Hi. Does anyone on this forum fish from kayaks or canoes or is interested to do so?

I spearfish from a kayak.

What sort of kayak do you use?

I have scrambler XT, which was designed for scuba diving but I don't dive any more and am thinking about getting peddle yak like one of Hobie series with Mirage drive.

Not sure what type. It's a plastic two person kayak. I didn't buy it so I never did any research into them.

freediver wrote on Jul 31^st, 2008 at 4:38pm:

Not sure what type. It's a plastic two person kayak. I didn't buy it so I never did any research into them.

May be you can post a picture of it or give a link to the picture?

I'll let you know if I post a picture of it online.

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2006-10/1222362/dolphs.JPG

That's an awesome photo. I went out on Saturday again, exploring a new spot. No fish, but we saw whales spouting and dolphins. I got airborne getting through the surf, ripped my wetsuit, broke some fittings on the kayak. It was a fun day.

I get dumped most of the times when I try to land with surf but not like that  :o

http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwegallery/data/500/surfing_tourist.jpg

Here is a  "GUIDE TO KAYAK SURFING"

http://www.sit-on-topkayaking.com/Articles/SurfSail/SurfBCU.html

Any idea what this bit means?

If you lean forwards and apply the low brace in front of your hips the craft will tend to track in the direction in which the stern is pointing. If you lean back and apply the brace behind your hips the craft will track in the direction in which the bow is pointing.

freediver wrote on Aug 12^th, 2008 at 1:16pm:

Any idea what this bit means? If you lean forwards and apply the low brace in front of your hips the craft will tend to track in the direction in which the stern is pointing. If you lean back and apply the brace behind your hips the craft will track in the direction in which the bow is pointing.

To avoid catapulting you go sideways to the wave.
You use your paddle as a brace when you insert it in the water parallel to surface. That helps you to avoid capsizing sideways.
To have some degree of control over direction  where you go to and to position your kayak relatively to the wave you choose your paddle insertion point slightly forward or backward from the middle, they say hips, of kayak.

I will try to find some videos on line about the technique later on.

It also recommends you attack a breaking wave slightly off perpendicular. Is that just so you get thrown clear if you get flipped? Wouldn't it significantly icnrease the risk of getting caught?

You use your paddle as a brace when you insert it in the water parallel to surface.

I think a video or picture might help me figure out what this means.

Have a look at this at about 0:09 and related videos

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=FrxddBPjez0&feature=related

here are instructions
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=uPL1vPW25kg&feature=related

Thanks. That second one explained it well. That bracing technique looks useful, though the yak I'm on seems very diffuclt to to flip. I spoke to the guy who sold us the yak today. He said to always be perpendicular when heading out so you don't get turned, but to be on an angle on the way back in.

tallowood wrote on Aug 12^th, 2008 at 11:22am:

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2006-10/1222362/dolphs.JPG

I'm a non-outdoorsie type so forgive my ignorance. This photo seems to show a peddle powered kayak. Is that correct?

And how do you stop yourself from capsizing or being dragged along when you've caught a fish?

:-?

It is oar powered. You can see the oar in his left hand. It looks small because it is angled towards/away from the camera.

We use an anchor because we jump off. Most fishermen wouldn't bother. To avoid capsizing, I'd imagine you would hold the rod pointing over the front tip of the yak when fighting hardest, as it is much harder to capsize in that direction. Actually landing a large fish would be interesting. Being dragged along is not a problem. In fact it is probably a good strategy as it tires the fish out without tiring you out as much. You aren't going to get taken too far.

What's "jump off"? And, from where?

:-?

I usually go spearfishing, so I get in the water with a mask and snorkel, rather than sitting in the boat twiddling my thumbs. You need an anchor in case there is wind or current that blows the yak away.

Sorry I was looking at the wrong photo. Yes they do appear to be peddle powered. Some people don't 'get' how to stear with oars, so you turn the kayak into a bicycle for them. I guess they are tourists, though they seem to have fishing rods also. Maybe they have dropped the oars and have their feet lifted because they are crapping themselves.

Peddle-powered kayaks are made by Hobie, called the Mirage Drive (I think).  Arguably the best fishing platform, because your hands are free to fish, rather than paddle.

Or, if you are too lazy even to peddle, get a Viking Tempo Fisherman.

What? Is towed by dolphins?

;)

You can stick an electric outboard on them, or even a petrol one if you're game. Unfortunately the outboards don't do well if you take them through the surf.

finally i delved deeper into the site, apart from just clicking on 'recent posts'....

i bought a kayak about 12 months ago...heres a photo. i know you all hate links...http://www.vikingkayak.com.au/fishing_kayaks_tempo.htm#Tempo%20Fisherman%20II

ive only used it in cressbrook dam near brisbane, but we are moving to the redland bay area soon, so itll get a workout then...

is a pretty good canoe really. it has foot steering, trottle control on a hndpiece beside the boat, which you set and is basically hands free. i have a little electric motor on it that goes at a quick walking pace....

oh yeah. ive caught 1 bass from it..

RecFisher wrote on Aug 14^th, 2008 at 10:26pm:

Peddle-powered kayaks are made by Hobie, called the Mirage Drive (I think).  Arguably the best fishing platform, because your hands are free to fish, rather than paddle. Or, if you are too lazy even to peddle, get a Viking Tempo Fisherman.

All correct but I'm not ready for Tempo F yet  :)

imperial wrote on Aug 21^st, 2008 at 4:42am:

finally i delved deeper into the site, apart from just clicking on 'recent posts'.... i bought a kayak about 12 months ago...heres a photo. i know you all hate links...http://www.vikingkayak.com.au/fishing_kayaks_tempo.htm#Tempo%20Fisherman%20II ive only used it in cressbrook dam near brisbane, but we are moving to the redland bay area soon, so itll get a workout then... is a pretty good canoe really. it has foot steering, trottle control on a hndpiece beside the boat, which you set and is basically hands free. i have a little electric motor on it that goes at a quick walking pace.... oh yeah. ive caught 1 bass from it..

Hey, I've got 1 bass last sunday too but let her go as they still spawn down here.
http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg230/GATCAATG/ZDES/spring08/th_bass0808.jpg

Nice one. I don't think I've ever caught a bass before.

freediver wrote on Aug 29^th, 2008 at 8:24pm:

Nice one. I don't think I've ever caught a bass before.

I've got this one on 4lb line and size 10 hook with a bread dough, I wasn't after bass at all just exercising and fooling around rapids. I love my river and will go there tomorrow or Sunday again just to relax and sink into nature again. That is what kayak fishing is about.

If you don't mind me overloading resources of your site I will post more pictures about the river in future.

Go ahead, but I would prefer you used the photo album:

http://www.ozpolitic.com/cgi-bin/album.pl

It's hard to figure who belongs to what in the photo thread FD - and what was that revolting giant snake photo about - you didn't kill it and eat it for dinner I hope.

If you use photobucket - you can make your photos smaller easily - so they don't take up too much band space/width and people can see instantly what the post is about without having to sort through stuff that's not related.  Only a suggestion.

http://photobucket.com/login

Few weeks ago I went up the river to have a look around and to play with fish and found remnants of some old sunken trees that were brought there by the autumn floods. Trunks of some of them were full of intricate holes probably made by some insects or warms. Some of the holes were filled with some sort of bone like material. I never seen them before and wondered what they are. Have anybody on this forum met things like this before? May be some one knows what they are?

http://s249.photobucket.com/albums/gg230/GATCAATG/th_P8030029.jpg

http://s249.photobucket.com/albums/gg230/GATCAATG/th_P8030073.jpg

some more pictures from the river last weekend.


The firefly is quite a sight
In the summer night
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2006-10/1222362/firefly1.jpg
Unfortunately the above photo doesn't make a justice to nature's  own fireworks display when these magical bugs dance en mass along river shore :(



Just common crazy bugs doing crazy pirouettes in man made light
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2006-10/1222362/bugs.jpg



A diamond python after dining on a flying fox
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2006-10/1222362/python.jpg

Is this kayaker fishing?
Or Bait?

---

mozzaok wrote on Oct 12^th, 2008 at 10:43am:

Is this kayaker fishing? Or Bait?

You are not allowed to hurt them and kayaker obviously spotted the paparazzi with camera. Also this days people who kayak outside can use shark shield but it cost money.

Meantime in Victoria
No sign of missing kayaker

I hope he is still alive.

Well, I used to live there, it is as rough a piece of coast as you are likely to find anywhere, if he made it to shore, there are many spots where you can't get back up the cliffs, so there may be some slim hopes for him.

Nice lizard for tea tonight

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2006-6/1192505/f1.jpg

Nice one. You were brave holding it there for a photo.

freediver wrote on Nov 16^th, 2008 at 11:09am:

Nice one. You were brave holding it there for a photo.

Have to give them a chance. Beside if the moment of great escape is caught on photo the photo would worth more then the fish.

South West Rocks NSW, February this year.
http://yakabout.com.au/home/images/stories/news/paulos_marlin.jpg

Is that you?  Well done.

RecFisher wrote on Dec 2^nd, 2008 at 9:02pm:

Is that you?  Well done.

I wish it was me :) Not really. I'm too old now to play with fish like that for 3 hours in open sea.

Here is his trip

Read more about it here and join in.