For the love of Kayaking

[Blaze]

These are what many Kayaking grouppies use here,
Five fingers

Or Academy has the Fila Skele-Toe shoes which are cheaper.

or Last but very popular are the Crocs:

[Blaze]

Found an interesting site that has lots of info on kayaking. Just wanted to share. http://www.sit-on-topkayaking.com/Articles/ More generalized kayak information that you may want to know.

[Blaze]

I was wasting a bit of time at work and got to think about all the times where I've fished with someone that has turtled, flipped, took a dip, gone overboard.

Not counting the surf flipping the only time I have gone over was in the Houston Ship Channel HSC. It was memorial day and the waves were just wrong, I should not have been there. I got the boat caught in the trough of the waves and over I went. after the initial shock of being in water I'm fishing for sharks in I used the following technique. Belly, Butt, feet. First kick up the belly onto the seat of the yak. This can be hampered by radios, pliers, cameras or whatever you have strapped to your PDF. Then once your belly is on your seat roll over onto your back. Then slide your feet over the front of the boat.

The best video I have seen of this is the following:
[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmaNBXEa"]YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.[/nomedia] ... re=related

Dangers of flipping are: being by yourself (horse is dead), panic, tiring yourself out with poor technique, gear in your way.
Relax, practice before hand, and be safe guys.

This Summer looks like a great Fishing Season!

[Blaze]

I'll begin with the "stroke" and then I'll follow with the information on "feathering"

Like most everthing, proper paddling is about good posture & form...

Sit up straight- with your feet firmly on the foot braces and the foot braces adjusted to where the knees are bent up with about 6" of clearence under the back of the knee. Push your buttocks firmly back into the seat. The preasure from you legs to your butt "connects" you to the boat. With your back straight, bend slightly forward from the waist.


Grip you paddle's shaft even with your shoulders- holding the shaft in front of you- even with your chest. You elbows should be at a right angle(90°)
*Important to Remember- Never let you elbows bend less than 90°. Imagine that you have a beach ball pinned between the paddle's shaft and your chest- keeping you from ever bringing the shaft closer to your chest. Keep those elbows at 90° or greater all the time. This space between your chest and the shaft is also refered to as the "Paddler's Box"
(NEVER "PUMP" THE ARMS/ELBOWS! called the Arm Stroke- BAD)

The stroke begins by rotating at the WAIST with the arms in the Paddler'sBox position. Lean forward and "Catch" the water by your toe. Imagine that you have just stuck the paddle in the ground and you are going to pull the boat up to the paddle's position by rotating at the waist using the muscles in your lower back and waist- NOT YOUR ARMS!
You are not pulling the paddle back through the water...
You are pulling the boat up to the paddle...

The stroke ends when the paddle's blade is even with your hip NEVER BEHIND YOUR HIP!
*Important to Remember- If you end the stroke behind the hip and recover the blade behind the hip- when you lift the blade, you catch water against the face of the blade- thus pulling the boat down to the paddle and slowing the boat from the forward momentum that you just gained in the power faze of the stroke.

Now you repeat the "Catch" by the opposite toe and "Recover" by the opposite hip- all by maintaining the "Paddler'sBox" and rotating at the waist using your lower back and abdomen muscles.

This is called the "Body Stroke".


"FEATHERING" the paddle

Feathering is where we adjust the paddle's blades to where they are at angles to each other- usually it's 60° On two piece paddles, the shaft will usually have two holes where the two pieces come together at the ferrule. If you put the spring button in one hole the blades will be even/straight with each other and if you put the button in the other hole the blades will be at an angle to each other.

Most paddles that are set up for feathering are set up for right-handed people and the normal angle is 60° You can get paddles setup for left-handed people and at different angles like 45° or 90°

The purpose for feathering the blades is so the blade that is out of the water in the "Recovery" position is "slicing" through the wind instead of pushing the flat side of the back of the blade into/through the wind.
Out on the open water this makes a huge difference when paddling around in the wind.

To feather the paddle in the stroke,(right-hand version) the right hand grips the shaft. The right blade should be in the correct position to "catch". The right hand stays in this position on the shaft all the time. The right side makes a catch, then stroke and then on the recovery, the right hand will drop slightly by rotating the wrist slightly down, rotating the shaft to turn the left blade to the correct catch position for the left side.
The left hand never grips the shaft. The right hand rotates the shaft in the left hand from right catch position to left catch position.

The better your body stroke becomes, the more you rotate at the waist, the less you will notice dropping the right wrist in the catch for the left side.

I don't even notice a rotation in the shaft now because of the natural rhythm that I've developed from many years of paddling.

Practice makes perfect!

[Blaze]

Which fishing kayak is the best one for me?

Are you confused about which kayak to buy? All of us have gone through this initial confusion.

There are basically 2 types of kayaks. They are Sit On Tops (SOT) and Sit In Kayaks (SIK). Each type has models that fish well and ones that don't. Before we discuss the merits and differences of each type let's first discuss kayaks for fishing in general. What makes a kayak a good fishing kayak? There are many factors to consider.


The first factor to consider is YOU. What is your height, weight, leg length, and general condition? If you're a big man, there are certain kayaks that you need to look at. If you're a small person getting a kayak that's big and has a 600-pound capacity probably isn't your best choice. Some kayaks suit different body types better than others. All these factors are important.
What vehicle are you going to use to transport your kayak? If you're using the bed of a pickup truck a heavier kayak isn't a problem. If you have a large SUV you have to be conscious of the weight. How will you load and unload your kayak? Can you load in a heavy wind?
Where do you plan on using the kayak? Is it strictly going to be used in fresh water, on lakes, ponds, or large impoundments? Do you plan on using it in saltwater? Do you plan on fishing in the ocean and launching through the surf?
How are you planning on getting the kayak to the water? Can you simply drive it to the water or do you plan on going into areas where you can't use your vehicle to get your kayak to the water? Will you need a kayak cart?
What fishing methods do you like to use? Do you use artificial baits, real bait, or both? Do you use a variety of methods? If you're going to use bait, do you want to use live bait or dead bait? Do you fly fish? The type of gear and the way you fish are going to determine which kayaks are going to better suit your needs.
What type of fisherman are you? Are you strictly a catch and release fisherman, do you like to take the occasional meal home or are you regularly taking fish home?

Now let’s discuss the SOT and SIK kayaks. We'll simply discuss both types and furnish some information so you can decide on which is the better choice for you.

Sit In Kayaks (SIK): These are the traditional type of kayaks. They are similar to canoes in that you sit in the kayak. They offer more initial protection from the elements however they are more exposed in rougher conditions and can fill with water. In bad conditions they're usually used with a skirt. A skirt is a covering that goes around you and the opening in the kayak that prevents water from entering. When a skirt is used you don't have access to the items that are in the kayak.

Sit On Top (SOT): These are the new type of kayak. They're basically modified surfboards and you sit on them rather than inside. They have what are known as scupper holes, which allow water to drain from the kayak compartment. So when water washes over the kayak it briefly floods the cockpit and then drains.

Both types of kayaks allow you to fish and obviously within each type there are models that do this better than others. Many kayaks today are made of plastic. Let's discuss important fishermen needs and how each type of kayak addresses them.

Most people who decide to get a kayak for fishing have never or rarely been in a kayak. They are fishermen that recognized that a kayak would expand their fishing range. This article is based upon this premise and is discussed from this perspective.

Stability: Fishermen do things in a kayak that most people don't do. They fish. Having a stable platform is very important, especially to the person who is new to the sport and kayaks. There are two types of stability initial and secondary.

Initial stability is the side-to-side wobble that you feel when you sit in a kayak.
Secondary stability is when the kayak is nearing its point of flipping and how much forgiveness it has before you flip.


Many recreational kayaks that are used for fishing have great initial stability but have a very abrupt secondary. When they reach their secondary limit you're literally dumped. Conversely there are kayaks that wobble like mad but are very forgiving when they come to the dump point. Since you sit on or near the floor of a SIK they tend to be more stable. In SOTs you sit on the kayak and since it has a double hull you sit higher. This higher sitting position obviously makes a SOT less stable. If you have 2 kayaks that are the same length and width the SIK will usually be more stable. So SOT designers tend to make their kayaks wider to compensate for this.

Initial stability is more important to beginners and secondary stability is more important to seasoned kayakers. The beginner hasn't developed a sense of balance yet. It's a lot like learning how to ride a bicycle. Once you're become accustomed to balancing it’s done unconsciously. After a while it becomes second nature and you don't think about it. Shorter wider kayaks tend to be more stable, but slower as a rule.

Speed: Generally, the longer and narrower a kayak the faster it is. SIKs are usually faster however there are also fast SOTs. Speed is only important if you need it. If the majority of your fishing is close to shore or in small, protected areas, than sacrificing maneuverability for speed isn't the way to go. However if you're fishing a big reservoir, bay, or ocean the ability to cover distance is often very important. A SIK will usually be faster because it is narrower for the same length because of its lower seat position. There are many fast SIKs and some SOTs. The faster SOT kayaks, used for fishing, are known as touring kayaks.

Maneuverability: If you're going to fish in small, tight places you need to be able to maneuver. Some kayaks do this extremely well. Getting back into a small creek or pond and fishing often requires this ability. Both kayak types have models that do this well. Generally the shorter the kayak the better but design does matter.

Kayak Weight: This can be extremely important for many reasons..

Transportation: You need to be able to transport your kayak. Many of us who are fishermen drive SUVs or trucks with caps. So you're going to have to be able to get the kayak on the vehicle then off the vehicle and into the water.

Fishing Logistics: I fish all kinds of environments from large bays and the Gulf but I often fish some very small waters too. A small shallow river or pond is best fished with a small, light kayak because you will need to be able to carry or drag the kayak around, over or through places. A lighter kayak will make this easier. Just getting to the water in some places presents challenges where weight could be important.

Accessory Friendly: Fishermen, take a recreational kayak and make it a fishing vessel. We do this by adding accessories. Some fishermen just take a rod and a few flies or lures along and others like to take lots of gear. Some kayaks accept accessories better than others. It's the addition of accessories that can often dramatically improve the fishing. Lots of flat surfaces are nice for mounting things. On some kayaks it’s simple and you have many choices of where you can mount accessories. Some kayaks require much more thought and limit what you can and can't attach.

Storage: Depending upon how you fish this can be important. You don't need much but a lot depends upon you and where you plan on going and what you plan on taking with you. If you like to use both spin and fly gear then you need to take accessories for both. Some items are universal and some aren't. If you're fishing where you won't be venturing far, you don't need much since you can always go back. Conversely you may be out all day and have a major commitment in travel in getting to the fishing. This will require you to carry more gear. It’s better to have too much storage then too little storage.

Let's talk about different places and ways of fishing both types of kayaks and see the practical uses of each type.

Flats Fishing: One of the best things about a kayak is the access to shallow flats that it provides. There are lots of these types of environments on the Gulf coast. Some flats are shallow. So you're fishing a flat and you'd like to get out and wade fish. There are a few reasons why you may wish to do this.
You've been sitting for a while in the kayak and it’s nice to get out to walk and stretch.
There's a breeze or wind and if you have to control the kayak with your paddle it makes it more difficult to fishing with your hands semi occupied.
By standing you can see better and sometimes this is an advantage.


So you've decided to get out of the kayak. If the water depth is only a foot or so this doesn't present a challenge in either type of kayak. Now let’s see how things change in a couple feet of water with an incoming tide. There's a good chance when you decide to get back into the kayak it could be 3 feet deep. In a SOT you sit on rather than in the kayak so getting in and out is actually getting on and off. It's easy to do. Conversely in a SIK it isn't so simple and your chances of capsizing the kayak are much greater. It's also much more difficult to do. Now imagine that you're wearing waders.

Surf Launches: When you fish the open ocean you often need to launch through the surf to get there. When a wave comes over the bow of a SOT the cockpit briefly fills with water and then it drains. You then get beyond the breakers, go to your fishing destination. Should a wave knock you off of your kayak you're just off. Knee braces can attach you to the kayak and can make a difference in larger surf. Conversely a SIK needs a skirt to go through even moderate surf. Otherwise it will fill with water and it doesn't have the ability to drain. So you go through the surf and you misjudge and a wave flips you. If you’re on a SOT, you simply fall off and go retrieve the kayak. In a SIK you are in the kayak and should you flip none of the consequences are good. In the very least you have a kayak full of water and in the worst scenario you're upside down and still in the yak with your gear bouncing around in the surf . When a SIK flips the popular idea is to do an Eskimo roll. That's OK if you're in calm water's with a narrow kayak but a SIK that is used for fishing is often wider and doesn't roll well in the surf or in shallow water.

Shallow Rivers: A kayak will take you into so many environments that are difficult if not impossible to reach via any other means. Sometimes you can paddle and at times you need to drag the kayak up, around or through objects. It’s much easier to get off of a kayak rather than out of one if you're doing it a lot. The more you find yourself leaving the kayak the more you will appreciate a SOT.

Keeping Fish: If you like to take fish home than you need a place to keep your catch. If its smaller fish this isn't a big deal but if the fish are big it is. In a SIK it's either in the cockpit or on a stringer. A stringer is OK in freshwater areas where you don't need to travel very far. A stringer full of fish provides drag and isn't good if you need to cover distance. In some places it can attract predators. In the south you have to be concerned with alligators and in the salt its sharks. A tank well is the best place to keep fish. Sot’s come with and without a tank well (the depression in the back of some SOTs). You can either place a cooler in the tank well or strap it on behind the seat. Many SOTs come with tank wells so if you regularly bring home dinner a SOT could be a better choice.

Now that we discussed some basic ideas it is up for you to decide which kayak you want. You need to decide what you think the best is for you THEN call some of the local dealers in your area and see what types of kayaks they have; then go out and paddle the different kayaks and see how they handle for you. Some stores have a pool or water close to the store where you can go and demo the kayaks.

Now that you have found the perfect kayak for you; you will need to figure out how to rig your kayak to best fit your needs. ALL OF US HAVE OUR OWN OPNION ON WHAT IS THE BEST KAYAK AND WAY TO RIG IT. I recommend that you know what you want before letting anyone rig your kayak for you because there is no way they know what is perfect for you. You will not know till you have fished a while and you will continue to change the longer you fish.

There are pictures of rigged fishing kayaks and good articles on rigging and other ways to improve your yak and your fishing experience on our site.

We have a great group of people that will help you. Your question has probably been asked before so use the search feature and read, then asks your questions. Remember we all made that first post. Never be a fraid to post on this board. FROM THE WELCOME TO THE TKF BOARD

JimD

[Blaze]

Hooked - a true story
“Anything that can go wrong, will” –Murphy

This was never as true than on a day when I was fishing with a couple of friends. Here’s a short synopsis of what went wrong on a very windy day. More importantly as you read this, I’d like you to imagine the situation and how it could have been avoided, and imagine how it could have been worse, had the individual been by himself with no one around to help.

I’ll give a lead-in, so his story, as I’ll be quoting it from a post he made on the Message board, will make more sense.

We all decided to head in as the wind that day was a bit too much for us. Three of us hit the shore, only to find one was still out in the water (deep water), and we noticed he was not in his kayak! Here is his story. I’ll call it...

Hooked


I learned several lessons yesterday, the hard way. Richard suggested that I post a message for all our fellow kayakers to read and hopefully learn a lesson the easy way.
The first lesson is to have a healthy respect for a hung anchor in a kayak. My anchor was hung solid on the bottom (in deep water) so I decided to paddle over the top and past the anchor to give it a tug from the upwind side and hopefully free it up. Paddling upwind I had enough momentum that when the anchor rope tightened, combined with the wave action, it capsized me instantaneously with no warning whatsoever. This was not so bad in it self, the following turn of events is what really put me in a fix. As I turned the kayak back over I had a plastic box with several lures in it that had come open during the capsize, setting the top water lures adrift and sending the others to the bottom. While attempting to retrieve the topwater lures I managed to embed a hook from a super spook past the barb in my right pointer finger. At this point I realized that the situation was going south rapidly so I pulled the tab to inflate my SOSpenders. Then I managed to get the other hook on the super-spook caught in my windbreaker up around my left shoulder. By this time I'm beginning to feel like Tim Conway in the skit as the dentist when he shot himself in several places with Novocain until he was almost completely disabled. But fortunately things started looking up. There were 3 guys in a powerboat not far away that saw I was having a bit of trouble and came over and ask if they could help. When you have your right hand pinned to left shoulder you are ready for someone to offer a helping hand. I don't know if I told those guys thank you enough. My first request was for some wire cutters but they had none to offer. They helped me into their boat and towed my kayak to the beach where James and Richard were there to help me regain use of my right hand (by the way the anchor was still hung and the guys in the power boat were barely able to pull it up). Richard was able to push the hook the rest of the way through and cut the barb off and take the hook out. Being near the finger tip where all those nerve endings are this was not without a degree of pain. I am however grateful for all the help. It could have been worse. The lessons I learned and would pass on to anyone interested are:

1. Exercise extreme caution with a hung anchor (especially in deep water).
2. Make sure the method you use for storing lures is secure at all times.
3. Have on hand a reliable means of cutting a hook loose.
4. Whenever you are fishing alone (which thankfully I wasn't today). Be extra cautious because you may have to deal with some bizarre unforeseen situations by yourself, if you are the least bit careless. Fish with a partner whenever you can.

Here are a couple of others I should relay to you:

Wear your PFD! Not having it on in this case would have been bad.

Have a signaling device such as a loud whistle, hanging around your neck, as it won’t do you a bit of good anywhere else.

[Dominique]

Good story!

We teach, wear your PFD ALL of the time and attach the whistle and a rescue rope to your PFD.

Thats why they are called accidents.

[Blaze]

Wow, I think I just found my newest love...

I soooooooooo want one of these! here is the link http://www.nucanoe.com/frontier/