Help yakkin

Started by David Hall, April 07, 2019, 05:04:40 AM

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David Hall

My grandson recently decided he wanted to get his feet off the shore and his butt on the water, so he went and bought a kayak, it's no world beater but it was in his budget and the salesman gave him a healthy discount and the factory has been superb helping him with missing parts.  So I know little about kayaks, I've rented them, I can row anything, they seem fun and extremely effective if I were younger I'd seriously get into them, but I have a really expensive 28' fishing yacht instead, and I'm old.  That doesn't mean I cannot enjoy helping my oldest grandson get it set up for serious fishing in freshwater only for now.
This afternoon we set up leashes for everything, an anchor, a backup line with end clips for tying off or other things.  He's going to take two rods and reels, one for trolling and one for jigging, casting.
What essential items do any of you yakkers (Sp) is that what you call yak Selves?  Anyway would really like some first hand tips on must haves, should haves, could haves, can live without.
What say the brethren?

oc1

A sheath knife within easy reach and a leash to go around the grandson's ankle.  If he is pitched out of the boat, the wind can carry it away faster than he (or anyone) can swim.  Also, appropriate clothing.  No cotton because it gets heavy when wet.  Something that you can swim in and still keep warm.
-steve

redsetta

I use my drogue/sea anchor pretty much every time I head out, so I'd highly recommend adding one to the manifest.
Also prefer to use inflatable rather than traditional life jackets, as the bulkiness of the latter can get in the way of casting etc and limit free movment in an already restricted space...
He'll have a ball fishing off the 'yak.
All the best, Justin
Fortitudine vincimus - By endurance we conquer

CapeFish

#3
Not sure what your conditions are like there but if you want to go to sea and the water is cold wear a wetsuite,  a sleeveless one works well and a neoprene top if it is very cold. My pfd I find does not interfere with casting and is not too bulky. When you get dumped by a wave you will be glad you have it on. I always take my cellphone. It is water proof but I still keep it in a waterproof pouch around my neck. Ws can contact our rescue service on a special app and they are able to pick up your location. Dont leave it in a hatch you need it on you. The anchor is essential and the rope needs to be long enough to work in deep water. If the wind picks up and you find yourself in trouble you can anchor yourself so you dont get blown to Australia. Some people also take flares. If you wear sunglasses also tie them to you a normal leash doesn't help I have donated a few to the fish. In calm weather go out and capsize the kayak on purpose and learn to flip it over and get back on.

Swami805

X2 on flipping it over and getting back on, not as easy as it sounds. I always wore a wetsuit too for fishing in Central Cali.
Do what you can with that you have where you are

ReelFishingProblems

I wanted to start kayak fishing in Monterey bay, but ended up waiting until I got to Tampa Bay.
I love having a fish finder / gps (raymarine dragonfly) but with the shallow water it is only worthwhile when I go off into the gulf
An anchor trolley makes life so much easier
A decent cooler bag that fits up front leaves behind the seat for a crate for trays.
I have found less is more on kayaks. Know what you will use and make it easy to get to. Don't weigh it down with the kitchen sink.
For live bait I have a small bait bucket that can float in the water next to me when not traveling.

I would love a pedal kayak as that helps to troll.
I made a setup for a trolling motor, but haven't used it yet (kayak is registered now on Florida) the trolling motor adds a ton of weight, and would be of marginal value for me. Doesn't mean I didn't already spend the money



Benni3

Quote from: oc1 on April 07, 2019, 07:10:25 AM
A sheath knife within easy reach and a leash to go around the grandson's ankle.  If he is pitched out of the boat, the wind can carry it away faster than he (or anyone) can swim.  Also, appropriate clothing.  No cotton because it gets heavy when wet.  Something that you can swim in and still keep warm.
-steve
anchors can be dangerous in rivers,,,,a knife helps and they got a square cushion seat insert,,,,, :D like doctor scholls,,, ;)

Jim Fujitani

David, I would recommend that he wear a full wet suit and a PFD.  Once he gets used to it, being without will seem unnatural.

On Coastside last week, some fishermen trolling in SF bay came across a Yakker just in time.  The Yakker was wearing waders, and was away from his yak.  He had also been separated from his partner.  The fishermen found also retrieved the yak before turning him over to Rescue and ambulance at a landing.  The fishermen later also came across the partner, later in the day.  The partner had been fishing but had not reported his buddy missing to anyone!

redfish12

I'm not sure what kind of water / climate he'll be out kayaking in but I really disagree with the wetsuit. They are great at keeping you warm when you're underwater but when you're in the kayak and wet they can be really cold with the slightest wind as they stay wet. On the east coast, we use dry suits pretty regularly, but many of us (myself included) prefer a 2 piece setup for the versatility and comfort. I have a pair of kokatat dry pants and a dry top that has an inner and out layer that sinch down over the pants and keeps the water out. They will leak eventually but with the laytex neck and wrist gaskets the water intrusion is minimal and gives you plenty of time to get back into the boat.

Additionally, I'd recommend he try to slim down the amount of tackle he carries in the kayak and to put the lures he needs into a single plano box (or 2) and put them in a milk crate behind him. There are two schools of thought, go for the plano with a gasket to keep water out or go for the one with holes in it to let the water out. After years I have eventually settled on the regular one and just rinse the whole thinks out at the end of the day. The watertight keeps water in and the one with holes... let's water in and not all the way out. After a few trips he'll realize he can get by with even less stuff. Some people make lids for their milk crates to avoid having a yard sale if you flip but the planos will usually float long enough for you to grab them.

I hope it brings him a lot of fish!!

Swami805

 I was fishing in it off the coast of Big Sur, pretty chilly there most of the time. I wore a 5/3 wetsuit and was never cold, mostly a little warm so I'd take a quick dip. It also helps with floatation. Surfing wetsuits have a outer shell to repel the wind too  I guess it depends on the wetsuit. A dry suit would be good too.
Do what you can with that you have where you are

David Hall

Thank you all for the fantastic responses, neither he or I has thought about many of these, I only thought about having leashes on everything, (didn't think about one on him though), so his yak could blow away in the wind with everything attached while he flounders.  I'm encouraging him to join up here on his own and advance his fishing world.  He needs to read these and participate.

Gfish

#11
I'mina reiterate the no-fun-to-think-about stuff, David. As the Swami and Capefish were talkin bout; a few practice flips in shallow water, then a few in deep water are invaluable.
Some guys even make a sturip-like thing that they can stick their foot in, to 1) help flip it back over, 2) climb back in.

Perhaps I never had the right set-up, but my anchor sys. was never too usable. I'd anchor up and the wind would tighten up my line(about a 45 degree angle on the line)then a swell would hit and strain on the line and kayak would almost tip me over. After the swell passed, there was slack on the line, which the wind would immediatly again eliminate.

The floating kelp on monterey bay was a good tie-off type of anchor for me. The above situation occures in Hawaii.
Fishing tackle is an art form and all fish caught on the right tackle are"Gfish"!

CapeFish

Quote from: Benni3 on April 07, 2019, 04:23:21 PM
Quote from: oc1 on April 07, 2019, 07:10:25 AM
A sheath knife within easy reach and a leash to go around the grandson's ankle.  If he is pitched out of the boat, the wind can carry it away faster than he (or anyone) can swim.  Also, appropriate clothing.  No cotton because it gets heavy when wet.  Something that you can swim in and still keep warm.
-steve
anchors can be dangerous in rivers,,,,a knife helps and they got a square cushion seat insert,,,,, :D like doctor scholls,,, ;)

The anchor I have the chain attaches to the bottom and chain is held in place by a small cable tie. If it gets stuck then the cable tie breaks and you pull the anchor in the wrong way round. In theory it works well, I left an anchor at the bottom of the ocean the other day :-)

David Hall

 these are the kind of informative lessons that normally only come from bad experience.  the very best kind!  he will be only in freshwater for the foreseeable future, at least until he has the experience and knowledge of all things related. 

Ron Jones

I know its fresh water, but a handheld VHF with GPS and DSC is silly inexpensive these days and it will SAVE YOUR LIFE if it gets really ugly. I just don't see going out on any water bigger than a pond alone without one.

I also recomend a dry box that holds more not fun stuff like sunscreen, pain killers, bandages. And water, lots of drinking water. The not fun stuff seems silly until you need it and then it makes the rest of forever so much better.
It can keep him on the water fishing.
Ron Jones
Ronald Jones
To those who have gone to sea and returned and to those who have gone to sea and will never return
"