Hobie question - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

brionix · 04-21-2015, 10:21 AM

Hi, everyone. I recently got introduced to kayak fishing and found this site and I have to say, there is so much great information here.
I picked up a used outback and been enjoying peddling in lake and bay. My next goal is to do open water fishing, and want to get some ideas from Hobie users here;
1. Surf Launch: Do you peddle, or paddle to get pass the surf zone? If paddle, how do you keep the drive. ( I figured out the drive won't fit inside front hatch). If the surf is small, I don't think it will be hard to go knee deep, put in the drive and jump in to start peddle.

2. Fish storage: Say, you get a 20lb YT, or halibut. Do you stuff it inside front hatch, or just tie down behind the bait tank, or just hold it on your lap all the way to landing?

3. Landing: Peddle all all the way to the sand? If so, even you push the drive till the fin is flat, once you hit the sand, Is it going to mess up the fin/shaft? Then you have to lift/tilt your boat in order the remove the drive.

Thanks all , I hope it will shorten my learning curve.

kayachapi · 04-21-2015, 10:30 AM

1: When launching I peddle and paddle. Keep the the bungie hooked on a peddle until past the surf zone in case I dump. Paddle helps with stability when punching through the surf.
2: Can't catch 20lb fish.
3: I take peddles out, rudder up, and tie everything down. Ready to yard sale. Hasn't happened yet, but I only get out a few times a year.

roadx · 04-21-2015, 10:41 AM

me... i pedal out and in.
stick the drive in when in knee to waist high waters, time the sets right and take off. dont not stop pedaling until your well clear of surf.
coming in i use the bungee cord hooked to the pedals. bail/step out when in a shallow waters.
a drive leash is good to have

ful-rac · 04-21-2015, 11:05 AM

Hmmm...Let me see....

Quote:

Originally Posted by brionix

1. Surf Launch: Do you peddle, or paddle to get pass the surf zone? If paddle, how do you keep the drive. ( I figured out the drive won't fit inside front hatch). If the surf is small, I don't think it will be hard to go knee deep, put in the drive and jump in to start peddle.

Your just going to have to find out what your capable and comfortable with. Some guys can get into waist deep water drive in and just hop in while there in the surf zone and make it out no problem...now since I'm a bigger guy I usually paddle out of the surf zone with my drive out, so I don't bend or damage it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by brionix

2. Fish storage: Say, you get a 20lb YT, or halibut. Do you stuff it inside front hatch, or just tie down behind the bait tank, or just hold it on your lap all the way to landing?

Put your fish where ever it will fit, next to your leg, underneath your leg strapped to the back of your kayak...you'll figure it out.

Quote:

Originally Posted by brionix

3. Landing: Peddle all all the way to the sand? If so, even you push the drive till the fin is flat, once you hit the sand, Is it going to mess up the fin/shaft? Then you have to lift/tilt your boat in order the remove the drive.

Again you'll have to figure out what works for you and what your comfortable with. Some guys go peddle in some guys go peddle out. With the peddle in your chances of damaging your drive go up...with your peddle drive out your chances of losing your drive go up...pedaling in you have speed to get in before you get smashed by a wave...paddling you have greater control in the surf zone...get out there and figure it out.

Quote:

Originally Posted by brionix

Thanks all , I hope it will shorten my learning curve.

Shorten the learning curve...call josh or captain wade or Tjones they can help you out.

spyakker · 04-21-2015, 12:01 PM

I paddle in and out. Once I'm out out of the surf, pop the drive in and go. I use a leash to the drive in case I do go over, lay the drive across the yak by your feet.

I caught a 20lb YT and it was a lot bigger than I thought. Thought I could throw it somewhere on the yak and continue to fish but I was wrong. Had to throw it in the hatch which isn't a problem. I have a revo so maybe with the outback you have a little more room.

Good Luck out there!

bolocop · 04-21-2015, 01:25 PM

1. I peddle out. When I get to water that is deep enough so my drive doesn't bottom out, I put the drive in and scissor the pedals to prevent damage. When the time is right, I jump in and pedal like crazy. I figure this is faster than paddling and speed is everything in the surf zone.

2. I have a different Hobie, so storage is different.

3. As you might have guessed, I peddle in as well. Time the set right and with enough speed, nothing will catch you. I leave the drive in and when I get to waist high water, I jump out, scissor the pedals and hook the bungee while pulling up the rudder. So far no yard sales with this method. Only times I've flipped was due to paddling in (not enough speed) and my waders getting caught up on the yak when jumping out.

Zed · 04-21-2015, 01:44 PM

Pedal.

PapaDave · 04-22-2015, 12:39 PM

PA14 here...

Going out I attach the mirage drive bungee to the pedals, it keeps them flat against the hull, hop in and pedal out leaving the bungee on until deeper water.

No problem with storage on a PA...

Coming in I attach the bungee again and pedal as fast as I can, when getting close I either coats in letting the bungee keep the blades up to the hull or jump out.

ashmoz · 04-22-2015, 12:52 PM

My style of launch and land:

Rudder(s) up, pedal in, use paddle to steer (like a rudder), and use pedal to haul ass out of the surf zone. Drop rudder down as soon as you pass the surf zone.

Kinda the same thing for coming in... Rudder(s) up, pedal in, paddle in hand to steer and go backwards in case of a big wave (going backwards helps me not catch a wave). Like Tony said, peddle is faster to come in between surf sets.

04-21-2015, 10:21 AM	#1
brionix Junior Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 1	Hobie question Hi, everyone. I recently got introduced to kayak fishing and found this site and I have to say, there is so much great information here. I picked up a used outback and been enjoying peddling in lake and bay. My next goal is to do open water fishing, and want to get some ideas from Hobie users here; 1. Surf Launch: Do you peddle, or paddle to get pass the surf zone? If paddle, how do you keep the drive. ( I figured out the drive won't fit inside front hatch). If the surf is small, I don't think it will be hard to go knee deep, put in the drive and jump in to start peddle. 2. Fish storage: Say, you get a 20lb YT, or halibut. Do you stuff it inside front hatch, or just tie down behind the bait tank, or just hold it on your lap all the way to landing? 3. Landing: Peddle all all the way to the sand? If so, even you push the drive till the fin is flat, once you hit the sand, Is it going to mess up the fin/shaft? Then you have to lift/tilt your boat in order the remove the drive. Thanks all , I hope it will shorten my learning curve.

04-21-2015, 10:41 AM	#3
roadx . Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 1,155	me... i pedal out and in. stick the drive in when in knee to waist high waters, time the sets right and take off. dont not stop pedaling until your well clear of surf. coming in i use the bungee cord hooked to the pedals. bail/step out when in a shallow waters. a drive leash is good to have __________________

04-21-2015, 01:44 PM	#7
Zed BANNED Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: W of 5 Posts: 1,265	Pedal. __________________ Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day. Give a fish a man and he'll eat for a week.

04-22-2015, 12:39 PM	#8
PapaDave Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Menifee, CA Posts: 1,473	PA14 here... Going out I attach the mirage drive bungee to the pedals, it keeps them flat against the hull, hop in and pedal out leaving the bungee on until deeper water. No problem with storage on a PA... Coming in I attach the bungee again and pedal as fast as I can, when getting close I either coats in letting the bungee keep the blades up to the hull or jump out. __________________ So long and thanks for all the fish...

04-21-2015, 10:30 AM	#2
kayachapi Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Tehachapi Posts: 81	1: When launching I peddle and paddle. Keep the the bungie hooked on a peddle until past the surf zone in case I dump. Paddle helps with stability when punching through the surf. 2: Can't catch 20lb fish. 3: I take peddles out, rudder up, and tie everything down. Ready to yard sale. Hasn't happened yet, but I only get out a few times a year.

04-21-2015, 12:01 PM	#5
spyakker Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Cypress Posts: 110	I paddle in and out. Once I'm out out of the surf, pop the drive in and go. I use a leash to the drive in case I do go over, lay the drive across the yak by your feet. I caught a 20lb YT and it was a lot bigger than I thought. Thought I could throw it somewhere on the yak and continue to fish but I was wrong. Had to throw it in the hatch which isn't a problem. I have a revo so maybe with the outback you have a little more room. Good Luck out there!

04-21-2015, 01:25 PM	#6
bolocop Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 332	1. I peddle out. When I get to water that is deep enough so my drive doesn't bottom out, I put the drive in and scissor the pedals to prevent damage. When the time is right, I jump in and pedal like crazy. I figure this is faster than paddling and speed is everything in the surf zone. 2. I have a different Hobie, so storage is different. 3. As you might have guessed, I peddle in as well. Time the set right and with enough speed, nothing will catch you. I leave the drive in and when I get to waist high water, I jump out, scissor the pedals and hook the bungee while pulling up the rudder. So far no yard sales with this method. Only times I've flipped was due to paddling in (not enough speed) and my waders getting caught up on the yak when jumping out.

04-22-2015, 12:52 PM	#9
ashmoz 192.168.0.1 Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 397	My style of launch and land: Rudder(s) up, pedal in, use paddle to steer (like a rudder), and use pedal to haul ass out of the surf zone. Drop rudder down as soon as you pass the surf zone. Kinda the same thing for coming in... Rudder(s) up, pedal in, paddle in hand to steer and go backwards in case of a big wave (going backwards helps me not catch a wave). Like Tony said, peddle is faster to come in between surf sets.