# Itchy



## rminerd (Nov 25, 2013)

Is there any open water that I can get my yak into ?


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## bassyakker (Feb 12, 2013)

Let this flood water settle and I will be on the rivers... 

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## rminerd (Nov 25, 2013)

bassyakker said:


> Let this flood water settle and I will be on the rivers...
> 
> Sent from my DROID RAZR using Ohub Campfire mobile app


Man I don't wanna wait


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## bassyakker (Feb 12, 2013)

I hear ya. I've had the itch bad all winter. Its time this weather breaks a little so we can get on the water.

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## kayakcle216 (Aug 14, 2013)

How big of a bathtub do you have? 

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## lrobison24 (Nov 26, 2013)

Not big enough, but the fish tank works for looking at all the lures I've bought


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## rminerd (Nov 25, 2013)

I've got a pretty big puddle in my back yard


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## FishermanMurph (Jan 29, 2012)

I'm crossing fingers that the rivers around here will be fishable when they go down. My main worry is this cold icing up the slow moving holes I'm thinking of.


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## Bubbagon (Mar 8, 2010)

This may go over like a turd in a punch bowl, but...

I hope everyone has an acute awareness that right now, is the very most dangerous time to be on the water, especially a river.
I think the OP and maybe another one or two guys on this thread bought their kayaks last summer. With the utmost respect, that's just not enough experience to go out paddling right now...open water or not.
And I don't mean "know how to paddle" experience. I mean experience with early spring waters, and experience with how to deal with stuff going wrong.
Obviously, every piece of water right now is 32 point something degrees. Hypothermia is a real deal thing when you get wet.
Add that rivers are moving right now...really moving. 
Add to that every tree, branch, root wad, and dead animal has been washed downstream and relocated in an unknown spot.
Add in some new strainers.

You see how it goes. And it can go badly quickly.
There's a million articles on how to kayak safely in these temps. But my best advice would be to either wait until the hypothermia temps reside, or bring along someone who's been there done that kind of person with some experience in cold water dunkings.


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## farleybucks (Aug 8, 2009)

Pretty spot on.....


> You see how it goes. And it can go badly quickly.
> There's a million articles on how to kayak safely in these temps. But my best advice would be to either wait until the hypothermia temps reside, or bring along someone who's been there done that kind of person with some experience in cold water dunkings.


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## jmpmstr1998 (Jun 19, 2009)

Bubbagon said:


> This may go over like a turd in a punch bowl, but...
> 
> I hope everyone has an acute awareness that right now, is the very most dangerous time to be on the water, especially a river.
> I think the OP and maybe another one or two guys on this thread bought their kayaks last summer. With the utmost respect, that's just not enough experience to go out paddling right now...open water or not.
> ...


Well said Bubbagon.

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## Bubbagon (Mar 8, 2010)

Don't want to be the wet blanket, or come across like a know it all. That's just not the case. I've just been at it long enough and I'm dumb enough to have seen/experienced a lot of "well we should have thought that through better" kind of moments. And the time to learn from the school of hard knocks isn't winter time.
I saw someone post a pic on here the other day of someone kayaking in jeans and a hoodie. Made me cringe. Because I've been along, a couple miles from the truck, 30 degree water, when a dude in jeans and a sweatshirt tipped his kayak. You go from enjoying an innocent day to sh!t getting VERY real VERY quickly.


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## Bowhunter57 (Feb 9, 2011)

I've been on all types of water...warm and cold, kayak fishing and in crazy whitewater. I purchased my new kayak between x-mass and new years and am as anxious as the next guy to put it on the water.

Just the same, I'll stand by, until the weather warms up enough to enjoy my time on the water. I hope that I never have to used the clothes in my dry bag. I figure the best way to avoid that issue, is to wait it out...despite my new kayak anxiety. 

Bowhunter57


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## Northern1 (May 9, 2012)

Bubbagon said:


> Don't want to be the wet blanket, or come across like a know it all. That's just not the case. I've just been at it long enough and I'm dumb enough to have seen/experienced a lot of "well we should have thought that through better" kind of moments. And the time to learn from the school of hard knocks isn't winter time.
> I saw someone post a pic on here the other day of someone kayaking in jeans and a hoodie. Made me cringe. Because I've been along, a couple miles from the truck, 30 degree water, when a dude in jeans and a sweatshirt tipped his kayak. You go from enjoying an innocent day to sh!t getting VERY real VERY quickly.


Thanks for sharing your experience. I agree- rivers are not the place to be right now. We all have the itch to get out for sure, but just walk down to the river right now, throw a stick in and watch how quickly it will flow away from you and how many things it hits on its way down-stream. That would be the equivalent of your kayak, except you would probably get hung up and take on water, not just bounce off. Let alone right now is not optimal time for fishing anyway with the water so high and muddy.


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## rminerd (Nov 25, 2013)

Well I got my kayak all geared up 
Graves my rods. And tackle dragged it to the back yard and pretended I was fishing


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## Northern1 (May 9, 2012)

rminerd said:


> Well I got my kayak all geared up
> Graves my rods. And tackle dragged it to the back yard and pretended I was fishing


Lol, nice man. I was out yesterday practicing my baitcasting at trees in the back yard for a half hour. Over the weekend I was shooting crappie jigs at random boxes in my living room hallway. And in my spare time, i'm continually organizing, re-organizing, and re-working my tackle in the basement. Its just been one of those winters...


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## rminerd (Nov 25, 2013)

Northern1 said:


> Lol, nice man. I was out yesterday practicing my baitcasting at trees in the back yard for a half hour. Over the weekend I was shooting crappie jigs at random boxes in my living room hallway. And in my spare time, i'm continually organizing, re-organizing, and re-working my tackle in the basement. Its just been one of those winters...


It's brutal 
Ive been filling the void with tying worm harnesses


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## Northern1 (May 9, 2012)

Hey I launched out of RR emerald necklace marina last yr. Fished for some eyes. My wife's from N. Olmsted. If i'm up there with the kayak sometime, i'll shoot you a PM


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## rminerd (Nov 25, 2013)

Northern1 said:


> Hey I launched out of RR emerald necklace marina last yr. Fished for some eyes. My wife's from N. Olmsted. If i'm up there with the kayak sometime, i'll shoot you a PM


Hell yeah 
Where'd you fish? 
Off of Lakewood shore?


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## Northern1 (May 9, 2012)

Um, not sure exactly lol. I went past the break wall and went right for about 1/2 mile and was about 400 yards out probably.


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## rminerd (Nov 25, 2013)

Northern1 said:


> Um, not sure exactly lol. I went past the break wall and went right for about 1/2 mile and was about 400 yards out probably.


Yeah that's Lakewood shore 
We're you trollin 
Usually I head out to hunnington beach and paddle out to the point


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## kayakcle216 (Aug 14, 2013)

I'm trying to get northern1 up here for some erie smallmouth rminerd. 

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## rminerd (Nov 25, 2013)

kayakcle216 said:


> I'm trying to get northern1 up here for some erie smallmouth rminerd.
> 
> Sent from my SM-N900V using Ohub Campfire mobile app


I'm comin with y'all cuz I don't know how to catch them on this side of the border


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## Northern1 (May 9, 2012)

I'll tell you what, we should all 3 get together and try our hand at some walleye and some smallies for sure. I definitely want to make the trip up with kayakcle to his stomping grounds. (Just got my rigging finished last night for that). Also, Lake Erie walleye don't sound too bad either. We will have to set something up.


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## rminerd (Nov 25, 2013)

Northern1 said:


> I'll tell you what, we should all 3 get together and try our hand at some walleye and some smallies for sure. I definitely want to make the trip up with kayakcle to his stomping grounds. (Just got my rigging finished last night for that). Also, Lake Erie walleye don't sound too bad either. We will have to set something up.


Yeah I wanna get some smallies real bad


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## kayakcle216 (Aug 14, 2013)

I've never caught a walleye...I'm ashamed for have lived in cleveland my whole life and never caught one...I'll show you guys smallmouth if you help me get a walleye. 

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## rminerd (Nov 25, 2013)

kayakcle216 said:


> I've never caught a walleye...I'm ashamed for have lived in cleveland my whole life and never caught one...I'll show you guys smallmouth if you help me get a walleye.
> 
> Sent from my SM-N900V using Ohub Campfire mobile app


Will do will do


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## jmpmstr1998 (Jun 19, 2009)

Glad I'm not the only one Northern.


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## Northern1 (May 9, 2012)

jmpmstr1998 said:


> Glad I'm not the only one Northern.


Not the only one for what?


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## Yakphisher (Jul 9, 2013)

I gotten really close breaking my personal record on Smallies only if I can stop letting them jump off especially on the fly rod! There is not much personal satisfaction on conventional gears for me anyways. I don't need to go cleveland to fish either since I am right around the block where the real fishing is most of warm weather.


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## Brad45005 (Oct 11, 2013)

I am dying to get the kilroy wet, it's been setting in my garage for about 3 weeks now. I walk by it 3 times a day going and coming from work. It gets a little worse every time we have a 40 degree day then back down to single digits. But I have learned enough from you guys that I will not be going alone on my maiden voyage...

Thank you guys again, you experienced paddlers may not realize how much information a New kayaker can learn by just reading...just wanted to say thanks :thumbup:

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## kayakcle216 (Aug 14, 2013)

Yakphisher...that's awesome but nothing better than fighting a huge erie smallmouth...releasing it and then doing it again! Good luck this year! 

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## Northern1 (May 9, 2012)

I have mad respect for the fly guys as well, that has to be an awesome challenge! Someday i'll probably buy a rod and try my hand at it. I've never had the opportunity to fish smallmouth from Lake Erie either, and look forward to both eventually!


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## rminerd (Nov 25, 2013)

Northern1 said:


> I have mad respect for the fly guys as well, that has to be an awesome challenge! Someday i'll probably buy a rod and try my hand at it. I've never had the opportunity to fish smallmouth from Lake Erie either, and look forward to both eventually!


Nothing like fly fishin for steelies out of a kayak


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## SeanStone (Sep 8, 2010)

catking said:


> We want your oil and women


,.......darn it bubba. Every time I quote you I get this. Hahah. In regards to the guys in jeans and a hoodie....

That would have been ME or the guys I fish with.....lol. I have many excuses....none of them are acceptable. But if it helps ease your mind bubba, we are fishing a warm water discharge (60 to 80 degree water) and we are never more than a mile from our vehichle. 20 yards from a major interstate the whole time (Most of the time we carry dry clothes, towel, and fire starting materials in our yaks.)

I've had to defend myself at least a dozen times this wintet....I guess it's time to invest in something safer. 





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