Surf Fishing, Kayak Fishing, and Every Other Kind of Fishing

Is this the lazy man's fishing or using a fly rod and reel? 

After my dad passed I inherited about 7 fly rods, including a couple 9 or 10 weights.  I've been meaning to get down to the beach (all of 5 minutes away) and do some surf fishing for Corbina, the poor man's bonefish.

Did some bonefishing in Belize, skittish suckers, but once they've taken you into your backing 3 times before landing them, you gain a certain amount of respect.

Mainly a trout stream barbless catch and release fisherman, myself

Fishing is my other addiction!  I have a small 9ft sit on kayak that I use in the bay areas off Galveston.  I fish for red fish, speckled trout and flounder.  It's great fun and a wonderful way to spend the day.  You can rent kayaks from a number of outfitters to find one that you like.  They also make kayaks designed just for fishing but they run a bit higher in price.  My husband modified my kayak to add a rod holder and a dry well to store things.  All major outdoor gear stores have kayaks, at least around here.  I love to fish from my "boat" and try to go as often as I can.  

Check with local guides as well.  Many of them in Galveston cater to kayak fishermen and get you to places that you will find fish.

Good luck and happy fishing!

I LOVE FLY FISHING!  I haven't done it in a few years but I prefer it to any other kind of fishing.  Love it! 

The family used to go up around Gunnison, CO to fish.  Just gorgeous country.  Best memory, fishing in some tiny beaver dam created ponds with beautiful brook, rainbow and even a few golden trout in them.  Casting a top water fly, cause they were hitting like made when I look across and a buck (4-6 pointer if I remember correctly) just looks up from eating and stares at me with righteous indignation.  He was beautiful and so was the 10-inch golden I happened to catch at the same time.  Nothing better, IMO.

Lazy man's...

I've done some fresh water fly fishing off and on since I was a kid. Never very good. I'm ok with with casts, but have never really learned to read the water and know what to use and how to present it.

The surf fishing last week was chunking clams out and waiting for a hit. Really couldn't use lures and watch the kids at the same time. But the surf casting technique was a cool challenge. Found this guy's surf casting video lessons the other day. Realized how much there is to learn.

Fly fishing in the ocean is intriguing. Need to find a balance where there is enough success to keep the kids interested and enough challenge to keep me interested.

Nette213, it seems like kayak fishing is taking off. It's good advice to rent a couple and see how it goes.

So the modifications worked out for you?

I've seen the prices on the "angler" model boats.  It's out of my price range.  I would need to get setup so I could go with my four sons.  So I'm thinking maybe a couple tandems and a single.

I've seen plenty of cheap prices on used sit on top kayaks out there.  So if the modifications work, that might be the way to go.

That is definitely one of the harder things to do.  I'll agree.  Especially presentation.  Smart little jokers, they are.

Also, there was usually at least 3 of us fishing that day so we would all cast something different.  Whomever caught the first would field dress it, open the gut and try to figure out what they were hitting that day.  Didn't work all the time but worked more often than not.

I've spent hours reading the water, drifting the fly cleanly, etc etc, still don't have a clue what I am doing 98% of the time.  Then again, I have had more than one occasion where I've put the fly rod under my arm, or between my legs as I tend to something else, the fly dragging hopelessly at the end of the tippet, and I get a strike.  Or, often as not, at the end of a drift, as I'm pulling a nymph back twards me I get a strike.

Ya never know.

I'd say that you have an edge, given all that time you spend looking at things from the fish's point of view...

Heh, I've often thought abuot bringing my camera and housing to the stream.....

For a while there, I even got into tying flies.  My crowning glory was catching a trout on a fly I tied out of my cat's fur

Bonefish ...

hmm...

I never knew what a bonefish was before now...

Doesn't look very bony...

Why's it called a bonefish? 

(bonefish.jpg)

Dunno, not supposed to be good eating.....

They are strong like you would not believe.  Literally will bend an 8 - 10 weight rod right over on itself

The modifications worked out well indeed.  Unfortunately due to weather and a lot of other issues, I haven't fished that much this season.  I hope to get out after a meeting in North Carolina next week.  October is red fish time here and I am having withdrawals from fishing. 

I would love to get a fishing kayak.  I keep looking around and hoping to find a used one somewhere to keep the price down.  As far as getting in/out of the water, be certain you can do it by yourself.  I can load mine inside my Ford Explorer but it's tricky.  I can't put it on top of the car by myself, I am too short.  And hubby has strongly suggested that I should not go out alone anyway.  The one time I did, I had a run in with a large catfish and had to hear I told you so for a period after.   I still have a scar as a reminder.

I wade fish as well but agree that with the kayak, I can then get back on and head somewhere else if the fishing is not good.  I don't really like it when the bottom is soft and weedy so I prefer to stay on the boat.  I have an anchor as well, which helps keep me where I want to be. 

As with all hobbies, you can spend a lot of money or a little and have just as good of a time. There are tons of options and all kinds of products.  I prefer to be frugal about it.

Off of Montauk, NY..some of the best Striped Bass fishing anywhere!

(stripers.jpg)

How did I miss this thread?

You're talking to the 2006 striped bass division winner of the one of the big 3 saltwater kayak fishing tournaments on the east coast (tidewater kayak anglers association).  The other two big tourneys are in jacksonville (FL) and Jamaica Bay (NY).  I went back to defend my title this year, but got terrible food poisoning and coudn't participate.

Although tri training has gotten in the way, theres almost nothing I like more than kayak fishing.  Not to toot my own hort or anything, but I'm probably one of the most experienced and knowledgeable kayak fishing guys in the MD/DC area.  Anything you want to know, just PM me.

read all day on http://www.kayakfishingstuff.com for get ahead of the curve.

Here's a link to my flickr gallery which includes several kayaking/fishing shots:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/14328321@N00/

Wow, those are some amazing fish! 

Thanks, Josh. That's a great site!

So it seems like a sit on top is better than a sit in.  Is that right?

Looking around at different kayaks, I think an Ocean Kayak Malibu II XL would work out well for us with the kids.  It says that it can be paddled as a tandem and as a single. 

With kayaks, is red better?  

(malibu_two_xl.jpg)

Generally speaking, unless you have significant paddling experience prior to trying kayak fishing (in which case you will be a sit-inside paddling purist and good at handling those kinds of yaks), you're better off having the sit-on-top kayak for fishing.  You can't really roll a kayak with all your fishing stuff in it, which means you'll need to self-rescue and climb back in if you tip.  A sit on top is far better for that.

You've picked the best tandem kayak in my opinion... exactly for the feature you describe (that it works well as tandem or single due to the midddle seat).  Malibut tends to make a beat of a kayak... it will be super stable (hard to tip), but also somewhat slow.  If you pland to putz about for a few miles, that's fine.  If you want to really cover some ground, you'll want a sleeker and longer kayak.

For striper fishing big water, in my opinion your best kayaks would be the Hobie Adventure, Prowler 15, Tarpon 160, or Hurricaine Phoenix 160.  If being used as a double is an important feature to you, however, I think you've already found the ideal kayak.  A great way to drive the surf fisherman crazy in New Jersey when the gannets are working just beyond surf casting range is to roll up in your 4x4, yank the kayak off the roof, and paddle out for the half mile or so and slay the fish while the guys in waders stand there with forlorn faces.

Beware that kayaking is just as expensive as triathlon as a hobby.  The kayak is a 4-figure purchase, sometimes even with the first number being a 2.  Then there's all the other gear you'll need.  To striper fish, you'll often be in cold water which will make appropriate cold weather paddling gear necessary (I have a dry suit and in addition to my kayak it's my most important accessory for great fishing opportunities)... it adds up quickly.

Josh

I don't know, last time I looked there was still one worth cheering for....

Have a nice day, Don...