Looks like my 2017 Kayaking season is over.

[Allen Morgan]

Air temps yesterday were in the 60's.  Cold front moving in, severe storms were expected in the afternoon/evening, according to the weather shamans.  It was foggy when I woke up. 

It was dead-calm when I arrived at the launch, but by the time I actually got into my kayak and paddled off, a breeze picked up from the southwest.  There was one other truck/trailer in the parking lot.  After paddling out and approaching the upwind bank, I spotted a camoflaged boat with a spread of duck decoys.  I immediately turned away, with the wind, dropped my drift sock over, and let the wind push me away from the duck hunters.

I got three bites that did not hook up on the minnow crankbait I was using on *one* cast.  Several minutes after that, I caught a barely-keeping sized Yellow Perch.  20 minutes later I tagged a keeper LMB.  Those ended up being the only fish I caught.

I paddled upwind again, and set up a drift in a different part of the main lake body.  After about 15 - 20 minutes, I could hear a boat engine approaching.  About the time I finally spotted it (25hp engine pushing a pontoon), I thought I heard a rumble of thunder.  I pulled out my phone, checked the weather, and sure enough, the leading edge of a massive area of rain was getting close.  I pulled in my drift sock and started a fast paddle back to the launch.  Just as I finished loading, and pulled out of the DNR Launch area, it started sprinkling.

Temps tonight (Monday) are supposed to drop down to about 32.  Over night lows the rest of this week are going to be in the 20's.  I need to winterize my kayak.  Drain the water out of the hull (it has a few small leaks), pull the scupper plugs under my seat, tuck away all the rod leashes and paddle leash, and flip it on it's side, up against the house.  Time to inventory what little ice-fishing equipment I have and see what I need to get.

[Leo Nguyen]

SMH I don't know Allen. More likely your new type of adventure just begins. Call it ice-akying adventure. Time to retrofit that kayak with some ice fishing equipment.

[Slip Sinker]

Hope you had an enjoyable open water season Allen… over –all how do you like Michigan fishing compared to other states?

Yeah fishing from my small SOT kayak is warm water summer type fishing… id like to get a larger model with an elevated seat… something like the Pelican Catch 120… always getting wet in my current model.

I’m getting all the ice – gear ready for the upcoming season. I may have a window of opportunity to fish down in Florida for the winter to early spring. Either way I’ll be getting some fishing in.

Good luck on the upcoming hard water-season