks & rivers with fast rapids & current

Not familiar with the RTM Key Largo

 

[saltyfeathers]

Attica, just getting around to reading this, been away from the forum for a while (dang work). Glad to see those kids are in band! Did it myself, every one that was offered at my school. You being a marching band parent your fall weekends may be toast, but its a great activity for young people to be involved in. Aside from that, hello again fellas! Hope everybody is surviving the winter without too much cabin fever