I know absolutely zilch about fly fishing the saltwater. But I want to. I have purchased every fly rod weight from 7wt through 10wt inclusive. I have also purchased the Albright 8/9wt spey and the 10/11wt spey. Wondering if I need the 9/10wt spey since they are only $80.
Anywhooo…I visited my son 50 miles north of San Francisco. I would like to spend time up there and fish the ocean. But all I saw was crashing waves into the rocks. From that view I could not imagine fishing the salt with a kayak.
Question is this. I have terribly bad feet discomfort when standing. So fishing from the shore would be a pain for me. If one can find places to fish the ocean in a kayak…how about my little 8’ foam filled boat? I love it. I don’t think you can sink it or capsize it. I have rigged an anchor for boaf ends of the boat with rope ratchets. All I have to do to drop one of the anchors is push a button. All I have to do to move is pull on the rope till the anchor is up out of the water and the rope ratchet automatically latches…and I just lay the rope down in the boat. I have a 6hp Johnson gas motor given to me…but have never tried it out. Wondering if it is too big of weight for my boat…plus you need room for a gas tank.
But I do have a 28lb thrust trolling motor and a 50lb thrust trolling motor.
Would this boat work in the Pacific…anywhere? Or where ever people are using kayaks?
I fished the North Pacific in and around the Queen Charlotte Islands. (60 miles from Alaska ) for many years in a kayak. You have to be very careful, check the weather all the time and pick sheltered bays and coves to fish in. My Kayak was a 18 foot folboat and very seaworthy. I have caught everything from salmon to a 6 foot shark and 250 lb halibut out of that folboat. The most danger comes when an offshore wind decides to push you offshore. It will exhaust you trying to fight the tide and the wind sometimes. Which is why I would not reccomend a small boat. At least with a Kayak you can paddle ashore. Sometimes you have to bite the bullet and tell yourself that the conditions are just not right and you will have to stay home that day.
It is the shoreline that is hard to land on without a wave rolling you up and spitting you out. I usually tried to depart from and land back at a pier or dock where the waves didn’t affect the landing.
Pick your spots and your calm weather days carefully and Kayak fishing is a blast. It is a real hoot having a 50lb plus fish towing you around the ocean. On occasion when a seal would bump the Kayak you got to find out just how fast your heart could race. There was a quite famous harbour seal named Charlie near Kyuquot BC that would bump your boat to beg for a fish.
Another fun thing is to have an Orca cruise over to within 10 feet of you just for a look. Oh Sure you know that there has never been an incident of an Orca attacking a man but that is not an easy thing to contemplate when One of them actually takes an interest in you.
GBF
Thank you for the very interesting post. All that mother nature info really sounds like a blast. I love that kind of stuff. Go out on a lake where I live, get way on other side, in an inflatable…and not see it coming…and an Osprey dives into the water within 8’ of you and takes a fish, and lumbers off flying with it up to a tree. Quite startling…but a real thrill seeing mother nature in live action. I would really like to experience the things you have. Looks like the better boat woud be a kayak. Guess I will have to start saving for one. I plan for in the future to try and find an RV spot in the Pacific NW to stay months at a time. Therefore learn the salt. Right now I am totally clueless.
Those crashing waves are the result of swells. Those swells which are not consistent in size or frequency will swamp your small anchored boat.
Kayaks and Pontoons in the ocean are one thing, been there done that. But I would never take my 8’ western into the ocean.
North of San Francisco the PO can be tricky to get beyond the breakers. Very rocky with waves crashing constantly. Try Jenner or the Fort Ross area you will find calmer waters, but the currents are strong about 3/4 to a mile out. Also, watch for postings for marine reserves. South of San Francisco the PO is calmer and less rocky, but strong rip currents are the norm.
I live in Eureka – right on tthe north coast. I wouldn’t begin to think about going out in the ocean in an 8 ft. boat---- unless you have a death wish. If you are going to be fly fishing out of it, you will probablyhave the urge to stand up and that means falling out. They fish old guys out of the surf every year up here because someone went out in their 10 ft. or 12 foot boat and either capsized or fell out. Up here – and it is the same anywhere on the north coast, you have maybe 20 minutes of survival time once you hit the water and start to get hypothermia— 20 minutes and thats it. So, if you want to become crab bait, go ahead and try the small boat.
If you want to learn how to fish out of a kayak, then you might be a little safer but the key is knowing what you are doing. There is a place up here call HUMBOATS that sells and takes people fishing in Kayaks and they might b e able to give you some good information. They are in the phone book.
Bottom line, be safe and stay out of the ocean or off the near coast in that 8 footer.
Sounds like I don’t have a boat for that. So I am stuck with shore fishing. How about a 16’ Modified V-Hull boat with a 25hp motor? Or a 24’ pontoon boat with a 75hp motor? Can they be swamped in the fishing areas? I don’t have either. But know where I can get either one if I save enough money.
My son says he sees people fishing from shore and catching. He does not fish or hunt. But he likes to backpack, hike, ride mountain bikes, and get up into the mountains and camp out. He caught trout when he was little, but now has no interest in fishing. Don’t think he is that far from Jenner.
Is the coast that tough all the way up the PNW? My son is on 101, Rohnert Part…between Santa Rosa and Petaluma. Would like to spend time near him and fish the salt. But also have pipe dreams of going from there on up the coast fishing into Oregon and WA.
Thanks Orthoman,
Your post was not in when I posted to Tyrone. Just got your post. Passed in transition I guess.
Anywhoo…thanks for the info. I would have tried it, not being advised against it…because I have no fear of being in the water, or capsizing. Swam a lot as a kid. I capsized a lighter fiberglass boat last year and lost all my gear. Learned from that. But found out I still have no fear or panic when I capsized. Hanging in the water with waders on, hanging on to the upside down boat…hanging on to the trolling motor shaft. I was able to crawl up onto the upside down boat and lay on it.
Point being since I do not fear being dumped into the brink…I would have tried something like that. So thank you for the advise. Nothing better than knowledge, and word of mouth knowledge is the best there is.
Thanks for the info. I now understand…and will not be considering it at all. The ocean a lot different than a calm lake. I got it.
However, I understand, I fell out of my boat on a lake also --fortunately was close enough to shore that I got out.The day before I was fisihing in a high mountain lake in my pram–the lake still had lots of ice and snow around it. If I had fallen out that day, I wouldn’t be here to talk about it. You just don’t have the same opportunity in the ocean and as i mentioned, the water is very cold and the surf can be rough and you only have a short time before the cold gets you regardless of how good a swimmer or how strong you are. If I saw you up here launching an 8 foot boat with the intention of taking it into the ocean, I would do all i could to stop you maybe even call the coast guard. We loose a couple people every year up here and it could have been avoided.
The ocean kayaking thing is another matter and looks fun-- just get some instruction. People do it all the time up here—its a different kind of boating. Go for it. just avoid the small open boat.
Sorry Gemrod, my reply was for Kayaking and not an 8’ boat. The PO up in Orthoman area (Eureka) is very rough and not for the faint of heart, but there are place near your son between Jenner and Fort Ross that are calm. I scuba dived the area for years using a dive board (10’ long, low profile, narrow with storage hatch that you ride on top). Call KING’S SPORT & TACKLE in GUERNEVILLE 16258 MAIN STREET 95446 (707)869-2156. They should have info for you. As always, be sure someone knows your plans if you are going out alone. It would be wise if you bring someone along with knowledge of the area. Like Orthoman said, that part of the CA coast can and is dangerous so be prepared and stay in the sheltered areas.
Tyrone and Orthoman,
thanks again for the great ino. was not aware…or hadn’t thought of the hypothermia situation. Last time I swam in the ocean was down arould Los Angeles in the 50’s.
I have been looking for RV spots in Guerniville already. So nice to get the shop information. I went to spend Christmas with my son. Wasn’t sure I could afford it. So…didn’t go till two days after Christmas. But spent a nice week up there. I love it up there. I feel better and breathe better on the ocean side of the mountain range…especially Rohnert Park and the coast and north…Bodega Bay…etc. But wow what the cost of housing or camping is!
