Ocean kayaking tips

[nickbojo04]

I am still pretty new to kayak fishing and I mostly do bass fishing but i have been wanting to do some salt water fishing. I was wondering if anyone has so good tips or wisdom they can pass down to me?


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[Dave Legacy]

There's just too much to tell. Do you have any specific questions?

[kirkdavis]

This is a great forum to learn all you want to know, but as the other gentleman said, your question is very broad. Most questions have been answered at one point or another. I have been yakking for 1.5 years, and have spent many hours reading posts on BWE. There is everything from how to surf launch/land, knot preference, bait....you name it. Whenever you have free time, search thru here and you can probably learn things that you would not even think to ask. Good luck and tight lines!

[tacmik]

fishing the bays for spotties and sand bass is much the same as freshwater bass fishing. You can use your bass gear. Plastics, spinners, and cut squid along with live chovies work well. Going out to the kelp beds or beyond. Will have to up grade to bigger rods and reels , line ect. You might want to go out to La Jolla the first time without any gear and just play in the surf with your yak to get a feel for the surf. You will wipe out at sometime. When you finally take your gear with you. Make sure you have it all leashed or secured so as not to lose it. Like others said, a lot of info to be had with a little searching.

[Dannowar]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6spBu2XAk4A


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[isghj]

If you haven't been seasick before in your life, do not assume you won't get seasick on a kayak in the ocean.

I had never experienced seasickness until going out on a kayak to the kelp beds on one particular bad swell day and it was debilitating. It took 5 trips without seasickness for my brain to stop associating the smell of seaweed with being sick. I take seasickness medication every time now, just as a precaution (and because I bought the 100 pill bottle on amazon because it was cheaper than the 12 pill case from local stores...) but I strongly recommend you find some instant seasickness medicine you can take out there with you, and always check the swell forecast. Personally, short swell period is worse than swell height for me, I generally avoid days where the primary swell is <10 seconds unless it's <2 ft as well.

Bringing antacids and painkillers are a good idea too, extra water and food, you'll be half an hour minimum from your car at all times, tissues, don't go out with contacts without spare glasses in case a wave washes them out.

Leash everything, if you're fishing with big bait, expect big "fish"; keep the deck clear and keep anything that isn't leashed stowed, in case you hook into a shark and forget to reduce the drag before engaging the reel and find out your 'yellowtail' is a shark/BSB and pulls you out of your kayak and you lose everything and have to replace all your fishing gear because the boat hull wasn't latched and your rods weren't leashed. (don't be an idiot like me)

Street sweeping every Thursday at La Jolla, alternate streets though. If you want to play in the surf, I would suggest a beach with more surf normally.

The salt and sun destroy everything, don't take anything you can't replace or wasn't made to be used in saltwater, and wash everything regardless after every trip.

[MITCHELL]

And tie all your gear in with a leash...as soon as you don't it's gone...probably easier now with the newe're kayaks I cover my graph with a plastic bag and electric tape and take it off if its rough coming in...increase your range with time...practice with no gear in surf launching and landing don't leash your paddle in till your passed surfline out and in make sure your holding your paddle the right side up....experience is the best teacher unless you got money to higher a guide best if you go with a partner take a compass in case fog bank comes in.I have spent hours padding north in 50 ft of water in the fog in la jolla one time I was in 20ft of water in surfline and still could not see land before I had a gps map in my fish finder .I'm sure you no all the safety gear to bring last but no least I bring swim fins worst scenario for me I'll swim in.....

[MITCHELL]

You will develop your own style and find your likes and dislikes....

[Dannowar]

Originally Posted by MITCHELL

And tie all your gear in with a lease....as soon as you don't it's gone...probably easier now with the newe're kayaks I cover my graph with a plastic bag and electric tape and take it off if its rough coming in...increase your range with time...practice with no gear in surf launching and landing don't lease your paddle in till your passed surf out and in make sure your holding your paddle the right side up....experience is the best teacher unless you got money to higher a guide best if you go with a partner take a compass in case fog bank comes in.I have spent hours padding north in 50 ft of water in the fog in la jolla one time I was in 20ft of water in surfline and still could not see land before I had a gps map in my fish finder .I'm sure you no all the safety gear to bring last but no least I bring swim fins worst scenario for me I'll swim in.....

Lol. Wut?

[MITCHELL]

Originally Posted by Dannowar

Lol. Wut?

It will come with time...meaning experience.....lol

[straightrod]

That's it post about fins - swimming in and scare the guy to death.

[Mr_Fixit]

These guys really nailed it. Specific questions would help. Given that, there are some things you really should have:

Protective clothing, including your face and feet:
Feet: (My preference, but you asked) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Shirt: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Head: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Hands: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Face: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Legs: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

You should also have a flag/light for safety. Something similar to this is good: http://www.kayakfishinggear.com/prod...d-mighty-mount

As mentioned before, LEASH your rods! Yeah, they DO tend to jump out of your kayak at the most inopportune times! https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Protect your phone! https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1


A small medical kit, food, water, radio (waterproof, marine)... Safety first man. ALWAYS wear your PFD also. Get one with pockets to store your multi-tool and radio. Always keep your tool and radio on you. Rogue wave, or perhaps you get too close to a reef or something, but the wave could knock you out of your boat.

[nickbojo04]

Thanks everyone! Sorry for such a vague question but all of your comments and advice were super helpful. Maybe a more specific question would be if I was planning a trip out of Dana point, what kind of rigs should I tie and bait should I use? Also what are some good spots to hit


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[chris138]

Knots you need to know:

1. clinch/improved clinch
2. dropper loop
3. reverse dropper loop
4. modified/reverse albright (tying braid to mono or flouro)
5. Palomar
6. spider hitch

these knots will cover just about any situation or tactic you will encounter in kayak fishing. If you want to target trophy fish such as yellowtail, you should be fishing 30-40# test or 50-65# braid. Fishing for calico bass or other smaller species you can get away with 15-20#.

Catch mackerel with a sibiki, use live mackerel for bait. That's pretty much all you need to know to get started!

[chris138]

also, breathable stockingfoot waders will make your experience about 100x more comfortable... especially with winter right around the corner.

[octico]

Originally Posted by MITCHELL

And tie all your gear in with a leash...as soon as you don't it's gone...probably easier now with the newe're kayaks I cover my graph with a plastic bag and electric tape and take it off if its rough coming in...increase your range with time...practice with no gear in surf launching and landing don't leash your paddle in till your passed surfline out and in make sure your holding your paddle the right side up....experience is the best teacher unless you got money to higher a guide best if you go with a partner take a compass in case fog bank comes in.I have spent hours padding north in 50 ft of water in the fog in la jolla one time I was in 20ft of water in surfline and still could not see land before I had a gps map in my fish finder .I'm sure you no all the safety gear to bring last but no least I bring swim fins worst scenario for me I'll swim in.....

I will have a drink of whatever he is having

[tacmik]

Originally Posted by chris138

also, breathable stockingfoot waders will make your experience about 100x more comfortable... especially with winter right around the corner.

preferably with a ZIPPER.

[Mr_Fixit]

Originally Posted by tacmik

preferably with a ZIPPER.

The booties I linked have a zipper. I have used them a few times now and they are quite comfortable. Being black, they can get your feet a bit warm, but a quick dip in the water and problem solved.

[YakDout]

He is talking about zippers on the waders to take a beer wiz


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[MITCHELL]

You can have the corn in my sh.tttt