A few years ago I purchased a Perception kayak. After much research and talking to an expert at my local kayak store, I decided on a recreational kayak. I came to this decision because I planned to only venture into streams, rivers and small lakes.

Eventually, I settled for the Sundance model, which is 12 feet long. The price was higher than other kayaks I looked at but they didn’t have the comfort and options the Perception had.

The seat is extremely soft and comfortable. The backrest has an adjustable height and you are able to adjust the backrest to sit straight or recline back.  I quickily found that one of the most important things about buying a kayak is to make sure the seat is comfortable.

The Sundance has nice grab handles on both ends of the boat. There is also built in bungee straps to hold items, but whatever you put there will typically get a bit wet. There is a big waterproof storage space in the rear of the boat and it could also be used as a cooler.  The only problem with this storage is that you have to get out of the boat to open this compartment.

The adjustable foot pedals works great for me as I am 6’2”. The foot pedals or rests help you stabilize the boat when paddling.  I bought a carbon fiber paddle for those long days. It is very lightweight and comes apart for easy storage. I also use a paddle leash to keep it hooked to the boat.  If I go by myself and loose my paddle it is really hard to use your hands to paddle so the leash comes in handy.

I decided early to settle for a natural color that could easily blend into the surroundings in case I decided to do some type of hunting from the.  Sand was the color I chose, which is still nice for recreational boating.

I carry a sponge for unwanted water in the boat.  The reason for this is that each kayak always has a certain amount of water in them.  This either happens from splashing or getting in and out of the boat.  It is easy to sponge it up if you are carrying one!

There are a lot of options a person can get for kayaks. There are rod holders for fishing, water skirts to keep you dry and so much more. This boat is not too heavy. I don’t have any problem putting it in the back of my truck. My wife handles hers very well to.

Kayaks are very easy to paddle allowing you to enjoy new areas and see things from a different point of view.

Before you purchase a kayak, determine what your local laws are for life jackets.  In Michigan, you do not have to wear a life jacket when you are in a kayak, but you do have to have one within reach.

To purchase this kayak online, visit SierraTradingPost.com or DicksSportingGoods.com.  Yoopers can visit Brampton Bike in Gladstone.

 YOOPER GEAR RATING:

JB Lures of Winthrop, Minnesota has many lures for fishing.  I have been trying several different lures this year for walleye, so I decided to give the Weasel a try.  I can tell you now, I found the secret lure! 

 After using this lure while ice fishing, I was catching fish after fish.  The weasel in green glow was the ticket.  I changed the hook to a #10 treble hook and tipped it with a minnow head and the action was great.

I now see JB Lures offers glow treble hooks.  The lure is a willow shaped jigging spoon that drops fast and has a darting action when jigged.

The weasel acts like a wounded minnow.  Weasels have a chromed hammered back and are available in two-toned colors (except the gold one) and also available in different glows.  They are offered in 1/8th oz. and ¼ oz.  The 1/8th oz. was the size I have been using.  I found that the small size was the key for those soft biting walleye.  This is by far my favorite lure.

Visit JBLures.com and check out their selection of lures.  You can also check out the Weasel by visiting the JB Lure store.  JB Lures has a very wide selection of different types of lures, which I will be using much more in the future.

YOOPER GEAR RATING:

Jigging Rap by Rapala

The Jigging Rap by Rapala is one of my favorite vertical jigging lures.  I use this lure while fishing for walleye on Little Bay De Noc on the ice in the winter.

This lure comes in multiple colors from glows to natural colors, which work great during the day.  They also make all kinds of bright colors.

It also comes in different sizes from the W2 all the way to the W9.  The W2 is 1 1/4 inches long and weighs 1/8 oz., while the W9 is 3 ½ inches long and weighs 3/4 oz.  They also have the W3, W5, and W7.  Personally, my favorite is the W3 as it seems to produces more walleye for me.  Most people try all the sizes and find their favorite.

When jigging, this lure swims in a circle.  It has a single hook in the front by the head and a single hook by the tail.  Underneath, it has a treble hook, which, in my opinion, is way too small, so I switch to a size 10 treble.

I have found that the eyelet that holds the treble will occasionally break if you replace the treble frequently, so you have to be extra careful when doing this.  Eventually, you have to replace the treble, as it will get dull.  The plastic tail, which makes this lure swim in circles, can sometime break if you catch a big fish.   

The paint can also chip after frequent usage due to the teeth on the walleyes.  This is normal wear and tear in my opinion.

When jigging this lure, I tip the treble hook with a minnow head to give the lure some scent.  I usually jig hard until I see a fish on my electronic fish finder (stay tuned for reviews on these!).  Once I spot the fish, I then dance it a little to make the minnow head move back and forth.  This seems to be the best method to catch walleye, but you have to have the right fishing rod to do this.

Rapala also makes a jigging shad rap that has a bigger body and different look, but I haven’t had much luck catching fish with this one.

If Rapala made a better eyelet for the treble and made the plastic tail a little tougher, the lure would be one of the best.  I still have to rate it high as my success rate with the walleyes with this lure has been very high.

YOOPER GEAR RATING:

The jigging rap can be purchased with our partner at Bass Pro Shop.