[philiplee]

I am seriously considering getting a kayak to fish the skinny waters and such. I have been talking about getting a small craft of some sort for quite some time now, but have been putting it off due to the expense. Kayaks (at least the ones I'm looking at) are relatively cheap, need no licensing, gas, oil, trailer or heavy maintenance. They're cheap to run, stealthy, provide good exercise and are environmentally friendly. Plus, you can drink beer from one.

I heard about kayak fishing several months ago and started researching it. Well, it seems like the perfect solution to getting to waters I otherwise have no access to. It will take some getting used to, tossing a fly line from one of those contraptions, but I can do it, I'm sure. [grin]

 

[Ken Tidy]

Phil,

You will not regret it talk to Dianne we just bought two Kayaks I have a Heritage Redfish and Dianne bough a Liquid logic. Both are very stable boats and are setup for fishing. If you would like to take a test ride lest us know.

Ken

 

[Bill Michelinie]

Phil DeEskimo,

ah, the no licensing, gas, motor, trailer, etc. does appeal to the Scotsman in you, no?[grin]

Ken - I think Phil has his heart set on this one:

It looks pretty similar to your Redfish model. Do you know what the differences are?

I have been kayaking for years. Haven't paddled my canoe since I got my first yak. So far, I have been using the sit inside type because I like their ease of paddling (a nice long glide with each stroke) and I don't really like to get wet unless I want to get wet, if you know what I mean. As I have grown in bulk these past few years, I'm starting to be jealous of the sit on top yaks because of the ease of getting in and out of them. So I am "looking."

Philster, here are a couple of message boards on fishin' yaks in case you haven't found them yet:

http://www.tidalfish.com/boards2/summary.asp?forum=AMB_AP704966386

http://www.stripersonline.com/surftalk/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=-1&f=164

Keep me informed, bro. I might be pusuaded to join you in this adventure.[excited]

 

[Ken Tidy]

Bill,
There the same yak, the redfish has two rod holders mounted behind the seat, The marquesa comes in many more colors, I would have bought one in mango, however I stumbled into a great deal on a leftover 2005 redfish…I can over look the color for that!

Check here http://www.kayakfishingstuff.com/ this is on of the best kayak sites. We hav bought some stuff from them very knolagble!

Ken
Ps; Do I smell a yak-in at Henlopen?

 

[Bill Michelinie]

Yeah Ken, I thought they looked pretty similar. But where are the cup holders?[wink]

I have a Scottie fly rod holder I plan to mount on my Old Town Nantucket sit inside model. It is removable, leaving only a small flush plastic fitting which is a nice feature. The usual rod holders that come pre-installed are designed for spinning and casting rods I suppose.

Hmm. A yak-in at Henlopen. Sounds like fun. I know of at least one other member, Bill G., who has a yak. Maybe we will hear from some others on this post.

I wonder how far you would go if you hook one of those rays while fishing from a yak?[grin]

 

[Ken Tidy]

[Q]Bill Michelinie originally wrote:
Yeah Ken, I thought they looked pretty similar. But where are the cup holders?[wink]

I have a Scottie fly rod holder I plan to mount on my Old Town Nantucket sit inside model. It is removable, leaving only a small flush plastic fitting which is a nice feature. The usual rod holders that come pre-installed are designed for spinning and casting rods I suppose.

Hmm. A yak-in at Henlopen. Sounds like fun. I know of at least one other member, Bill G., who has a yak. Maybe we will hear from some others on this post.

I wonder how far you would go if you hook one of those rays while fishing from a yak?[grin]
[/Q] Ever been to England?[grin]

 

[philiplee]

I certainly will keep y'all informed. They seem to make a lot of sense to this "Budget Scotsman"! [grin]

Ken, how do you like the way yours handles? A couple of the things that got my juices flowing on the Marquesa was the width of the beam and the fact that the cockpit looked roomier than most. Also, as you said, it is available in more colors.

 

[Ken Tidy]

Phil,

It handles really well, I haven’t had much time to play with it. Took it out last weekend and we had 20-30 MPH winds, not fun to paddle into!

 

[tarpon1]

Bill, there may be some more with yaks. I have 2, a sit in and a sit on top. They are great for the bay. I have fished the inner wall at CHSP but the current is strong and you drift pretty fast unless you are trolling. I do not use an anchor. I do not troll with mine so I have no rod holders. If you go over with the rods in the holders you can break tham off at the handle( I have seen it at CHSP). Dave S has a great setup with all the electronics on his. It must have been cold Ken in a SOT last weekend in the wind. I am a warm water kayaker. It takes a bit to get the flycasting in order in the yak. You do not realize how much you use your legs to cast. Hope to see you all on the water also.
Rick[wink]

 

[HenryL]

Yak-in at Cape Henlopen?
Count me in!
One thing though- like others, I'd prefer that the temps (air and water) not be too cold.
This is a great idea for many to enjoy, and I'll keep an eye on this post for further developments.
Ciao!

 

[philiplee]

[Q]tarpon1 originally wrote:
Bill, there may be some more with yaks. I have 2, a sit in and a sit on top. They are great for the bay. I have fished the inner wall at CHSP but the current is strong and you drift pretty fast unless you are trolling. I do not use an anchor. I do not troll with mine so I have no rod holders. If you go over with the rods in the holders you can break tham off at the handle( I have seen it at CHSP). Dave S has a great setup with all the electronics on his. It must have been cold Ken in a SOT last weekend in the wind. I am a warm water kayaker. It takes a bit to get the flycasting in order in the yak. You do not realize how much you use your legs to cast. Hope to see you all on the water also.
Rick[wink]
[/Q]Hey Rick! Yeah, I'm a little concerned about fly casting from a yak, but I am not afraid to try it. One of the things I also plan to do is get to places where I can get out and wade. So much water, so little time...

This just sounds like so much fun... it opens up so many new fishing opportunities! I am looking forward to dipping my first paddle! [grin]

 

[philiplee]

[Q]tarpon1 originally wrote:
Bill, there may be some more with yaks. I have 2, a sit in and a sit on top. They are great for the bay. I have fished the inner wall at CHSP but the current is strong and you drift pretty fast unless you are trolling. I do not use an anchor. I do not troll with mine so I have no rod holders. If you go over with the rods in the holders you can break tham off at the handle( I have seen it at CHSP). Dave S has a great setup with all the electronics on his. It must have been cold Ken in a SOT last weekend in the wind. I am a warm water kayaker. It takes a bit to get the flycasting in order in the yak. You do not realize how much you use your legs to cast. Hope to see you all on the water also.
Rick[wink]
[/Q]Hey Rick! Yeah, I'm a little concerned about fly casting from a yak, but I am not afraid to try it. One of the things I also plan to do is get to places where I can get out and wade. So much water, so little time...

This just sounds like so much fun... it opens up so many new fishing opportunities! I am looking forward to dipping my first paddle! [grin]

 

[tarpon1]

Phil, at CHSP ther wading is great but in the Reho. bay there are places that you will not want to get put. They are some of the better spots for bait hence fish.
Rick

 

[Bill Michelinie]

Rick, that is a good point about breaking your rod if you tump over! I never thought of that, and , luckily I have never gone over except on purpose to see what happens. I can get back over in my sit inside using the old "eskimo roll" but I tried it once in an Ocean Kayak sit on top and it didn't work because there is no place to lock your feet and legs in. I'm guessing if you tip over in a sit on top, you just plan to bail out and drag the boat to shallow water or the shore. I've not used a rod holder to date because like you, I don't try to troll and I just lay the rod between my legs when paddling. The reason I wanted a rod holder is just for paddling from one place to another and there is very limited space in the cockpit of a sit inside. And it is not practical to access the stoage compartments unless you are on shore. If the truth be told, I keep my beer between my legs and the rod gets in the way![grin]

The idea of a kayak gathering sounds like lots of fun and a good way to learn from others. WHEN Phil gets his boat, we should plan something.[smile]

Phil, I had no problem adjusting to casting in the yak. The thing I found is you don't need to cast very far when you are fishing from a yak. You can glide so quietly, you sneak up on the fish. I have spooked many fish that didn't even know I was there until I was practically on top of them!!

Uh, Phil, looks like you experienced a case of mouse stutter there!

 

[tarpon1]

They make a knee strap that goes from one side to the other and catches your knees so you"stay in the seat". If you look you will find discriptions to get back on. I have tried at CHSP and it is not easy but would be easier then swimming back from the inner wall. My sit in has a very big opening and my knees do not catch there either. When fishing what do you do with the paddle/ I have put it across my lap but it is a pain. I do not have a rudder which may make it easier to drift without picking up the paddle every couple of casts. Where do you put the rod when you use the paddle to adjust your drift? I mentioned the Hobi peddle drive but got the thumbs down on it right away. Seems like a better idea for controling drift and position of boat.
Rick[smile]

 

[Bill Michelinie]

I rest the paddle across the lip of the cockpit, centered so it balances and up close to my belly. It does get in the way but then again it is quick to pick up for those little adjustments to your drift or casting angle. I stick the reel between my legs or on my lap with the rod resting on the front of the cockpit opening (better be careful in case a fish grabs your fly while your hands are on the paddle!). I've seen sit on tops that have a groove molded into them to snap the paddle into. I don't think that would allow a quick adjustment and it might be noisey.

I don't use an anchor either. I also don't use a paddle "leash" but it might be a good idea if you venture far from shore. Where I fish on the Chesapeake, I'm always close enough to shore to easily swim for it!

I have a rudder on my Old Town but it is too small to have any effect while drifting, there is just not enough water flowing over it to be able to steer during a drift. It is helpful on long paddles since it is less critical that the right and left stroke is the same thrust (keeps you going straight and prevents zig-zagging) and it also is a help with keeping the wind from blowing you off course.

I wonder if it would help when drifting to drag a small sea anchor of some kind?

 

[philiplee]

There is so much gadgetry available for yakking, it is amazing! The one thing that I know I'll get is a couple of paddle leashes - one for the paddle and one for the rod. Hmmm, maybe a good idea to have one for the beer also... [grin] I know my clumsy arse will dump it over a time or two!

Here's a dumb question... do yaks fall under the same safety laws as boats (i.e.: life jackets, inspections, etc...)? Just curious...

 

[Bill Michelinie]

As long as you don't have a "mechanical means of propulsion" you do not need any type of inspection or registration in Delaware or Maryland, the two states that I am the most familiar with. If you even add an electric trolling motor, you need to get the boat registered every year and place the big numbers on both sides (don't laugh, Ive seen trolling motors mounted on yaks and one manufacturer called Mokai makes a a yak with inboard jet pump power!) plus if you are born after a certain date you must take a boating safety class. (You, being on the verge of geezerhood like I am, would not be required to take the class.[grin]) In effect a motor of any kind makes the yak a "power boat" with all the rules and regulations that go with it.

In Maryland, you must carry a life jacket (or personal floatation device in government speak) on board with you but you don't have to wear it! I'm not up on the Delaware law but common sense would dictate taking and probably wearing a PFD, especially if you are heading for the outer wall at Henlopen!!

If you venture out at night, you must carry on board a single white light, unless you add a motor in which case you must have red and green port and starboard lights plus a white "all-around" light. Another reason to not power your yak. The KISS principal comes to mind.

Thank God the Coast Guard has not put any further requirements on people powered boats!![grin]

 

[fishooter]

.

 

[fishooter]

Getting back into a SOT is no big deal, guys. Put one hand on the near gunnel and one on the far gunnel, kick your feet while you pull up like getting out of a swimming pool, quickly rotate your butt into the seat and then pull your legs in last. Just practice in a pool for a few minutes and you will be good to go. I've taken mine to the outer breakwater at CHSP several times. Not a problem. I go freediving out of it sometimes so I get in and out of it a lot.
Mark

PS Here's a link for another technique, but mine is easier and faster:
http://www.kayakdiving.net/KDImages/technique.html

If the CHSP yak-in happens I'd be happy to demonstrate how to do it but I think you can figure it out from the descriptions. Fly fishing out of the thing sounds like a blast to me. I have a Scupper Pro and a Zest Two, both by OK. I met some of you guys at the tie-fest this year. I'm the guy that won the TFO 8 wt and I'm dying to try it out.