Great Outdoor Blog

by Ashley “The Drumminator” Williams, GOPC Kayak Fishing Team

This weekend was the perfect example to take full advantage of all the benefits kayak fishing has when searching the saltwater flats for redfish. I planned my trip accordingly for tides and locations.

Where I chose to fish was the very popular (and what I consider my kayak fishing stomping ground) Fort Fisher. With a low tide estimated to be around 9:00am it would be the perfect chance to paddle out and start wetting lines at the peak fishing opportunity. I have eleven years of experience fishing and scouting the creeks in this area so I knew where I wanted to be. Fort Fisher is a gem of a fishing location and what makes it even better is the lack of boat traffic and their inability to access many areas, especially at low tide.

I pulled into the Federal Point boat ramp around 6:00 and began to unload my gear. The ramp has undergone renovations within the last year to which I’m split over. The ramp has been improved greatly but I’m still waiting on that promised kayak launch they’ve been talking about adding. Mion may have gone out of business in 2006 but I’m determined to keep these Current Sandals forever and do not like digging them out of mud flats.

There is a walkway that has been added this year so visitors can get down to the small “beach” section which I’d say around 50 yards wide. Traditionally this is where kayakers have launched from along with wind surfers who frequent the area. But as I said earlier, you’re prone to losing a shoe.

The wind was blowing from the south and predicted to build through the day so I decided to concentrate today’s efforts on spinning tackle. I tied up a few lures, courtesy of Marsh Works Inshore Tackle, before unloading a rigging my Hurricane Phoenix 130. While unloading my friend Jeff pulled into the ramp with his Wilderness Systems Commander 120. After talking a bit we discovered that we both had the same destination in mind and would paddle out together.

Today was an exceptional day for me. Fort Fisher is the water I taught myself to kayak in. Prior to that, my father brought me here to surf fish on the beach and wade fish in the marshes for redfish. In the interest of covering more ground behind the marshes my father helped me get a kayak for Christmas in 2009. That following fishing season was the start of an amazing career in kayak fishing which has opened many doors for me ever since. Not only do I recognize and appreciate those opportunities but even more so, I recognize and appreciate the friends which I’ve gained through the years. It’s not just the fishing that I enjoy, it’s knowing that around any creek bend I can bump into someone I know and share the day with.

It’s those friends who helped support me with phone calls, message, and visits when my father, at 55 years old, passed away after an eight month battle with cancer on October 22nd, 2010. I had been ready to give up the paddle and rod because the memories were too strong of our time on the water together. It took a phone call with a friend (and part owner of a competing business) to tell me I was stupid to quit and give it all up because my father wouldn’t want me to do that. So on Sunday, with a laugh and grin, I shoved off and began my first trip back. I think dad was pleased with the results.

Well Jeff and I squeezed into a creek and paddled our way back into it. This whole area is full of creeks which contain deep holes and channels. At low tide the redfish just seem to get stuck and hang out until the tide returns. From the kayak it’s easy to slide into this places and cherry pick them all afternoon while boats pass back and forth from a distance. Jeff started the day off with a couple of nice redfish almost immediately. At Jeff’s recommendation, I changed up lures and quickly picked up a couple myself. There were a lot of hits and misses as well from this area. After a while of no hits we moved on to explore a few other areas. We saw quite a few redfish moving along individually and no schools. Some were crashing bait against the grass and didn’t show any interest in our lures so we moved on.

Later on we went out separate ways as I was due back home soon. On my way out I came across a school at the mouth of the creek we first fished in. I quickly landed two more redfish and lost three. The last redfish was fortunate enough to return home with me and join my family at dinner that night. All in all it was a good day fishing. To pick out and area ahead of time, get there, and land four redfish from 21” to 26” is a good trip.

Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 8. Stop by the shop and let our staff help you find the perfect gift. FREE Gift wrapping too!

by Amanda McGuire, Charlotte Staff

“As soon as he saw the Big Boots, Pooh knew that an Adventure was going to happen.”

Getting your kids into the Great Outdoors can lead to a lifetime love of nature and a variety of outdoor activities. Hiking is a great way to introduce even small children to the outdoors.

Plan Ahead: Do your research and choose a trail that will offer you and your kids plenty of chances to engage with nature. You might be able to tempt older kids with the promise of a great view or a waterfall at the end of the hike, but younger kids may need more “highlights” along the path, like a lake, stream or boulders at the midway point. Get out a map and making planning a family affair, so that kids can see where they’ll be going and what they’ll be seeing along the way.

Be Prepared: Be sure to bring plenty of snacks and water for everyone, as well as the proper clothes and shoes for conditions. Consider long sleeves and sunscreen for sunny days, bug sprays or permethrin-treated layers for woods and grasslands, and rain gear for way days. Kid-sized packs or Camelbaks will allow them to feel involved by carrying some of their own gear or lunch.

Keep it Fun: A hiking trip is the perfect time for games of all sorts. Trails offer unlimited opportunities for scavenger hunts or spirited rounds of I Spy. It’s also a great chance to indulge imagination by pretending to be explorers or adventurers. If you’ve got a GPS unit, try your hand at geocaching.

Slow Down: Children see and experience the world differently than adults do, so slow down and take it at their pace. Keep in mind that the goal is not to finish the mileage or bag the summit, but to experience nature along the way. Take time for long breaks to explore fallen logs, check out the bugs living in puddles, or have a long talk about what the birds might be saying to the squirrels.

Leave No Trace: Teach kids about the importance of protecting their natural heritage by introducing them to the Leave No Trace and PEAK (Promoting Environmental Awareness in Kids) principles.

Start your kids young, and you’ll be giving them the gift of a lifetime in the outdoors, but more importantly, you’ll be sharing a family experience that just can’t be replicated elsewhere. Remember that the journey is the destination, for both you and the kids.

We are excited to announce two new GOPC Kayak Fishing Team members:

Tim “stew-rat” Stewart – Tim is a Charlotte N.C. native and longtime Mt. Holly resident having the Catawba river within minutes of him his whole life. Founder of the Hardcore Kayak Fishing Team and VP of the Mt. Island Wildlife Stewards. An all year kayak fisherman for over 12 years and owner of 5 yaks. Besides fishing he enjoys any activities that will get him out in nature. Anyone who is interested in becoming a paddle fishermen, area tournament info, wildlife events, or info on the Catawba can feel free to drop him a line at stukayakfish@bellsouth.net

Bo Anders – Bo is a native of central Kentucky where he spent the first 22 years of his life chasing smallmouth in local streams, largemouth in regional lakes, and everything else in between. He relocated to Huntersville, NC, in 2004, but didn’t begin kayak fishing until 2008 when he purchased a small sit-on-top from a coworker on a whim. It took one trip to the lake and the discovery of a local fishing blog (ncangler.com) to convert him to a paddle fisherman. He’s fished every available weekend since, launching his excursions in driving rain, blistering sun, and skim ice conditions year round. He is married to his wife Amanda who is wonderfully understanding of the addiction that is kayak fishing.

by Tom Valone, owner of Great Outdoor Provision Co.

I last saw Paul on his last sales swing thru our territory this past summer. He was bent over, limped, coughed and held onto door jambs as he worked the floor in a clinic. My younger son Sam was on the floor paying me back for a class he dropped at Alabama, and when he got home, he asked “Who is that guy Paul? He delivered a clinic on the Petzl stuff he sells, and then did one on Chaco, which he does not sell. And I learned more in 30 minutes about Chacos than I have all summer selling Chacos.” Of course, I could not cover Paul in some sort of sound bite, or a few paragraphs, so I suggested he grab a beer and I told him about Paul.

Paul and Denny Mays blasted into Chapel Hill late in the day back in ‘76, about two hours past our 3:00 p.m. appointment, which was fine because no other rep ever bothered to make appointments. And they repped for Chouinard Equipment and something called Patagonia, which I always thought of as a place to die on a big MF mountain.

“Where ya’ll been?” I asked.

“Drivin’, man,” said Denny.

“From where?” I asked.

“Oh, about 8 RBs west o’ here, I guess.” said Denny.

Well, eight road beers divided by two is about two hours, but Paul then spoke and noted that he had had only two RBs and that Denny had had six. That would make their last stop Charlotte. Denny had been working hard driving, so he headed two doors down to Clarence’s Bar for beers all around. He had to pass the massage parlor twice for the beer run, and I still cannot believe he did not stop. Great real estate is an asset I always say…

Paul looked around our store, all 800 square feet of it, and I checked him out. Biggest beard I ever saw, arms to make Popeye jealous, and eyes set a click too close together. Couldn’t see his mouth but his eyes said “serious, perhaps dangerous,” while his voice said “friendly.” Huh. When Denny came back from Clarence’s, he had a surplus duffel with him from which he poured Stoppers, Hexes, a few ‘biners, a Crag hammer and a Piolet onto some Clarks cord shorts, some rugby shirts ( I suggested he sell all of them in Charlottesville – Virginia colors after all), a pair of Standups, and a rust colored Guide sweater. While Denny drawled on about the features of the hardware, Paul quietly stood the Standups up on their hems, and repeatedly pushed his fist into the sweater to demonstrate how tightly woven it was; he really did look like he was setting me up to get whacked. Glances by those close-set eyes toward the Piolet let me know he had the tool to do it.

Too many Clarence’s beers and hot dogs sent us to my cinder block shotgun house where we strapped on Super Guides fixed with rigid crampons and climbed the ash tree out back. The fire department had to come get Paul out as “down climb” was not in his vocabulary. Although he was roped in and “protected” by slings looped around sturdy limbs, he maintained that we had become too drunk to provide a safe belay, which was probably true. The fire department got a kick out of the whole deal, and Paul gave each fireman a Chouinard ‘biner for their trouble – “nice key ring” Paul noted, already honing new markets.

Next day they left with more than enough order volume from me to pay for the gas back to Atlanta, most of it in Guide sweaters and Standups. And, I bought the Piolet that still hangs on my wall.

“Paul,” I told Sam, “forges a relationship with his customers and builds a personal bridge over which commerce can travel. Sometimes there is no commerce, but the relationship is there all the same for that time when real business is possible.”

“So did you and Paul start doing good business right away?” asked Sam.

“Nope, we both starved, but the relationship made the unsophisticated first efforts by Patagonia feel OK, and we then went to bat to sell what we bought. And Paul’s stories about how Standups were finished smooth in the crotch so one could wear them without underwear, or how YC’s Guide sweater had gotten him inextricably caught in an ocotillo bush while returning from the loo somewhere in the desert, or how the dye running out of the Patagonia Canvas shirt would eventually stop turning one’s neck yellow or green and then look like an old pair of jeans were usually the lubricant that made the sale.”

Vincent Stanley said he never heard Paul lie, but Paul’s favorite story was Pinocchio, and just about everything was fair game in a harmless sort of way.

And of course, Paul was always looking for ways to make his customers money. He passed on others’ successes and failures, he kept a look out for stuff that would make us a few easy bucks, and yes, he sold others’ lines like he did to Sam last summer, just to make the man and the shop better. I think Sam understood.

When I told him that Paul had passed, he was real quiet at the other end of the line. “You miss him already, don’t ya Pop?” he said.

And then he added, “I do too.” And Sam had only known Paul for 30 minutes!

Paul understood that we all were like kids who just had to drive our own bus, and while doing so, if we wanted to stick our feet out of the window, or sit on the seat back with our head out the sun roof while steering with our bare feet, then so be it. Paul now has that diesel Ford revved up, ya’ll know, the blue one with the mahogany interior trim, the 3.54 rear end, and 870 behind the seat, burning the minutes on the cell, spinning stories, leading others to discover what they need, and enjoying every minute. On the road again, out of our sight, but coming into view of others as surely as he is faded from ours. Godspeed.

To read more about Marsh, a true industry legend, spend some time on the Patagonia blog post “Paul Marsh 1945-2011, Pioneer Patagonia Sales Rep”.

by Gwen Crabtree, Charlotte Shop

On Saturday, April 2, I loaded up my Ocean Kayak Prowler Trident 13 fishing kayak and headed to the Catawba River just above the Hwy 27 bridge in Mt. Holly, NC. My purpose on the water was to compete in the Charlotte area 2011 RiverBassin Tournament Trail. While there are a lot of kayak fishing tournaments around the world, this one is unique because anglers are restricted to fishing creeks and rivers; no lakes or ponds allowed. Just like most kayak fishing tournaments, boaters are restricted to people power only. No motors or amped up bass boats here. The format is also a bit unique because we had a 90-mile radius from the Charlotte area headquarters at Bass Pro Shop in Concord. In addition to the boat rules and fishing area, the tournament rules required anglers to record their catches on digital camera and submit their virtual stringer at the “weigh-in” station by 4:30pm local time on Saturday. Anglers competed to see who could get the best virtual stringer of 3 black bass (largemouth, spotted bass, or smallmouth). There is also a team division and a nod to the overall big fish of the day. Normally I don’t do a lot of kayak fishing. In fact, the last two times I’ve fished from my kayak were both tournament events. So I am at a bit of a disadvantage when it comes to competing with other kayak anglers. But, I enjoy it and find myself looking for more local tournaments to enter.

So, yesterday I get started around 9am, a bit late, but I’ll be honest, I really enjoyed that extra hour or so of sleep. I will also admit I didn’t really think getting on the water at the butt crack of dawn in colder weather would pay off for me anyway. Remember, I’m not very good at kayak fishing and I don’t need to be on the water a few extra hours NOT catching anything. It really messes with my psyche. Anyway, I get out there, take the required photo of me at the launch to prove that I’m setting off in safe light conditions and then I head off upstream from the boat launch. The weather wasn’t too bad, a little cooler and windier than I would have liked, but a good day regardless.

I paddled and fished my way up to the dam below Mountain Island Lake and only had one or two light strikes on the way up to the dam. I really am convinced that one of the strikes was a hook-up, but I didn’t get the alleged fish close enough to the boat to confirm that suspicion. So, I’m at the dam and decide to drop anchor and pound away at the water in hopes that some magic might happen. Nope, nothing, not even a hint of a strike or a fish anywhere. So, getting discouraged and beginning to think that my 2nd tournament might end with an empty score sheet, I pulled anchor and started to paddle to one of the flats area just downstream. At this point, the wind is starting to kick up and one minute it’s at my back pushing me downstream, the other it’s in my face making life miserable as I fight the wind to even make small progress downstream.

So, I get to the flats around the bend of the river and set up a slow drift with the wind. I’m starting to get a little encouragement because I’m starting to see some activity on my fishfinder. As I drift downstream, I huck my line out and begin a slow retrieve of my chatterbait. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, I feel a hard strike and set the hook. This fish feels good and I’m fairly certain it is a “keeper”. My thoughts are confirmed when I get the fish to the boat. It is a keeper. Now my mind’s racing. I’ve got to make sure I don’t loose what may be my only fish of the day while I’m getting my camera, my marker to prove I caught the fish on the day of the tournament, and my official tournament measuring device. I boat the fish and grab my awesome Hobie Fish Grip pliers to secure the fish along side my kayak while I paddle to the shore to take my photo before I release the fish. After I get to the shore, I snap two quick photos making sure to include my tournament required Gorilla Glue sticker in the photo. After I’m satisfied with my photos I release my fish back into the river and jump back into the kayak to try for 2 more fish to complete my three fish stringer.

Unfortunately, the rest of the day was horrible. The winds picked up and made paddling difficult to say the least. I didn’t boat any more fish and as I loaded up and headed to the weigh-in, I knew that while not a total failure, my one fish would probably not even get me into the top 10. At the weigh-in location, everyone said the day was tough. I felt a little better after finding out that some of the anglers didn’t even get a fish to the boat. And considering this was only my 2nd tournament, I’m more than pleased with my one catch which checked in at 14.75″.

I want to thank Drew Gregory and all the folks with the RiverBassin Tournament Trail for hosting a great event. Stay tuned for my next tournament report after I fish my next tournament in Greensboro, NC on April 30.

Update: results are in – I placed 10th. I’ll take it!

Get in. Get out. Leave behind nothing but…nothing. That’s the philosophy behind LNT—Leave No Trace—backcountry travel. No one wants to bust their chops to get to the back of beyond only to find half-burned candy bar wrappers and whacked off tree branches. Even at popular campsites it’s just as easy to minimize your impact as it is to trash the woods.

But in its original version, LNT was a downer, a bunch of DON’Ts that read like a middle school principal spelling out the rules for the big spring dance. When it comes to camping, though, we’ve all come a long ways from trenching tools and latrines made of lashed poles. Sure, there’s stuff that still ranks a big NOT. Leaving toilet paper on the ground. Cutting standing trees. But we’ve re-tooled a 21st-century version of LNT into a big list of proactive, positive-outcome-calibrated DOs. Now you can be the change. Leave No Trace. Here’s how to vanish from the wilds:

GET IN. Most North Carolina campers can choose from existing campsites, even in fairly remote areas. Better to bed down on a beaten-down tent pad than wreck an undisturbed site—you can always set up the camp kitchen at a scenic vista nearby. Stick to existing fire circles in heavily used areas. If you go off-rail, remember that good campsites are found, not made. Look for a spot just large enough for the tent. The standard LNT mantra is to forgo the fire, but if you go with the burn, prepare a fire site by shovelling out a layer of soil and surface plants and setting aside. Learn to use a map and compass or a GPS. Flagging tape is so yesteryear.

GET OUT. Before you break camp, burn all wood completely. Kids love this job, so give ‘em a stick and make sure they push every little stub into the fire. Saturate the ashes, then scatter them. If you scraped out a fire pit, replace the sod, and toss leaves and twigs over the spot. Scour the camp for tiny bits of micro-trash. This is another great job for kids—offer an ice-cream-cone reward for whoever can find the most micro-trash, stuff like snippets of foil and paper, egg shell fragments, and sippy-cup straw wrappers. Remove all cordage from trees, even if you didn’t place it there. Naturalize the site before you leave. Rake matted grasses and leaves with a branch. Bring in rocks and sticks to hide your tent site. And the same rule applies no matter how near or far to civilization you camp: Pack it in, pack it out. Yes, that means banana peels, apple cores, egg shells, and cigar butts. If it wasn’t there when Columbus landed—or was it Erik the Red?—remove it.

IN THE MOUNTAINS:
Camp just below ridge tops to keep your tent from being so visible by others—you’ll still have a killer view. Burn smaller sticks and burn all wood completely to avoid leaving burned stubs behind. Use a tent with a tub-style floor; you’ll never dig a drainage trench again.

AT THE COAST:
Always build fires below the high tide line. Camp away from the toe of sand dunes. When fishing with live or cut bait, toss shrimp shells and leftover fish in zippered plastic bags and pack out; raccoons and foxes are attracted to such trash, and then prey on sea turtles. Leave any eggs you find on the sand alone; beach-nesting birds rarely build nests.

ON THE WATER:
Carry dirty dish-cleaning water away from the stream and campsite; the next camper doesn’t want to filter water soiled with your leftover spaghetti noodles. Scatter ashes into a strong current and camouflage the fire site with sand.

THE GOODS:
It’s no surprise that Great Outdoor Provision Co. keeps stock on what it takes to get you into the woods. But we also carry what you need to get out of wilds without giving Mother Nature a bad hair day. Check out these easy-on-the-land ideas the next time you’re headed outside.

P-cord and S-biners
Once upon a time, hanging a lantern or pot-holder was as simple as driving a nail into a tree. What were we thinking? String a length of parachute cord around a tree trunk and slip on a few S-biners to hold whatever needs holding.

Cooking stoves
Instead of a fire, cook on one of our high-performance cookstoves. Our stores stock stoves from the one-person MSR Pocket Rocket (don’t forget to pack out the gas canisters!) to the Primus Atle double burner, almost big enough to handle Kate, her 8 kids, and a couple of “Survivor” rejects.

Gourmet freeze-dried foods
This ain’t your daddy’s stroganoff. Kung Pao Chicken. Pad Thai. Check out our aisle of backcountry grub and you’ll find stuff good enough to serve at your next indoor supper club. (MULEteam members SAVE 10% on foods)

Therm-a-rest Trekker Chair
You could drag a fallen tree down the creek bank for a makeshift camp chair. Or you could not.

And here are three items that will you help you forget that you never started a campfire:

• Stare at the stars instead of a fire with the Miller Planisphere. Dial up the direction you’re looking, and the mysteries of the heavens reveal themselves.
• Load up on some of our many camp-friendly games such as locally made PHD Discs and the Ogo Sport Games.
• Bunk in a North Face Dolomite or a Mountain Hardwear Flip, cushioned with a Therm-a-rest sleeping pad. These rectangular sleeping bags can be doubled up for a bag built for two. Make your own fire.

Mark Patterson is well known among kayak anglers. He is the founder of the NC Kayak Fishing Association, which has over 600 members. Mark began his website to network kayak anglers from across the state with both freshwater and saltwater interests. Mark organizes tournaments, leads species specific trips, and provides a wealth of information to kayak anglers of all levels. He also holds two annual charity events: one for Heroes on the Water and one for Sea Turtle rescue. Mark holds a degree in Biology.

We are pleased to host Mark’s Kayak Fishing clinic at our Greensboro store location on February 18, 2012 at 2pm. This first clinic is introductory in nature and will focus on kayak rigging and other topics of interest to the beginning kayak angler. If you are looking to get started with Kayak Fishing and want a good overview from an unbiased expert (and all-round good guy), this would be an excellent clinic to attend.

There is no charge to attend but we do ask two things:

1. If you are planning to attend, call our Greensboro shop so we can get some idea of how much room to make.

Dates, Time and Locations for all our Kayak Fishing Workshops can be found here

Ashley Williams (aka, Druminator) is the captain of our Kayak Fishing Team
and is extremely active in the kayak angling community, whether online, on-water or on location sharing his passion for the sport with others. Ashley’s annual Meet and Greet has evolved to become quite a social event, drawing kayak anglers from across the state. Ashley loves to talk kayak fishing with anyone who will listen and teaches numerous well attended kayak fishing clinics such as the one at the NC Aquarium. Ashley also does an annual fundraising event for the local chapter of Heroes on the Water.

We are pleased to host Ashley’s Kayak Fishing clinic at our Greenville store location. This first clinic is introductory in nature and will focus on kayak rigging and other topics of interest to the beginning kayak angler. If you are looking to get started with Kayak Fishing and want a good overview from the Druminator himself, this would be an excellent clinic to attend.

There is no charge to attend but we do ask two things:

1. If you are planning to attend, call our Greenville shop so we can get some idea of how much room to make.
2. If you find the clinic useful, consider making a small donation to Heroes on the Water.

Dates, Time and Locations for all our Kayak Fishing Workshops can be found here

How to install accessories on a sit-on-top kayak to turn a basic model into an angler model. In this part, I am installing a flush mount rod tube on the back of a Wilderness Systems Tarpon 120.

How to mount a Scotty rod holder to the Harmony Slide Trax Mounting Plate.

Thanks to Gwen in the Charlotte Shop for making these great videos.