Trips Used: 10

Pros: Having previously owned the Etrex Legend (until I dropped it in the river!), which does not float, I decided I needed to upgrade from just waterproof, to waterproof and floating.  This is where the GPSMAP 76Cx fits in perfectly.  The fact that it floats is the main “pro” to this unit in my opinion.  Over my many years on the river I have learned that no matter how much more it costs, it is always better to Read the full story

…There are so many different styles of carts available on the market today what kind of cart is right for your particular needs? I own a 12’ sit-on-top (SOT) kayak, a 15’ canoe, and a small 10’ sit-in-kayak. The company that makes my 12’ kayak has a specific scupper-hole cart for my kayak; however, it will not work with my other small boats. So instead of buying two separate carts, or trying to build one from PVC (I’m not a great do-it-yourselfer), I went on the search for the one DO-IT-ALL cart.

After a lot of research I found Read the full story

Item reviewed: Malibu Stealth 12
Condition: New
Number of trips used: 6-10 trips
Gear Review Submitted by: Just Fish

How it performed: I purchased the new Malibu Stealth 12 after owning an X-Factor and a Malibu Extreme. My plans were to get a smaller kayak for my river trips since I seem to be fishing the river a lot more than the lake and I already have an 09 Ride that goes to the lake with me.
The Stealth is wide and stable for all big guys and is great for kayak fishing. It is shorter than the X-Factor but built with the same design features. The thing that I like the best is the storage capacity that the Malibu kayaks are known for and the new cockpit design is designed so you are able to stand up and fish if you desire.

Read the full story

Tarpon 120 – This is a very solid kayak that has been around for a while.  It was one of the original, most used boats by river fisherman.  The popular 140 and 160 versions are commonly used by saltwater and lake fisherman.  The brand has been around for a long time and is a proven commodity in the kayak world.

Positives: It is very solid and abrasion resistant to handle more wear and tear than some other brands.  Even though it is not really a boat I would endorse standing in, it is still a very stable boat.  Read the full story

This was my first river fishing kayak and it served me well as I was able to catch many nice river bass out of it.  I liked it so well I bought a second one and used it as my spare for friends.  It has many positives and over time proved to have several negatives as well.  Hey, I’m a positive kinda guy, so let’s start there.

Positive: The good thing about this kayak, and all Ocean Kayak boats is that they are light weight.  The kind of fishing I do can be very tough in getting kayaks in and out of the river. Sometimes bridge access points can be very steep and having a light kayak can save some wear and tear on ones back!  Another good thing about these boats is the fact that they are very stable.  I realized I could stand and fish out of my Caper soon after I put it on the water, and I haven’t been sitting and fishing a river since. Read the full story

Reviewed By: Fishtaco

I started out with just old tennis shoes, but those let too much gravel and sand in and I had to keep taking them off to let the bits and pieces out. Then I wore some Teva Dozer sandals, these were better since they had opening for the rocks to let themselves out, but they still let rocks in. Read the full story

Reviewed By: Fishtaco

Item reviewed: William Joseph Rip Tide waist pack

Condition: New

Number of trips used: 20-50 trips

How it performed: Read the full story

Reviewed By: Tom Reese (Paw Paw)

Reel Condition: Older Reel (used), Newest Reel (new)

Number of trip used: Older Reel – 50+, Newest Reel – 0

How it Performed: Read the full story

The Hobie “Mirage” Outback Fish Kayak has been out for quite some time now, but I could never find a decent review.  So after putting it through the paces for the last year here is my review of the Hobie Mirage Hank Parker Outback Fish kayak (2008 model). Read the full story

Item Reviewed: Simms “Keen” wading sandals

Condition Received: Brand spankin new

Number of trips used: About 10 trips now

Price: Between $50 and $80.

How they performed: Read the full story