# Bass Pro Shops



## Soaked (Jul 21, 2006)

is having thier grand opening this week in Ft. Myers. I took a look at their first ad on their web site and they have an Ocean Scrambler XT Angler on sale for $350. I am thinking about buying it as my first kayak. I rode a few Oceans before and liked them. Does anyone have anything bad to say about this kayak for fishing? The price is certainly right.


----------



## uncdub13 (Aug 9, 2003)

for that price brand new i'd be all over it


----------



## Kayakist (Jul 25, 2006)

*Ocean Kayak*

Highly recommend you check out kayakfishingstuff.com. They have a kayak review section on their forum, one specifically set aside for Ocean kayaks. Good info.


----------



## Soaked (Jul 21, 2006)

*Got it.*

I went out and got the Scrambler XT Angler at Bass Pro Shops.  $350 and it included a seat. This is my first kayak. I am so excited I don't think I'm going to sleep tonight. I'll post how my first day of fishing on a kayak went.


----------



## Crawley6262 (Sep 14, 2006)

good luck on the first day out. i hope you get the stink off you yak. and if you are in FL you might want to check out www.jaxkayakfishing.com. it's a great sight for yakfishers a lot of great tips and rigging ideas


----------



## Railroader (Apr 13, 2005)

Well....How'd you do????


----------



## Soaked (Jul 21, 2006)

*Great Day*

 Took the new kayak out to clam pass and had a great time. I wish I would have gotten into kayaking a long time ago. Caught a 22" red on a Gulp! shrimp right off the bat. Had to put him back though, I didn't have anything to put him in. I'll have to look for a good size cooler to fit on my yak. Also caught a pufferfish and a couple very big ladyfish. My biggest problem was I didn't have an anchor and it was a windy day. The ocean scrambler was very comfortable and stable and I was very happy with it except the scupper plugs leaked and I was sitting in water most of the day.  I had no water enter the yak from over the side so I think I'm going to glue those plugs in and hopefully my next trip will be drier. What type of anchor would you guys recommend? A friend told me not to use those folding ones for kayaks as they do not work well. Should I use a chain or rope? I read in another post about someone who uses 3/16" rope with about three feet of chain at the bottom. What does the chain help with?


----------



## SeaSalt (Apr 29, 2002)

I would not glue your scupper plugs... that is not safe. Those scupper holes are there for a purpose...


----------



## uncdub13 (Aug 9, 2003)

I have one of those small folding anchors with like 18" of chain on it and it holds fine if you let out enough rope, but i dont use it very often unless i'm in deep water because it's too noisey. 99% of the time i just use a downrigger ball on about 12' of rope. Works like a charm and fits like a glove into the cupholder of my tarpon 120 since the downrigger ball has a fin on it.

For scupper plugs, get a 4 pack of those yellow foam practice golf balls and cut them in half. Drill a hole through the center and put a small piece of cord in so you can pull them out. I got a pic of mine somewhere i can post later when i get home from school. They work great.


----------



## Soaked (Jul 21, 2006)

The downrigger ball sounds like a good idea. It certainly would be a lot quieter. What size do you use? I looked at my scupper holes and I don't think anything golf ball size would seal very well because the holes are oval and maybe even a little bigger (large size red scupper plugs) I tried a real golf ball to size it and it nearly falls through. But I bet if I took the practice balls you mentioned and shoved them inside my scupper plugs it would make them seal a lot better. Give them a much tighter fit. Thanks for the idea.


----------



## uncdub13 (Aug 9, 2003)

i think it's the 6 lb size. about the size of a baseball.


----------



## Grommet (May 16, 2005)

Naples-

Go back to BPS and look for a bag of nerf-type balls. Tey're bright yellow. They sell them at our BPS as ammo for a toy crossbow or some such. I have a Tarpon, and had to REALLY cram them in the first time, but after that they've been perfect. Might work for you, and they're only $5.


----------



## narfpoit (Jun 16, 2004)

That sounds great newtoNaples. It looks like I will be down the week after Christmas do you think it will be to cold to use the kayak or should I still bring it. Also where do you put in to fish Clam Pass I have fished there before but we had to take the little tram down the boardwalk at that hotel. Anyway good luck with your new boat and keep us posted on how it is going.

John


----------



## Soaked (Jul 21, 2006)

narfpoit said:


> That sounds great newtoNaples. It looks like I will be down the week after Christmas do you think it will be to cold to use the kayak or should I still bring it. Also where do you put in to fish Clam Pass I have fished there before but we had to take the little tram down the boardwalk at that hotel. Anyway good luck with your new boat and keep us posted on how it is going.
> 
> John


I don't think it will be too cold in December. I'm originally from Pittsburgh so I don't think the Naples December cold is going to stop me from fishing. When you go to the parking lot at Clam Pass, instead of getting on the tram at the right corner of the parking lot, go to the left corner. There is a small boat launch there with a gate just wide enough to get a kayak through. You can launch your yak there but nothing motorized. Its only about 20 yards to the water. From there you can paddle all the way to the beach and Inner Clam Bay. There is a nice canoe trail that connects Clam Pass and Inner Clam Bay through the mangroves. It's a nice, scenic, peacful trip even if your not fishing. If you want to get together and do some fishing let me know. I usually go every Saturday at sunrise and sometimes Sunday too.


----------



## narfpoit (Jun 16, 2004)

newtoNaples said:


> I don't think it will be too cold in December. I'm originally from Pittsburgh so I don't think the Naples December cold is going to stop me from fishing. When you go to the parking lot at Clam Pass, instead of getting on the tram at the right corner of the parking lot, go to the left corner. There is a small boat launch there with a gate just wide enough to get a kayak through. You can launch your yak there but nothing motorized. Its only about 20 yards to the water. From there you can paddle all the way to the beach and Inner Clam Bay. There is a nice canoe trail that connects Clam Pass and Inner Clam Bay through the mangroves. It's a nice, scenic, peacful trip even if your not fishing. If you want to get together and do some fishing let me know. I usually go every Saturday at sunrise and sometimes Sunday too.


That sounds great. We will be down there on about the 23rd and we will probably leave on the 31st so anytime you are free during that week let me know.

John


----------

