Kayak Fishing Reports - May 2005

[NIGHTSTRIKES]

http://www.kayaksportfishing.com/logos/logo_mini_a.jpg Ok Let's Here About Those Yak Attacks !!!
This is your place to post fishing reports,talk about Kayaks and to plan your adventures....
Have Fun Guys,,,,
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[ 05-14-2005, 05:45 PM: Message edited by: NIGHTSTRIKES ]

[Bgsdad]

Great Strikes. I'm concentrating on the surf right now but the Yak will be floatin again soon! It's a fish catchin machine!!

[doyle007]

hit a local bridge on the outgoing this morning. the w*nd was strong enough to push me up current. the fly rod was used only for a short time because of it. lots of blues, some pretty big, were caught on a white bucktail and pink fin-s. one was big enough to tow me around for some time.

[Bridge Kid]

Im gon have to break out the yak now!!!

[Fly fish]

Was out near a bridge this afternoon and managed 6 blues and many more lost jig heads. 2-5 lbs. 2:30-4pm.

[jettiejock]

Let me be the first to post a picture on this thread. It is alittle late but here is a night time bass picked up last week on the outgoing. Fell to a black bomber trolled slowly along a creek mouth. It is great to have our own thread! http://www.myfishpix.com/gallery/data/539/thumbs/kfs.jpg

[jettiejock]

Sorry I am having trouble posting pictures that are the proper size

[Bridge Kid]

Sorry I missed ya last night fly fish i got tied up....I was out a lil bit ago..and lost lots of lures...Gonna try the kayak thing for the first time ever probably this week

[sic yakker]

This is going to be GREAT!!! I plan on getting out tomorrow if the thunderstorms don't come. I'll be looking forward to posting in this new kayak section!

[Fly fish]

You will not be dissapointed Bridge Kid. Be careful... soon you might find yourself trying to find out how to mount a kayak rack on that bike of yours. smile.gif smile.gif smile.gif

[Bridge Kid]

:D :D :D :D .....lol...that was a good one..

[Fly fish]

please excuse my spelling. I haven't been in school for a long time, and my memory is caput!!

For those of you who have thought about kayak fishing, I will start by explaining a few things you should know and take into consideration. Others please feel free to add, as I am only going to hit the major issues/questions I had when I started 4 years ago.

I must first start by saying since I started yak fishing, the amount of fish I have caught has easily increased 10 fold. I estimated my total striper catch last year was around 100+ stripers. Prior to having my yak I caught about 10-15, with LOTS of time put in. I have to give props to this web site for helping me with fishing skills and opening my eyes to other ways of fishing (poppers, plastic, etc.). Since I purchased my first yak, I have been able to get past the breakers on the beach and smile as I catch striper after striper while watching the guys on shore sit there catching nothing.

When fishing from land, you don't realize how many fish are sitting just outside of your casting abilities.

Also, you can paddle to the sod bank/ island across from the place you fish that is not accessable on foot and slay the stripers since it is virtually unfished. What a lot of boaters don't understand is that on the way out to their favorite fishing spots, they drive their boat right by some PRIME spots that hold nice size fish.

While you might not get the slobs you might find in some of the more well known spots only accessable by boat(unless your the kid who got towed around by that 50+ lb fish last summer in his kayak on LBI), you WILL definately increase your chances of catching some NICE fish.

It is not uncommon for a kayak fisherman to get pulled around at the mercy of a decent size fish. It has happened to me plenty of times and makes landing the fish much more enjoyable than from a boat or on shore.

What you have to realize when buying a kayak is you should try as many as you can before your purchase. Most, if not all dealers will let you take a few out for a test run. Go to a couple of different dealers to try out different brands. Do not buy the first one you try. Take your time. I suggest you take you fishing rod, and make some casts to see how the yak handles with some rocking motion.

Before you purchase your kayak, take into consideration that when you are on your kayak, you are the least visable water craft on the water. I recommend getting a yak that is a bright color so people can see you from a distance. I figured I would be fishing around bridges and paddling through high traffic areas where it is essential that other boaters see me. I was originally going to get a slate blue color which looked great, but wound up with yellow for visibility reasons. Think about it before you go for the cool looking color (although my kayak is pretty damn good looking- I must say)

I will tell you the Wilderness System Tarpon series is the best yak on the market, but everyone has their own opinion. What might work perfect for me might not work as well for someone else. Everyone has their own opinion when it comes to fishing kayaks. I did not test different yaks when I got my first, and went with the "coolest" looking one, which I regretted after I traded it for my kay I have now. Do as I say, not as I do!!!

I have owned both a sit in as well as a sit on top kayak, which I will attempt to differentiate below.

There are 2 types of kayaks you can choose from.
SOT- Sit on top
SI- Sit-In

SOT (sit on top) You actually sit on top of the kayak. Your entire body will be exposed to the elements ie. sun, wind, water splashes, cold weather.

These tend to be a bit slower than the sit in kayaks, but I have never found it to be a big deal, as I don't paddle long distances for long periods of time (over a mile each way). I'm pretty sure most kayak fisherman will agree with me on that one.

I find the sit on top models tends to have more storage space for rods, battery for a fish finder, gear, etc.

Sit on top kayaks can have zero, one or two hatches(2 recommended, if available on your model) which allow you to access the area below you. I can store my 9' fly rod fully assembled with a few other rods, no problem. My kayak is 14ft, so size really does matter... for storing fully assembled or larger 1 pc rods.

The sit on top kayaks tend to cater to the person looking to accessorize their ride with flush mount rod holders, fish finder, cooler, deck straps to hold gear down, and many other gadgets. The extra storage space below you allows you to add these extras without affecting your comfort. While all of these features can be added to both the sit-on and sit-in, the sit on top allows you to do more without taking up space where your legs would be in the sit in kayak.

The sit on top is also convenient when it comes to catching and landing fish. Having an open area around your feet allows you to turn more freely as well as fight fish with your feet hanging off one side or stradeling(sp) the kayak. While I don't usually do this, I know many people do. The open seating also allows you to turn your body enough to grab the extra rod in your flush mount rod holder behind the seat, access a cooler behind the seat or do whatever you need in the back of the yak. You can also access the front hatch this way as well.

If you were to "dump" in a sit on top kayak, re-entry is much easier (in my opinion).
First, the SOT kayaks will not fill with water. This is very important, especially if you plan on going out into the surf (although skirts are available for sit in kayaks for this reason). If you do fall off or get taken out by a wave, you flip the yak upright, if it's not already, reach over the top, grab the opposite side and pull yourself up into position. Hopefully your gear is secured, everything is there, and you go on your way.

I flipped in the surf with my SOT, got back on, paddled past the breakers and realized my container in the back was gone which held my cell phone, my lure bag and some other things that were never recovered. Luckily I had a leash on my rod. That sucked!!! Neadless to say, since then I have never paddled without everything secured, and I recommend you do the same.

The sit on top kayaks can be a little uncomfortable, but there are a bunch of aftermarket seats available which will help ease the numb butt sensation you can get from some of the model's standard built in plastic seats. I bought my SOT 2 years ago, so some of the manufacturers could have addressed the issue by now.

Si (sit in)- You "slide" into the cockpit by holding onto the sides of the cockpit and slipping in. This type of kayak is less stable when getting into(inital stability) than a SOT, but more stable once your in(secondary stability).

I was worried about the sot being unstable while I was fishing, which is one of the reasons I went with a sit in as my first kayak. I eventually found out that there are some models of sit on top kayaks that you can stand up on, given the right conditions. After owning a SOT, I descovered that the secondary stability was not as much of a factor for me as I originally thought, and I have stood up on it sight casting to bass on many occasions. Once again, try different ones out to find what works best for you.

With a sit in kayak, you will be surrounded by the cockpit from your chest down, which blocks you from most of the water, wind, etc. The opening to the cockpit is pretty big, and will let water in if it comes up that far, but usually doesn't if your in calmer water.

Skirts are available for the sit in kayaks which keep water out of the cockpit. It is basically a neoprene (wetsuit material) sleeve you slip over your body and stretch all the way around the lip on top of your cockpit. This will seal your cockpit and keep out any water. I have never owned a skirt, but wish I had when I dumped in the surf while riding a wave into shore. My kayak filled with enough water that I could not pull it up onto the beach.

If you own a skirt and flip over, you can do an eskimo roll or another roll I can't think of right now, to flip the yak back into the upright position. I'm not too sure how to do it, but you use your paddle to push you upright. Maybe someone else can explain better. Either way, the top portion of your body will be totally submerged until you right yourself. The skirt is made to pull off easily if you can't roll back upright. In that case, you pull the skirt, climb out and turn the yak over. That scared me when I thought about it, but I'm a wuss.

If you roll over or get thrown over by a wave in a sit it kayak without a skirt, it can quickly fill with water. This is not fun. Luckily when it happened to me, I was in about 3 1/2 feet of water and I was able to stand up and drag it in. If you are in deeper water and the cockpit fills with water, you have to use a hand bildge pump (definately reccommended with a sit in)to flush out the water.
The tricky part is getting back into the kayak after the water is out. There are a couple of ways to do this, but it takes some practice. Probably the easiest is to get a floatation device that they sell for your paddle. You put it on one end of the paddle, place the other side of the paddle on the kayak and pull yourself up and into the cockpit. I can imagine this is not too fun or easy unless practiced.

Most of the SI kayaks are faster in the water than the sot models. The dealer of my first kayak asked me how far I thought I would be paddling, and I had no idea. I thought I would be going long distances to find fish, but soon after I made the purchase, I realized the fish were just out of reach of my casting ability from land. If you plan on traveling long distances in your yak, a sit in would probably be better.

Sit in kayaks usually have either 1 or 2 storage compartments. One in front and/or one in back. While they are good for holding gear, they usually don't allow you to store rods since you will be sitting between the two compartments (if there are 2). The compartments are usually seperated from the cockpit by a sealed "wall" for lack of a better description.
I usually strapped an extra rod to the top of my kayak if I wanted to bring a backup rod, but the reel would get wet if there was chop.

One of the main reasons I did not like the Sit in kayak was- what do you do with a fish after you catch it? Fumbling to string a big fish through the gills was too much of a risk when it's flapping around on the top of the yak. Some fish are ok to put in the cockpit, but a nasty blue chomping on my legs was not an ideal situation for me. I used to throw bass between my legs, but it would flap around my legs and have me checking that the mouth was facing the other direction constantly. I have some precious cargo below deck if you know what I mean. That was probably the biggest reason I got a sit on top.

Another thing I found annoying is the inability to access the front and rear hatches. It is a pain to access the rear hatch, and not feel like your going to flip over doing it. The front hatch is not accessable when you are in the water.

I also could not put flush mount rod holders in a spot that was comfortable for me to access, so I mounted a Scotty (top mounted) rod holder directly in front of me. The problem with top mounted rod holders is it would get in the way when I would cast as well as catch my net when I would try to land a fish. Placing a flush mount behind the seat was out of the question. I would kill my back trying to get to it and feel unstable reaching back for it. Flush mount rod holders were not an option for the reachable area in front of me because the part that is below the surface of the kayak would be where my legs were. It's pretty tight in the cockpit and it would be uncomfortable for me to have the base where my legs were.

In my experience, the sit on top model is ideal for the type of fishing I do. Whether you are casting a spinning rod or fly rod, you have the open area in front of you for your tackle, fly line, etc.

Whatever you decide, definately get a yak. You'll be happy you did.

I hope this info is helpful, and it's something everyone should try at least once. The feeling of a fish giving you a sleigh ride is unmatched. If you have any questions, post them or email me and I'll try my best to help out.

Once you go yak, you'll never go back!!!

[barrell man]

bridge kid, We sell a kayak trailer that hooks up to a bike. They are not cheap but you could look at it and easily rig up one yourself out of scrap aluminum. I even know a guy who made his out of 2x4's and its seems to work fine for him.
barrell

[Librarian]

Got out for about two hours this morning. Only had one weakfish to show for my troubles.

[baybasser]

Good to see this forum started! I do not get out that frequently, but all of my biggest fish are taken out of my yak, (actually a poke boat). I will post this weekend after hopefully getting out in the back a few times.

[sic yakker]

I paddled back in a favorite SJ inlet this afternoon and caught 3 bluefish. Two were caught on pink plastics and one on a Bomber while trolling. @ of them had some size to them. It felt good to get out and to feel something pulling on my line. 4 hours in the kayak should help get me in shape for next saturday!

Fly fish, great post with lots of information! I agree that the WS Tarpon 140 is a great kayak.

[StickEm]

Anyone hear fish a kayak in the back bay behind Avalon? I'm looking to do a lot more fishing from my yak this summer. I keep it on 21st street just across the bay from Avalon Point Marina. Anyone else fish that area? Would love company this season...

[Bridge Kid]

I plan on goin out stone harbor back bay a couple nights a week, and the other nights will be on land!

[akozols]

Hi,

I'm dying to get out on my yak; in fact I'm dying to get out at all. My youngest boy is in little league baseball, and it's taking up all me free time.

I got a new OC Caper from TI Kayaks and got a great deal on it. I've never done a kayak before, and I'm looking forward to it. Since I live up in Delaware County in Pa, I'm going to take it out on Marsh Creek to get used to it on smooth water. I hope to hook up with some of ya to hit the backbays and surf.

Al

[jc]

barrellman where can I find info about those bike/yak trailers? I am pathetic. Get pulled over by the man over the winter and am reduced to towing my yak on a bike. Enjoy the new bridge in OC boys my hard earned dollars are paying for some of it.

[jc]

Stickem I fish behin avalon email me

[FishingNJ4ever]

JC --- bikesatwork.com for a trailer

[barrell man]

Acouple of us will be fishing beezleys tonight. Looks like the only good night this week. We will launch from the tuckahoe in n boat ramp at dusk.Anyone want to show up come on ther's usaly a couple million bass there at night this time of year. Bring a flyrod and youll catch 50 shorts.
barrell
jc I have a shop in brigantine..email me as Im not sure if I should mention business names on the barn...

[JIM KIRN]

Flyfish, WOW!!! some Great information and very helpfull, Thanks... "Good Fishin"

[Fly fish]

Thanks Jim. I know I had a bunch of questions before I started, so just thought I would try to help those interested.
stickem,
I fish Stone Harbor, but would love to hit up Avalon with you. We should try to get a group together to fish Avalon, as well as another trip to fish Stone Harbor. I know some great spots in SH that hold many fish.
Take care.

[sic yakker]

Barrell man, Thanks for the invitation. Unfortunately I did not see your post until it was too late. Keep us posted the next time you will be fishing at Beesley's Point. I'd love to fish with you guys. I have fished Beesley's from the beach but not from a kayak. I bet you guys will do well.

[the bagman]

This is my virgin post to the yak forum. Got out last night behind OC and got into the blues. About 10 in all, also two large herring that were as big as the blues. I wonder if they are part of the tarpon family by the way they look and also by the way they jump out of the water. Beautiful night low winds and hardly no one out where I was. Fushed from 10pm till 1:30am. I am going to wait until the striped ones come out of the river. Hopefully it will be soon as we head into the summer season. Yak em up. Keith the bagman

[sic yakker]

Barrell man, How did you do at BP last night? let us know. Thanks.

[Librarian]

I got out behind CISP last night. Only a couple of blues for my trouble.

And speaking of behinds, I learned something new yesterday. I tried putting my dry pants (velcro seals) on the outside of my boots. Obviously I can't get the seals tight enough over the boots. The water seeped in and when I sat in the yak it all ran up my leg and soaked my behind. Lesson learned.

[TIMMY]

Managed to get out to my favriote spot via the kayak monday night on the incoming. I got a nice striper and a few blues in my favriote hole that i usually wade out to once i have put my kayak up on the sod. I usually do much better at this spot but in a few months once i get lots of chum from all the flounder and blues that get cleaned on the back porch i know they'll be waiting for me everynight i have the chance to get out...

[Grass Sound Bass Bagger]

I hope none of the Barn BRASS don't get mad at me for posting the name of another site that in no way is in competion with the Barn at all. It is a site my brothers told me about from the West Coast called www.plasticnavy.com. (http://www.plasticnavy.com.) Maybe you guys can gleen some info to help us out this weekend in the NJ Angler classic. If I offended or crossed a line be my guest and delete this post.

GSBB

[sic yakker]

GSBB, I have visited this sight and found some good info and pics of oufitted kayaks. Thanks!

[Grass Sound Bass Bagger]

My brother is in some of those pics on the site from a recent yak tournanment down San Diego way. It was a bass only tournament, i.e. Sand bass, calico bass and rock bass ( not Stripers). They seem real organized with this out there, can't wait till it cathes on hear like it id out there. Completely different fishing there then here. They primarily fish the kelp beds with thyaks and troll alot. Here we can get into that skinny water in the bays which they just don't have in CA.

GSBB

[Fly fish]

Here are some pics. My chick hooked into a striper pulling us around on my Malibu 2 (sorry, I can't flip it).
http://www.myfishpix.com/gallery/data/500/FH000028.jpg
My Tarpon 120- rigged and ready to go (Malibu 2 with flush rod holders in back).
http://www.myfishpix.com/gallery/data/500/FH000030.jpg
Front of Tarpon (Malibu in back)
http://www.myfishpix.com/gallery/data/500/FH000032.jpg
Other people have pics????

[Fly fish]

Question...?,?,?,???
What do you guys do when you catch a big fish?
I am usually close enough to my truck that I paddle back, throw it in the cooler and head out again. I have also string'd up blues on a stringer and keep them over the side until I'm back on land, but have not done it with a large bass yet. I guess I could string it up, but it might pull me around (depending on size). Is this what you do?
I really don't have enough room for a big cooler in the back of the yak for larger fish, so I have to figure out ways to keep the fish on board until I get back without having them flip out.
I usually don't have much sunlight left when the fish are biting, and I know I miss out on other fish when I am unloading my dinner in the truck. What do you do???

[CAPTKIRK]

Flyfish,
I carry a sand spike with me. This serves several purposes, you can hold yourself against a bank by tying off to it, if you are out of the kayak and the water comes up you can tie one side to it and climb in (I have a sit in) and to answer your question you can stake down your catch and pick it up on the way in.

[Poley]

Hey Captkirk, sand spike is a great idea! havent been out in my yak for a couple of weeks. Did stop by that spot you showed me and picked up some blues. finally got my first bass on the avalon jetty hit a pink zoom. Damn I worked hard for that fish. Later!

[eelball]

Sometimes I tie them off the the side of the yak with a rope.
Sometimes I pin them under my legs and keep fishing.
Sometimes I put them in the hatch(cobra explorer), sorry barrel :D
For fluke, I can stack 3 or 4 under my legs before I go put them in the cooler, although I have lost a couple that escaped my leg lock.
For fluke I sometimes stap a cooler behind me if I'm gonna paddle any good distances.
My biggest bass was 25lb. Although I've had some others that were close and took me for some LONG rides.
I suggest we have a kayak get together. A nice central location with plenty of structure. Sod, bridges, creek mouths, ect.
Late summer, early fall. a couple bbq grills and a bunch of paddlers.
We could call it "Paddlefest 2005"
Any interest?

[barrell]

We sell 4 foot long mesh bags with a drawstring top. The kind divers use for there spear fishing catch. You could make your own from a big onion sak like clammers use.
eel the posts on the yak report outnumber the regular fishing report. The rod father must be watching... yo rodfather start a yak page and Ill buy the add at the top if eel will be the monitor.
Yes a rendevous of some type would be awsome. I will have a barbecue at the shop afterwards if we do it around brig. Ill pay for all the food b.o.b.
Barrell

[Fly fish]

Count me in eel. I know a great place in Stone harbor if we wanted to do it a bit south...

[Librarian]

Skunked at ISBP. I took my yak to the NJ Angler Tourney. I had planned on yacking around on Friday to scout out the area but the rain man did not cooperate. So I spent much of Saturday in search of water deeper than my Hobie's flippers. Did not catch anything.

Barrell and Eel. The Paddlfest thing sounds good. Any place but OC (where brewski is illegal) sounds good. Just don't have it on the same day as the South Jersey Coastal Fly Anglers have theirs and I'll be there.

What a HUGH asset it would be to have Barrell and Eel in charge of a yak forum at the Barn. These guys have probably caught more fish this year from their yaks than I have caught in my life.

[sic yakker]

Librarian, I fished at the NJ Angler Tourney and had the same problem finding deep water as you. Once I did I was able to catch 1 blue of about 24". I lost a bigger blue at the boat when he bit through my 40# flouro-leader. Caught both on a 6" Storm Shad.
I agree that a kayak get-together is a great idea. I just hope we can do it after the jetski's go home, or do it at night.

[sic yakker]

After paddling from 6:20 am to 1:30 pm I have a numb and sore a$$!!! I just ordered a Padz seat cushion for the next kayak trip!

[KAYAK DRIFTER]

I use a live line that has the big metal clips that look like a safety pin. I have the one end tied to a cleat near my seat. Also, I can carry a 48 qt. cooler mounted behind me. If I get a bigger fish, I could put it in one of my hatches, but I would have to get to a sod bank or sand bar to do that. Good fishing.

[villasbill]

Hey Flyfish,I'm new to kayaking,just bought a used Malibu 2,haven't had it out yet.Can you use a regular seat in the middle position if you go out solo or does it need to be a special one? Bought the 2 seater at the wife's request but have a feeling I'll be out solo in it mostly.Waiting another week or two to go out until the water warms a little more .I'll be sticking close to home in del bay till I get used to it.

[KeysKid]

Heres what I use to keep fish:
I have a softsided insulated fish bag that just happens to fit perfectly on the bow of my boat...its straped down tight...the zipper faces me...when I wanna keep one i just unzipp the bag and slid them in...It will hold a LARGE too ;) And keeps the fish plenty cold in hot weather.

[Fly fish]

Villasbill,
Welcome to the dark side...
You should be ok with the regular seat. If I remember correctly, the seats clip onto the cleats on the side. I think the middle position has them on the sides as well as the front and back seats. You should like the malibu. It's really stable and is great for 2 people.
Keep us updated on the reports.
Good luck, and welcome to thebassbarn.

[villasbill]

Thanks for the info Flyfish.I live about a half block from the bay and have been fishing off Villas for about 10 years in a 12 foot tin boat with a 4hp that I keep on the beach.
Usually I have a four hour window around high tide to fish,2 hours before to 2 hours after.After that the waterline is about 100 yards away and you have to go sloggin through the mud,it's not hard bottom near the shoreline.Don't have to go too far out,I usually fish the first couple dropoffs.
I've seen a lot of people plesure kayaking out here the last couple years and thought I'd give it a try.I also have a Cobra navigator that I bought from Barrellman,that one is set up pretty good for fishing.Saw the Malibu for sale used locally and the price was too good to pass up.It needs rod holders,a hatch etc.
Just thought I'd start out fishing off the Villas here this summer to get used to it and maybe this fall start trying some backbay spots.
Been lurkin on the Barn here for a year and thought I'd finally register.I'll post back in a few weeks once I start fishing.Fishing is a lot better here from about mid August to mid October.

[jettiejock]

Villasbill,
I had a ocean malibu for my first yak. If I remember correctly you will need some extensions for the regular seat to fit in the middle position. The extensions snap into the male and female clips and extend so you can reach the rear straps. Atleast that is how it worked many years ago things may have changed. Barrel would probably be able to tell you if you still need the extensions for the middle seat setup. Good luck, your gonna love the night time bite.

[sic yakker]

Villasbill,
jettyjock knows what he is talking about when he says that night time is the right time. I had a heck of a time to get him out during daylight to fish the tourney this past weekend! JJ loves the DARK for banging the striped ones. Good luck with your new ride and keep us posted with your results.

[villasbill]

Went on Ocean's site,they sell a center seat adapter.Can't tell much from the info,whether it is a set of straps or a very basic backrest.
Here is the link.
http://store.yahoo.com/oceankayak/censeatad.html

I'll try calling them tomorrow to find out more,don't know if the local dealers would carry somethig like that.

[villasbill]

actually meant to post this link

http://store.yahoo.com/oceankayak/backrests.html

[akozols]

Would anyone be interested in a get-together in the next few weeks? I just got a yak and haven't been out on it yet. I'd like to get some tips before the season starts.

Al

[barrell]

villas, If your seat has the large plastic buckles coming off the back straps you need a conversion kit to convert it to two brass snaps. Yes we have them. They are only a few bucks apiece. If you need to add a few cleats we have the cleats and rivets they are cheap also. If you want to make wheels to roll your yak the two blocks to the water get a fax number to me and Ill fax you a set of plans to make your own.
We fish 3 or 4 nights a week around atlantic county anyone can come along anytime. Im leaving now to turkey hunt four a couple days but will be back and fishing by thurdsady night weather permitting.
barrell

[villasbill]

barrell,clips are already in place.Found the conversion snaps attached to the back of one of the seats.Haven't had it out yet,didn't realize they were on there.Snapped everything in place,looks like it should be fine. I'll be contacting you in the future about getting some of the items you mention in the article on your website.
thanx
villasbill

[jc]

Was out in the yak last week behind SH/Avalon. Picked one short bass and few blues. No flounder to be had. water temp was 56 degrees and we were Waaay in the back. The extremely high tides had a lot of water back there.

[Big Kahuna]

i went out last weekend for some tog on my yak
sat was blowing around 9th st in ocean city pretty hard
got out sun morning again to another spot and got my limit of 4 tog in an hour all between 3 and 4 pounds
left them biting hard
hoping to get some more before the season shuts down

[eelball]

I'm gonna look at a calender and call barrell about setting a date for PADDLEFEST 2004!
even if we only have a few guys, I think it would still be cool.

[Keeper Seeker]

Fly fish, Thanks for the post on page one. Very informative if someone was considering options.

[ 05-25-2005, 07:33 PM: Message edited by: Keeper Seeker ]

[doyle007]

eelball, why waste time with PADDLEFEST 2004? let me know when you catch up, and have time to plan PADDLEFEST 2005. tongue.gif

by the way, last year i installed a fishfinder on my kayak, and i used GE Silicone to mount the transducer inside my hull. well, this year the transducer was not picking up the bottom, and i couldn't figure out why. i tugged a bit at the transducer, and it seemed to hold firm. i checked my connections for corrosion, and there wasn't any. well, one day as i was moving my kayak, the transducer popped off, so i knew that i had found the problem. i pulled all of the dried silicone off of it, put a dallop of vaseline inside the hull, and inserted my ducer. a few strips of duct tape, and i'm set for another season. it's worked great the last few weeks.

[sic yakker]

Doyle007, What kind of fishfinder do you have? That is one of the things on my "wish-list" to add to my kayak. Father's day is coming up!!! Was it difficult to install? I think it would be great to find all of those deep holes in the back that are holding hard to find flatties and weaks.

[doyle007]

i have a humminbird matrix 15, which has been discontinued. it's a great unit that has a temp sensor, and gps capability (you need an extra part for that to work though). relatively inexpensive, about $100 or so when i got it, but it was already being replaced by the newer matrix version.

as for installation, it couldn't be easier. i used a scotty base mount, to which i attached a piece of thick plastic that i cut out from a cutting board. this allows me to use one mount, but i then have two accessories (the fish finder and a rod holder) on the scotty base. here's a picture:
http://kfs.infopop.cc/eve/ubb.x/a/ga/ul/8471001821/inlineimg/Y/kayak_001.jpg

the transducer was originally put in using silicone, but that didn't seem to hold very long (about one season). so, i've since switched over to vaseline and duct tape. total installation time doing it this way, about 10 minutes, which includes drilling a hole for the wires, and mounting the fishfinder based onto the cutting board mount.

there are lots of fishfinders out there that people like. most people don't use them to find fish, but rather they use them to find structure. i use it for both. there are many units out there for about $100 that will do a great job.

[Librarian]

I have a Humminbird PiranhaMAX 20. It has a 60 degree cone and temp sensor built into the transducer. It's pretty accurate for the temp. The 60 degree cone shows you more of the bottom. I have it mounted in a Scotty flush mount with their ff mount. I have the wires running through a cheap plastic through hull fitting.

Since I take the ff off and push the wires back into the yak the flush mount and the through hull let me slide the yak into my f250 without worrying about hitting anything.

It's powered with 8 AA bateries in a cheap holder from Radio Shack and lasts for about 20 hours.

[kayakjim]

Wow, I can't believe I missed so much yak talk. I have some catching up to do. Some of you guys are hard core. I love all the free info. I've had a Malibu II for about ten years and still have yet to really outfit it. Need to install rod holders and paddle clips. Fish mostly the Rainbow channel bridge but love to check out the sod banks and creek mouths. Hardly ever see and yakers.

[sic yakker]

Doyle007, Thanks for the photo of your fishfinder set up. It looks sweet. One of the best parts of kayaking is all of the stuff you can add on. I enjoyed seeing other kayaks at the Tourney last weekend. I am hoping that the weather improves some for this weekend.

[Fly fish]

Keeper,
Thanks for the props on my original post. Just looking to help some barners out.

I am planning on going out basically all weekend in Southern Jersey. Looks like high tide is around midnight, which I would like to hit at least once between tomorrow and Sunday.
Anyone interested? Always nice to have a partner along when it's dark out...
I will also be fishing during the day for flounder/stripers if anyone is up for it.
Let me know. Would be nice to meet some other yakkers.

[CAPTKIRK]

I use a pirahna 4 portable which I attach with the front rigging. I still use the suction cup transducer mount that I stick on the side of yak. I have modified the suction cup mounting by removing the factory trans. mount and replacing with alum. flat stock and a bushing which turns the trans. 90 degrees which allows the trans. to face the correct way. This set-up works best for me as I still get accurate temp. readings and am only dragging the transducer when I want.

[sic yakker]

Fly fish, I appreciate the offer but this weekend is going to be tough due to family commitments. I may sneak out on Sunday afternoon with my oldest son in the CISP area. He has only been out once before and I would like to go somewhere without a lot of traffic. Good luck with your night trips and keep us posted. I am hoping to get down with Jettyjock for some darkside action!

[barrell]

Doyle, Trancducers can pop due to hull flex. I use a suction cup on my portable. Back in the olden days when we were gluing in transducers five minute epoxy was the glue of choice. Blowing on it removes airbubbbles which can interfere with signal. Some guys used to swear by just a plastic bag full of water or salad oil with the trany inside just sitting on floor of yak.
eel im having trouble finding the bass last couple times out. Im missing a chunk of the end of my thumb so you neednt ask what im catching.
Rodfather, the portable anchor lights just arrived yesterday afternoon i will ship out tuesday unless you are going to be in the area over the holidays.
barrell

[Fly fish]

Went out Friday and Sat near stone harbor-
I was expecting a lot more, but no luck. Landed a small blue and sea herring (about 3 lbs!!!) friday and got the big skunk today. Missed a blue and that's about it.
Wish I went out last night, but decided to fish from some docks. Heard fish popping all over, but didn't have a hit. It's really frustrating when that happens. Pretty much threw everything I had. EEEEEEERRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGG!!!
Oh well...
Better luck to you guys.
Also, check out my post in the home port about the snake head mu buddy saw today!!!! Pretty disturbing.

[Fly fish]

Wooops,
wasn't a snake fish, but please help me identify!!! Sounded really freaky.

[barrell]

flyfish, When there realy popping and nothing is working try going smaller. I have had to go down to 3/4 inch finess (walmarts) some nights to get them interested. A fly rod might be helpfull.
barrell

[East Coast Wanderer]

Many thanks to my kayak friend who helped me land a keeper bass off a jetty in O.C. - even though I was dreaded bait fisherman. Turns out it was a male - long and lean. Great Memorial Day feast!