General Questions

[Cyrinn]

I have been interested in kayak fishing for a long time now, and my dreams may be realized soon. I am most interested in fishing offshore, anywhere from just outside the surf to maybe a few miles out. I will start by fishing inshore first, so any advice on that is welcome as well.

I have some questions for those yakkers out there (random and pertaining to offshore activities):

1. What is the protocol for launching at the beach? How do avoid getting "swamped" and do you tether all your gear to the yak so you don't lose anything in the case of flipping?

2. How do you fight and land big fish? Do you play them out for a long time with light drag until they are dead? Seems like a big fish could make a run right under the yak and flip you. I imagine the fish would pull the yak quite a bit, is throwing out a drift sock advisable?

3. In the areas where kingfish and other big game species roam close to shore, how do you target them? Trolling plugs? Live bait? Dead bait?

4. Anything else helpful would be great!

Site specific questions: Anyone here care to give me some tips on fishing the lagoon system (mosquito, indian river, banana river) and offshore launching around port canaveral? I live in Kissimmee, so whatever is within a reasonable drive from there (1.5 hrs max). I can share what I know about fishing the Cedar Key and St. Augustine areas.

Thanks!

[Cookinman]

I have been interested in kayak fishing for a long time now, and my dreams may be realized soon. I am most interested in fishing offshore, anywhere from just outside the surf to maybe a few miles out. I will start by fishing inshore first, so any advice on that is welcome as well.

I have some questions for those yakkers out there (random and pertaining to offshore activities):

1. What is the protocol for launching at the beach? How do avoid getting "swamped" and do you tether all your gear to the yak so you don't lose anything in the case of flipping? Put you kayak in the water and paddle out...

2. How do you fight and land big fish? Do you play them out for a long time with light drag until they are dead? Seems like a big fish could make a run right under the yak and flip you. I imagine the fish would pull the yak quite a bit, is throwing out a drift sock advisable?

3. In the areas where kingfish and other big game species roam close to shore, how do you target them? Trolling plugs? Live bait? Dead bait?

4. Anything else helpful would be great!

Site specific questions: Anyone here care to give me some tips on fishing the lagoon system (mosquito, indian river, banana river) and offshore launching around port canaveral? I live in Kissimmee, so whatever is within a reasonable drive from there (1.5 hrs max). I can share what I know about fishing the Cedar Key and St. Augustine areas.

Thanks!

1 - Put your kayak in the water and just paddle out...
You can launch and land anywhere there are no lifegaurds...Launch is easy in anything 3-5 or less...most good yaks will cut the waves. Coming back is a little tricky the first few times if there are waves....if not, it is easy. If so - make sure you are perfectly perpandicular to the break, meaning you will likely NOT be totally perpandicular to shore. Surf in, you can use youer paddle as a rudder most times.....This will help you avoid a wave catching the tail of the yak, spinning you just in time to get rolled by the next wave....with a little practice ( without gear )you can get this down easiliy....Most SOT yaks have scupper holes to drain any water....I'd not advise a Sit-in yak for ocean use, too easy to swamp good luck getting all the water out and back in it in that case.......

Good idea to go out just over your head ( like 10 ft ) and dump the yak. Practice flipping it back over and re entry when you cannot touvh bottom. current is your friend here if you use it to your advantage getting back in the yak. You will want to be confortable with this before you birng gear out. Make or buy leashes for your rods...Flippng and cleaning reels sucks...I know - as I have had to do it - Buying new stuff sucks worse.

Easy to make - I made mine W quick connects donated by the local supermarket shopping carts...or but..IMHO overpriced at like $20 a pop....




I also suggest making a milk crate rod holder to start. This can be a simple as pvc tubes tie wrapped in each corner and bungeed down to the yak or as elaborate as you care to go. I have a few different based on where I am fishing and what it need to do - either keep rods straight up to pass narrow sawgrass trails or slanted to troll and hold a trolled rod strong enpough to a good king hit does not rip it away ...lol





or



THEN after you have fished it a couple dozen times, and know where things feel good go ahead and drill some rod holders in.

Remember things feel different reaching behind you in the ocean than on the garage floor...

2 - Carefully...lol JK - You got it loose drag until you haver him well tired out, then bring him in....Drift sock is essential if targeting big fish ( by big, I mean over 100# tarpon, sharks, sails etc )


3 - I troll whenever I am moving in my yak...Last trip my pal nailed 2 kings before we got past 40' deep on a Mann's stretch 25. If Live Pilchards/ runners / dork jacks / dines, watever.... are easy to nail in the surf, I Will take a 5 gallon bucket ful W an aereator - Weighs a ton though.....I like to get over good live bottom or a wrech and drop a butterfly jig....Have caught almost everty variety of fish with them.....good stuff !









...lol I just realized I have a lucky shirt


4 - Never fished the 'goon....sory no help.

[mrwetwork]

I have compiled a list of lagoon tips.

1. Bring as little gear as possible. (Trust me, you probably don't need it.)
2. Bring a hat!
3. Bring a pair of sunglasses!
4. Stake out pole!!!!!!!!

If you want "fishing" tips... good luck, i'm new to the yak but those are the things I learned in my first few trips.

[Cyrinn]

Wow Cookin, that's a stellar post!

Some good ideas you got there, and landing those bonito and cuda is no joke...must have taken awhile to completely tire out the bonito! looks like it takes some investment (both time and $$), but landing big fish offshore has to be a rush well worth it. What have you caught on butterfly jigs from your yak? I would like to hear more details...another tactic I am dying to try.

Easy to make - I made mine W quick connects donated by the local supermarket shopping carts...

LOL! I like this idea...were they donated or were they "donated" ?

I am lookin at the Ocean Kayak Prowler or Big Game. I would bet most will recommend the narrower prowler, but I am considering sacrificing some speed for stability...I figure I can stand and pole in the Big Game better.

So less is more in the lagoon? I am not surprised, I fished in my friend's canoe in the intracoastal around St. Augustine, got the system down pretty quick.

[mrwetwork]

I have the prowler, good friend has the big game. He won't stand up in his. I however, sight fish for hours at a time in the lagoon on mine, poling with my stakeout stick.. It's down to balance, and comfort with the yak! Try em out, stand up, flip em, etc. Mine is faster than his... but would I say its ridiculously faster? No... and if you're going solo the prowler is waaay lighter and easier to load.

Try before you buy!

[Cookinman]

Wow Cookin, that's a stellar post!

LOL! I like this idea...were they donated or were they "donated" ?

Anytime - I STILL have not drilled but one rodholder in My scupper pro after 3 or so years...lol

The straps were donated righly - I Tried to buy em - store manager had no contingency for that - Saidthey come from corporate all rigged up
then said, to go grab a couple off the few broken cars he had...Cool guy - He gets a # of smoked fish dip everytime I make a batch....

Your dimensions will make a big difference in the yak you choose. I am 6' 190 and just fit my Scupper Pro - any bigger I woulkd not like it as much. If you are not a big guy - the Big game is too much to hassle with IMHO.

Paddle a few of these - just for a start, these seem to keep showing up on the east coast beaches....
Tarpon 120 - fast - pretty stable
Hertitage 14 ( redfish or Marquesa) a tad slower, Pretty roomy cockpit
Ocean Kayak - Scupper Pro ( coming back out in 09 ) one of the fastest most stable yaks designed for the ocean - a tad narrow and placement of fishing gear requires a little thought. I regulkarly go out in conditions other yaks do nbot feel good in on mine ...
Ocean Kayak Trident ( pricey but the best pure offshore fishing platform IMHO )
Ocean Kayak Prowler 13 or 15 ( matter of preference as to which one ) IF I did not have a Scupper, I'd grab a prowler or Trident honestly - But I got a great deal on a used Scupper and really have no complaints of worth

Also You COULD buy a 'fishing' model of any of these. Not a bad idea, but I think rigging is half the fun and also you want to be able to put things where you want em not where the store owner does....Also it is a little more $$ to go that way.

I'd go to a reputable yak dealer and try out a few on "demo days"....Many times they also have a once a year sell off of the demo models. If it does not leak, you are better off goin w/ used you will save a bundle as outfitting one to your spec and can easily eclipe the price of the tupperware itself !

[Cookinman]

Almost forgot - some good info here as well - look around the site !

http://www.kayakfishingstuff.com/

[mmcauliffe]

General question....

I don't recall seeing coolers on any of the rigs I've seen. What do you do with the fish you catch, expecially in the FL heat, untill you can get back to your vehicle where I presume there is a cooler full of ice? Do you all have coolers on board and I just missed them or?

[Cookinman]

When I am harvesting fish, this is what I use.

http://www.creativefeathers.com/