Striper Fishing in the Ocean in NC

[Norm Bartlett]

Have any of you guys launched into the surf off the beach at Corrola? If so what is the minimum size Yak that would handle the situation?

A few weeks ago I went to the Kitty Hawk area and saw a couple of sea Kayaks slightly off shore. I also saw three guys in a johnboat with an outboardmotor that they had somehow launched from the beach. Just before dark they beached the rig and loaded it onto a trailer. Conditions were ideal as wind was from the west. I have a kayack but its only a 10 footer. I have some experiance in it but not confident to tackle the surf.

I've been wanting to fish the Corrola area but don't care to make the long run down from Rudie Inlet. The run north from Oregan Inlet is definately out as its even further. My 19' Keywest would do it but the risk of mechanical failure and possible flukey weather forcastes have made me weary.

How about clothing? Do you wear wetsuits?

Norm

[wpvboat]

10' is fine. Shorter is better coming in. Is it a sit on top? If so, good. If it's a sit inside, don't do it unless you have a skirt and can self rescue. Clothing: see previous threads on this site. Definately wear a wetsuit or dry top/wader combo. Do you have a 4x4? Drive up and down the beach until you see birds. Don't even bother going out if you don't see birds. To much water to cover in a yak. I haven't gotten a striper yet this way but others have. Good luck if you go.

Tom

[Cory ruthless Routh]

Norm, I will be doing fishing shows for the next two weekends but have a two week break after that, come on down and we will hook up. Rudee is a good place to access the ocean in the yak.

[boats]

Norm it's completly possable and I launch my sit on top in the ocean surf often

But it does take some experence and I don't think I would recomend it for a first timer in the winter with all the gear you need to fish.

Get a nice warm day play in the surf and take the dunks that we all took when starting. Your shorter boat could be better than a larger one for surf landing. Broaching on the return is the best way to get hurt and the longer the boat is the easier it is to broach.

Boats

[BluesFan]

Learning that skill in the winter is dangerous.

I've gotten fairly good at it in my 12' Malubu sit on top. I still crash often enough to make me wary.

Wait and practice in warm water first.

[George Z]

Norm Bartlett originally wrote:
I have a kayack but its only a 10 footer. I have some experiance in it but not confident to tackle the surf.


Norm, I think you have answered your own question. It is definately doable with a sit on top and the right cold weather gear but with the current water temps, you might want to wait for warmer temps and just go for it on a calm day. Good luck.

George

[Dave Sikorski]

I launched my T140 in Corolla everyday for a week straight in the summer. It was tougher getting in than getting out. If you miss time a wave you might get wet but it's easy to get past the breakers. I followed schools of bunker around all week and caught some little blues and bunker...was a blast...Had dolphins all around and a Jack Crevalle that I couldn't catch to save my life.

When you get back to the beach hop off and run that sucker up the beach to dry ground. You don't want to leave the boat half in the water like I did one day. I had a buddy holding the boat while I ran and got some water and a little wave turned the boat over and broke my fav rod.

anyway...go for it...wear your PFD and have a blast. A VHF is a good idea too.

-D

[fishfool]

it's all about wave heighth also. if it is flat as a pancake during a low pressure system w/no wind, dont sweat it. if you have waves to 2-3 feet you need to wait until late april-may to practice. If you are not used to a kayak, dont to it it a sit-in, till you have some time (and can self rescue with ease).

landing and launching on a beach are really about the most dangerous thing you will do in a yak. I am always on edge at how powerfull a small 2-3/4 foot wave becomes when breaking under my kayak. There is a moment when you loose 90% of controll, and you have to make sure you pointed dead into the beach. If you are off by 20 degrees or so the force will turn you askew and try to roll you.

I have a 16 foot sit in I have been rolled in a couple of times. I dont even take it through the surf anymore, cause it could easily break my leg (or neck) if I was on the wrong end of it and a wave. when totally sideways with a 3 foot breaking wave behind it, it probably picks up about 1,000 pounds of force, and a lot of velocity.

10-14 foot sit on top=much much better.

[Dave Sikorski]

Good thoughts Fish fool

I thought surfing some waves would be fun once I put away my fishing gear and ended up being amazed at the power of the waves to throw the yak around. The T140 was too long for the waves and the bow would bury and I'd loose control...it was ugly.

-D

[bigbite]

If you get a chance this summer, try beaching the yak by coming in backwards...it works surprisingly well.

In a nut shell, you put the bow to sea and paddle in backwards. If you start to feel a little tippy...you right yourself by paddling into the oncoming wave. The waves will bring you in and once you get close enough to shore...just hop off and beach the yak.

Once I got over the slight uneasiness about coming in backwards, after all it is the same way you would go out, you just concentrate on staying right and let the waves do the rest.

Hardest part to deep or somewhat heavy surf is timing the final exit when you jump off and put to shore.

Good luck.

[George Z]

bigbite originally wrote:
If you get a chance this summer, try beaching the yak by coming in backwards...it works surprisingly well.

First of all, you're liable for any damage you do to persons or property while trying a stunt like that especially on a public beach and secondly, if you can't beach a kayak going forward so you can see where you're going maybe you should work on your technique before going back out in the ocean. It's not that difficult.

I worked on the coming back in sideways technique and that didn't work too well, either.

[grin]

[bigbite]

George Z...thanks for removing the bit about the "circus."

A reverse landing is not crazy at all and I am in no way its only proponent. This is a longstanding technique that many have used in the past and is considered a "safe and conservative" method for returning to the beach...whether you are an experienced paddler or a beginner.

But don't take my word for it, there are many pages published on the web about its merits. Hear are a few.

http://www.useakayak.org/back_in_surf_landing.html
http://www.seapaddler.co.uk/Launching%20and%20Landing.htm

This board is about helping others. Before you knock a suggestion by someone and put it down as crazy or potentially harmful to others, do your homework...either do some research to see if it is a credible method or try it yourself.

As to your point of liability, no one should launch/beach a kayak or other watercraft in the immediate area of people who are swimming. IF that situation occurred, it would not matter whether you were coming or going...backwards or forwards.

[George Z]

I have tried it and I've seen others try it, too, all unsucsessful. I also saw two kids get knocked down because the guy in the kayak couldn't see them. I still think it is a bad idea unless you're certain nobody in on the beach. You have your opinion, I have mine.

[jpkayakfish]

I would like to tell you that I have surf launched many times without any incidents, it is not a bad idea--even my mom does not think it is a bad idea

[grover123]

I agree with everybody that unless it's calm wait for warmer weather. I wear the typical farmer john wetsuit with neoprene socks, gloves and even have a hat if it's real cold and I know the chances of being tossed are good. Two quick lessons - If you get sideways lean into the wave. The second lesson I always tell my friends when they borrow my yak and they always forget and pay the price with bashed up shins and knees-if your not on the yak don't stand between the yak and the shore. It's amazing how fast a wave can toss a kayak in 8 inches of water into your shins. They'll fall off the kayak and start laughing in the shallow surf looking at the kayak 25 feet away in the surf, then the next wave comes and slams it into their shins in like 2 seconds.

[boats]

It's all but impossable to surf a boat safely. The resaon surfboards work is you can shift your weight and make it turn. Fixed seats on a Yak with little to no rocker and 14 feet or so long makes it very difficult to turn and keep from Broaching.

Even boats built to work in the surf like the lifeguards in Australia race broach often with spectacular results. And in those boats the crew is mobile and shifts aft while on the front of a wave. They have plenty of rocker with a long sweep oar aft and still broach if the Cox does not stay right on top of things

The established method with any type boat is to ride the back of a wave in, not get on the front of it. If it starts to surf back paddle to fall back were you belong, you can't pull enough forward to make turns

The most dangerous conditon is when the waves are breaking right on the beach leaving no place to safely bail out when things get out of control.

When learning look for small breakers on a offshore bar have someone who can rescue you if you need it and don't hesitate to bail out and walk in if you have any doubts about your ablity.

Boats

[grover123]

No offense boats but in good conditions with a boat under 15 it's not rocket science to surf it in. With some practice, paddle work, practice, and good conditions you can surf it in. Would I try it in the OBX in Nov. with a 3-5 foot shore break - no. Ya your right you can't pull enough to make turns that's why you use the paddle more as a rudder than anything else. I've used a little OC Frenzy, rented surf kayaks, and my 15 foot scupper pro in surf up to 6 feet and had few problems. Sure you get tossed every now and then that comes with the territory. Keep your gear secured. The waves in the OBX are not like the ones in California and Australia. They are not as big and aren't those long rollers you see out there. They tend to be close together and short and come at you from different directions. I've been in both and it's a different monster all together. If you're talking sit in kayaks well that's a different story. Your right though the first few times you really should have somebody spotting you. In fact in anything that's even close to rough you should try and have somebody with you no matter how good you are.

[boats]

Grover I launch in the surf all the time, I don't try to surf the boat like it's a board. It's not the thing to do in a normal SOT Yak. Special surf boat with experence yes anything else it's foolish

Boats

[grover123]

To each his own. I don't ride in on a wave every time alot of the time especially in the obx you would be crazy. But If it's foolish to ride a nice wave in at the expense of getting tossed every now and then then call me a fool. I'm on the wave having fun and not worrying about it . A newby should have some experience riding a wave in because you don't always outrun a wave and you'll be surfing in your kayak wether you like it or not. If anybody is down in the OBX and the fishing is slow and the waves are nice I highly recommend renting a surf kayak for a day. Like boats said they are designed for surfing the waves better than our fishing kayaks and are a ton of fun.

[Cory ruthless Routh]

Grover, sound like you are a good candidate to teach others how to paddle in the surf.