Posted by Kevin Dells from spider-tf042.proxy.aol.com on February 22, 2002 at 21:58:13:
In Reply to: Kayaking the kish posted by M.A. Khan on February 21, 2002 at 20:58:34:
Hello Doc, and welcome to the paddling world.I think what miser said is very true about debris on the Kish.I have a current Designs Kevlar composite Kayak its about 14 feet in length and is a bear to steer through the Kishwaukees curves.i would suggest trying rock cut on a nonwindy day even though Peirce lake is small when it gets windy any lake is hard to navigate.If you really want to try the Kish go out when the flow is at medium level,you will avoid a lot of the snags but wont drag bottom the whole way.One suggestion i would really recommend is learn to read the river first before attempting to paddle it.My reason for saying this is with Eddy's,Lift's and Strainers the water changes dramatically very fast.The currents swith from a forward flow to a back flow quickly,and iv'e even experienced spots where the water piles up next to a tree and rises against it,this is a dangerous situation and before you know it your getting sucked under the tree.This has happened to me and i didnt like it at all.Dont let me discourage you at all you will have a great time on the Kish,just learn your boat and its capability's first.I will even suggest a day on the Rock before the boating gets to heavy,you will find that paddling straight and tracking a straight line is even somewhat tough to a begginer.If you inflate your kayak to maximum capacity it will get less water drag and manuvuer easier due to less boat in the water,it will turn quicker as well.
Miser mentioned Canoeacopia and yes it's March 8-10Th at the Dane County Exposium which the name has been changed to the Energy Center.Showtimes are Friday 4-9pm,Saturday 9-6,and Sunday10-5 admission is 5$ and parking 4$. This is a great show,but what i think is the best about it is the speakers.My favorites are Cliff Jacobsen the canoe camping guru of the world,this man has taught me so many things about the sport and it's tricks.Let me see if anybody can answer my favorite trick.If you were heading out on a week long canoe camping trip and your backpack was almost to heavy to carry,how do you take 2 anchors with you with out putting the weight of the pack over the top.(or two fully functional anchors under a pound in total weight) check back in a day or two for the answer if you already havent figured it out,oh yea and a depth finder as well all under a pound! I would like to see if anyone knows this trick i use it every year! Hint it also cost less then ten dollars for both anchors and the depth finder!This is something i learned at Cliff's seminar three years ago.Another speaker who is awesome is Mike Svob,Mike has two great books out on the marketPaddling Northern Wisconsin and Paddling Southern Wisconsin,the trips these books will lead you on are dynamite.My wife and i took the Manitowish River trip from Mikes Northen Wisc. Book and i think we had the time of our lives.Great fishing,great outfitter,The best primitive campsites a person could ask for,and we saw NOONE for three day's.We did see Osprey,Eagles,otters,no bears,And we did have a buck watch us paddle by about twenty feet from us.The really cool part was the Manitowish River dumps into the Turtle Flambeau Flowage in the Quiet section which is no wake zone.Camping on the Flowage is on islands,peninsulas and scattered here and there so all you do is find an empty site,set-up,grab a bite to eat and go fishing or paddling till sundown.I highly recommend this wonderful trip it's easy paddling and an awesome place to fish and camp,we plan on going back this July.
Cliffs seminars are Saturday at 11:30 topic -stormproffing your campsite
and Saturday at 3:30 topic Best of camping and canoeing secrets(highly recommended)
Mike Svob's seminar is Saturday at 9:30am topic best rivers and streams of southern wisconsin. Im planning on going Friday night unfortunatly my Daughters birthday is that Saturday and the Smallmouth Alliance meeting is on Sunday so that weekend is PACKED! Miser when are you planning to go,if you would like why dont you and the warden join us for a night at Canoeacopia,we always have fun and spend to much! Last thing guy's if you are in the market for a canoe or kayak friday is the best time to go a lot fo the boats are gone by Saturday and Sunday.Doc hope i helped let me know if i can answer any other questions for you, and if you would like to paddle the river with someone who has done it many times before i would love to join you,im from Cherry Valley and i know the river well.Kevin Dells