Getting in slow and cheap - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

jbm · 06-23-2010, 07:52 AM

Hi there,
I've been reading this forum for about a week now and I'm very interested in getting started kayak fishing. I'm hoping some of you knowledgeable people here can help me ease into the sport without making a huge investment all at once.
I have no experience ocean fishing other than a party boat trip about 25 years ago. I spent many years bass and panfish fishing in Michigan as a kid and have been doing some trout fishing here over the last few years. The only equipment I have currently are ultralight spinning rods for trout.
I would really like to get started ocean fishing, with my goal being to bring home fish to eat more so than trophies. I'd ideally like to catch halibut, yellowtail, and anything else tasty. I'd also like to start hoop netting for lobster once I get the kayak. I'd like to start by getting some minimalist fishing gear and starting shore and pier fishing near Oceanside. Then as I can save some money, I'd invest in the kayak.

Can anyone give me some advice on what rod/reel combos and tackle to start with for a minimal entry that won't just frustrate a newbie? Any good sources of used equipment? I don't know squat about saltwater gear, so the more specific, the better.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. With 2 small kids and the associated activities, my time for experimentation is limited, so some sage advice would be extremely valuable to me.

Thanks!

Jason

Holy Mackerel · 06-23-2010, 08:35 AM

What do you mean by cheap? Probably the cheapest, reliable set up for YT, WSB, or Halibut is a Penn jigmaster #30-40 mono, on a no name 7ft rod ~20-50 rating. If you have a little more money to spend, check out the Daiwa Sealine 40, or Shimano TLD 15.

Check out classifieds here, or go to Squidco, they have the best prices on all levels of gear.

3518 Barnett Avenue
San Diego, CA 92110-3208
(619) 222-8955

Your trout ultralight gear can be used for surf fishing, barred surf perch, etc.

misterjager · 06-23-2010, 08:41 AM

My recommendation would be going into your local PRIVATELY owned tackle shop and ask for recommendations. An economical setup would be a penn jigmaster 500L reel is a good starter. Will get you into fishing with a conventional reel at a good cost. I would recommend doing some party boat fishing and stay away from the piers.

dsafety · 06-23-2010, 08:44 AM

Lots of people who visit this site have stuff that they may want to sell. You could post a WTB ad in the gear for sale section of this post. I am sure that someone will have something that would interest you.

Bob

jbm · 06-23-2010, 09:04 AM

I guess by cheap, I mean inexpensive but of good enough quality to not frustrate a novice and to not wear out before I outgrow it.

Any shop recommendations between Escondido and Carlsbad? I live in the former and work in the latter.

Would I be fine with just my ultralight spinning setup and the 20-50# rod setup? Should I start with lures or bait? If bait, can the ultralights be used for catching bait pretty well? How many rods do most folks carry on their kayaks, and what is each for?

Holy Mackerel · 06-23-2010, 09:23 AM

Your ultralight spinners probably can be used for making bait. Use it as a sabiki rod. What are their ratings? My trout ultralights are Kencor 1-4lb test, they wouldnt make good sabiki rods, but I have slightly heavier spinning outfits that would.

PS: Squidco is worth the drive.

jbm · 06-23-2010, 09:49 AM

I don't have any fishing buddies, so I don't really talk the talk, but here is what I have currently:

Shimano Sedona 1500FB on a 6'6" 2-6# ultralight action
Shimano Sienna 2500RD on a 6'6" 4-8# light action IM-6
And for the kids, an Avocet II S500 on a 5'6" 2-8# Light action.

I think I've got 6# line on most of the reels but could easily pick up an extra spool and a different line.

When people talk about a Sabiki, is that just how you set up the tackle? Multiple hooks on a drop weight?

Holy Mackerel · 06-23-2010, 10:22 AM

Those ultralight reels will take a beating from saltwater, buy a conventional saltwater set up. You can use it for everything, tie on a sabiki rig to make bait, put away sabiki rig around a piece of pool noodle foam. Then rig it for live bait.

Google Sabiki Rig.

This is a good reason for you to go make friends at your local tackle shop. Drop by OEX O-side, Nate sells kayaks, but knows all about fishing gear too.

http://www.oexoceanside.com/

236 South Coast Highway
Oceanside, CA 92054
(760) 721-6195

Search function covers many of these topics.

IntrntFshrman · 06-23-2010, 10:26 AM

After being with Josh the other day when his FIRST cast to make bait had a 20+ pound yellowtail hit it (took him over 20 minutes to land it--on the sabiki!), you might want to think twice about the spinner for making bait.

As a beginner myself, I tried that and found that when you add the weight of the end weight, plus a string of 5 mackerel fighting you, it's a drag winding up. I've switched to conventional/decent rod for sabiki.

Mike

jbm · 06-23-2010, 10:39 AM

Thanks! I spoke to Nate already too. He was really helpful regarding choices in Kayaks and some general fishing knowledge for the area.

I did some searching with google on the site, but had trouble finding details on rod/reel setups. I don't want to end up getting something that would be useless or difficult to handle on a kayak. I'll try heading down to Squidco in the next couple days.

I do appreciate the advice.

GregAndrew · 06-23-2010, 04:58 PM

Get a Daiwa Sealine 30 or 40 for your first reel purchase if you intend to fish for YT and WSB. They are not very expensive, cast great and are nearly indestructible. They are also a very versatile reel that you will continue to use for years. A 20-50 rod is probably a little heavy for Halibut fishing but you don't want much lighter for YT or WSB fishing. If you can find a 15-40 or 20-40, that might be a better middle ground rod.

fongman · 06-23-2010, 08:36 PM

Most newbies start off fishing in the bays in order to get comfortable with their kayaks. The bays have a whole fishery that can be productive: spotted bay bass, sand bass, calico bass, barracudas, halibuts, bonefish, to name a few. So, unless you are planning on going on the party boats or buying your kayak soon, I would hold off buying the big stuff until you're ready to use it. Instead, I would recommend buying a medium or medium heavy, 7' bass rod with either a low profile or round levelwind, baitcaster reel. Load it with 8, 10, or possibly 14 lbs test mono or 10-20# braid with a short length (3 ft) of fluorocarbon leader, depending on what type of bass lures you want to throw.

Just about anything that works in freshwater will also works in saltwater. Start off by buying some 3" swimbaits (big hammers) and fish from the sand or rocks on the bay. Just about where ever you find eelgrass, you'll find spotted bay bass. Learn how to use swimbaits because they are useful in the kelp, too. Later, you might try some crankbaits, spinnerbaits, jigs, jerkbaits, etc. Due to your limited arsenal, this setup could be used for your bass/sabiki rod in the kelp.

btw, you can also use your ultralights for dropshotting in the bays, but you'll need at least 6# test and you'll need to find an area without too much structure.

06-23-2010, 07:52 AM	#1
jbm Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Escondido<->Carlsbad Posts: 81	Getting in slow and cheap Hi there, I've been reading this forum for about a week now and I'm very interested in getting started kayak fishing. I'm hoping some of you knowledgeable people here can help me ease into the sport without making a huge investment all at once. I have no experience ocean fishing other than a party boat trip about 25 years ago. I spent many years bass and panfish fishing in Michigan as a kid and have been doing some trout fishing here over the last few years. The only equipment I have currently are ultralight spinning rods for trout. I would really like to get started ocean fishing, with my goal being to bring home fish to eat more so than trophies. I'd ideally like to catch halibut, yellowtail, and anything else tasty. I'd also like to start hoop netting for lobster once I get the kayak. I'd like to start by getting some minimalist fishing gear and starting shore and pier fishing near Oceanside. Then as I can save some money, I'd invest in the kayak. Can anyone give me some advice on what rod/reel combos and tackle to start with for a minimal entry that won't just frustrate a newbie? Any good sources of used equipment? I don't know squat about saltwater gear, so the more specific, the better. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. With 2 small kids and the associated activities, my time for experimentation is limited, so some sage advice would be extremely valuable to me. Thanks! Jason

06-23-2010, 09:04 AM	#5
jbm Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Escondido<->Carlsbad Posts: 81	I guess by cheap, I mean inexpensive but of good enough quality to not frustrate a novice and to not wear out before I outgrow it. Any shop recommendations between Escondido and Carlsbad? I live in the former and work in the latter. Would I be fine with just my ultralight spinning setup and the 20-50# rod setup? Should I start with lures or bait? If bait, can the ultralights be used for catching bait pretty well? How many rods do most folks carry on their kayaks, and what is each for? Last edited by jbm; 06-23-2010 at 09:16 AM.

06-23-2010, 08:35 AM	#2
Holy Mackerel Señor member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 1,627	What do you mean by cheap? Probably the cheapest, reliable set up for YT, WSB, or Halibut is a Penn jigmaster #30-40 mono, on a no name 7ft rod ~20-50 rating. If you have a little more money to spend, check out the Daiwa Sealine 40, or Shimano TLD 15. Check out classifieds here, or go to Squidco, they have the best prices on all levels of gear. 3518 Barnett Avenue San Diego, CA 92110-3208 (619) 222-8955 Your trout ultralight gear can be used for surf fishing, barred surf perch, etc.

06-23-2010, 08:41 AM	#3
misterjager Junior Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 8	My recommendation would be going into your local PRIVATELY owned tackle shop and ask for recommendations. An economical setup would be a penn jigmaster 500L reel is a good starter. Will get you into fishing with a conventional reel at a good cost. I would recommend doing some party boat fishing and stay away from the piers.

06-23-2010, 08:44 AM	#4
dsafety Olivenhain Bob Join Date: May 2008 Location: Olivenhain, CA Posts: 1,121	Lots of people who visit this site have stuff that they may want to sell. You could post a WTB ad in the gear for sale section of this post. I am sure that someone will have something that would interest you. Bob

06-23-2010, 09:23 AM	#6
Holy Mackerel Señor member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 1,627	Your ultralight spinners probably can be used for making bait. Use it as a sabiki rod. What are their ratings? My trout ultralights are Kencor 1-4lb test, they wouldnt make good sabiki rods, but I have slightly heavier spinning outfits that would. PS: Squidco is worth the drive.

06-23-2010, 09:49 AM	#7
jbm Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Escondido<->Carlsbad Posts: 81	I don't have any fishing buddies, so I don't really talk the talk, but here is what I have currently: Shimano Sedona 1500FB on a 6'6" 2-6# ultralight action Shimano Sienna 2500RD on a 6'6" 4-8# light action IM-6 And for the kids, an Avocet II S500 on a 5'6" 2-8# Light action. I think I've got 6# line on most of the reels but could easily pick up an extra spool and a different line. When people talk about a Sabiki, is that just how you set up the tackle? Multiple hooks on a drop weight?

06-23-2010, 10:22 AM	#8
Holy Mackerel Señor member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 1,627	Those ultralight reels will take a beating from saltwater, buy a conventional saltwater set up. You can use it for everything, tie on a sabiki rig to make bait, put away sabiki rig around a piece of pool noodle foam. Then rig it for live bait. Google Sabiki Rig. This is a good reason for you to go make friends at your local tackle shop. Drop by OEX O-side, Nate sells kayaks, but knows all about fishing gear too. http://www.oexoceanside.com/ 236 South Coast Highway Oceanside, CA 92054 (760) 721-6195 Search function covers many of these topics.

06-23-2010, 10:26 AM	#9
IntrntFshrman Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Rancho Cucamonga, CA Posts: 82	After being with Josh the other day when his FIRST cast to make bait had a 20+ pound yellowtail hit it (took him over 20 minutes to land it--on the sabiki!), you might want to think twice about the spinner for making bait. As a beginner myself, I tried that and found that when you add the weight of the end weight, plus a string of 5 mackerel fighting you, it's a drag winding up. I've switched to conventional/decent rod for sabiki. Mike

06-23-2010, 10:39 AM	#10
jbm Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Escondido<->Carlsbad Posts: 81	Thanks! I spoke to Nate already too. He was really helpful regarding choices in Kayaks and some general fishing knowledge for the area. I did some searching with google on the site, but had trouble finding details on rod/reel setups. I don't want to end up getting something that would be useless or difficult to handle on a kayak. I'll try heading down to Squidco in the next couple days. I do appreciate the advice.

06-23-2010, 04:58 PM	#11
GregAndrew Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 2,384	Get a Daiwa Sealine 30 or 40 for your first reel purchase if you intend to fish for YT and WSB. They are not very expensive, cast great and are nearly indestructible. They are also a very versatile reel that you will continue to use for years. A 20-50 rod is probably a little heavy for Halibut fishing but you don't want much lighter for YT or WSB fishing. If you can find a 15-40 or 20-40, that might be a better middle ground rod.

06-23-2010, 08:36 PM	#12
fongman Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 116	Most newbies start off fishing in the bays in order to get comfortable with their kayaks. The bays have a whole fishery that can be productive: spotted bay bass, sand bass, calico bass, barracudas, halibuts, bonefish, to name a few. So, unless you are planning on going on the party boats or buying your kayak soon, I would hold off buying the big stuff until you're ready to use it. Instead, I would recommend buying a medium or medium heavy, 7' bass rod with either a low profile or round levelwind, baitcaster reel. Load it with 8, 10, or possibly 14 lbs test mono or 10-20# braid with a short length (3 ft) of fluorocarbon leader, depending on what type of bass lures you want to throw. Just about anything that works in freshwater will also works in saltwater. Start off by buying some 3" swimbaits (big hammers) and fish from the sand or rocks on the bay. Just about where ever you find eelgrass, you'll find spotted bay bass. Learn how to use swimbaits because they are useful in the kelp, too. Later, you might try some crankbaits, spinnerbaits, jigs, jerkbaits, etc. Due to your limited arsenal, this setup could be used for your bass/sabiki rod in the kelp. btw, you can also use your ultralights for dropshotting in the bays, but you'll need at least 6# test and you'll need to find an area without too much structure.