Kayak fishing

[Topshot]

Chris,

Pay careful attention to the shape of your livewell storage.

Leo

Any livewell I've ever made has either been round or oval shaped. I learned somewhere that for some reason the fish tend to die when in a livewell with corners. It was weird but completely true

[Ron Jones]

Your yak will be perfect.

I have heard everything from the fish get stuck into the corners to the cavitation doesn't allow the air to oxygenate correctly. I'd imagine their is a truth to most of it but all I know is corners kill bait almost as fast as clogging the sea water intake.
Ron

[erikpowell]

It's also important to pay attention to the weight rating on a kayak you're selecting. Don't want to go too lightweight.
You have to consider not only YOUR weight, but the additional weight of ALL your gear....AND conditions you'll be paddling in.... AND
the weight of whatever catch you bring in.... it all adds up and before you know it your boat becomes swampy.

I have wilderness system Tarpon 160 and a 140. The 140 is built for a 165-180lb person, the 160 for up to 220lbs.
I only paddle the 14' if I feel like sitting with a wet butt all day even though it handles deep mangrove better.

By the time I'm all rigged up for a day of fishing in the 160, I'm lucky if I have a 30lb window for my catch without swamping the cockpit and sitting in 2 inches of water! 

Man, I watch Rob's videos and I must say, those Predators can handle some weight!
If i were to throw a 50lb tuna over my lap, I'd need some more volume in my kayak! 

[Ron Jones]

Erik,
I think the awnser to that issue is outriggers!!
Ron

[Shark Hunter]

My Trident can hold over 400lbs!
No Swamp butt for me.

[Tawakoni Terror]

I love my Old Town Caspian..first cousin to the OK Scrambler. It's frequently breezy here on my lake in TX and these yaks are known for there stability.  I mostly fly fish out of it. One of my fellow yakers has and Emotion and we all like it and so will you. I bet the blue water guys are chuckling right now and I'm jealous of some of the pictures posted.

[erikpowell]

My Trident can hold over 400lbs!
No Swamp butt for me.

Noice!  Thats what I'm talking about...

and I hear ya Ron, outriggers would be a solid addition especially for offshore and I've considered that island style, but stability isn't really an issue for me, i've been kayaking half of my life. For me it's more about volume and flotation... But, add a sail like a hobie... then an outrigger almost becomes a must... for most people.

I like the look of Darons Trident, and Robs Prowler...lots of volume & freeboard above the waterline....
I'm not sneezin at my own ride though  
But in the end nothing beats sheer volume (and a good hull shape) especially if you're targeting the big ones & or heading outside the reef for open water.

Here's a few shots of a recent drive-to spot I can share to illustrate...though I'd be embarrassed to show the meager catch pics  
from here I could paddle a mile or two further out & be out in the open channel 1000m deep.
But i don't consider my hatches waterproof enough to be out there. I know from experience 

Here we start in the river about ½ mile up from the river mouth.
Both Wilderness Systems Tarpons  orange is a 160i, blue a 140.

Head out into the river and turn right just after the mudflat.
Notice I'm sitting pretty low ....I even left behind the gaff,club,net,and trolling rod... 6pack is on ice though 


That's Yanuca island behind me out past the river mouth...it's 13miles away across the channel.





The blue 140 is wider, if ur good you stand up in it & cast, has more storage, doesn't track as well, BUT has a beer holder built in...
I'm just a little overweight for it at 190-200lb, unless I plug the scuppers..then I get by sorta dry butt

On the river left bank at the mouth... drops off to about 30 ft just after you step in.
There's big bullsharks, huge GT's, and bigass mangrove jacks swimming in and out of this river...
Usually test the waters with lighter gear, but have a 50lb rig on board just in case.. but not today 


There ya go.... pimp my ride.. 
Cheers boyz

[Shark Hunter]

Nice pics Eric!
Looking Good Bro! You need an Ocean Yak, then you could bring at least a case!