Big Rig FD First Impressions

Spring has finally sprung here in the Northeast Ohio, ah yes good bye snow and ice hello cold rain and high winds. It’s the price we northern kayakers pay to fish some of the nations most beautiful waterways. We toil and tinker all winter in our basements and garages. Amassing vast quantities of tackle and gear. Just waiting for the first signs of spring. This year had added excitement and anxiety with the addition of the BigRig HD/FD to my plastic fleet.

First Impressions

This has been a boat i have been extremely excited about since its announced release. But i certainly wasn’t without reservations. My first concern was the shear mass of this boat. How was i going to handle getting this boat in and out of my truck? From owning the Coosa FD i knew the importance of a quality kayak cart and found moving and maneuvering the Big Rig much the same as my Coosa *whew*. My second concern was how it would handle wind,I fish Lake Erie a lot which means constant wind! I’ve now had the boat out twice and Ohio did not disappointed with its wild weather. Both trips had winds in excess of 15-20 mph, the Big Rig performed great. It tracked very well and handled both wind and waves. It does make much wider turns than my Coosa FD but that is to be expected with a much larger boat. And now for its bread and butter, Stability! This is by far the most stable boat i’ve ever been in. I was able to stand in those windy conditions and ride out bass boat wakes at the same time. This thing is rock solid!

One of my favorite things about the Big Rig is something i didn’t even put much thought into when i bought it. The ability to store rods on either side of you! When pedaling to another spot i used to have to either hold my rod or put it behind me. I love the fact that i can just set it down securely beside me and I’m ready to go as soon as i get to my next spot. Paddling the Big Rig is surprisingly easier than i thought it would be as well. I have not had a chance to swap out the FD for the HD pod yet. But have spent some time paddling it in and around lilypad fields and was pleasantly surprised in the ease in which i was able to do it.

I have certainly be impressed with the Big Rig in my first couple trips. It’s a well thought out design that fits my style of fishing perfectly. I look forward to continue putting it through its paces and sharing these adventures with you!