SEASONS GREETINGS / HAPPY NEW YEAR / FIVE YEARS

Another year been and gone, that makes 5 years online.

Hard to believe that back in 2006 this place began as more of a simplified blog, spin forward to 2011 and it's the same blog only a little more glorified. After the huge spells of rain throughout the land in December 2010 this year began kind of turbidly. Local lakes and rivers had more water than many of our man made impoundments had ever seen. Googong Dam was suddenly at 100% and overflowing, the same can be said for Wyangla/Burrinjuck (And many others Australia wide).

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ANGLING ADVICE - KAYAK FISHING TALLOWA DAM, NSW

Situated roughly 160km south of Sydney and an easy drive from Canberra is the centrepiece of the NSW South Coasts Shoalhaven scheme, Tallowa Dam. This concrete dam was completed in 1976 and is located immediately downstream from the junction of the Kangaroo and the Shoalhaven rivers. Tallowa Dam collects water from a 5,750 square kilometre water catchment that extends from Kangaroo Valley in the north-east to the upper Shoalhaven River south-west of Braidwood.

This water is stored in Lake Yarrunga, which is in itself is formed by Tallowa Dam. Lake Yarunga is the main water supply for the Shoalhaven and is one of Sydney’s major regular drinking water supplies.

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'KAYAK FISHING MANUAL' - THE FISHING BREAKTHROUGH

I have been keeping this under my hat for awhile, so much so that it's been many months in the making and I had almost forgot it was happening. Low and behold AFN in conjunction with YAK Fisher magazine and contributors Nigel Webster, Rob Maya, Derek Steele, David Tindale and Carl DuBois have just released the 'Kayak Fishing Manual'. This book is the culmination of a lot of hard work for YF editor Rob Maya and I am glad to have had a major part in its development.

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YAK FISHER MAGAZINE #56 (SUMMER EDITION)

Issue #53 winter edition of Sport Fishing Australia (Incorporating YAK Fisher) is out in stores now, just in time for the onset of seasonal change. The Sport Fishing Australia section features many toparticles from seasoned sport fishing journalists such as Steve Starling, Shane Mensforth, Al McGlashan, Scott Gray and Nigel Webster, Lee Rayner, Neil Schultz just to name a few.

YAK Fisher Kayaking Magazine has Yak news plus articles on Margaret River, Rough Diamonds, Hervey Bay, Kayak Photography, PVC kayak pimping, 2011 Wivenhoe Kayak & Canoe Convention, Water Wise kayaking safety tips part 2 (By yours truely) and much, much more (Including yak hints & tips).

Available at all good newsagents or by subscription,

http://www.afn.com.au/cms/details.asp?NewsID=114

TWO KAYAK FISHERMEN DROWN IN MELBOURNE'S P.P BAY

(Images - Trevor Pinder, Andrew Batsch, Jill Mitchell and Martin Reddy)

I have the sad duty of informing readers that recently two kayakers have drowned in Melbourne's Port Phillip Bay. The pair were new to the sport of kayaking/kayak fishing and had set up their kayaks with electric motors. Police have mentioned both men were wearing life jackets, and as such adhering to law. The following information has been taken from the Herald Sun website, and the broken story credited to Amelia Harris & AAP, November 30, 2011.

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KAYAK FISHING MAGAZINE ISSUE #43 (ONLINE)

The latest edition of Kayak Fishing Magazine has just come online, packed with all the quality features and articles that make them the largest and most read kayak fishing website and publication anywhere. From featured articles, interviews, angler of the month, gear guides and a world wide tournament calender, Kayak Fishing Magazine has a lot to offer our fishing community and best of all its free!

(This issue features a video named 'Made in America - Hobie Kayaks)

To view the latest edition of KFM, click on the links below:

Magazine - http://www.kayakfishingmagazine.net/home.html

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kayak-Fishing-Magazine/119502353056

LUCKY CONJOLA, LAKE CRAFT - SAMMY 65 VS NW PENCIL

A couple of weekends ago I experienced one of the best surface bites, to put it midly the experience was insane. As it was happening I announced to a mate fishing less than five metres away from me that this was easily the best top water session I had ever had. Craig looked at me like 'Really? this happens all the time', that in itself probably blew me away more. Sure I have had someone blinding sessions on Whiting and Bream before but the way this all unfolded was pretty special.

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2012 DAIWA-HOBIE KAYAK SERIES ANNOUNCED

Hobie Fishing is pleased to announce season number four of the Daiwa Hobie Kayak Bream Series!

For 2012 we have added a few new rounds and the series will visit some new arenas, to test Australia's leading bream kayak experts, in the chase for the Lowrance Kayak Angler of the Year.

The profile of the sport of kayak fishing will be enhanced by teaming up with Australia's leading bream power boat tournaments. This will add to the excitement and bring kayak fishing to the next level.

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GO PRO PRODUCES HD HERO 2 (NOVEMBER RELEASE)

Most of the time I am abreast of everything geeky and gadgety, but to be honest I had not heard about the new HD Hero 2 (Read about it @ www.yakass.net). Popular with kayak fisherman worldwide, the new release of the GoPro HD Hero 2 has many buzzing about its possibilities. New camera angles, higher frame rates, better still pictures, hdmi ports, external mic inputs, wifi compatible and faster processing makes this the ultimate kayak geek gadget for 2011.

The HD HERO2 also features a totally new, straightforward language-based user interface to greatly improve the ease of use of the device. The new HD HERO2 camera supports the following video recording modes: 120 fps WVGA, 60 fps 720p, 48 fps 960p, 30 fps 1080p, but unfortunately there is no 24p.

Learn about the GoPro HD Hero2 at http://www.gopro.com/hd-hero2-cameras/

DAIWA-HOBIE GRAND FINAL 2011 DAY TWO RESULTS

Day two of the Daiwa-Hobie ABT Kayak Series Grand Final wrapped up in style today with Daniel Brown taking out the title. Daniel not only took the win but also secured back to back GF titles, with his win in 2010 and now in 2011. The weigh master mentioned results would be close and at the bump tubs it really was anyone’s game. Conditions on the water mirrored day one with warm glassed out waters with a hint of a shower or two developing. The heavens opened up but saved their grace till the official weigh in and presentation.

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DAIWA-HOBIE GRAND FINAL 2011 DAY ONE RESULTS

Day one of the Daiwa-Hobie ABT Grand Final for 2011 got underway today, with blasts of sunshine and the forecast change. Competitors packed rods, reels and as much tackle as they dare into the factory supplied Pro Anglers amassed on the start line. Anticipation like in all the Hobie events was quite high, with angler’s game plans and nous at the ready. Would the tournament bring in the quality fish that grand final weigh masters are used to receiving or would the weather play a big part and play havoc with results?

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DAIWA-HOBIE GRAND FINAL PORT MACQUARIE (PRE FISH)

Today marked the official prefish event for the Daiwa-Hobie ABT Grand Final 2011. For those that could make, dozens upon dozens of Hobie Pro Angler kayaks hit the water in search of hot water (So to speak). As most of us well and truely know each other no real secrets were kept, entrants often shared what tackle success they discovered on the day with others (Who in turn shared info) but also where they went and why. The diversity of techniques that took fish was right up there with rounds past, and while some caught bags full others found the bite rather timid.

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DAIWA-HOBIE ABT GRAND FINAL PORT MACQUARIE 2011

This is it, the weekend is so close its only an 8 hour drive away (For some anyway, further for others). The culmination of my results including a lot of donuts (Some doubles), couple of mid range finishes and a top 5 or two all come to a head in the Daiwa-Hobie Kayak Series Grand Final this weekend. The venue is the town of Port Macquarie and the event features competitors from the Hobie Worlds - http://www.hobiefishingworlds.com/

I will blog information on all the days proceedings including what lures worked for me(If they indeed do) on prefish and results from day one and two. It's a big field, the biggest I have fished in to date and is sure to be a mega blast. Official prefish is this Friday, followed by day one on Saturday and day two on Sunday. Weather looks a touch on the wet side going off the Hobie Worlds Day 2 prefish and the official forecast, but that won't stop competitors bringing their 'A' game.

Stay tuned people...

SQUIDGY SOUTHERN BREAM SERIES GRAND FINAL 2011

The Squidgy Southern Bream Series Grand Final 2011 has been run and won, taken out by one of the favourites Andrew Death. Conditions for day on St Georges Basin were perfect weather wise but cracking a pattern as always proved difficult. Bream were active in the shallows but a little flighty, following lures but holding off from any sort of hit. My result one day one was quite lucky as apart from some monster run from what I presume to be a mammoth Bream (Could have been a Snapper?) I struggled with Blades. However, big bags and fish were weighed in by boaters and kayakers with the top yak bag weighing over 2.5kg.

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LAST CARP BASH FOR THE YEAR - ITS WARMING UP

Another cold front past through, last for awhile hopefully...

To escape the chill Squidder and I decided to educate ourselves further on Carping, this time at a scholastic institute known for abundance. On arrival plenty were visible and active and as the sun came out in-between overcast conditions they slowly shut down. Interesting to note the eminence of a dead specimens littering the bank (Sure there pests, but why leave them like that?).

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POLL RESULTS (RECENT) - FISH FROM A SIK OR A SOT?

The latest poll asked readers if they fished from a SIK (Sit inside kayak) or a SOT (Sit on top). The option was available to select both but not suprisingly 100% of readers answered SOT. WIth the deck space available, the easy on and off and the comfort factor SOT kayaks have really dominated the market in Australia (And in turn the world) since their advent.

Many of us started out on a little SIK and I bet my bottom dollar that most of you still have that kayak tucked away somewhere behind your shed. I also would like to hazard a guess that most readers probably upgraded to fish from a Hobie. There will always be a part of me that yearns for a SIK, but to be honest I find them far too tippy for my liking and would probably end up burying it in the garage somewhere.

Archived result:

DO YOU FISH FROM A SIK OR A SOT KAYAK?

Sit in kayak: 0%
Sit on top kayak: 100%
Both: 0%

PADDLE SAFE / PADDLE SMART - ONLINE CAMPAIGN

Paddle Safe / Paddle Smart is a website dedicated to cultivating the safest and smartest paddling tips and advice available online. This website caters for all paddle sports and to all levels of ability. It is soon to feature additional advice on fishing from kayaks from noteworthy contributors throughout Australia (And beyond).

The website features tips and techniques in being safe & smart whilst on the water, how to checkout your kayak before launching, a gallery of safety items you could employ, transportation, storage and maintanence features and a lot more. The message is a simple one, and as such they are always looking for advice and pointers on paddling a kayak.

To check out the cause, visit the links below:

http://www.paddlesmart.org/

http://www.facebook.com/PaddleSmart

DAIWA-HOBIE WORLD YAK FISHING TOURNAMENT

Hobie Cat Australasia in conjunction with Daiwa Australia, announce that eighteen competitors from five nations, Singapore, Thailand, South Korea, USA and Australia, will compete in the inaugural Hobie world kayak fishing championships. The tournament will be held in Australia, on the New South Wales mid north coast, starting on October 27 at Camden Haven on the Camden Haven River, moving to the Hastings River at Port Macquarie on October 29 and 30.

The event is the concept of Steve Fields, General Manager of Hobie Cat Australasia. Steve is a former sailing world and national champion in multiple Hobie Cat Catamaran classes.

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HOW TO INSTALL A FISHFINDER ON YOUR KAYAK

Fishing World Magazine with the assistance of Hobie and a shapely Greg Lewis (Haircut, shave and posture lessons?) have teamed up to produce a segment on Fishing World's 'Fisho TV', showing seasoned yak hackers and beginners to the sport how to install a fishfinder on a kayak. While at first the video may seem simplfied in instructional content, the main reason is because it's really that easy.

Having performed this modification plenty of times on various kayaks I still picked up some great tips, like rolling the transducer into the sealant rather than pushing. I recently pulled removed my last install due to moving the fishfinder due to a kayak upgrade and was going to document reinstallation again via video for readers. No point me recovering solid ground, this video features an identical approach filmed straight from the factory floor by an alluring factory technician.

Enough of my babble, view the video by clicking here.

ALPINE IMPOUNDMENT TROUTIN' TECHNIQUES

Introduction:

A visit to the NSW Alpine lakes of Jindabyne and Eucumbene is a must for any Trout loving kayak fishing enthusiast. As an avid fishing visitor to the area over the past couple of years I have initiated some great success trolling the margins with assorted lures, line, leader and rod actions. Gaining some invaluable knowledge from top boating Trout fishermen has helped define the parallel, all signs encouraging the effort from my little polyethylene kayak.

While many of us have tackled these waterways mentioned above using traditional fishing methods I would like to help encourage others to give it a serious go and obtain results when kayak fishing impoundments. Whether you are looking for your bag limit or just great sport, the population of Rainbow, Brown, Brook Trout along with prized Atlantic Salmon more often than not put on a show worthy of any anglers bread and butter skills.

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DAIWA-HOBIE ABT RND 6 HOPKINS RIVER 2/10/11

The last round of the Daiwa-Hobie ABT tournament series is being held this weekend with a rescheduled event at the Hopkins River, Victoria. Earlier this year the event was cancelled due to major flooding in the area but luckily for competitors it was pushed back on the calendar. The area is known for some great breaming (Just like most of Victoria is) and the weeks leading up to the event have seen some great fish landed.

The Hopkins event is a one day tournament run on the Sunday the 2nd of October. Being the last event before the culmination of the series there are still plenty of GF spots on offer, with many anglers already qualifying this could be, and is your, last chance at winning a ticket to the big show. The Grand Final is looming large and is sure to be an event not to be missed, be it angler or bystander.

• October 29-30th Hobie GF (Port Macquarie) 2 Day Event

For more information, please click here.

http://bream.com.au/abt/2010/Hobierules1011.pdf

POLL RESULTS (RECENT) - ALWAYS WEAR A PFD?

After a short delay, coinciding with the release of a water wise article the results of the most recent poll are in. The poll asked if readers if they always wore a lifejacket/PFD, it focused on outcomes such as always, never, occasionally and when required (By law). Its great everyone shared information on the topic of wearing PFD's, especially the 0% of voters who 'No, never' wear them.

It was refreshing to note that while poll numbers were a little down the majority 72%always wore a lifejacket when kayak fishing. From this we can gather that it simply is an integral part of the everyday kayak fishing kit. The remainder of the percentages included 9% voting for donning occasionally while 18% mentioned they only wore one when required to by law.

Archived result:

DO YOU ALWAYS WEAR A LIFEJACKET/PFD?

Yes, always: 72%
No, never: 0%
Occasionally: 9%
When required: 18%

THE CONFIDENCE WITHIN COLOURS (POWERBAIT)

Over the last couple of years we have been experimenting with Powerbait and appropriate colour selection conducive to a maximum yield from Lake Jindabyne. Were always fishing for a feed, be it yak or land based. Achieving the Grand slam (One of each species available) or bagging out individually or as a group, the goal has always been to return home with a salmonoid bounty. Being as prolific as they are you would think this to be an easy feat, and some days it is.

Certain times of the year require some attitude adjustment when it comes to relying on those confidence colours you have developed overtime. The same can be said for bait selection, be it scrub worms, bardi grubs or other natural baits. Even current reports spelling out what was used and when can be off the mark on the day you decide to attend. Weather, moon phase, barometer all with have some effect on your outcome.

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THE PERILS OF A ONE TRICK PONY (CHAPTER 2)

I put the call out for additional readers prose on the subject and one of our readers and AKFF member Ado supplied another very interesting tale on what it's like to rediscover your fishing roots and suffer at the hands of some kind of progressive fishing monster .

When I was young I was a fisherman. I grew up on Cockatoo Island, a dockyard in the middle of Sydney Harbour. What choices did I have but to be a delinquent or a fisherman. While I became both in my ample spare time, I could only hold my head proud to the latter title. I must have been a fisherman. All the adults said so.

I knew how to catch a clutch of Leatherjackets. They were in ample supply in summer, dropping handlines from the south-west corner of Parramatta Wharf, using long shank number 10 hooks and the tiniest morsel of perfectly presented pealed prawn. Handlines (preferably the old-world cork variety) were best due the extreme subtlety of the leatherjackets sucky bight. I could catch them by the freezer full, and made significant pocket money selling them to all the adults that weren’t fishermen like me.

If I got bored of catching Leatherjackets, then I could spear them. I used a light-weight, handmade spear with welding rods as prongs and aerial aluminium as the body. Adding a 5m length of insulated electrical wire with a slip knot around the right wrist and I was set – straight outa ‘Lord of The Flies’. Mid tide was best. Too low and the wash from all the suburban non-fisherman that plagued the harbour on the necessarily sunny days would stir up mud and spoil the vis. Too high and the Leatherjackets would be foraging too deep on their pylons. I could tell a Leatherjacket from the weed they mimicked, the parallax error and deflection of the spear as it pierced the water surface. I was the hunter. Let others gather.

The place to catch Bream was the southern slipways. A runout tide would hold an unweighted live prawn over the structure. Multiple plastic reels could be set, the artificial lights just sufficient to see a sudden loss of slack in one or more set lines. Luderick were available on a run in tide, drifting string weed past the barrier pylons south of Parramatta Wharf. Flathead could be found feeding below the chomping Tailor under the lights of the Camber Wharf, laying in wait for strips of Tailor caught specifically for the purpose on a trusty wonder wobbler. Winter held the promise of marauding Trevally, available only on the run-out tide at the eastern end of Parramatta Wharf. The best moment was just after the hour when the wash from the last of the ferries would stir up action from the slumbering depths. I was a fisherman alright. My many ponies were well trained indeed.

By the time I’d reached university my interests shifted elsewhere. I was slowly coerced into adventure sports and the adrenaline they distilled. Caving, canyoning, skiing, white water kayaking and (above all) rockclimbing consumed my weekends with bight sized adventure snacks. While I occasionally went ‘adventure fishing’ in wilderness trout streams or from isolated rock platforms, I was no longer a fisherman but an adventure junkie, swapping line for ropes and hunting nothing but life points.

It wasn’t until my mid thirties that I rediscovered fishing. I can remember the moment of clarity. I was fishing off an isolated rock platform on Broughton Island. Just getting there was a logistical challenge of charters, packing and portage. It was an adventure, even without the fishing. My dusty thirteen foot beach rod and rusty Diawa reel were withdrawn from a premature retirement and thrust into use. Hanging off them was 15lb monofilament, a gang of 4/0 hooks, a pilchard and a bobby cork – my rock-fishing pony at play. What I thought was a holiday from my usual holidays was soon shattered. My pony and I were in battle with a 3kg Spangled Emperor that had more than one trick up its sleave. After running back and forth around the rocky shores, reel screaming, line singing and rod bowing, the being with a brainstem and more than one trick won.

This was not remarkable in itself. I could live with being unworthy. But doubling up in pain afterwards? That was unexpected. I was crippled by an adrenaline rush more akin to a near death experience than a holiday at the beach. It was a revelation. Fishing was no different to any of my other loves. It was an adrenaline sport after all. But it was an adrenaline sport without the dangers that I’d mistakenly believed were a necessary accompaniment. I was hooked (so to speak), reliving my childhood in a man’s world of rocks and cleats and white-water sheets and eventually … kayaks.

So what has any of this got to do with ponies and their lack of tricks?

I did a whole lot of unlearning. I was all at sea at sea. Boats were for beer swilling barbie masters. Soft plastics were things that ate away tackle boxes. Bibbed lures were for trout, and only when Celtas failed. Braid was something that my daughter did to her hair. Trolling was what the three Billy Goats Gruff did on their way to pastures green. I had a myriad of well trained ponies, but each had only one trick. How could I catch a bream without a live prawn, a slipway or a run-out tide? My ponies were as useful as old dogs.

I realised I wasn’t a fisherman at all. In fact I was a long long way from being a fisherman. None of my techniques could be deployed while bobbing around on a kayak. I had to start over. At least I had kayaking to keep me entertained while I did so. Being within 5m of a bombora had me puckering enough without fish, at least for a while. But a while is never long enough. Soon bouncing around on ocean swells was commonplace. Adrenaline and ‘commonplace’ are not companions.

But success, at least the taste of success, was not long coming. I began to relive my childhood days, replacing Leatherjackets with Redfin. My trick was a red and black Micro-Min, trolled adjacent to weed beds. In the salt I found a Gulp sand worm drifted across the mud in 3m of water could stir up a Flathead in the lakes or myriad of Snapper mimicking Wrasse in the ocean. These few techniques became my new poison. They inspired and inhibited in equal doses. I knew there was more to kayak fishing that three lures and two techniques, but I could not bring myself to persevere with them. Am I just replacing one set of ponies with another? Have I learned nothing in the intervening 30 years?

The answer is obvious. To me the lure of fishing is not in the achievement. Achievement means nothing but a warm inner glow. I never achieved anything in climbing. All I ever did was experience. The experience of fishing is all about expectation. It’s the expectation, the tension, the suspense that feeds my fishing addiction. Fishing without expectation is … well … relaxation. Where’s the fun in that? I don’t want to relax, I want to live. I want to live with adrenaline in my veins and a heart thumping in my chest. There is more expectation in a nibble from a Wrasse than an hour spent tossing a 5 inch jerk shad at someone else’s Snapper. A new trout stream remains barren until I see my first rise. Luderick are abundant only after I see your first down. A new technique, no matter how well researched, recommended and reconstructed is simply not fishing unless and until it catches me a fish.

Expectation is everything to me. Expectation is the experience. But experience is also a pre-requisite to expectation.

My first Snapper will be Catch 23.

YAK FISHER MAGAZINE #55 (SPRING EDITION)

Issue #53 winter edition of Sport Fishing Australia (Incorporating YAK Fisher) is out in stores now, just in time for the onset of seasonal change. The Sport Fishing Australia section features many toparticles from seasoned sport fishing journalists such as Steve Starling, Shane Mensforth, Al McGlashan, Scott Gray and Nigel Webster, Lee Rayner, Neil Schultz just to name a few.

YAK Fisher Kayaking Magazine has Yak news plus articles on yak fishing St. Helens Tasmania, Blades, DIY live bait tank, Bassin' QLD, Exploring Dingo Beach QLD, The Power of observation, Water Wise kayaking safety tips part 1 (By yours truely) and much, much more (Including yak hints & tips by KFA member Paddy Curran).

Available at all good newsagents or by subscription,

http://www.afn.com.au/cms/details.asp?NewsID=114

POLL RESULTS (RECENT) - YEARS YAK FISHING

Well the results are in, thanks to the individuals who voted. The purpose of polls on KFA is to provide feedback on readers, allow readers to scope what others may have been doing/using and to provide interaction. The choices may be limited (Depending on the question) but in most cases they, and the answers, will be genuine enough to gauge an overall feel/result on the subject.

What is really interesting to note is the newcomer and seasoned results. Over 30% of visitors who voted have been fishing from their kayak for over a year and under three. What would have been even more interesting is if the poll reflected choices of 0 - 1 years and perhaps one year increments. The same could be said for all over categories including a 'missing' 10 years + category.

No matter the result its clear each and every one of you enjoy kayak fishing as much now as you did when you first started. The newcomers of the sport, I remember exactly what you are feeling and words can't really capture that (Except perhaps 'enjoyment' or 'exhilaration'). It's a wonderful hybrid sporting activity and thoroughly enjoyable when participated with close friends and family.

To the seasoned yak anglers, who I am sure enjoys sharing his experiences as much as we do, I can see why you stuck around. Physical conditioning aside the fishing can be so much better than the days of old, trudging a bank or negotiating a slippery boat ramp during your waters 'peak season'. Most people I speak to mention they have caught more fish in the last 10 years than the last 20.

Archived Result:

POLL - HOW MANY YEARS HAVE YOU BEEN YAK FISHING FOR?

1 - 3 Years: 35%
3 - 5 Years: 23%
5 - 7 Years: 11%
7 - 10 Years: 29%

NSW - LAKE JINDABYNE (KALKITE) 28/8/11

Jason's Brown on a soft plastic, dont know how he does it...

Was indeed great to vacate the house and conditions were superb (for humans anyway). If I was to reflect on the day we arrived about an hour late, so missed out on succesfull jointed lure flatlining. Switched to tassies/cobras and had a solid hit straight away on brown bomber, cycled colours to yellow winged brown rebel indigenous lofty (Yellow Winged Corroboree - Thanks Geoff) and purple clown and rigged up heathy hooks (oppossed).

Snuck into a rocky bay and trolled over a near surface sip and sure enough, bend and big run. Great fish earning it's great freedom, forgot I had tightened drag to retrieve lure earlier (video footage will not be released!). Needless to say apart from a hit on the clown that was it, fish rose till roughly 11am then stayed deep till around 2pm.

Couldn't believe squidder was on a grand slam roll (Atlantic, Brown & Brook - Just needed Rainbow), so i stole his profitable brown bank. Jase had cleaned the fish here earlier and as karma would have it the seagulls flocked in and wouldn't leave the shallows. Climbing a boulder for a good look around I found I was fishing a relative underwater forest, meaning I was bound to fail (hooking up would have cost me dearly).

I could see the ramp in the distance and hear bells every 20 minutes so made the pedal over to our usual possie. Bumped into a fellow kayaker Alan (from CAA), using a sinking fly line and wooly buggers (couple of hits). Set up shop and started off well with a school of bows moving in, hooking one and seeing it's mate cutting a rug as the fish came in. Next fish took line like a, erm, line thief and launched itself skywards numerous times. Ended up a great fish, top 5 rainbows of my jindabyne experiences (went 56cm on the glad wrap). Soon as I rebaited other rod shook violently, no weight unfortunately.

Couple of things I did different this trip, trolled with fluoro straight through (famell and vanish) and forgot the GPS. The line returned a couple of seriously snagged lures and worked well with the tassies but didn't rate it with the minnows, jointeds and crawdads (braid provides better feel, lacks abrasion resistance though).

GPS really gives me the confidence to troll effectively at speeds conducive to lure action, rod tip action and fluoro didn't cut the mustad.when I troll I'm interested in covering ground, not covering landmarks counting trees to gauge walking speeds. To those that don't know, the difference between 3kmph and 5kmph is pretty critical, especially when flatlining away from the bank (in my experience anyway).

Top stuff Jase, sorry the truly remarkable feat of the jindy grand slam on plastics didn't occur. Man, all four fish on one of the hardest techniques to master on trout would have been truely regal. New issue of yak fisher is out and I couldn't help but think while I like McGoverns articles on trout on plastic (in freshwater fishing/SFA) I think you could do a better one from the kayak. You definately have a skill mastered that needs to be shared, I know your far to humble to admit it but you do... Man.

KAYAK FISHING MAGAZINE ISSUE #41 (ONLINE)

The latest edition of Kayak Fishing Magazine has just come online, packed with all the quality features and articles that make them the largest and most read kayak fishing website and publication anywhere. From featured articles, interviews, angler of the month, gear guides and a world wide tournament calender, Kayak Fishing Magazine has a lot to offer our fishing community and best of all its free!

(This issue has an informative article on phone apps for yak fishing)

To view the latest edition of KFM, click on the links below:

Magazine - http://www.kayakfishingmagazine.net/home.html

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kayak-Fishing-Magazine/119502353056

SQUIDGY SOUTHERN BREAM SERIES - ROUND 8

The last round of the SSBS 2011 events was held last weekend in Mallacoota, Victoria. From all reports the fishing was once again tough but those that caught fish did so with impressive results. Matt Petrie from Victoria amassed a 3kg + bag on day two to jump a few rungs and find himself on top of the podium (Great result Matty). Bay and Basins Sports fishing guide Darryl Head also broke the three kilo mark on day two, climbing from fourth to second place. The ever consistent Dave Hedge took out third and Brian Rutledge rounded out the top four.

Conditions were supposed to be appalling but it sounds like the entrants had a small reprieve. The end result marks the final qualification points possible for the SSBS Grand Final in late October. Somehow Jason and I managed to scrape the bottom of the barrell, great news considering Squidder is the defending title holder from 2010. The Year to date points have been updated and are available from the following link:

http://www.ssbs.basinlureandfly.org.au/points/ytd-points-2011/

KFA team member Craig Coughlan reviews the tournament in detail here.

THE PERILS OF A ONE TRICK PONY (CHAPTER ONE)

Given my recent state of competitive disappointments I thought it best to reflect on tournament yak angling and discuss ways to avoid the dreaded donut. Before I begin though let me state this isn't a pat on the back, or a shoulder to cry on, more a way of sharing my experiences, the ups and downs of the rollercoaster ride called my tournament career. Straight off the bat I still consider myself a tournament newbie, while I would love to progress into a non boater role on the near horizon lack of time, success, glory and god damn responsibility all get in the way.

It's not a goal of mine, but as I love gathering as much fishing experience as possible I would love to give it a shot one day. Who knows, if I did well I might become hooked, buy a tournament boat and become a fully fledged addict. Then again, who am I kidding here. I'm in my mid 30's, 1 year old daughter, 10 year+ de facto relationship (With the girl of my dreams I might add) and my employment title credential is currently listed as 'Daddy Day Care'. Mister DIY coming up in the suburbs, living life to the fullest, mountain of debt, all whilst staying a true brother of the angle.

Freedom, escapism, kayak fishing, fishing, kayak fishing, freedom, the mindless wander. A couple of words/phrases instantly spring to mind, more my wants and needs to survive this rat race as an individual. The love for fishing never wains, it truely rewards (And not just in the fishy sense). Time clutches all though and I find myself missing out on those little trips, the ones were the big one didn't get away (It was caught by your mate). Sometimes even packing a car for a simple trip seems to have lost its lustre, but surprisingly not when the kayak fishing tournament calendars roll around.

Human beings are naturally competitive, competition not only drives us every day to do better than those we consider to be our equals, it also allows us to strive to be the same as, and then better than, those we see as superior to us. You see, notice that at no time did I mention 'I'm better than you' or 'I'm the best', that's not what drives me to participate (Not at all). I like making up numbers, I like being one of the gang, those social aspects that encourage friendship. Most of all though I like to perform under pressure, to better past achievements and strive for a personal accolade.

This is a way of saying you like to win you might say. Everyone likes to win but in my case, well you couldn't be further from the truth. This isn't about defeating 50 armed plastic seated bastards on some blood lake, hell this is all about man vs man, mano e mano and all that crap (Me vs Me). In many ways I'm my own worst enemy, far too hard on myself when failure looms, far too quick to sneak in a fist pump when the cards are stacked against me. Sometimes, oh sometimes I perform better than expected. 'Practice makes perfect' I keep telling myself, but in reality google would translate that as 'How can I allocate time to perfect those skill sets required to win tournaments?'.

It's no secret the best fishermen I know fish often, in fact some of them get out 5 days a week. Coincidently, most of these guys fish Bream tournaments and clean up the prize pools. They live on the water, breathe on the water, live off the what lays beneath the water, heck there practically amphibians of some sort of genus. About 6 years ago Bream was a fish I caught trolling for Flathead (By-catch, so to speak), easy to come by and horrible on the plate. When the poppers on Whiting/Bream phenomenon exploded most of my mates had already mastered it and I was patting my head, rubbing my tummy trying to catch up. Through their tutelage I finally got it, it was the first decent technique I could apply from the kayak to catch fish in shallow water.

As I started to amass the years fishing from a kayak I became confident when fishing socially, learning to deploy a certain technique in the right place at the right time. Unfortunately the same couldn't be said about my Bream tournament results. My local haunts differed greatly to, as an example, the Queensland canals we visited and I really struggled to read my surroundings (On a regular basis). Frantically searching for a systems fishable top waters I would hope for an edge bite, overlooking sinking options. For some reason I found the whole jig head, plastic choice too rushed in tournament scenarios and never gained confidence using that approach. After being monstered by Mangrove Jack after Mangrove Jack cranking mid waters I became hesitant to prospect with a hardbody, instead looking for super shallow sandbanks to walk the dog.

I had become a 'One trick Pony', and even that didn't work on unknown waters (How I longed for the South Coast of NSW). Then came the deep water technique I so needed to learn, the art of blading for Bream. My good mate and KFA member Craig happily provided the right tools for the job, explained his technique, the bite and why it worked at this particular location and then suddenly bang, I'm on to a good fish. That particular day resulted in my first tournament top 10 (Seventh place), given I was new to the technique and the quality of the field I was a little blown away. The best feeling though was realising both Craig and Jason had made the top 5. Craig using his shared blading approach and Jason flourishing on the surface.

A couple of months later at the same location, during a different competition, using the same blading technique I took out first place. But, it's a big but too... Fast forward to present day, same venue, cooler water, two day tournament event, same technique and the dreaded double donut occurred. I'm not new to them (Donuts that is) and I got completely sick of them, blaming myself (As one does) for not learning those important past lessons. To avoid more calorie laden sugary goodness (Or evil soul cursing performance, both are bad for you) I stumbled purely by accident on a technique that got me out of the donut van on more than a number of occasions.

Combining super shallow water, a patented edge bite (Tide dependant) and shallow running suspending hard body's, the art of shallow jerk baiting got me out of the donut van on more than a number of occasions. Pulsing the lure ever so slightly, rod held high, slow rolling back with a super aggressive rod shake would bring the Bream on. Make no mistake, if they were/are around they will eat it. The spasm like action of the suspending lure (In most cases a silent Zip Baits 'Khamsin') basically resembles a baitfish that has had way to much caffiene. The vibration (Sans rattle) and technique keeps the bib down slightly while the pulse of the rod tip offers a 'Now or never' result.

Armed with what at the time seemed like the mother of all techniques, off I would trot, returning venue, different tide, same area, epic fail. Different arena, same lure, same technique, favorable tide, top 5 finish. Sometimes all techniques fail, sometimes some waterways are deficient in the features that one needs to excel in. Blame your tools, trade or focus all you want, it won't make up for a lack of experience on the waterway in question. Australia's top tournament anglers spend more time preparing for a pre fish than the actual tournament day. Prefishing an area before a tournament helps immensely, even if you can't get up/down to the waterway in question and just throw various lures around randomly on a local.

Be it Black or Yellow, donut or podium, Bream fishing can be the arsiest of sports. I guess that's one of the reasons why they implemented tournaments for this species in the first place. Think about it, what's the one fish you can catch when you don't want or even need to that's hardy as all hell, pulls like a demon but yet supremely elusive when a catch is warranted... Sure as hell not a Flathead.

Love, one jaded Bream fisherman.

PS - Just in case your wondering what the image contains, mainly epic fail meters, a pony, some lures, angry colours with splashes of vivid dissapointment. Shit, I am truely a blogger now, who would have thought?

CAA - LEARN TO FLYCAST EVENTS 2011 (FREE*)

Canberra Angler Association once again holds its annual free fly casting lessons/advice on the lawns of Old Parliment House in Canberra.
The tution encourages amatuers to prolififc casters to attend and hone their skills. If you have existing casting skills your more than welcome to assist the new players.

Location: The lawns of Old Parliment House
(Corner of King Edward Terrace and Parkes Place West (just across the road from Questacon)
Session Time: 10:00 am - 12:00 Noon

Session Dates: 11th, 18th and 25th* of September
*(Please note the third weekend may move to an optional day on water (this may be trout stocked water near Lake Eucumbene, if so the property owner will charge individuals) – more details available.

Remember, if you have a flyrod/line bring it along. CAA will provide loan outfits for those that dont. Also, please remember to bring and wear sunglasses and bring and wear a hat.

RAFFLE FOR FLIES AND SURPRISE MAJOR PRIZE

MEMBERSHIP (FOR THOSE INTERESTED) AT MODERATE RATES

CONTACT: secretary@canberra-anglers.asn.au

www.canberra-anglers.asn.au/

DAIWA-HOBIE ABT RND 14 ST.G.BASIN 13-14/8/11

Round 14 of the Daiwa-Hobie ABT is on this weekend at St. Georges Basin, NSW. The event is the 2 day state title event for NSW and features 5 qualifying spots for the Grand Final. Winter at the Basin should prove quite competitive with the deeper water sure to hold good size fish, hopefully in good sized numbers. Past events here have shown its 'Go deep or go home' with some bruiser specimens gracing the weigh master. A typical bag here is just sub 2.0kg with 4kg bags easily possible. Pack the blades, wobble like crazy and come compete in the last NSW event before the GF.

• September 17-18th R15- Westlakes 3 GF spots 2 Day Event



• October 2nd R6- Hopkins(Rescheduled) 3 GF spots 1 Day Event - Sunday



• October 29-30th Hobie GF (Port Macquarie) 2 Day Event

For more information, please click here.

http://bream.com.au/abt/2010/Hobierules1011.pdf

NSW S.COAST - YAK FISHING LAKES & ESTUARIES

Introduction:

The NSW South Coast is home to some of Australia’s most notable fisheries such as the Tuross, Moruya and Clyde river systems. Since the implementation of the Bateman’s Marine Park came into effect, several of the traditional, well worn fishing destinations are now strictly ‘off limits’. However for the more adventurous among us, numerous creek and lake offshoots branch away from these bothered waterways. Offering superb, stealthy Kayak angling opportunities while distancing themselves from the local populace, these tributaries are just begging to be explored!

From picturesque Durras in the north, down to the distant Wallaga Lake in the far south, scores of unique settings lie along and in-between. Many of these are major tourism drawcards and obtain a heavy angler presence year round, and for good reason too. Being less visited, the other river entities tend to run through and along various National Parks and shires, literally declaring themselves lonely recreational fishing sanctuaries. Some are still commercially fished, some are rarely beleaguered but most will agree the Marine Parks up and down the east coast of NSW are forcing the intrepid Yak Fisher folk to venture outside the box and start fishing the cardboard.


Species:

Discovering these unique waterways is only half the fun, fishing them from the concealment of a polyethylene craft is extremely rewarding. Admittedly, these areas can be a little hit and miss when water temperatures are at there coldest in winter. Come spring and the warmer months of summer, the heat creates a haven for breeding and feeding with Bream, Whiting and Flathead moving in to complete their lifecycle. Saltwater environments with brackish, fresh tidal reaches house Estuary Perch and Australian Bass, both subjected to closed spawning seasons (June 1st – August 31st). Exclusive habitat for these fish often overlap with Bass found higher in the system.

It’s a vicious circle of life in our Southern locales, a fish eat fish world where there are many ways of imitating a link in the food chain. Top dogs like Jewfish, Tailor and Dusky Flathead patrol the estuary beat, menacing bait fish along the weed beds and flats. Poddy Mullet are the bill of fare, silver service catering the everyday dietary needs of these estuarine genuses. New moon Prawns and Shrimp flick about under surgical attack from what chrome lies beneath, old mate Bream and poor mans Bonefish (Whiting). Fooling these gilled warriors is simple enough, try emulating the estuarine life itself.




Location:

Some areas have a tendency to hold denser populations of species than others; a good example of this is the renowned Bream of Lake Tabourie. A trivial drawn out waterway located a few kilometres just outside of Ulladulla, The inlet features many draining Creeks which tend to concentrate conventional food flows before emptying into deeper water. Bream love the channelling effect and often use the watercourse vicinity to gather energy before spawn schooling at the mouths entrance. While the Tabourie Bream seem to be predictable they still tend to wander throughout the elongated system.

Typical estuaries shape intricate organisms of shallow interconnecting channels and lakes, with Eurobodalla’s Tuross among one of the more expansive collections. With a varying depth of one to four metres, it truly is the iconic visual Kayak fishing location. From the habitual clear water surroundings of the lakes oyster leases to the rivers tidal reaches towards Coomerang, the waters arrangement basically screams surface lures. Since being deemed a recreational fishing haven in 2001, Kayak anglers heading to Tuross can expect to encounter greater numbers of both species of Bream, Dusky Flathead, Sand Whiting, Jew/Mulloway, Estuary Perch and Australian Bass.

Another near pristine estuary with exceptional water quality is Durras Lake, bordering the beautiful Murramarang National Park. From shallow channels to deeper basins, Durras is regarded by many as a multi-dimensional, branching lake. Salinity levels are higher than the average due to a small reef located just offshore, unfortunately preventing the lakes entrance from opening all year round. Commercial fishing has ceased in Durras Lake, some recreational fishing is also curtailed in certain sections. While all estuary fish species are present, Prawning is also very popular with tourists and locals during those warm summer nights (Before/after the new moon periods).


Techniques/Tackle:

Depending on your location, techniques and tackle can be adjusted for whatever the intended target species so keep a keen eye out for structure, snags, weed lined fringes and sandy lies. Anything and everything could become interested, especially once you start reaching the upper brackish reaches. Whether you choose to paddle a SIK (Sit in Kayak) or pedal a Hobie, the ability to glide into constructive positions will be ruined if you don’t pay attention to your surroundings and particularly depth. The benefits of Kayak fishing will slowly come in to play; silence is the skeleton key and will more often than not put you onto above average fish, all whilst remaining seemingly unobserved.

Normally fish have a fleeting sight benefit; given the average height one must sit or stand to breach over a conventional boats gunwale. Your core advantage is always finding yourself well and truly in the mix, sitting almost eye level and on par with your intentions (Donning special ninja abilities). Just how visible you and your Kayak will be when paddling the shallows is a highly debatable subject. While companies and manufacturers offer a wide range of finished colours for kayaks, including the dubious camouflage patterning, fish are only sensitive to certain colours of the visible spectrum (Depending on species). More often than not, it’s the shadow cast by the kayaks hull that will be enough to shut down an otherwise productive section.

Presenting bait/lures from a seated position in a Kayak has its pros and cons. In most cases, the seated position close to the waterline impedes peripheral vision. For some the game of blind, smelly bait is far too random, but worth playing all the same. Embracing current technology like GPS ( Global positioning system ) and electronic fish finding ability help bend the rules. Allowing for an accurate slow drift in your kayak is one way of changing your baits appeal. Changing your bait/lures appearance, with clever use of tackle selection, can prove to be the major difference on a slow days fishing.

Basically, fishing is species dependant and locality specific, certain approaches work best while others don’t work at all. As an example, using a running sinker all the way to the hook over reef or rocky structure will result in more lost rigs than lost fish. However, this rig is quite ideal for estuary work on sandy bottom dwellers like Flathead and Sole when in a Kayak. Employing a running sinker one metre above a light gauge bait hook ( A rubber stopper or small swivel will stem the lead flow ) will create a somewhat different donation that will appeal to our mid water species like Bream and Trevally.




Conclusion:

Tournament Bream anglers nation wide abscond fish from high powered casting platforms, throwing everything Japanese but a bottle of sake. You can take many of these same, cutting edge lures and begin applying them from a Kayak in a successful manner that is completely foreign in tourney circuits, without a retrieved lure in sight. I once caught the ire of a well known Merimbula Bream identity when asked why the hell was I trolling an Ecogear SX 40? (A known cast and retrieve minnow). I deftly explained “Because it works, what works from Yak defies all powerboat relevance!”

The Southern NSW lakes, estuaries and rivers provide an ideal playground for many Kayak anglers in search of the more popular fish species available on the South Coast. Many areas were deemed ‘unproductive’ by the greater fishing community long ago, leaving a few destinations relatively untouched. Thoughts like this were once generated by observing species like Mullet and Whiting only, roam the weedy flats. With drop offs few and far between, shallow lakes with closed margins present too many obstacles for the local tin brigade (Spooking huge Flathead as they prop bash to the safety of the ramp). Always be the polite Yak Fisher, just smile and wave goodbye!

NSW - BRAVING THE COLD OF WINTER 16/7/11

It is often hard to drag yourself out of bed before the dawn to go fishing in winter - but in many locations the winter action can be better than in the warmer months, and you will often have the place to yourself. And the reward of a fish you've battled the elements for is priceless.

I headed to a favorite winter spot recently to target snapper offshore. Seabreeze told me to expect about 2 metres of swell and a light breeze. It was spot on. The swell however was a bit unusual in the way it was forming curling waves close to shore, and the normally safe passage out to deeper water was a bit iffy. I managed to get out without incident, and fished for over an hour without a sniff from anything except an unlucky but welcome squid who was hooked on a plastic right on the tip of the candle. I cleaned him immediately, stowed the hood in the cooler and saved the tentacles – I haven’t used bait offshore for ages, but when times are tough it can make the difference.

A call to a friend in the know gave me hope for the coming tide change, and I’d barely stowed the phone in the dry bag when the rod I’d rigged with a squid tentacle on a jighead showed signs of life, and in came a small but legal snapper. Things were looking up when I dropped what felt like a better snapper the next cast. A local kayak fisherman John, who I’d seen launch a little after, paddled over and we exchanged theories on snapper this season – it has been a bit of strange one and the normally reliable plastics have not been producing with the same regularity as normal.

I repositioned myself about where I thought I'd picked up the last fish, threw out a plastic and set about rigging another squid tentacle on the other rod. I don’t think the plastic even hit the bottom, the reel started screaming and it felt like a monster. After 3 or 4 minutes I knew it must be getting close, but the colour I was seeing down below didn’t look quite right……Sure enough it was a fighting blue morwong. They would pull a snapper backwards in a tug of war. He went 48cm and was stowed in the cooler bag.

Over the next hour or so I managed a couple more barely legal snapper, and one good one on a 5” jerk shad which went 50cm on the nose. The journey back in through the ‘safe’ channel was seriously dodgy and I almost came unstuck a few times as the swells picked up the back of the yak and slewed it sideways almost onto the rocks. This was quite amusing to some of the young grommets standing nearby. To say it was a relief to stand on dry land is an understatement.

ICAST 2011 - BEST OF SHOW (REVOLUTION 11)

Oceanside, California – July 13, 2011 – Hobie Cat’s popular Mirage Revolution 13 and Quest 13 now have little brothers, the Mirage Revolution 11 and Quest 11. With the same angler-friendly design, these shorter, lighter models cut through the water like knives through butter. They will be sure favorites for small to mid-size anglers looking to stalk fish with compact, lightweight and maneuverable fishing kayaks.

The Mirage Revolution 11 is powered by Hobie’s patented MirageDrive® pedal system while the Quest 11 accommodates those who prefer to paddle. Fitting a niche that has long gone unanswered, they are first of their kind integrating the feel of longer touring kayaks with shorter more maneuverable river kayaks. They are proudly made in the U.S.A.

Both boats are fast and nimble, track straight and have a sharp turning radius. The cockpit areas include a large front hatch for storing plenty of gear as well as a center eight-inch round hatch. Two molded-in rod holders make trolling easy. Hobie’s Livewell can be added into the trunk areas and can accommodate additional rod storage and live bait fishing. These kayaks will be favorites among anglers looking to fish shallow, fast moving water. But it does not stop there…they are equally as proficient in calm water and ocean waves. There is no learning curve on either boat. They do not use gas and they go places that powerboats cannot like rocky shallows, up narrow creek channels and over prop-snagging vegetation.

A series of fishing-friendly accessories makes it possible for anglers to customize and fit their own preferences. Hobie’s Livewell has a high-flow, self-priming Attwood pump, a six volt sealed gel cell battery, adjustable drain and the capability of holding up to eight gallons of water. A Plug-In Hobie Trax “2” Cart with pneumatic wheels provides for easy rolling of heavy loads over rough terrain or soft sand. Turbo Fins can increase boat speed by over ten percent. New from Hobie….the first ever Horizontal Rod Holder Kit that lets anglers in any kayak, Hobie or otherwise, store rods along either or both sides of their vessel. These are only a sampling of what is available.

Both kayaks are offered in a variety of color choices including Caribbean Blue, Red Hibiscus, Golden Papaya, Ivory Dune, and Olive. They are constructed of seamless rotomolded polyethylene hulls and are designed with open-deck construction. Two-piece paddles with fiberglass shaft and deluxe, padded back-support seatbacks are included with both models. They are easily transportable in the back of a pickup truck or on a roof rack. And, of course, both boats meet the National Marine Manufacturers Association certification requirements for flotation.

HOBIE MIRAGE REVOLUTION 11 The defining feature on the Mirage Revolution 11 is Hobie’s patented MirageDrive. The self-centering padded pedals are connected to two underwater flippers, much like penguin wings; and are locked and unlocked from the kayak with the Click and Go system. Steering is controlled via oversized fingertip steering handle on the left side, making it easy to cast, hook, and land fish while maneuvering to that secret spot.
Length: 11’ 6”
Width: 29”
Hull Weight: 47 lbs.
MirageDrive Weight: 6.6 lbs.
Capacity: 300 lbs.
Additional Standard Features: Oversized forward hatch. Two eight-inch Twist and Seal hatches. Two mesh-covered stowage pockets. On-deck receptacle with cap for optional accessories post or sail mast, dive flag, or nav-anchor light. Deluxe padded seatback with lumbar support. Two molded-in mid-boat carrying grips. Gear bucket. MSRP: USD $1749

HOBIE QUEST 11
Length: 11.1’
Width: 29”
Hull Weight: 47 lbs.
Capacity: 300 lbs.
Additional Standard Features: “Easy Open” hinged hatch with access to large forward storage area. One eight-inch Twist and Seal hatch conveniently located in front of the seat. Aft room for second eight-inch optional hatch for additional storage. Adjustable foot braces for paddling leverage. Two mesh-covered stowage pockets. Two molded-in mid-boat carrying grips. Gear bucket. MSRP: USD $949

KAYAK FISHING MAGAZINE ISSUE #40 (ONLINE)

The latest edition of Kayak Fishing Magazine has just come online, packed with all the quality features and articles that make them the largest and most read kayak fishing website and publication anywhere. From featured articles, interviews, angler of the month, gear guides and a world wide tournament calender, Kayak Fishing Magazine has a lot to offer our fishing community and best of all its free!

(This issue has a great article on survival, 'Seven Hours Until Dark')

To view the latest edition of KFM, click on the links below:

Magazine - http://www.kayakfishingmagazine.net/home.html

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kayak-Fishing-Magazine/119502353056

WHICH KAYAK FOR ME? - THE AGE OLD QUESTION

As our hybrid sport progresses beyond the initial grasp of the subject so does the choice when picking a kayak to fish from. In the early infancies the kayak models adaptable to fishing were few and far between, these days however it can seem a little daunting for the uneducated. Therefore KFA have a few pointers we would like to educate readers on, it just makes plain sense to help clarify things further.

You may be an active individual that regularly pushes your body’s boundaries, or you may be someone looking to regain some fitness and recuperate old wounds. Whatever the reason, Kayak Fishing does not and will not discriminate against you. With 52 weekends a year it’s an activity that even the most dedicated fulltime workers can enjoy. Within the space of a few months not only will you notice some categorical health benefits but your rank of pure amateur status and knowledge on the subject will platform you with your peers… After all, this mighty amalgam sport is still growing.


Where you plan to fish (Key is percentage):

Being realistic with where you plan to fish most of the time will help your final decision be a wise one. Before approaching the thought of purchasing keep in mind what brought you the idea in the first place. Did you spy someone flicking the flats of your local estuary or departing next to the boat ramp at your favourite haunt? Is this where you want to fish or do you have much grander, offshore style plans in mind?

If you’re sticking to small creeks & flat water a smaller plastic kayak like a Perception ‘Minnow’ / Australis ‘Bass’ around the 3 metre mark might be the best choice. Its shorter length will allow you to turn easily in tight corners, like amongst mangroves. A smaller kayak will also weigh less, allowing you to portage (Carry) the kayak cross county to get to rarely fished destinations.

For example, if you have a creek that is broken in to pools or with trees across it the kayak can easily be lifted out and ported around the obstruction. The advantage of a plastic kayak in these situations is it will take the bumps and scratches without you giving a second thought; this is no place for a South African Fishing Ski!

That’s not to say the fibreglass Skis don’t have there recompense too, much of Australia’s surrounding coastline is subject to swell (With little or no shelter). While access to the sandy beach is easy enough for any kayak, surf launching comes into its own a Ski. The ability to stow long rods, fish finders and miscellaneous gear below deck before judging distance between sets puts you in a league of your own.

The wave hopping performance is only really comparable to the Rescue board features of our strongest beach icon, the famous Surf Lifesavers. Punching over waves rather than through, surfing waves in on return rather than avoiding them and skeg style tracking are just a few benefits that typify South African / Australian coastal conditions.




Key benefits of the right choice (Examples over wrong):

There are two types of Kayaks that are commonly used to fish from, the S.O.T (Sit on top) and the S.I.K (Sit in Kayak). Either are available in both Polyethylene (Plastic) or Fibreglass (Kevlar/Carbon too), all offering ample opportunities to get you fishing and on the water. Once again, depending on what body of H20 you wish to fish there are models, makes and finishes to suit almost everyone (Observe your waterways).

S.O.T Polyethylene Kayaks allow for exaggerated freedom of movement on the deck, providing the ability to move around and mount or dismount simply. Being of a draining deck design, any water taken onboard simply self bails through gravity fed scupper holes that exit below the waterline (A must for S.O.T models). They are often heavier and wider than a S.I.K, making use of storage features like tank wells above deck rather than below. The only real downside to a S.O.T is the users exposure to the elements, be it sun, rain or wind your uncovered lower body is often left to the weathers mercy.

S.I.K Polyethylene Kayaks provide shelter below deck, removing the sun off your legs and providing a cockpit rim to install watertight skirts. Sitting slightly below the waterline this style of Kayak fits in the more recreational category. The bigger, more open cockpits whilst providing ample storage room prohibit sideways movement below deck. A S.I.K designed for fishing will be slightly wider than a traditional Sea Kayak, adding stability at slower speeds while incorporating many of its design features (Screw lid storage, Bulkheads).

The only real downside to a S.I.K is its ability to recover from capsizes, water tight bulkheads will provide vessel flotation but a lack of scupper holes will mean your Kayak is much harder to recover from a swamped position (A manual bilge pump is a must).

Certain hull shapes, materials, seated positions and ultimately differing models all have a place in the scheme of things. Smaller sit in kayaks (SIK) suited to skinny water (Tidal creeks, freshwater rivers) have certain abilities that shine in areas that a large sit on top (SOT) fibreglass fishing ski (Purpose built for offshore angling) would struggle. It’s a vice versa scenario, the fibreglass ski excels in surf launches and totally eclipses anything the ‘Minnow’ style has to offer in the same situation (Be that safety, fishing ability or your inherent nous whilst using).




Usability / Portability (Roof racks, trailer options, storage):

One of the first and flawed mistakes many make when purchasing a kayak is including ‘Loved ones’ initial interest as a binding marriage. While I am sure there are plenty of exceptions to the rule (Including one made by yours truly) you can often find yourself without a full time dedicated fishing partner. Some tandem kayaks are made to be fished one up adequately but many have there drawbacks when venturing out solo. It’s worth noting tandem kayaks often weigh in excess of 30 kilograms and are elongated and difficult to transport and handle alone.

It’s at this stage that portability and hull weight issue really comes to the forefront of your decision, was it the right one? Most kayaks are transported on roof racks (either permanent or removable soft racks) or on purpose built trailers. Loading your chosen craft onto your cars roof is cumbersome at the best of times; if you can’t lift it up there comfortably it may start to gather dust in your garage (Unless you go the more expensive trailer option). Take into consideration your health, strength, ability when studying a kayaks advertised weight (Can you lift it alone easily?) and guess an average additional tackle load.

Another important consideration is kayak storage off the water. Depending on your states climate you may have the option of storing safely undercover (Avoiding harmful U.V rays), or be limited to a housed solution inside your garage (Avoiding climate altogether). Both choices have advantages, most Kayak manufacturers recommend storing your yak on its side (Usually the strongest point), standing on its stern vertically (Not an option for most) or on its deck facing down (Hull side up).

There are ways to cradle your kayak hull down; pulley sling systems that stow your kayak to your garage roof using cleats are quite popular (Allowing lowering onto your transport of choice and freeing valuable floor space). Brands like ‘Aquaracks’ offer side mountable padded choices on solid walls but rest assured, some of the best Kayak racks around are D.I.Y styled jobs tailored to ANY available space.




Kayaks attributes (Weight class, hull shape etc):

Don’t fully discount weight as being something best avoided though, some of the heavier kayaks on the market are also some of the most buoyant and feature packed. Most kayaks suited for fishing sit in a bare hull weight class range that varies from approximately 18kgs (Perception ‘Minnow’) to a whopping 39.9kgs (Hobie ‘Pro Angler’). User weight capacity is often reflected with the above; while the ‘Pro Angler’ may sound heavy initially, bear in mind it has massive payload of 272kg (More than enough to load to the hilt) compared to the 150kgs of the ‘Minnow’ and has built in features to help you get it on and off its travelling platform.

Your kayaks shape should help determine what limits you will have while using it. Some are long and sleek while others have platform ability, the former helping cut through choppier, wind swept waters quickly with the latter promoting a more deliberate and steady advance. Your tracking facility (Ability to move in a straight line) is based on active keel and various channelled shaping’s under your kayak (Unless a rudder is fitted).

Most ‘Minnow’ style kayaks lack an ample keel but in the standard quieter water where they excel it’s not as much of a need as larger kayaks in open water require. Some larger kayaks track very well but could do with a rudder when a change in the weather hits. Rudders improve situations that can sometimes be vexing, that’s not to say each to their own though, you may just end up getting a little frustrated and rue your preliminary choice. Luckily this matters least as most manufacturers offer them as an optional extra (If not built in a package), allowing your last frown to quickly turn upside down next trip.

One thing I have learnt over the years is when something does go awry Kayak Fishing, things can snowball quite quickly. A tangled lure, a change in swell, a drift under some low lying branches or some lost gear overboard. Add to this a feisty hooked fish and sudden wind gusts and trouble can start brewing. Luckily these are choice ridden situations that can be avoided with familiarity and repetitive exposure to similar situations; often the only worst case scenario you will encounter is that you fall in the water and get wet. What happens next depends on preparation, location, elements and above all any physical and mental strength remaining to complete a safe journey back to the departure point.


Advanced options (Mirage drive / Electric motor / D.I.Y):

Once understanding of the basic principals is achieved, your choices are then expanded ten fold. Welcome to the world of cutting edge technology were relaxation, manoeuvrability and specification come into play. While most kayaks are made to be propelled with upper body movement and a paddle stroke, companies like Hobie, Viking, Stealth Drive and Torqeedo offer compelling alternatives to the more traditional technique of paddling whilst fishing.

Much has been written about the Hobie Mirage Drive phenomenon, pedalling with your feet essentially provides a ‘Hands free fishing’ experience. The Mirage Drive is akin to the motion of a Penguin propelling forward, it offers a leg work out over shoulder (Handy if upper body injuries persist) and is extremely user friendly. Hobiecat has recently announced a partnership with Neah Power Systems Inc to develop green friendly fuel cells for use in the Hobiecat boat range, complementing their water world.

Only time will tell if this technology is applied into their expanding kayak array of hulls and accessories, an exciting prospect nether the less.

While most brands top models come pre kitted with fishing packages (Optional extra or not) they are not immune from the occasional modification. The D.I.Y option of Kayak Fishing is what gets many of us on the water in the first place. ‘Pimping your Kayak’ is an art form that deserves a whole article written on the subject, suffice to say no goal or idea is stupid until proven fruitless. Some great examples departing the often expensive OEM fields are the D.I.Y sounder mounts (Using pre existing points), Rocket Launcher PVC monstrosities (Using pre existing rear rod holders) and homemade sailing kits (Opening another growing dimension).




Taking the plunge (Get on the water):

Its worth approaching your local kayak dealers with an enquiry about a test paddle decision, many have demonstration days with an option to try many different kayaks. Depending on your areas demographic and available waterways this shouldn’t be an issue, especially when all dealers want to see a successful, correct purchase. Certain dealers offer services to purchase and install additional items of choice for a small fee (Eg: Rod holders) and generally offer free, experienced advice worth taking onboard.

Also, try meeting up with an organised group of individuals (Like AKFF members) in your local or surrounding area and suss out differing models and brands, whilst participating be sure to listen and ask for firsthand user feedback. While science and marketing can help push your foot through the door, I find information gathered straight ‘From the horse's mouth’ equally important, predominantly when coupled in good numbers. Versatility is important, but again try being realistic about what you're going to do from a kayak. If you're doing 30 estuary trips a year and only a small number of offshore sorties, buy something more estuary suitable.

In conclusion there's really no such thing as a bad fishing kayak; the fish species themselves don't really care whether you're in a $4000 beast or a $200 garage sale clunker. Past and present ancient civilizations like the arctic Inuit in their seal-skin kayaks and the Aborigines in their bark canoes have proven that budget isn’t important (Beyond reasonable doubt). A kayak suitable for fishing is all about your comfort on the water in your chosen craft, get the one that feels right on the water and the fish will look after themselves (And in turn, you in the long run).

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR KAYAK - A STATE OF MIND

In previous posts on KFA I have covered and touched base on topics such as ‘Which kayak for me’, basically a self topical analysis of the dos and don’ts associated with making your initial purchase foray into the sport of kayak fishing. While the article mentioned above discussed topics based on the right and wrong kayak choice it left room to move beyond the basics. Ideas like getting involved and knowing your limits.

I decided it was worth getting together and converse on a ‘Where things Benefit’ piece, basically an article on getting to know and use your own kayak confidently and safely before moving beyond your chosen crafts realm. In other words, offering tips on enhancing your kayak fishing experience and developing sense for what is required in certain situations (Be that safety, comfort, storage). Understanding mainstay elements and perceiving benefits of each will match your learned experience and ultimately keep you on the water longer.


Competence, seeking confidence:

I remember the feeling the first time I was invited offshore, it was something between intrepid dread and trepidation of the unknown. For months I had pondered the thought of venturing offshore but was unsure of exactly what was required skill wise. Occasionally I had seen sea kayakers venturing out into the briny blue but almost all paddled in large groups with trained tour operators. It only took a second glance at my invitees/mates to realise they couldn’t quench my thirst with official qualification, sure they were seasoned offshore veterans but their credentials were based on personal experience only and confidence translated feebly. I needed to associate the advice like everyday verve, tell me to do something and I seem to forget but ultimately show me once properly and I have learned enough it seems for life.

I soon found out ways to escape any building apprehension, by simply reassuring oneself by asking questions which fuelled any need to know. Thinking back I asked some pretty impractical questions on the art of kayak fishing offshore but at the time there were no right or wrong questions, just some that hadn’t been asked of them before (or in a long time). I had a preconceived idea on what were the necessities, many of which when discussed with my peers were viewed with total distain. While some of the questioned subject matter could be put into practice the pros were definitely outweighed by the cons of exemplarily situations conjured up.

One of the first things discussed to save piece of mind was when toying with the idea of venturing offshore was how to secure yourself to your kayak safely. Ideas like tethering physically to your kayak quickly went out the window early on in many conversations with countless individuals (With differing levels of experience offshore); the discussed conclusions were unanimous but I was still naïve and vocally stubborn. I believed the idea and technique had some kind of merit, after all surfers attach themselves to their boards, sailors to yachts and small boaters to engine kill switch lanyards.

Surely tethering everything to the yak in sight would both save any wayward donations to Davey Jones but also bring some kind of safety reassurance. Through persuasion it finally occurred to me that it’s a contentious practice that should be used sparingly. Imagine this, four rigged rods all leashed to your deck, paddle leashed to your deck, fish grips / pliers / knife leashed and multiple other accessories, anchor out and leashed and the clincher, fishing lines in the water.

While under drift you fail to notice an increase in swell and turn side on with a drogue in the water, unfortunately tipping you and your belongings out into deep water. Well at least the gears tethered so loss is minimal, but wait why is my arm caught? Similar situations occur when exiting and entering decent surf zones and river mouths, even a secured paddle leash can be a deadly weapon in Neptune’s hands.

Now look at a freshwater scenario, your $900 rod and reel combo that can’t tolerate saltwater finally gets an outing on a freezing cold trip to an alpine lake. The water is more than 50m deep in parts and you feel the need to secure your belongings as the waters temperature isn’t inviting enough. With two rods and your paddle secured you feel tenable enough to troll two lines out at the same time but both get snagged up within minutes. While trying to retrieve your valuable lure you knock your expensive combo into the drink and watch the tether tangle around a submerged tree. The rod starts flexing, in a mild panic to save the rod you lean out a little too far and take a spill from the kayak; you are now engulfed in your own prescribed safety devices.


Where, when and why things benefit:

Don’t wince, these things can and do happen to the best of us (At the worst of times). When something goes wrong fishing from a yak it’s usually viewed by the user in a kind of cinematic slow motion with no control, no rewind and no fast forward. Most of the problems with the above examples are they could have easily been avoided with a little foresight. Cluttering your kayaks deck space with arm infectious debris can turn a great days fishing into a troublesome one. On the other hand it’s not a crime; in the beginning everyone is guilty of carrying far too much stuff onboard for even the quickest of trips. The goal here is learning what minor changes wont affect you majorly and refining what you take, stick with the basics first and filter what you take as confidence envelops your ability.

When trying something new from your kayak you may feel pioneering, truth is many before you have paddled these seemingly deep channels and have also drawn experience from others. A simple internet search on kayak fishing safety brings up numerous sites full of sage advice; you will be pleasantly surprised what you may find. Many web pages dedicated to the art will focus on topics such as learning re-entry on your kayak, finding your kayaks secondary stability and benefits of and harmonising with your kayak. The latter could be described as knowing what to bring and what to use when.

Don’t get me wrong, kayak fishing is not all doom and gloom and is actually a relatively safe hybrid sport worthy of any attempt. However, training people’s acceptance on what basic knowledge requirements and state of mind are needed before trying something completely new is another thing all together, you should never learn to sink before you swim. Here is where feeling comfortable with your surroundings helps the most, there are some worthy additional purchases that can benefit many situations and many steps one can take to ensure additional confidence. I must admit I now find many upshots to taking each and every predicament seriously.

Preparation is important when it comes to any water sport, as the last thing you want to discover is you have forgotten something while you’re out on the water. For this reason alone it’s worth double checking all your possessions and even developing a checklist before setting out on your kayak. This way you can be certain to enjoy your time and concentrate more on the fishing aspect. Here I will touch on the utmost basics required to take your first steps towards acclimatising to new surroundings and scenarios




Fitness Focus (Both Physical and Mental):

Seems like it was only yesterday, but metaphorically speaking yesterday was the day I decided to focus on a personal and mental fitness regime that would allow myself to enjoy Kayak Fishing on a whole new level. When I started fishing from a kayak four years plus ago I was a lively, weakened adult trying to create an ideal outdoor lifestyle to enhance my fitness and ideal body shape. From the get go I was easily sidetracked, swaying towards the technical aspect of fishing and thus leaving the reason for getting involved in the first place behind (Improved fitness).

The initial sight of a Mirage Drive in action showed physical exertion was possible with leg muscle rendering and cardio vascular conditioning. The double take was the hands free fishing side of function; this had an overwhelming appeal over maintaining or attaining physical form. I just had to have one and experience both sides of the coin, surely these two stand out qualities could coexist in harmony? The truth is they can, they can even help you excel a fitness regime with the right mental attitude.

The same can be said for paddling a kayak whilst fishing. While angling alone may provide solitude and freedom from day to day rigours, emphasis can be placed on developing an advanced paddling technique before developing bad habits and exacerbating any long term injuries you may have forgotten about. Some of the best of our peers have torn shoulders or flared muscles and tendons beyond the point of simple repair whilst paddling a kayak. Changes in weather and conditions are the number one cause of physical stress related injury; sometimes having a bull like mindset isn’t enough, you can be as strong as an ox or nimble like a fox.

I’m not implying you should splash out and take paddling lessons; this is not an article on gathering fitness while fishing from your kayak. I am also not implying a daily run to and from your fishing field with your kayak in tow is required. Its more like a well being guide to understanding core benefits of being body active and the traits associated which will improve your Kayak Fishing experience ten fold. General fishing itself is not an extreme sport; many even argue it only contains an element of sport governed in it. The days of beer swilling, one hand bait juggling fishing socials still exist; kayaking on the other hand is recognised as an official Olympic event.

Add the two together (Sans the beer swilling) and hybridising occurs, creating a defined activity. Change up the scenarios and the fundamentals of the new sports value increase. Try mentioning to a friend you are planning to drift down you’re favourite freshwater river throwing lures chasing Bass. Then switch it up a little by indicating the following weekend you’re heading a few kilometres offshore tackling Tuna and even Billfish. I can almost guarantee you the two responses will be drastically different. The latter will have your manhood questioned in some way or the other, along with your sanity and your basic fitness and swimming level.

It’s wise to keep these conversations (And even this article) stored for reflection, questioning your own ability to handle certain situations will help you decide what is right and what is wrong for you. These choices can be shaped and moulded with confidence; self-belief grows from handling oneself in varying conditions (Especially when trying to gather some on the water experience). Sharing your thoughts and adventures with others will also improve your poise; I highly recommend developing a buddy system outing with a few friends and taking baby steps. Kayak Fishing is as safe as you want it to be, often reflected by its brethren family activity, canoeing. Before setting off solo and pushing its boundaries, sum up your own ability to handle any situation on the brine

One thing I have learnt over the years is when something does go awry Kayak Fishing, things can snowball quite quickly. A tangled lure, a change in swell, a drift under some low lying branches or some lost gear overboard. Add to this a feisty hooked fish and sudden wind gusts and trouble can start brewing. Luckily these are choice ridden situations that can be avoided with familiarity and repetitive exposure to similar situations; often the only worst case scenario you will encounter is that you fall in the water and get wet. What happens next depends on preparation, location, elements and above all any physical and mental strength remaining to complete a safe journey back to the departure point.


Know your craft, know your limits:

I once got caught in an offshore situation that left me with limiting skill sets available, the weather took a turn for the worst. The consequence was a fright and one exhausted author; while I was technically prepared for anything with copious amounts of safety gear onboard; my body suffered as I pinched a nerve and bulged a lower vertebra. I was in pain for months and the injury was only really identified early this year, accompanying that with a slightly overweight physique and previously bad back and I was suddenly in real trouble. In my frenzied rush to return to shore all previous paddling technique and good sense was lost in a whirlwind of panic, for the first time on my kayak I was scared.

Over the next few months I developed a case of self diagnosed sciatica due to overcompensation and lack of hamstring use while paddling and kayak fishing. I paid a trip to the local GP and underwent modern day scans and slices; it was time to find the root of this evil pain after years of dealing with it. I feared the worst but the doctor’s only real diagnosis and advice centred on strengthening core muscle groups. Here was I thinking paddling a kayak would do all that for me, turns out it was helping work against me by twisting my torso and keeping my legs stiff. I switched from a Mirage Drive to develop greater upper body physique; after explaining the system to the GP it was recommended I consider returning to a pedalling motion.

In the meantime I joined a gym straight away, knowing full well any additional work out would have more immediate health benefits and return me to greater fitness on the water. I had a workout tailored to strengthening my lower back and promoting flexibility. A gym visit three times a week was a chore at first; I already spend 10 hours a day on my feet as it is. It’s been six months since I joined and these times of pain have changed for good. Not only have I lost almost 20 kilograms of body fat, I have lost 20 additional kilograms on the kayak (Paddling seems a whole lot easier these days). Lifting and loading a kayak on and off the car is now a lot easier, sometimes it takes an annoying grievance to aggravate your way of life and kick you into gear.

http://www.yakass.net head honcho Josh Holmes knows all about this, his offshore sorties aren’t to be sneezed at. Having suffered a similar injury to mine mentioned above (Years previous) Josh now knows his limits. His choice of Hobie kayak has been upgraded numerous times to cope with his excelling offshore escapades. Each kayak he has owned has served a purpose, the Mirage Drive system for propulsion (Avoiding exacerbating his shoulder injury) and general hull shape. His latest choice, The AI (Adventure Island), seems boundless offshore when matched to his previous choices of a Revolution and Adventure.

Josh shares his wisdom below when quizzed on his confidence:

“The AI makes for an excellent off shore fishing platform for a variety of reasons. At it's core is the Adventure kayak hull, which is a damned fine kayak for open water. Fitted with a single ama it transforms into an outrigger, which adds layers of stability, and this is an excellent way of fishing in sloppy waters. Its use does come at a (surprisingly low) speed cost, but a massive advantage in stability. And with a tramp fitted it also affords 12 square foot of extra usable deck space and this is handy no matter where you're fishing”.

“Configured as a trimaran with amas, daggerboard & sail, it can be used for high speed trolling for pelagics and this is a lot of fun. In the right conditions the Island is fantastic for sailing, and is a great way to reach distant reefs, islands of other destinations that would otherwise be difficult to reach by kayak. And with the stability offered by those amas, it's a rock-steady fishing platform and great for landing big fish on. But using it as a trimaran isn't always the best option”.

“It's all about picking the right configuration to use it in. On perfectly calm days with no wind that I intend to cover long distances, I will use the hull as a vanilla mirage kayak. If I'm not planning on going terribly far or it looks a bit sloppy, but not terribly windy, I'll use it as an outrigger. And if it looks a little too windy to be peddling/paddling, I'll take the sail. If the conditions look right, I do take the opportunity to let the wind carry me further out to sea and back with surprisingly little effort. For the kind of kayak fishing I find myself doing more and more of these days, it's hard to imagine any other boat that could give me the same range of versatility and capability”.




Outcomes and my conclusion:

The above information sums up my (And countless others) successful approach to fishing from a Kayak and why many initially chose to move away from more conventional craft. Apart from provoking random thoughts of capability, scenarios, and choices I hope this piece constantly keeps your mind ticking over regarding a connection with your own comfort. Kayak fishing has grown immensely over the last few years, thanks mainly to the ease of ability to get involved, dedication of leading companies plus typified journalism dedicated to covering the subject.

It’s also matured into being an acceptable form of fishing outright, even those who once frowned from plate hulls gather on shore for a peek. For some the progression from boat to kayak is more a conventional decision than anything else. To me fishing from a kayak is all about freedom of expression and lifestyle, that and the occasional plunder of a healthy feed. For some the sense of community bites harder, for others it’s about being able to continue that lonely soul search.

Rest assured you are now not alone in these waters, what was once viewed as underground is nowadays mainstream. That’s not to say it’s a bad thing though, the support offered by the industry is second to none. Nobody wants to see a kayak gather dust under a house; particularly one many would give their right arm for (And cost you a leg too). Countless proclaim it’s too expensive to get involved in, these are the same naive folk that own 60” televisions, spend thousands of dollars a year on potato chips and never leave the safety of a couch.

What’s free is free and in this world this seems to be diminishing every day. Use your body to explore your mind, don’t just think about it. The excitement of two sports merged into one becomes reality when your first fish flaps on the deck. It’s highly addictive (Owning multiple kayaks is not unheard of) and almost immediately you start setting future goals, achieving and documenting personal bests and begin wanting to write for magazines (Hint hint). Top that off by being able to ring your couch mate for bragging rights whilst paddling/pedalling home with that catch of the day.