Kayak fishing

[dudley]

I think it is much more important to have bright paddles.
My fishing partner has sky/sea camo colored paddles. They are almost unnoticeable.
White or other light colored paddles seem to flash in the sun.
This is a good thing.
I have had power boats seem to ignore me on purpose.
Bright paddles flashing in the sun every time you take a stroke goes a long way to get you noticed

My kayak is red, my PFD is yellow, My paddles are white.
If I'm in trouble, I want to be seen!!

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fishing will do a lot for a man, but it won't make him truthful




[This message has been edited by dudley (edited 07 March 2006).]

[DEcevR]

The worse ones are the bassboat guys.....they seem to try and swap kayaks on the Susquehanna Flats........I have personally experienced it and have seen others in the same situation.

In the ocean it is a different level of boaters mentality....they all seem to steer clear once noticed.

I agree bright paddles are important as well.

[Thwack]

Tyflier,

Last time I was out on one of the long narrow reserviors out here, there was a guy in one of those inflatable yaks. He was a good ways from the launch ramp (mile, maybe mile and a half) and was paddling all over with no problems.

Looks like a slightly odd shaped float tube. Might be a little slower on the water since the sides aren't as stiff but I doubt the difference matters much.

I've pondered them because they might fold up small enough to tuck in the back of a Cessna while I'm flying somewhere to fish (vs. having to rent a boat once I get there).

I don't think they'd be light enough to backpack into anywhere interesting though. My float tube has the same problem (too heavy and bulky even when deflated to be able to backpack it anywhere).

Hextall, regards your question about kayaks and trout streams: of course much depends on the flow rate. I can't imagine fishing the Sugar River in Newport with a flow of 300cfs, but I have fished the Merrimack (although it was with spinning tackle) numerous times from my Old Town Loon 111. I have also fished "gentle" streams like the Spickett and Exeter Rivers without a problem. Working your tackle while drifting along is definitely doable. And, of course, sometimes one just "hooks up" to a convenient branch or drops anchor to hold in any one spot for a time. Simply put, depending on the stream or river and cfs, yak fishing is easily done.

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"I yam what I yam, and that's all that I yam!" (Popeye the Sailor)

[billknepp]

Tyflier,

You might also be intrested in a site I found while looking for a used yak...not sure of the name but it kept coming up with every google search I ran....
It was of Folding Yak's....Very interesting and if it were not for that Hobie Mirage Drive....I think it's the way I'd go....Have you seen that video on their site yet??....Very Kewl....I also notice Thwack keeps saying Pedal....and not paddle...lol

[This message has been edited by billknepp (edited 08 March 2006).]

[Plain Old Jim]

Not sure if they have a folding YAK or not....but SeaEagle.com has a folding pontoon they call the FoldCat.

Gem

[Thwack]

Pedalling is much easier.

My daughter, when she was 10 yrs old, came kayaking on a local reservior where one of the yak shops rents pretty much anything you might want to try.

She couldn't quite get the hang of paddling in the tandem so we wouldn't let her try going out solo in a regular kayak.

Instead, I put her in my Hobie Outback and adjusted the pedals to fit her (takes only a couple seconds to adjust them). I hopped in a regular paddle-type SIK and followed her just in case.

Within seconds, she was whooping and laughing and cutting donuts in the water (on purpose)...thrilled at suddenly being able to do it all on her own.

Can't get much simpler than something a 10 yr old can master in a few seconds of trying.

Now, if I could just get her to take up fly fishing, I'd have somebody to fish with...

[BigFlatBrook]

First of all, let me say thanks for all good information posted on this thread. And, Jim Sentell, thanks for the offer to hook me up with loudog -- I remember him posting here.

I have another question or two.

Can you get by with fishing a smaller rod on a kayak because you can get closer to the fish? Maybe an 8-weight rather than a 10-weight? Even if you can get by, would you want to?

Also, I have heard that salt water can damage breathable waders. So maybe I wouldn't want to have my regular trout fishing waders to serve double duty on the kayak. Any truth to that?

[Ct Don]

BFR,

Some thoughts:

I don't have nearly as much leverage when sitting on a yak with my legs straight out in front of me as when I'm standing, therefore I can't cast nearly as far sitting in a yak as I can standing.

You aren't as high out of the water when sitting in the yak.

I assume that you are talking about salt water fishing. The wind blows harder over open water and it seems never to be blowing to your advantage.

My suggestion would be, use a long rod with lots of authority as you are handicapped many ways.

I've been using my Simms gortex waders for two years in the salt with no adverse effects.

Don

[Jim Sentell]

BigFlatBrook:

An 8wt is fine, plenty of guts for anything. Don't worry about your waders, as with any salwater fishing, you should have a jug of fresh water and rinse everything down when you're finished. My fishin' buddy, FisherTim here, carries a large spray bottle of fresh water. When the day is done, everything gets rinsed; rod, reel, waders, etc. Then, when you get home, hose 'em down real good.

Ct Don:

Why would you need to make a "long" cast? You're in a kayak, you can "get up there" quickly and quietly without spooking anyone!