Kayak Fishing

Last year, I purchased my first kayak for a float/fishing trip on the Manistee River (MI) over Memorial Day. Since then, I have used it on many fishing trips on my home water, the Grand River (MI). The kayak I purchased is the Mainstream Kingfish, a 12 foot sit on top kayak that is specifically set up with the fisherman in mind. (Lost my camera charger, so it's out of commission at the moment: will have some pics added later.) I picked mine up from Dick's Sporting Goods on clearance for $300 bucks, what a bargin!! It is wider than most kayaks and very stable. I have found that it paddles a bit slower than other kayaks, but this is not a problem for me. The Kingfish features a generous water tight storage area in the hull of the kayak, and has a spot molded in behind the seat that will hold a crate or a 5 gallon bucket. I have found that both these items fit very securely in the pre-molded indentations. The only complaint I have about the kayak is the seat, it's not very comfortable for long trips but this is easily rectified by replacing it.

I'm really excited to start customizing my 'yak in the next month, but already added some nice touches to it. The first thing I did was add a rod holder for trolling and for that "extra hand." It is important when installing rod holders and other accessories to coat the base with silicon sealant to prevent leaks. I also added a "brush clip" in order to clip onto tree branches or dead fall. I took about 3-4 of rope and tied a quick clip carribeaner to the end which allows me to wrap the rope around a branch, etc. and then clip it back onto itself. This provides an easy and fast means to hook/unhook as necessary. A 5 lb. dumbbell weight on about 15 feet of rope serves as an anchor. A milk or office crate works great for carry and organizing your tackle and can be customized to suit your needs. I took a "bucket mate", which wraps around a 5 gallon bucket and has various pockets, and attached it around my crate. This holds various items such as: extra line, pliers, sinkers, and other misc. items you would normally put in the large compartment of your tackle box. For my tackle, I just use the clear plano 3700 boxes and stack them in the crate.

There are definitely some items I plan on adding to the 'yak this year. The top priority is to install rod holders on my crate to accommodate extra rods. Right now, I use my rear scupper holes to stow my spare rods. It is easy and affordable to make your rod holders, and I plan on using PVC pipe to rig one up on the backside of my crate. Also, I plan on adding another front and side mount rod holder. The front mount will come in handy for that "extra hand" and the side for an additional trolling rod. Another accessory I would like to add is a mount for my fish finder, and my transducer. As soon as I build this I will post pictures and describe the materials I used to make it. My anchoring system is in need of a serious overhaul, and I plan on constructing a system that uses pulleys, much like that on a boat.

Kayak fishing is very addictive and a great way to stay in shape. You are right down at water level, and often bigger fish will tow you around. They allow you to easily pack up some camping gear and make an extended float trip. Kayaks are easy to launch and open up all kinds of possibilites you would not have open to you in a boat. They are perfect for exploring remote and shallow waters, and allow you to fish areas without a boat launch. Overall, I am extremely pleased I purchased mine and will put it to very good use for years to come.

Turkey Broadhead Selection

Turkeys may not be as large as a whitetail, but they are just as tough. Despite their small stature, a turkey can take an arrow hit like a champ. When pursuing turkey with archery gear, the broad-head you chose to use can have a big impact on whether you close the deal. There are two common "schools of thought" out there for which type of broad-head to use: big juicy mechanical heads or decapitator heads.

Decapitator heads are designed to do just what their name implies, to take a turkey's head off. When using these broad-heads, you want to aim for the turkey's head and neck area. Decapitator heads often feature a cutting diameter of 3" and feature two perpendicular blades. Two of the most popular ones are: The Gobbler Guillotine and the Magnus Bullhead. Although effective at achieving their goal, these types of broad-heads can be challenging to tune and do not fly well at distances over 20 yards.

Big mechanical broad-heads are another popular choice for turkey. Some popular models include: G5 Tekan, Rage 2 Blade, Grim Reaper, and NAP Spitfire Gobbler Getter. These broad-heads feature blades that deploy upon impact, and feature larger cutting diameters than most fixed blades. They are easier to tune and most have "field tip" flight characteristics allowing them to be shot at greater distances. Because turkey's have a small vital area, it is to your advantage to use a large cutting diameter broad-head of at least 1.5". Turkeys do not bleed very much, so it is imperative to make contact with the vitals or a main artery. When shooting this type of broad-head, there are three shot opportunities that will allow you to place a fatal shot. When standing broadside, you should aim for the vitals, which are located directly above the leg near the center of the wing. If the tom is facing you, you should aim for his beard. The third shot is from behind, in which case you should place your arrow in the middle of it's back, or give it the ole Texas heart shot.


As I mentioned above, a large cutting diameter mechanical broad-head is optimal for turkey. Because of this, I have chosen to run the Rage 2 blade (100 grain) in my pursuits this spring. The biggest selling point here is the large cutting diameter of 2+ inches, and it actually hyper-extends to 2.5 inches while deploying. Essentially, this expands your kill zone greatly, and increases your odds of hitting vitals or arteries while leaving a nasty wound channel. Another reason I chose to go with the Rage 2's is that they fly more like field tips than a decapitator head would, and they are much easier to tune. The other thing that sold me on the Rage's were their "slip cam" design, which allows the blades to fully deploy before piercing the hide.


When choosing a turkey broad-head, you must first consider what type of shot you are going to be taking and at what distance. The decapitator heads offer great performance when aiming for a turkey's head or neck, and large diameter mechanical broad-heads work best for body shots. Whatever broad-head you choose, make sure you select one that will fulfill your needs.

Archery Turkey Challenges

T-minus 5 days until my turkey season begins and it looks like the weather here in MI is going to warm up just in time. I have been seeing more and more thunder chickens and I don't know whose fired up more, the toms or me! This will be my first year pursuing turkey and I am going to try to take one with my bow. Lately, I have been absorbing all the information I can and have a plan of attack in place. Because of their keen eye sight, bow hunting turkeys can present extra challenges. The biggest obstacle is being able to draw back your bow undetected. The best way to counter this is to hop into a blind. Unfortunately, I do not have this luxury.....yet.

In order to conceal my movement while drawing my bow, I will have to use natural features to my advantage. One possibility is to look for a "natural blind." This can be anything from a downed treetop to an area with thick vegetation. A small pair of clippers can come in real handy, and you can cut branches or boughs to help conceal yourself, plus they can help you "trim" up a shooting lane. Another tactic I may try is to line up a large tree between myself and a approaching turkey, as this would give a brief chance to draw.

I have learned that decoys are imperative to helping an archer. These give the tom something else to focus on, and can also aid in getting them into range. If you face your decoy towards you, a turkey will naturally want to walk around and face it head on. For bow-hunting, this can be an excellent moment to draw, especially if the tom is in full strut with his tail feathers obscuring his view.

In order to minimize movement, I have decided to use a mouth call if I am out solo. Turkey calling is new to me, but I am no longer sounding like a sick bird! I keep my call in my truck and practice while driving, this definitely will solicit some funny looks. However, I have been listening to turkey sounds and am fairly confident I have the Yelp down.

Well, now that I have a plan laid out to overcome the challenges associated with archery hunting turkey, I feel more confident. Hopefully in the next couple weeks, I will have a success post. After all, I love it when a plan comes together!!

Free NRA Membership

The NRA is offering a free trial membership for one year at the following website: https://www.nrahq.org/nrabonus/accept-membership.asp. This is a great organization that fights to support our second amendment rights and every hunter should be a member. Please go ahead and let all your friends know about this wonderful opportunity.

Welcome to Stack'em Up Outdoors

Well, I have been tossing around this idea for a few months now and decided to give it a whirl. My goal with this blog is to chronicle my hunting and fishing adventures, provide helpful information pertinent to the outdoors, and to share my trials and tribulations with fellow outdoors enthusiasts. The main focuses of my blog will be archery, hunting, fishing and kayaking. I will chronicle my personal experiences, do product reviews, explain strategy, and other information related to the outdoors.