During my youth catching sharks was as much a disappointment as catching gaftops or hardheads are today. We considered them bait stealers and junk fish.  They did fight hard but for some reason we just didn’t like dealing with scrappy, bad attitude, toothy, tough fish. So targeting shark from a kayak wasn’t something that appealed to me until some of my closest fishing buddies described their experiences.  Black tip sharks putting on aerobatic shows, bull sharks tail whipping your kayak and fast, long runs of screaming drag does have a certain appeal. Plus catching another species of fish and adding it to my ever expanding kayak fishing repertoire is always a fun way to spend a day!

After making the commitment to target sharks BTB (Beyond The Breakers) I realized that I didn’t have heavy enough leader or hook material to get the job done.  Crazy Yak provided the guidance and within an hour I was rigged with 5 leaders consisting of 400# monofilament line, 12/0 circle hooks and half a dozen balloons (for bobbers) and a guarantee from CY that I was going to have fun.  “If you catch five sharks you’re going to be too tired to do anything else so this will get you through the day.  Good luck!”  They way he expressed “good luck” suddenly alerted me that this could be dangerous and maybe not such a great idea! Do I really want to tangle with a shark that’s bigger than me, with fishing line that can cut my hand off, in a boat that’s made out of plastic and weighs 38#’s in the shark’s habitat? And do this by myself? Uh!

I arrived at sunrise and was able to meet a group of kayak shark fisherman who had spent the night on the beech. Jolly Roger and Rod Dawg gave me a couple of last minute tips and took their seats on the beach. Why aren’t these guys fishing?  I’m the first one out in the surf and immediately take two decent breakers over the front of my Malibu Mini-X which drench me, my plastic sack of fresh dead mullet and ladyfish , and all of my gear.  Whatever, this rig is designed for this and sure enough the water drained through the scupper holes in seconds. As I set up my two bait rods around some small diving birds and nervous jumping mullet I reassure myself that this is fun.

An hour later my balloon makes a real funny motion and in a blink of an eye it goes under; I hear and see it pop.  I grab my other pole and reel it in quickly so my new playmate doesn’t tangle with two lines.  As the shark starts peeling line from my Avet SX reel I have no worries as I’ve got plenty of line.  Removing the rod from the rod holder and setting the hook hard with 3 solid tugs the beast attempts to jump out of the water but only surfaces for a moment. He looked awfully big and kind of like a dolphin taking a breath but there was no mistake I had a bull shark on!

It’s impressive how fast a scared shark can swim.  Pumping the rod and reeling down slack is the game plan.  The problem is as I pump this fish doesn’t give any slack as he continues to pull drag.  I crank my reel to high gear and hold on.  Boom this turns him.  Now he changes direction and is heading right towards me.  Reeling in slack as fast as the reel will go I eventually catch up to him.  He’s about 20 yards away as I put a lot of pressure on him by pulling hard and cranking fast.  He comes to me and catches a glimpse of the kayak and takes off on another run.  This time I’m better prepared and I lean back with all my might as the drag peels another 40 feet and I feel him turn again.  He heads towards me swings around the bow to the starboard side, surfaces BOOM!  He slaps my kayak so hard it turns me.  Good thing all my appendages were inside the gunwale because if that tail had made contact with my arm or leg it would have broken it. BOOM!  He changes direction and attacks me again. It’s at this precise moment I realize I’m not recording this fantastic action. I better get the camera out and take a picture.

A whole new level of complexity arises when you take on a decent sized shark with one hand while trying to take pictures with the other.  It proved to be very difficult but I did manage a couple of still shots.  Not knowing whether I was actually catching him in the frame I decided to change the camera setting to video.  All this while this very mad shark is diving and splashing and doing his best to get away. I manage to shoot some video as the bull shark starts to tire.  I try to pull him up out of the water so he can’t breathe and therefore tiring him even more so I can get a great shot of his impressive teeth.  As I pressure him up my leader breaks and he disappears.  Quite frankly I’m relieved.  To my surprise a fellow fisherman (Wolfman) approaches me and says “Oh No I was going to take your picture”! I told him it was ok as I had all I wanted. If you turn the volume up in the first video you can hear him.

The day continued to be productive with a total of five sharks (2 bulls and 3 black tips), two bull reds and two gaftops.  The largest of the day was the first one and all were released to fight another day.

 
Targeting shark for fun was extremely exciting and a bit dangerous.  A 4’ black tip managed to wrap my line around the tip of my pole and almost flipped me over.  I’m not sure how I managed to stay in my boat but as soon as that happened I pulled my safety knife out and within 2 seconds I cut the line sending him on his way.  Far away!  The black tips really do take flight with thrilling flips, end-over-ends and spins.  Wow! What fun!

At the top of this page are a few pictures and the videos are below.  The quality is poor and raw as I didn’t do any editing but it at least gives you an idea of the adventurous day!  Enjoy!

This video is a bull shark. He broke my line after a long and tiring fight. I must say I was exhausted when he finally gave himself a quick release.  Click on the Original Video links to play the vids. 
Original Video – More videos at TinyPic

This was the second shark of the day and he put on an excellent show for me and two other fisherman. A real nice flyer.

Original Video – More videos at TinyPic

Last but not least.

Original Video – More videos at TinyPic

This is what it looked like after I set my balloon out!  Cool bobber huh?

Well sometimes you just have to try things that seem a little weird like going BTB at night when most people won’t.  Crazy Yak (CY) and I decided to give it a try for different reasons.  Mine was for the adventure and “because it’s there”.  It’s also easier to get away at night for an extended period of time as night fishing doesn’t interfere with any of my families schedules. CY will have to explain his own insanity when he posts up his version of this story.

So we hit the Houston ship channel because CY was more familiar with that water in case something unforeseen happened.  It was a beautiful still, calm night and seemed like a good time to go.  We met during lunch to ensure we (I) was properly geared up with leaders and lights and after passing CY’s inspection we decided to leave Houston when my wife came home from work.  I called him at 6:00pm and by 6:20 we were on our way.

I have to admit I had been so busy preparing for the float that I hadn’t visualized myself paddling through the surf at night. As we were driving down the board walk looking at the water a touch of trepidation spread over me.  I started having a conversation with myself and the voice of reason sounded just like my wife. “Why are you going out at night?  Why do you want to do this?  Aren’t you worried about….?”  It was then I realized that maybe this wasn’t such a great idea.  I mean adventure is one thing but was this really stupid?  I decided not to say anything to CY and I was way too proud to back out.  “Let’s get to the beach and see how it looks” I said to myself.

The water looked great! I lost all fear while gearing up.  This was a very exciting time; my heart was pounding and we couldn’t get unloaded quickly enough.  We snapped a couple of pictures and launched. 

Paddling through the surf after CY proved to be exhilarating.  That last thing I wanted was to turtle on the way out and sit wet in yak all night. I concentrated hard; my resolve undeterred and tried to properly time the launch. Determining the right time to jump in and start paddling was made more difficult by the night. “Ooh that water is cold” I said to myself.  Taking my time I finally saw my chance.  Boom!  I was talking to my self as the water splashed over the front of my yak, swamping me.  “Paddle now; stay straight, IS THAT ALL YOU GOT?  BRING IT!  Paddle harder, here comes another one.  IS THAT IT?” I hit the accelerator and before I knew it I was in some pretty flat water. SUCCESS!  I find talking my self through challenging times helps me.

I paddled around a bit while CY located the ledge we wanted to fish with his electronics.  Struggling to attach/test my new bow light (magnets) I managed to get it functioning.  (The magnets held very well and I had no problems with it at all.)  CY gave me the signal and I dropped anchor.  I baited two lines with fresh crab and a 4oz triangle sinker.  The current was strong but the anchor held well.  While we were enjoying the shooting stars and cool breeze a school of dolphins joined us.  All around us they seemed to be interested in what we were up to. CY started banging on his yak and the dolphins were immediately curious.  After they moved on we could hear them splashing (leaping or throwing fish) out towards the deeper area of the ship channel in almost total darkness. It felt incredibly strange being out there in the darkness. Not uncomfortable strange just something totally unfamiliar.  I loved it.  It was time to rig up my flounder pole.

Since the current was so strong using a one ounce bullet weight seemed appropriate. The first cast snapped my line like a twig. I heard my sinker and artificial shrimp tail splash out in the darkness.  Dang was not the term used but you get the idea. Retying at night in a yak with large ships passing in the night is not the easiest thing to do.  It’s amazing how large a wake an oil tanker makes while traversing the Houston Ship Channel!  Retying accomplished in fairly short order; the founder gear was out bumping the bottom. 

Three poles in the water and not a fish in sight.  Three hours later we decided to call it a night. Heading in was fast as the current assisted us.  CY almost turtled as a wave snuck up behind him.  I was lucky and rode the waves to the beach without incident. WHEW! BTB at night accomplished.  I can’t wait to do it again.  Anyone want to join us?

Taking pictures at night with my [u]new[/u] camera proved to be very challenging.  The picture quality is poor but hopefully it will give you some idea what it was like out there.

Gearing up

Let’s GO!

Crazy Yak on the water

Da Moon She Come Up

Unfortunately we didn’t get a single bite or run.  We did have a lot of dolphins visit us and check us out.  We had some HUGE tankers wake us but no mishaps, turtles or fish.  We left after 11:00pm even though we planned to leave after 1:00AM because there were no fish on the electronics and it was SLOW!

Overall it was a very interesting trip.  Night fishing is much more difficult in its self but when you add the surf, a kayak and a ship channel it’s even more interesting.  I’ll do it again only I’m going to wait until it warms up a bit.

©Copyright 2007 by Brice Sanchez *

It was still a bit dark as the sun was coming up over the horizon.  A slight breeze was blowing from the north and a small flock of mallards were nibbling close to the shoreline. I tied on the 1/0 StandOut™ to my drop-shot pole (10# copolymer test line on a medium action spinning rod and reel) and utilizing a soft plastic, Tex-posed ring-worm, I was quickly rewarded with a very slight tick in the line.  A sweeping hook set produced this bass in about 3’ of water.

Using a drop-shot rig on a regular basis is an excellent fish producing technique. When the fish require bait that is horizontally suspended parallel to the bottom at various depths it’s extremely effective.  Since there is not a weight between the bait and the pole even the most subtle bites can be converted into landed fish. It’s important for the drop-shot bait to stand out from the line at a 90° angle to give the bait as natural a presentation as possible. This is usually accomplished by utilizing a Palomar knot on many varieties of hooks.  The StandOut™ accomplishes this on its own terms.

The StandOut™ Fishing System utilizes an innovative design that makes your bait stick out from your line and produces great lure action.  It’s a hook with an additional eyelet offset from the main eyelet that you run your tagline through to your drop shot weight. This enables your bait to stand at the preferred 90° angle mentioned above. This graphic depicts the StandOut™ drop shot rig.

After observing the rig in a pool the action drop-shotting gives bait is simply fantastic.  It’s a wonderful technique used to keep the bait in a promising water column and ever so slightly twitched or worked rigorously.  Sometimes when the weather is windy some stiff jerks can produce very well especially at night.

Checking my line for nicks I cast out further down the shore line.  Another small bass liked my offering and this time he hooked himself.  After landing him I realized that he wasn’t hooked as well as the first one so make sure you use a sweeping hook set to drive that hook deep into the fish’s mouth and retie often.

Many anglers use drop-shotting as a deep water technique with excellent results.  I have found it equally effective in shallow water 3’ or less.   The action just drives bass crazy producing many reaction strikes.  I’ve also had good success in the middle of a summer’s day when it’s hot along ridges and ledges. Keeping the rig concentrated in the strike zone while producing lots of action is very effective.  Don’t retrieve it to fast and let the lure work.

The StandOut™ is an excellent drop-shot product and presents bait at the preferred 90° angle to the fishing line.  The Red Alert™ red finish produces well but the StandOut™ is also available in a black nickel finish.  Average retail price is under $3.75 for a single package.

  * I have no affiliation with StandOut™ or any other company or publication.  All information provided is of my personal opinion and should be interpreted as such.  Not responsible for any action anyone would take based on this article. Form your own opinion and do your own thing.  

©Copyright 2007 by Brice Sanchez

As the smooth water ripples from just under the surface, the hooked large mouth bass takes a nosedive, strips about a foot of line from the ultra light reel, turns his head and swims straight towards me.  Quickly reeling in the slack I play him.  He catches a glimpse of me and makes one more run that culminates in a nice aerial show.  He pulls a bit more and tires. Easing him to the bank and grabbing his bottom lip tightly he is hoisted up.  “Good fish for this part of the lake” I say to myself.  Hurriedly snapping his picture, putting him on a hand scale and releasing him into the water he swims away after a bit of a hesitation.  I felt relieved that he made it through the entire ordeal seemingly unharmed.

This four pound Large Mouth Bass was lurking next to the bulk head and fell to a slow rolling Roadrunner in three feet of water.

The Tournament 

Another quality fish produced by a Blakemore Roadrunner is ready to be entered into the TXFISHES.COM Roadrunner tournament.  This tournament provided a great opportunity to experiment with a spinner bait known for its versatility.  Though modest in scope this tournament is great fun for anyone who enjoys fishing with just a bit of competition thrown in for good measure.  It tests the skills of all entered anglers while limiting the lure selection to just one, the Blakemore Roadrunner.

First Impressions 

This little lure is extremely versatile and catches a lot of different species of fish as evidenced from the photo gallery on the TXFISHES.COM website.  Though using spinner baits may not be a preferred method for all anglers, it is one of the most productive techniques for catching numbers and size of fish and should be part of all fishermen’s arsenal.  The Blakemore Roadrunner is no exception and may become one of your best friends especially when the fishing conditions become tough and bites become far and few between.

Utilizing a bulk pack these lures have been rigged with various action and color bodies.

Since 1958 Blakemore has been manufacturing these lures in a variety of colors and has several variations including the marabou, curly tail, buck tail and others. These spinner baits can be fished by jigging, trolling or casting.  I’ve bounced them off the bottom, used start and stop retrieves, burned them by boat docks and jigged deep tree structure with good success. Not only does it catch large mouth bass but white bass, crappie, gar, cat -fish, carp and other species.  The lure is basically constructed with two parts; the spinner and the body. The spinner portion of the lure produces flash and vibrations and doesn’t tangle easily with the fishing line.  (Notice how the spinner portion is on the bottom of the lure which attracts the fish as they look up towards the surface). The body of the lure can be rigged with just about any soft plastic available including grubs, worms, flukes, paddle tails and crappie jigs.  Being able to change presentation with out having to stop to retie a different lure is a very efficient use of precious time on the water.  Changing colors is easy as you only have to remove the body of the lure and slide on your new color or action selection.

This Rio Grande Chichlid was caught with a cane pole on a White/chartusese Roadrunner.

The curly tail grubs are deadly on pan fish and the Marabou worked well for at least three species of bass including white, large mouth and spotted as well as crappie. Jigging the Roadrunner with 3” senko type baits produced very well during the hot summer month of August in the deeper water of a local reservoir. Slow rolling it along a bulk head produced several sun fish (that always put up a great battle) and a four pound large mouth on ultra light gear. However, I found fishing it like a jig seems to be the most effective technique for landing numbers of fish. Like the package says “You can’t fish it to slow”.  

Blakemore also offers the Roadrunner heads in bulk ranging in size from 1/16oz to 1/4oz. These are great options especially if you all ready have an investment in crappie jigs or bass jig trailers.  Since it has an exposed hook it does snag on structure so keep plenty on hand when fishing these areas. Or use extra strong line so you can pull the lures free from snags.  Though using ultra light gear I recently spooled some 50lb braid on my reel and I haven’t lost a Roadrunner since.  If I manage to straighten the hook out while pulling through brush I just use my pliers and bend it back into shape and start working it again.

Conclusion 

The Roadrunner is a great all around lure that consistently produces various species of fish.  It’s flexible in presentation techniques, generates a lot of action, easy to change body styles and colors on the fly and it’s affordable.

* I have no affiliation with Lake Fork Trophy Bait & Tackle or any other company or publication. All information provided is of my personal opinion and should be interpreted as such. Not responsible for any action anyone would take based on this article. Form your own opinion and do your own thing.

Extrasport Osprey Personal Floatation Device

©Copyright 2007 by Brice Sanchez *

Extrasport has been making Personal Flotation Devices (PFD) for over 32 years. With a track record like that I was more than pleased at the opportunity to review one of their latest products specifically designed for the kayak fisherman. Being an avid fisherman and kayak enthusiast what better way to try this product out than loading up the gear hitting the water?

First Impressions
Quality construction and innovation make it a winner. Too many small
pockets and some wasted real estate make it less fishable.

The Osprey is only one of several different products Extrasport offers but it’s the newest one designed for the kayak fisherman. What initially caught my eye about the Type III Osprey was what Extrasport calls their BajaBack™. This innovative design utilizes a thin lower back to accommodate kayak seat backs and proved to be the most comfortable non-self inflatable PFD I’ve used on my kayak thus far. It truly works with the added benefit of having extra padding on your back as well as reducing that annoying life vest ride-up.The ripstop nylon fabric is a great choice for durability and reliability. The adjustable mesh shoulders seam to breathe very well and with all the strong adjusting straps and buckles (shoulders, and torso area) you can be comfortably fitted in no time. It’s nice to know that you’ll be able to easily make adjustments on the fly so when the cooler months come you’ll be able to widen it for your larger clothing. The styling of the life vest is excellent. It’s not near as bulky as some of the vests in its class and both the Moss/Black and Sand/Black colors look great. It also sports a reflective logo on the back side of the vest.

Floating the PFD
I jumped right into the water with my fishing clothes on (crocks, fishing shirt and shorts) to see how well this vest kept me afloat. Type III PFDs are flotation aids and according to the Exstrasport Think Safe pamphlet provided with the vest, are “designed to provide a stable face-up position in calm water for a wearer floating with head tilted back” and is “good for calm, inland waters or where there is a good chance for fast rescue”. (See sidebar for a description on the various types of PFDs available). In other words if you need a PFD that flips you on your back incase you’re unconscious in the water this isn’t the type of vest you need. It does work well and I felt like I could easily swim in this vest for a very long distance (I would consider myself a strong swimmer for an old guy). I rested on my back with my head tilted back for about 10 minutes. I sure hope I never have to wear this or any other life jacket for more than an hour or two in the water. They just aren’t very comfortable but it sure beats the alternative of drowning. It wasn’t bad though and I did start to day dream a little bit as I watched the high clouds. I flipped to my stomach and found it comfortable as long as you can hold your breath or start paddling.

Fishing the PFD
The vest touts a 7-pocket tackle configuration including two large zipper pockets and five small Velcro pockets each equipped with pull tabs. The pockets are well designed with small scupper holes for drainage, large sturdy zippers, Velcro latches and additional attachment points inside the larger pockets. The multiple attachment points are great for connecting all sorts of gear including line clippers, small flash lights and other useful items. Included is a rod tip holder and one pocket even has a tethered emergency whistle (wish I had known that before I invested in another one at time of purchase) that works very well even when wet.
You can’t have too many attachment points. Included whistle was a nice
surprise. Could we replace the logo with a zipper pocket?

I’m a gear buff. I like to carry a wide variety of gear and a lot of it on my fishing excursions. I found the smaller pockets on the Osprey to be too limited in size to carry anything other than terminal tackle. Putting double zipper pockets on each side and then a couple of small Velcro pockets would go a long way in providing additional storage space. I’d also like to see the Extrasport logo space better utilized for an additional zipper pocket instead of additional advertising. Hey keep the Extrasport tag but lose the logo as pocket real estate is at a premium here!I am keen on fishing vests and wear one 90% of the time while I’m fishing. I have owned several and have a ton of experience on what works as a fishing vest for me and the Osprey doesn’t. You may be able to fit one or two bags of plastics in the larger zipper pockets but I’m not sure what to put in the longer smaller ones. Maybe for a fly fisherman this vest would be adequate but for bass fisherman it leaves a lot to be desired.
The BajaBack is innovative and comfortable.
Conclusion
Overall this is probably the best PFD for kayaking I’ve owned. The quality construction, design innovation (especially the BajaBack™) and comfort of this PFD gets a big thumbs up. The fishing vest concept is headed in the right direction but still has a way to go. I do recommend this vest as a great paddler’s solution first and fishing vest a distant second.

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* I have no affiliation with Extrasport or any other company or publication. All information provided is of my personal opinion and should be interpreted as such. Not responsible for any action anyone would take based on this article. Form your own opinion and do your own thing.

©Copyright 2007 by Brice Sanchez *

First Impressions
This bait produced very well for me while one of my “go-to”
baits let me down.

Many fishermen have been using various Senko type baits for years because they work so well. The Lake Fork Baby Ring-Fry is no exception to this trend. While bank fishing a local pond I started the evening trip with one of my go to baits. It was still tied on from the previous tough nights fishing and I couldn’t wait to start slinging some bait in the pond. It was a Texas rigged worm that didn’t produce after about 25 minutes of trying. Sometimes I’ll try bait for what some would consider to long and there are various reasons why. First I remember as a kid an old salty was watching me fish from a pier. I was busy trying everything in my tackle box and he told me I should give a bait time to work before scrambling to the next one. I did slow down and I started catching fish. Another reason is I tend to “drift off to fishing land” (that’s what my 9 year old daughter calls it) my thoughts wonder while I settle into a casting rhythm. I don’t hear, see or notice much when I get into this mode. I guess it’s concentration but my family thinks I just become hard of hearing while fishing. Anyway before you know it the time just flies by. I suddenly remembered why I had come in the first place and pulled out the package of watermelon seed Ring-Frys. As I opened the bag the scent of garlic and who knows what else made me curl my lip. A slimy little thing gripped between my fingers looked and smelled fishy enough to catch a catfish but I was after Large Mouth Bass. I hooked it on a Gamakatsu 2/0 hook with a 1/16oz bullet weight and let her fly. After letting it hit bottom I gave it two quick jerks and let it rest. Swept my rod tip from left to right about 3 feet and let it rest again. Two more twitches and I saw my line start to move in the opposite direction. I paused just for a couple of seconds, set the hook and landed a decent 2 lb fish. My first cast with this bait produced! My first catch or even bite after about 25 minutes of using a very well tested, bass producing bait. Hmmm I thought to myself.

Cast out the opposite direction. Repeat the same retrieve pattern as above and less than a minute later I hooked another fish only bigger. 3.5lbs and what a fighter this fellow was jumping, pulling, tried to hide in some rocks and had me stuck for a minute but, I used my patients and worked him out. I’m starting to second guess my go to bait and really start examining this Ring-Fry.

I know that scented baits are producing baits and this Lake Fork
Ring-Fry sure does stink good!

After I had landed the second fish I noticed the worm had slid its way up the line. I moved it down, re-rigged and set it into the water to test its action. The first thing I noticed was a small scent slick trailing behind the worm. The next thing I noticed were all the protruding rings around the bait moved more water than I had expected. I also noticed when I pulled the worm out of the water to cast; down the length of the worm appeared to be some kind of slimy film. I picked it up and realized that it was just water running down its side and around all those tiny rings. Those rings really hold water and must create a lot of vibration that obviously attract the fish. I found the soft, pliable plastic has a natural feel to it. Not to stiff and not to flimsy. Seemed to be holding up pretty well considering the two fish I had just landed.

Another cast in the previous direction only this time I worked the worm very close along the bank line. Sure enough I landed another fish over 3 lbs. The worm didn’t make the trip this time so I rigged different bait and continued down the path. I wanted to see if different bait (purple worm with a curly tail) would produce as well. It didn’t. I threw that purple worm for a good 20 minutes varying my retrieves and as the sun was getting lower in the sky I decided to go back to the Ring-Fry. The same water that I had just been working the purple worm in produced three more fish. None larger than 3 lbs but was still fun and very fast action. The sun dropped below the horizon sooner than I wanted it to and typical of this pond the bite stopped. I continued to throw the bait for a solid 30 minutes but to no avail. However, I had proven this bait and was a very happy fisherman. I made my way back home and remembered I hadn’t taken any pictures of the fish I had caught. Oh well, guess I’ll have to return in the mourning and try it out again!

* I have no affiliation with Lake Fork Trophy Bait & Tackle or any other company or publication. All information provided is of my personal opinion and should be interpreted as such. Not responsible for any action anyone would take based on this article. Form your own opinion and do your own thing.

The new Malibu Mini-X kayak is compact but optional features make this rig a winner!

 First Impressions

The Mini-X kayak by Malibu packs a big kayak punch in a small versatile package.  Weighing in at 38lbs and just over 9’ long this is an excellent kayak for a one-person show.  Light enough to carry and short enough to fit in the back of a large SUV, this kayak is ideal for the spur of the moment afternoon excursion or an all day float.  The optional front and rear 8” hatches will come in handy for anchor and gear stowing and the large (and I do mean large 19.5” x 19”) tank-well positioned behind the seat has ample space for a live-well, 5 gallon bucket (with molded indentation) or gear crate. I had mine geared up for fishing without the rear hatch but including four flush mount rod holders.

Large tank well includes indentation for a 5 gallon bucket,  scrupper holes for drainage and flush mount rod holders.  Can also host an optional 8″ hatch.

When sitting in the cock pit it’s obvious the design team of the Mini-X put a lot of thought into many details. The rectangular dry box hatch is perfect for storing the larger plastic tackle boxes that are so prevalent today. However, I did find access to the rectangular hatch a bit cumbersome as it utilizes four latches that must be disengaged by twisting and lifting.  Not easily accomplished especially if you have a rod in your hand.  The upgraded seat also covered a portion of the hatch which contributed to the awkward access I experienced.  The molded cup holder is within easy reach and managed to a cold beverage with out issue. The flush mount rod holders are at perfect angles for both trolling and holding your extra poles out of the way while you cast.  You’ll also notice well positioned eyelets which can conveniently connect to your rod leashes keeping your gear from plunging to the bottom.  They also included paddle holders on both sides of the kayak so you can quickly secure your paddle and grab your rod when the situation warrants.   The Mini-X utilizes the same heavy duty molded carrying handles on both sides, fore and aft as its bigger brother the X-Factor.  These handles are a necessity when maneuvering the kayak on land and when tethering the yak to piers and docks. The spacious sitting compartment is quite comfortable however I recommend you obtain a seat with a high back like the Malibu Explorer.

Paddle holders on each side keep your paddle within easy access.

The rectangle, dry hatch with gig bag directly in front of the wide sitting holds large plastic tackle boxes perfectly.  Note the four latches.

Complete with molded foot rests, a wide beam (33.5”) and a maximum load capacity of 300 lbs this kayak is up to handling a large load.  Though this kayak has a lot of features there is space allocated for additional gear like fish finders, anchor trolley systems and many other options avid kayakers can’t live without.   It’s also available in a variety of colors including dark blue, red, stone, sand, white, yellow, hunter green, mango and lime.

On the Water

The stability of the Mini-X is excellent in calm water.  Being able to sit on the rectangular center hatch sideways with my feet dangling into the water is an added benefit for when my legs started numbing after 5 hours of fishing.  I was also able to kneel easily and carefully turn in various directions while casting to structure.  It’s super for very shallow water as I was able to paddle over very large beds of thick hydrilla in only one to two inches of water.

Speed was acceptable but it’s not going to win any races.  It didn’t take long to approach my first secret fishing hole with modest exertion.  In the calm water it performed very well and was fun to maneuver.  Its sound tracking performed as expected for such a short and wide kayak but did require correction strokes.  Against a light wind and with light boat traffic of course the return trip required more effort. The Mini-X handled well and did not take on water even through some 2’ feet of boat wake. I’m anxious to take this out in the surf and see how it performs in rougher water.

The skeg measures approximately 9” on the stern and 11” on the bow.

Rigged after a great morning of fishing.

The Malibu Mini-X kayak comes with optional 8“ front and rear hatches, a 13” x 10” rectangle center hatch with gig bag and up to 4 flush mount rod holders.  The kayak shipped to me also included a Crack of Dawn Paddle Sports paddle.  Prices on these models range from $500-$800 depending on options and dealer pricing.  Shop around and find a great value in the Malibu Mini-X kayak.

Pros:  Light weight, stable, lots of storage, maneuverable, wide seat area, very well designed and a great value!

Cons:  The rectangluar hatch’s four latches is combersome. Not a speed demon and not recommended for long term excursions in rough water. The Mini-x is an excellent choice for any calm or back water outing.

  * I have no affiliation with Malibu or any other company or publication.  All information provided is of my personal opinion and should be interpreted as such.  Not responsible for any action anyone would take based on this article. Form your own opinion and do your own thing.