Improvement is something we aim to do in our next article on reel big fish. We intend to provide an improved article on reel big fish in the near future.
Another Great reel big fish Article
Rigging A Kayak for Serious Sportfishing
Setting up for kayak fishing really allows you to enjoy the sport to its fullest. There?s an understandable joy in hooking into a great fish and having everything you need from secure rod holders to landing equipment and storage right at your fingertips. Making your kayak such a joy to fish from takes a bit of planning but goes a long way in making your experience a positive one!
As in fishing from a boat, kayak fishing comprises a wide spectrum of different techniques, gear, and rigs reflecting the method of fishing as well as the personal preferences of the angler. Due to the rapid popularity that kayak fishing has experienced in recent years, many kayak manufacturers offer specially-equipped ?fishing models? featuring built-in rod holders, compartments, and layouts especially suited to the kayak angler.
For starters, the most popular fishing kayaks are those with a forward compartment for dry storage and a rear tank-well, or deck recess, that allows for placement of tackle equipment like a crate with rod holders, bait tanks, or fish bags. My kayak is an Ocean Kayak Scupper Pro TW.
Rudder or No-Rudder?
The jury is out on the necessity for a rudder but I find a rudder invaluable when trying to paddle against adverse winds or currents. Additionally, I thoroughly enjoy working my rudder to ?follow? the fish as I?m fighting it? and they will pull you! Despite the potential for snagging my line on the rudder, the benefit of increased efficiency when conditions worsen well outweighs the negatives for installing a rudder.
Starting at the bow, I?d recommend bungee lashings, or ?bungee trees? as they?re usually called. These serve as a paddle holder and allow you to stow your paddle in an instant, a handy feature to have when you get a strike. My kayak is equipped with bungee trees on the bow and in the cockpit the latter which conveniently holds my tackle box right in front of me.
If you?re thinking positive (and you should be!) you need to have something to land and store your catch. For smaller fish a landing net will do and for larger fish a gaff would be more appropriate. Some folks keep a catch bag in their hull which requires opening up the hatch to place their catch into the bag. My preference is an insulated bag which I store in the rear tank-well. This setup is very different from our mainland counterparts most of whom tend to utilize the aft space on their kayaks for storing crates with rod-holders and/or live bait buckets.
Kayak fishing in Hawaii involves quite simply, bottom-fishing, trolling, whipping (bait-casting), or jigging. I do very little bottom fishing or whipping (casting) from my kayak as I really enjoy the constant movement that trolling offers, not to mention the simplicity of rig that we use!
In setting up for bottom fishing, whipping, and jigging there really is no special set-up as all that you really need is a floating platform from which to deploy your line. It?s a good idea to get a drift chute which can significantly reduce your drift while doing any of these stationary fishing methods. I rig a bridle, formed by joining the bowline and a line fastened behind me, that holds the chute amidships so it holds my kayak perpendicular to the direction of the current or wind, whichever might be pushing me away from the area I?d like to remain in.
Rod Holders ? In Front or Behind?
For trolling, my rod holders are set up in the front of the cockpit. This is probably the biggest difference from many of our mainland kayak fishing colleagues who seem to prefer placing their rod holders in back of their seats. I prefer being able to watch the tip of my pole as I?m trolling as frequently, smaller fish will shred the bait without taking pulling on the line for the ratchet to sound. When a fish does hit, the transition from paddling to setting the hook is one smooth transition as I quickly place the paddle in the bow lashing then grab my rod.
When placing your rod holders in front of you, be sure to check your maximum forward extension when paddling so as to assure you won?t hit the rod holders or rods when stretching forward in your stroke.
Wherever you decide to place your rod holders, be sure to include a safety line to your reels to prevent losing them in the event you capsize or if the rod holders should fail. On three occasions (I?d rather not talk about how?) I flipped my kayak and, if not for the safety lines would have lost my favorite Penn Reel and rod! On another occasion, having insufficiently tightened the nut on my rod holder, my entire rod holder gave way when a fish hit and my reel and rod went right into the water, thankfully, only as far as the safety line.
Tackle Box & Landing Tackle
My preference is to keep things as simple as possible and the size of my tackle box (about 5?x 8?) probably reflects that. All of my lures and pre-set leaders are stored in this small waterproof box that?s strapped into the bungee cords right in front of me. A long nose pliers hangs off the side of my seat so I don?t have to go fumbling for it when I?ve got a twenty pound fish struggling in my lap or thrashing about on the side of the kayak.
Depending on where we?re fishing, I would either have a gaff or landing net and, often, I?ll stick them in the extra rod holder for convenience.
Fishfinders & VHS Radios
An increasing number of fishing kayaks are being rigged with fishfinders that are water-resistant and very well-suited to kayak fishing needs. One of our buddies has a fishfinder on his kayak and he swears by it! You can choose from a portable fishfinder that allows for the needed transducer to be mounted with a suction cup or doing a permanent mount that requires epoxying the transducer to the hull. As of yet, I haven?t outfitted my kayak with a fishfinder but I?m getting awfully tempted!
Of course, while we?re on the subject of electronics, a good investment would also be a VHS two-way-radio so you have both boat to boat and coast guard emergency channel access. Submersible handheld VHS radios are available nowadays starting at around $170 and up.
Take some time to set up your kayak and when the day comes when you get the strike of your life, all the little details will pay off in making your experience the all that it should be.
Tight lines!
The author, Richard Young is an avid kayak fisherman in Hawaii and features Kayak Fishing on his website, Hawaiibeachcombers.com |
Thoughts about reel big fish
Ultra-Light Fishing Meets Ultra-Light Hiking
The image of a boy with his cane pole and a can of worms heading down a dirt path toward the "old fishing hole" has been burned in...
Click here to read more
Recommended reel big fish Items
Tug-O-War: A Fly-Fisher's Game - Successful Techniques For Saltwater Fly-Fishing
Tug-O-War: A Fly-Fisher's Game - Successful Techniques For Saltwater Fly-Fishing
The action from Big Fish in the salt is exciting, but the fishing experience entails a lot more that simply pursuing and catching fish, it's also the camaraderie enjoyed with friends that share your passion. In his latest book, saltwater fly-fisher Nick Curcione shares all that you need to know to enjoy sucess in the salt; reading it is like having a conversation with a knowledgeable good buddy. Nick has decades of experience fishing in salt water, and now you can learn from this great fly-fisher, including: equipment: backing, line and leader basics; knots; saltwater flies; casting; strategies; conservation issues; auxiliary gear like clothing; first-aid kits; stripping baskets; tools; watercraft; and so much more. Nick's knowledge of fly-fishing the salt is vast, and much of it has been learned from his many well-known friends, now you can learn from best.
Ultralight Spin-Fishing: A Practical Guide for Freshwater and Saltwater Anglers
Ultralight Spin-Fishing: A Practical Guide for Freshwater and Saltwater Anglers
Ultralight spin-fishing provides much the same challenge and excitement as fly-fishing--with a mere fraction of the investment in equipment. More accurate casts, more strikes, and a better feel for what's happening at the end of the line are just some of the benefits of this popular angling method. Despite its name, ultralight equipment is robust enough for pursuing trophy-sized freshwater fish as well as more aggressive saltwater species.In this classic, comprehensive guide to ultralight fishing--voted one of the best 25 fishing books in print by Field and Stream--professional guide Peter Cammann presents the latest information on equipment and clearly explains the key tactics, techniques, and lures you need to be most effective with all kinds of fish. Tips for catching trout, bass, salmon, northern pike, walleye, panfish, and such saltwater species as bluefish, striped bass, and barracuda are all covered in detail. Casting and other techniques are fully illustrated. Includes resource appendix for recommended equipment.
Smelt Fly Patterns: Dressings, Tying, Fishing
Smelt Fly Patterns: Dressings, Tying, Fishing
Many different fish feed on smelt, so consequently they are very important to fly fishermen. and because they can be found in many waters around the world, everyone has a faverit smlet pattern! Never before has an entire book been dedicated to this species, and the most productive flies and techniques to sue when fishing their imitations. Color fly plates show the beauty and detail of the patterns in great detail.
Fishing & Hunting by Canoe
Fishing & Hunting by Canoe
Bob Cary's final book is a remarkable combination of usefjul and hard-to-find information, wonderful artwork and well-honed story-telling.
Best Recipes of Alaska's Fishing Lodges (Alaska Angling and Hunting Library)
Best Recipes of Alaska's Fishing Lodges (Alaska Angling and Hunting Library)
Getting Started in Fly Fishing
Getting Started in Fly Fishing
The fastest and easiest way to try your hand at fly fishing
Getting Started in Fly Fishing is dedicated to the simple but neglected truth that the best learning happens while doing. With leisure time more precious and limited than ever, author Tom Fuller gets readers started with only the information that's absolutely necessary for that first day on the stream. In a few quick strokes, Fuller introduces the contents of a pared-down start-up kit and identifies heavily promoted items of gear that are definitely not needed. With succinct, easy-to-follow instructions, he shows readers how to:
- Start fishing after just an hour with this book
- Make their first cast to a rising trout
- Play and land their first fish
- Fish with dry flies, wet flies, nymphs, and streamers
- Cast to all kinds of fish in all waters, fresh and salt
Leaper: The Wonderful World of Atlantic Salmon Fishing
Leaper: The Wonderful World of Atlantic Salmon Fishing
Fishing Dry Flies (The Complete Fly Fisherman)
Fishing Dry Flies (The Complete Fly Fisherman)
-Offers an in-depth look at surface-fishing presentations.
reel big fish in the news
Outdoors Notebook: Catching Up with Local Club Events - Sebastian Sun (subscription)
Mon, 28 Jan 2008 16:07:29 GMT
Outdoors Notebook: Catching Up with Local Club Events Sebastian Sun (subscription), FL - By Ed Killer (Contact) Twenty-five bass were weighed, with Roger Shelley and Ryan Tucker taking big fish (7.3 pounds) and total weight (10.2 pounds) honors. ... |
beta fish
Labels: walleye fishing | surf fishing | fishing supplies
Another Great reel big fish Article
Rigging A Kayak for Serious Sportfishing
Setting up for kayak fishing really allows you to enjoy the sport to its fullest. There?s an understandable joy in hooking into a great fish and having everything you need from secure rod holders to landing equipment and storage right at your fingertips. Making your kayak such a joy to fish from takes a bit of planning but goes a long way in making your experience a positive one!
As in fishing from a boat, kayak fishing comprises a wide spectrum of different techniques, gear, and rigs reflecting the method of fishing as well as the personal preferences of the angler. Due to the rapid popularity that kayak fishing has experienced in recent years, many kayak manufacturers offer specially-equipped ?fishing models? featuring built-in rod holders, compartments, and layouts especially suited to the kayak angler.
For starters, the most popular fishing kayaks are those with a forward compartment for dry storage and a rear tank-well, or deck recess, that allows for placement of tackle equipment like a crate with rod holders, bait tanks, or fish bags. My kayak is an Ocean Kayak Scupper Pro TW.
Rudder or No-Rudder?
The jury is out on the necessity for a rudder but I find a rudder invaluable when trying to paddle against adverse winds or currents. Additionally, I thoroughly enjoy working my rudder to ?follow? the fish as I?m fighting it? and they will pull you! Despite the potential for snagging my line on the rudder, the benefit of increased efficiency when conditions worsen well outweighs the negatives for installing a rudder.
Starting at the bow, I?d recommend bungee lashings, or ?bungee trees? as they?re usually called. These serve as a paddle holder and allow you to stow your paddle in an instant, a handy feature to have when you get a strike. My kayak is equipped with bungee trees on the bow and in the cockpit the latter which conveniently holds my tackle box right in front of me.
If you?re thinking positive (and you should be!) you need to have something to land and store your catch. For smaller fish a landing net will do and for larger fish a gaff would be more appropriate. Some folks keep a catch bag in their hull which requires opening up the hatch to place their catch into the bag. My preference is an insulated bag which I store in the rear tank-well. This setup is very different from our mainland counterparts most of whom tend to utilize the aft space on their kayaks for storing crates with rod-holders and/or live bait buckets.
Kayak fishing in Hawaii involves quite simply, bottom-fishing, trolling, whipping (bait-casting), or jigging. I do very little bottom fishing or whipping (casting) from my kayak as I really enjoy the constant movement that trolling offers, not to mention the simplicity of rig that we use!
In setting up for bottom fishing, whipping, and jigging there really is no special set-up as all that you really need is a floating platform from which to deploy your line. It?s a good idea to get a drift chute which can significantly reduce your drift while doing any of these stationary fishing methods. I rig a bridle, formed by joining the bowline and a line fastened behind me, that holds the chute amidships so it holds my kayak perpendicular to the direction of the current or wind, whichever might be pushing me away from the area I?d like to remain in.
Rod Holders ? In Front or Behind?
For trolling, my rod holders are set up in the front of the cockpit. This is probably the biggest difference from many of our mainland kayak fishing colleagues who seem to prefer placing their rod holders in back of their seats. I prefer being able to watch the tip of my pole as I?m trolling as frequently, smaller fish will shred the bait without taking pulling on the line for the ratchet to sound. When a fish does hit, the transition from paddling to setting the hook is one smooth transition as I quickly place the paddle in the bow lashing then grab my rod.
When placing your rod holders in front of you, be sure to check your maximum forward extension when paddling so as to assure you won?t hit the rod holders or rods when stretching forward in your stroke.
Wherever you decide to place your rod holders, be sure to include a safety line to your reels to prevent losing them in the event you capsize or if the rod holders should fail. On three occasions (I?d rather not talk about how?) I flipped my kayak and, if not for the safety lines would have lost my favorite Penn Reel and rod! On another occasion, having insufficiently tightened the nut on my rod holder, my entire rod holder gave way when a fish hit and my reel and rod went right into the water, thankfully, only as far as the safety line.
Tackle Box & Landing Tackle
My preference is to keep things as simple as possible and the size of my tackle box (about 5?x 8?) probably reflects that. All of my lures and pre-set leaders are stored in this small waterproof box that?s strapped into the bungee cords right in front of me. A long nose pliers hangs off the side of my seat so I don?t have to go fumbling for it when I?ve got a twenty pound fish struggling in my lap or thrashing about on the side of the kayak.
Depending on where we?re fishing, I would either have a gaff or landing net and, often, I?ll stick them in the extra rod holder for convenience.
Fishfinders & VHS Radios
An increasing number of fishing kayaks are being rigged with fishfinders that are water-resistant and very well-suited to kayak fishing needs. One of our buddies has a fishfinder on his kayak and he swears by it! You can choose from a portable fishfinder that allows for the needed transducer to be mounted with a suction cup or doing a permanent mount that requires epoxying the transducer to the hull. As of yet, I haven?t outfitted my kayak with a fishfinder but I?m getting awfully tempted!
Of course, while we?re on the subject of electronics, a good investment would also be a VHS two-way-radio so you have both boat to boat and coast guard emergency channel access. Submersible handheld VHS radios are available nowadays starting at around $170 and up.
Take some time to set up your kayak and when the day comes when you get the strike of your life, all the little details will pay off in making your experience the all that it should be.
Tight lines!
The author, Richard Young is an avid kayak fisherman in Hawaii and features Kayak Fishing on his website, Hawaiibeachcombers.com |
Thoughts about reel big fish
Ultra-Light Fishing Meets Ultra-Light Hiking
The image of a boy with his cane pole and a can of worms heading down a dirt path toward the "old fishing hole" has been burned in...
Click here to read more
Recommended reel big fish Items
Tug-O-War: A Fly-Fisher's Game - Successful Techniques For Saltwater Fly-Fishing
Tug-O-War: A Fly-Fisher's Game - Successful Techniques For Saltwater Fly-Fishing
The action from Big Fish in the salt is exciting, but the fishing experience entails a lot more that simply pursuing and catching fish, it's also the camaraderie enjoyed with friends that share your passion. In his latest book, saltwater fly-fisher Nick Curcione shares all that you need to know to enjoy sucess in the salt; reading it is like having a conversation with a knowledgeable good buddy. Nick has decades of experience fishing in salt water, and now you can learn from this great fly-fisher, including: equipment: backing, line and leader basics; knots; saltwater flies; casting; strategies; conservation issues; auxiliary gear like clothing; first-aid kits; stripping baskets; tools; watercraft; and so much more. Nick's knowledge of fly-fishing the salt is vast, and much of it has been learned from his many well-known friends, now you can learn from best.
Ultralight Spin-Fishing: A Practical Guide for Freshwater and Saltwater Anglers
Ultralight Spin-Fishing: A Practical Guide for Freshwater and Saltwater Anglers
Ultralight spin-fishing provides much the same challenge and excitement as fly-fishing--with a mere fraction of the investment in equipment. More accurate casts, more strikes, and a better feel for what's happening at the end of the line are just some of the benefits of this popular angling method. Despite its name, ultralight equipment is robust enough for pursuing trophy-sized freshwater fish as well as more aggressive saltwater species.In this classic, comprehensive guide to ultralight fishing--voted one of the best 25 fishing books in print by Field and Stream--professional guide Peter Cammann presents the latest information on equipment and clearly explains the key tactics, techniques, and lures you need to be most effective with all kinds of fish. Tips for catching trout, bass, salmon, northern pike, walleye, panfish, and such saltwater species as bluefish, striped bass, and barracuda are all covered in detail. Casting and other techniques are fully illustrated. Includes resource appendix for recommended equipment.
Smelt Fly Patterns: Dressings, Tying, Fishing
Smelt Fly Patterns: Dressings, Tying, Fishing
Many different fish feed on smelt, so consequently they are very important to fly fishermen. and because they can be found in many waters around the world, everyone has a faverit smlet pattern! Never before has an entire book been dedicated to this species, and the most productive flies and techniques to sue when fishing their imitations. Color fly plates show the beauty and detail of the patterns in great detail.
Fishing & Hunting by Canoe
Fishing & Hunting by Canoe
Bob Cary's final book is a remarkable combination of usefjul and hard-to-find information, wonderful artwork and well-honed story-telling.
Best Recipes of Alaska's Fishing Lodges (Alaska Angling and Hunting Library)
Best Recipes of Alaska's Fishing Lodges (Alaska Angling and Hunting Library)
Getting Started in Fly Fishing
Getting Started in Fly Fishing
The fastest and easiest way to try your hand at fly fishing
Getting Started in Fly Fishing is dedicated to the simple but neglected truth that the best learning happens while doing. With leisure time more precious and limited than ever, author Tom Fuller gets readers started with only the information that's absolutely necessary for that first day on the stream. In a few quick strokes, Fuller introduces the contents of a pared-down start-up kit and identifies heavily promoted items of gear that are definitely not needed. With succinct, easy-to-follow instructions, he shows readers how to:
- Start fishing after just an hour with this book
- Make their first cast to a rising trout
- Play and land their first fish
- Fish with dry flies, wet flies, nymphs, and streamers
- Cast to all kinds of fish in all waters, fresh and salt
Leaper: The Wonderful World of Atlantic Salmon Fishing
Leaper: The Wonderful World of Atlantic Salmon Fishing
Fishing Dry Flies (The Complete Fly Fisherman)
Fishing Dry Flies (The Complete Fly Fisherman)
-Offers an in-depth look at surface-fishing presentations.
reel big fish in the news
Outdoors Notebook: Catching Up with Local Club Events - Sebastian Sun (subscription)
Mon, 28 Jan 2008 16:07:29 GMT
Outdoors Notebook: Catching Up with Local Club Events Sebastian Sun (subscription), FL - By Ed Killer (Contact) Twenty-five bass were weighed, with Roger Shelley and Ryan Tucker taking big fish (7.3 pounds) and total weight (10.2 pounds) honors. ... |
beta fish
Labels: walleye fishing | surf fishing | fishing supplies
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