Quote:
Originally Posted by Hondatom
#1 How do you get a large fish into the yak? {legal halibut}
# 2 Is a fish finder/depth finder worth the investment?
# 3 Is it a bad idea to go chase halibut as a newbie?
I have only had my kayak for 2 weeks and have
fished out of it 5 times. Should I hit the open water?
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1 - Are you concerned with having a "large" live fish on deck, how to get it there or with your balance while getting it there? For fish that present a hazard (teeth,spines etc.), I would suggest bleeding/beating them before boarding. For getting them there, I never use a net. If I were to use one though, it would be a rubberized small mesh net. I use my thumb, a plastic lip gripper or a gaff for fish I want to take out of the water. My thumb on fish that I am sure present little or no problem. My Gaff only for fish I know to be legal and I intend to keep. The lip gripper for all others. I try not to support all of the weight of the fish by the gripper because they tend to mess up the mouth of the fish. A game clip is not a landing device. A couple of thrashes by a fish with a game clip on is likely to cause bleeding in the gills and reduce their chances of survival. If you are concerned with your balance while landing a larger fish, I would suggest that you straddle your kayak with a leg in the water on each side. Leaning would only be required for most people when the fish is pretty large.
2 - If you are rarely going to go beyond fishing docks, marinas, breakwalls and/or other obvious structures, then no it would probably not be worth it. Other than that, they are generally worth every penny you spend on them. The trick is determining how you are going to fish, and then getting a FF that has features that will help you. Most folks try to get away cheap on their first purchase and end up wanting another in short order. GPS is a good feature, and Color gives you much more information to chew on.
3 - Chase whatever you like, but be prepared for bycatch and/or disappointment if the target species is elusive. I would not suggest heading into open water until you are comfortable remounting your kayak from the water, and are capable with the paddle in a stiff wind (yes, even if you own a Hobie). Also, make sure that you have all of your necessary safety gear with you.