As the cold of winter recedes into the on coming warmth of spring the wetland ecosystem is coming alive and with it the wakening of the planet's most prehistoric looking creature, the Common Snapping Turtle.
In the past I have searched out these Mud Dragons on foot. Fighting through thick leg swallowing mud and sloshing about in mutagen looking algae... hoping to bump into what most would consider a nightmare armed with razor sharp claws and a bite that can crush bone. This year the game has changed and I can proudly say I have been sponsored by Emotion Kayaks to represent the Stealth Angler Fishing Kayak.
Brilliantly imagined by legendary kayak designer Jim Snyder, the Stealth Angler is an extremely versatile sit-on-top fishing kayak built for any water condition ones heart desires. From lakes and ponds to slow moving rivers and creeks...or in my case SWAMPS! The ST Performance Hull provides outstanding stability, speed and tracking in a convenient 10 foot 3 inch package that allows me to get closer to MONSTER sized turtles then ever before. The Stealth is loaded with great features and is equipped with a Triple Threat Fishing Configuration and a contoured tankwell with New Cargo Net Lacing System to accommodate any gear I need to carry with me.
I put the Stealth Angler to the test last night and my success was uncanny. Not only was I able to silently glide across the water with remarkable speed and precision, but I was even able to stand up on the kayak with incredible stability even when jumping from it to capture my first Mud Dragons of the season!
The first capture was a 27 lb male who was all attitude! A field guide perfect specimen, capturing him was literally as simple as gliding up along side his lumbering carapace as it breached the surface, hopping to my feet, balancing on the kayak and leaping into the murky water.
The second capture of the evening was an absolute monster! You are looking at Cornelius a 50 lb plus male who I have been researching for the past 4 years. The last time he was captured was June 2011 and since then he has grown so much that I almost didn't recognize him.
To my knowledge and research this is one of the largest Common Snapping Turtles on record in the United States. A true legend in the making and he is as healthy as I have ever seen him!
Cornelius is so big that he fills the front of the Stealth Angler. I consider myself fortunate, getting him to behave while we paddled from the mud shallows to shore was a much welcome change after struggling to get him into the Stealth Angler - which also involved me getting bit or rather nipped on the arm. The chunk out of my forearm isn't half as bad as it could have been had he managed to get a better grip on me!
For my first adventure out on Emotion Kayaks Stealth Angler I couldn't have been happier with the performance and my results.
Its going to be one heck of a Mud Dragon season...my chances of finding and capturing a New World Record have never been better and as the duck weed and lily pads begin to emerge, giving these ancient looking creatures the hiding places they desire, I will be there ready to give chase as this modern day "white whale" story continues to unfold.
Stay tuned...There will be MUD!
In the mean time check out Emotion Kayaks website and the one and only Stealth Angler!
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