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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.
