Jackson Superfishal SUP test run

[MikeA]

Dave and I headed to the Elk for a test of the Jackson Superfishal. Fishing was decent and most fish took a PT.

Nikon AW 100 point and shoot camera.







Several Rainbows the sizes of the ones above and I think Dave got a Brown or two. Talked to TWRA who was there taking a poll on fishing the Elk. He laughed at my "heck Yea" response about increasing the size limit on the Elk. He was in favor as well. Very nice guy and great to see them on a river that seems to not be living up to it's full potential.




About the only living thing I found in the water.... With all the grass I saw no invertebrate or Black fly... CI wonder if there is sort of industrial insecticide getting into the river?



I LOVE the new Werner Paddle. Always wondered if these paddles were worth it. Short answer, YES!


Dave on his SUP. I think he was doing some yoga on this run.


Couldn't help myself....


Overview of the layout of the Superfishal. This cooler is temp. I plan to put a better roto molded cooler I think.

[MikeA]

My first impression of the Jackson Superfishal. Keep in mind I'm a rank amateur paddler...

The boat has a much thinner profile then the Coosa and doesn't seem to get blown around as bad. Yesterday there were 20 mph gusts blowing so I got a good test of that.
IMO it's much more stable than the Coosa somehow. I can stand on it facing front, back, or sideways. I can stand in the center, rear, or front, and moving around on the board is very easy. I never felt like I was going to go over and never had any scary moments.
It paddles vey  easy and with a kayak paddle in the sitting position you could cover some serious water in a hurry. I played around in the few riffles and my first impression is that it isn't as responsive as the Coosa but only slightly less. Certainly not enough to sway a decision either way.

Over all my first impression is that once I get a better cooler or seat mounted on this boat it will become my preferred craft for fly fishing. If your in the market for a Kayak do give this on a test run. It's an impressive craft that I think is going to keep getting better.

[MikeA]

One other thing..

I finally used one of the Redington Crosswater 5wts I ordered last year. What a sweet, sweet, 5wt. I prefer a slower softer rod for Indicator fishing and this one is no slouch. Despite the extremely low cost this thing will bang out some line, put the yarn where you want it, and protects light tippet as well as my SLT. I'm usually too scared to take my precious SLT on a kayak trip but now I've got a rod that can do the job and almost feels as good in the hand as the Sage.

I think these are discontinued so if you look around you may find them for a steal. If you like a slower rod you'll love these for the price.

[czkid]

TWRA needs to do some serious work with the State boys if they are going to keep out of state folks buying a license based on the Elk.  Serious decline in the numbers of folk from Huntsville purchasing the $80+ ticket.

Ralph

[gaspergou]

Other than the wind it was a great day to be on the water.



Mike's SUP seemed rock solid stable. For everything except long flatwater paddles it seems like it would rock. 



It was really good to hear that TWRA is considering a minimum length limit on browns; with a little bit of signage, a little bit of enforcement, and a  slight shift in the brown/rainbow stocking ratio this could be a fantastic fishery.

As for the effluent from the watercress farms, I'll have some folks check into that...

[MikeA]

There is something really wrong going on in that river.....

[Bfish]

Nice review.  Curious on a comparison between the Coosa and the SuperFishal drafts when pulling it up river while wading.  Think of some super shallow shoals that require wading.

[czkid]

Mike;

You certainly have that right!!!  I've fished the Elk for years and the last 18-24 months have been a travesty.  Would I be incorrect in assuming that there is a cash shortage, or are politics playing a part in all of this?  The fact that the only thing being stocked of late are undersized browns is rediculous... the initial excuse that there were problems at the hatchery could "play" only once... other arrangements could have been made in the interim or the problems alleviated... what's the excuse this time???

[David L. Darnell]

There is something really wrong going on in that river.....

been saying this for the last few years, other than the Cicadas two years ago, been on a spiral for sometime.

[MikeA]

Bfish the draft may be a bit shallower on the SUP but not much. 1/2 maybe.

If I lived near and fished the Elk I'd start getting someone involved in figuring out where the aquatic insects are??? That river pretty much has min flow, gravel doesn't dewater, and plenty of grass. It's void of insects in the grass. That's not right. I'm no expert by a looooong shot but to me it seems like you have a silt problem or an insecticide problem.... Wouldn't be hard to find where both of those problems arise. 

[David L. Darnell]

Bfish the draft may be a bit shallower on the SUP but not much. 1/2 maybe.

If I lived near and fished the Elk I'd start getting someone involved in figuring out where the aquatic insects are??? That river pretty much has min flow, gravel doesn't dewater, and plenty of grass. It's void of insects in the grass. That's not right. I'm no expert by a looooong shot but to me it seems like you have a silt problem or an insecticide problem.... Wouldn't be hard to find where both of those problems arise.

Midges and a Caddis coming on the last few years.

In the summer and into the fall the river starts smelling like a sewer, fungus/goog on the rocks, it's coming out of the lake,  my uneducated guess is run off from all the homes.

[Travis C.]

I believe the ones I seen out a Percy a couple weekends ago were Jacksons. They were on one knee paddling across the lake but it was windy with big chop. It was a suprise how well the boards moved both speed and stability.

[MikeA]

Your missing Black Fly, scud, and sowbugs big time. Ever see Crawfish or Sclupin in there David?  I've only fished the river twice in two years so I shouldn't even be complaining but,,, both times I noticed that once you leave the stocking areas the Trout numbers go way down. I know every river is different and I may not be fishing it properly or have the best bug for it but you should at least see more fish than we did floating along stealthy in a standing position. The fish that do make it seem to be in perfect condition and very feisty so there is hope.

Does anyone know the number of Trout stocked into the river the last few years? 

Didn't something happen a few years ago that made them warm the lower section up for a minnow of some sort?

[Travis C.]

Didn't something happen a few years ago that made them warm the lower section up for a minnow of some sort?

Boulder Darter

http://www.tva.com/river/timsfordtemp/

"After careful study, TVA and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USF&WS) agreed that TVA would modify its hydropower operations at Tims Ford Dam to warm up the temperature of the tailwater to help protect and promote recovery of the boulder darter and listed mussels. These modifications also should result in improvements to the warm-water recreational fishery in the Elk River.

In 2008, TVA began adjusting releases from Tims Ford Dam to provide temperatures suitable for boulder darters, listed mussels and other warm-water species downstream of the cold-water trout fishery. Water temperatures are being monitored along the length of the tailwater with the goal of adjusting the operation of Tims Ford Dam to keep water temperatures at the Farris Creek stream gage (Elk River Mile 124) within the targeted temperature range for trout while keeping water temperatures near the Fayetteville stream gage (Elk River Mile 93) similar to seasonal temperatures in free-flowing streams in the region, which can reach the mid-80s (F) during late summer."

[MidTNKayakAngler]

Nice review Mike. I was hoping to paddle one last weekend at the Paddlefest on Old Hickory, but was unable to. I've only paddled one SUP and that was 3-4 years ago, it was an inflatable, and not made for fishing. It was slow, wobbly, and had a 20'+ turning radius. The Superfishal sounds like a nice craft for small flowing waters with a 5/6wt, and Yeti cooler.

Jeremy