Newbie Thread

[tunaseeker]

Hi all,

I am a newbie (Don't even have a yak yet, hopefully by the end of the month!) to the site and was hoping that the experienced anglers here can post some tips for the newbies that visit. Your wealth of knowledge on the sport and equipment can benefit a new generation of anglers!

Some questions I have are:

1. La Jolla (LJ) seems to be the spot to fish, how about some details on parking, launching, where to fish, any license for the yak?
2. Equipment list
3. Essentials for the water
4. Paddle vs pedal
5. Tackle, the minimum
6. Knot tying
7. Water safety
8. Videos on how to make rigs

It sems as each one of those can be a new post. There is so much to learn.....I really appreciate all of your posts and reading the daily catch. I have read a lot of the fourm here and I am on my way and will hopefully bump into you on the water soon! So far got a Diaww Saltist 40 reel gear ratio 6:4:1 (Thanks to Pat, nice post on Yellow Tail Fishing) and rod 30-60lbs for future Yellow Fin fishing! Any reply is appreciated.
Tight Lines!

[CurtyL]

well that sure is the quintessential list of questions

I'll take #6 - this knot works for just about everything. If you're splicing line not so good, but thats a lesson for knots 102. check this link out:

http://www.animatedknots.com/improvedclinch/index.php

hey I'm in a good mood so I'll throw in my $.02 on #7. and that is: keep you're head above water at all costs. if you get separated from your yak and have to float around for a while, have a plan to make it easy for people to find you.

Tight lines to you sir.

[m1k3midg3]

1. launch on the beach in between the 2 hotels at the south end of the beach. you are allowed to drive onto sand. unload your gear then park in the la jolla shores parking lot. paddle about a 1/4 or so mile past the yellow bouys and you are allowed to fish anywhere beyond that. you need a regular fishing license and saltwater stamp. you dont need a cf number for your yak unless you have a motor on it.
2. bring 2+ rods. one for bait the rest for target fish. have a bait tube or baitwell. milk crate for your gear. fishfinder leashes for your rods. straps for everything you dont wanna lose in the surf if you flip over. waders(optional). hooks flouro leader etc
3. knife, food, water, bait,
4. if someone were to give me a free kayak i would defiantly choose peddle. your legs are stronger and you can go faster.
5.depends what you are going for. if you are gonna go rockfishing have 60ish pound spectra and some mono or flouro leader 20-40 pound test. have size 1 or so hooks. for yellowtail and big fish like yellowtail use size 1-1/0 live bait hooks with spectra and flouro leader.
6. learn clinch knots, dropper loop, rock cod rig, carolina rig
7. dont go in front of big boats, dont go so far out that you wont have enough energy to get back i. watch out for big boat wakes. kinda common sense really.
8.just go on youtube and search the rigs i told you to

your daiwa reel will be good for throwing irons

[m1k3midg3]

oh and keep your phone/camera in 2 ziploc bags enderneath ure waders or put them in a dry bag. ive learned the hard way. ive lost 7 phones to water...

[Nic D]

I'll take #1

parking is found on the closest streets. Make sure you check for street sweeping signs. Never leave anything in the back of your truck, just ask Jim.

As long as you have decent driving skills and your'e 98.6 then driving on the sand to unload you kayak and gear should not be a problem. Just drive slow as to not piss off the life guards and keep your momentum if you have a 2wd.

[tunaseeker]

Thanks for the great tips all...

m1k3midg3 thaks for all the tips...
-Do you still need the CF if you have one of those small electric motors?
-I was leaning towards pedal too...Just to have hands free..
-What is the Flouro leader?
-curtly thanks for the knots!
-Tamarak Studios- good tip. What do you mean by 98.6? Looks you are getting your share of fish!

Cant waith to hit the water, but I am sure I will be deer in the headlights when I get out there! The Kayak community seems to be a real good group, hot fish cold beer!

[dsafety]

Originally Posted by Tamarack Studios

I'll take #1

parking is found on the closest streets. Make sure you check for street sweeping signs. Never leave anything in the back of your truck, just ask Jim.

As long as you have decent driving skills and your'e 98.6 then driving on the sand to unload you kayak and gear should not be a problem. Just drive slow as to not piss off the life guards and keep your momentum if you have a FWD.

Tamarack Studios mentioned the street sweeping signs which lead to what we lovingly call "Parking Ticket Thursdays". Two weeks every month, you cannot park on the street near the launch on Thursdays before 11 AM. Failure to remember this is a $45 fine. I have learned this lesson and paid the fine... I am not alone. Since you can't see the signs in the dark, it is a good idea to know about them in advance.

None of the other posters mentioned making bait. This is part of the routine. You need to be able to catch macs, (with a Sabiki), or squid. There are lots of posts on this forum which will educate you on how to catch and keep bait. Use the search feature.

Someone touched on safety but it should be mentioned again. Always wear a PFD, even if you are a great swimmer. Bad things can happen out there and if you are miles from home with no one around, it is important that you are able to keep floating until help arrives.

Bob

[Whizz Bang]

When I started out I spent hours, countless hours, untold hours wearing out my search engine. Anything and everything you are wondering about has been covered in this site. Kayaks....covered, techniques...covered....tackle....covered....rods. ..covered.....making bait....covered. This is for you, do it yourself.....there is tremendous satisfaction in this, trust me.

Post script
....#4-pedal!!!!

[m1k3midg3]

technically you need a cf number even if you have an electric motor but they dont really care. i had an electric motor on my zodiac before i got a gas one and the dfg came around to check our fishing license but they didnt say anything about not having a cf number. flourocarbon is a type of fishing line that has almost the same refractivity (yea i know thats not a word) as water which makes it almost invisible almost water. if you are willing to spend the money get blackwater flourocarbon

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=263602_263622

[cowboybill]

One cardinal rule, is Always avoid the trolling area behind other kayaks!!

And boats to for that matter, but due to the speed diff, I have not found this to be a problem...

If I cant see a line as I get near a yak, I always ask if they have a line in the water!!

And of all the hobbies I have experienced, fellow Kayakers seem to be the friendliest bunch...

A friend said thats because were all so crazy to be out in the ocean on a plastic stick, we need to watch out for each other!

Cowboybill

[StinkyMatt]

I am also a new kayaker, not new to fishing. Been in the sport a couple of months. My two cents is, buy your gear used, there are incredible deals on this website and possibly craigslist. My original plan to get into a "cheap" kayak for about $500 quickly went out the door... I am well past 1500 bucks and the FF was the only new thing I bought. Watch your wallet so wifey wont put on the clamps!

REALLY learn a lot about making bait, you don't want to spend all day fishing for macks! Better yet make a friend at the launch that does not mind you tagging 50 yards from him to catch bait at a mark he finds.