# Sunshiner's Kayak Fishing Manual



## Ado (Mar 31, 2008)

Anyone that has taken more than a glance at this forum knows Kevin Long (aka Sunshiner). He's kept us endlessly entertained and informed with his unique 'full bottle' of kayaking craft, fishing mojo and penmanship. This is before we add his uncanny ability to coerce bikini clad damsels to fondle his extra large .... pelagics. He's written tips to contemplate, warnings to heed and reports to dream about, all with a passion that never fails to thrill and inspire in equal measure. He's plied his word picture skills on this and other forums and has graced the pages of more than one glossy mag.

Well he's now taken it a step further. From accounts it may be much more than one step. He's written and produced a Kayak Fishing Manual (KFM). He's done so in an e-book format. Not an electronic version of a book, but the full multi-media experience. I'm yet to 'read' it (though partake of it sounds more apt), but below are reviews from those that have. The other Mods and I have allowed, no, enthusiastically encouraged Kev to post to the Commercial section of the forum. You will find that post here.

We wish Sunshiner all the best with this exciting venture. As an e-book author I can tell you there is nothing more fulfilling than seeing the sales counter click over, even if just by one at a time. Those that make that happen will be rewarded by the content.

AKFF has no affiliation with the publication except to celebrate the passion and commitment of one of our own. Enjoy.

_(Note - there are a few links to tie together here, so watch this thread over the next day or so for updates)._


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## Ado (Mar 31, 2008)

Sunshiner invited members to provide reviews.

*By Barrabundy*

_As the title suggests, this is THE Kayak Fishing Manual. It contains everything anyone contemplating the sport should be aware of including types of kayaks, safety considerations, fishing techniques, basic equipment, clothing and accessories likely to be required. If none of that interests you, the trip reports at the back will have you checking the tides and organising your fishing gear.

The book was a new experience for me with photo galleries, videos, and THE BEST table of contents design I'm yet to come across. This is way more than your usual digital book, zooming on photos, links to the glossary, searchable text, notes, remembering the page&#8230; so much more than your average book.

The videos are great too, short and to the point and really give the reader a sense of being there. The traditional medium can't do this. I would imagine that, for someone who has never been in a kayak, the videos would be getting viewed over and over again. Being able to give someone a taste of what it's like to sit amongst feeding activity or negotiate the surf is un-heard of in a book. Yes, you could trawl Youtube to find that sort of footage but here it is all in the right context. What you would find by trawling countless forums, doing google searches, searching youtube is all contained in this manual, nothing extra, just exactly what you need to know in the first instance.

The contents page scrolling thing at the bottom of the page is THE BEST thing I've seen in a digital book, never seen it before, maybe it's common. It's as close to flicking through the pages of a real book as I've experienced! Well done!

The use of links (AKFF, Noosa Yakkers blog etc) is really good, can't do this with a hard copy book. The links to the glossary are also great. The use of photo galleries is really effective in this type of publication, eg when the text discusses kayak seats, there are several photos of various seat types rather than just a single image. This helps broaden the reader's learning experience.

The content was well balanced and easy to read and understand. I personally really enjoyed the GPS chapter and learnt some tricks for naming waypoints that I'd never even thought of. The photos with the clips on the ends of the GPS and VHF lanyards were a revelation for me. Why have I never thought of that?

I've been kayak fishing for over 4 years now and even I learnt something reading it. This will become "The Bible" of kayak fishing!_

*By BigGee*

_Kev has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to Kayaking and fishing alone but put them both together and we are left with this inspiring iBook. The massive amount of experience and enjoyment that he has enjoyed over the years is perfectly portrayed and anyone looking to get into the world of Kayak fishing would do well to purchase this iBook, study it and make informed decisions on what is right or wrong for them personally.

I would have liked to have seen other facets of kayak fishing such as in shore or inland waterways use. But upon reflection, one realises that Kev has written and formulated this book for his "backyard", one of the more difficult environments, being surf launching to off shore fishing grounds.

The movies and the images of the fish caught easily portray that if someone can catch those then adaptation to inshore fishing should be much easier and as thoroughly enjoyable as many know it is.

A thoroughly enjoyable and in many cases, enlightening read._

*By Anselmo*

_I have been fishing for 23 years, the last 17 of which have been from a kayak. During that time I have seen kayak fishing grow from being a branch of the sport populated by eccentrics and trendsetting visionaries, to being accepted as a mainstream and often preferable method of fishing.

During that time I have read a number of articles and books on kayak fishing and how to select and set up a fishing kayak. None to date have matched Kevin Long's new book for the volume and level of detail contained.

If this was a standard paper based book this would be endorsement enough. But Kevin has harnessed the latest available technology to create a user friendly ebook that contains illustrative photography galleries and embedded videos. The use of technology moves this book from being something great to something truly amazing.

As well as beginning scenarios there are also chapters on more advanced techniques such as surf launches, drift fishing using a GPS unit and addressing safety when afloat.

If you have ever had an interest in kayak fishing, or have already started and are looking for a more detailed guide then this book has to be considered essential reading._

*By Bertros*

_What an informative and enjoyable read! One of the true legends of AKFF, Kevin "Sunshiner" Long has written this extensive coverage of the ins and outs of kayak fishing. While it's an ideal starting point for those contemplating taking up the sport or those who have just started, it would also suit those with a little more experience who are looking to branch out from the estuary or lake and start heading offshore in search of some bigger pelagics.

Written in his down-to-earth and highly engaging style, Kev covers off many of the kayak and fishing accessories you would want to consider adding to your arsenal, from drogues and gaffs through to shark shields and offshore safety. He also covers some of the more specialised techniques in the offshore angler's arsenal including surf launches, effective use of a GPS, and how to set up and fish a drift properly.

The many videos and image galleries are a great addition to this ebook, and some of the other features will be invaluable for kayakers of all standards as they continue their educational journey. For me, the ability to make your own notes alongside the books topics will prove to be a key feature ongoing. As I continue to decode the secrets of reading and interpreting my fish finder for example, I can place these learnings alongside the books content and save in a logical place for future review and reflection.

Unlike most fishing books, this doesn't just cover off the theory either. Four detailed and highly entertaining trip reports targeting different species by the infamous Noosa Yakkers makes for some entertaining reading spanning some 24 pages. If that doesn't have you rigging up your gear and preparing the kayak for a trip out, then you may want to consider taking up an alternative such as golf instead._

*By SBD*

_Kev Long needs no introduction to those that follow his exploits as "Sunshiner" on AKFF, but for those that don't know of him, he is a veteran of the Australian yak fishing community. His reports on AKFF are packed with stories, pictures and most of all, buoyant enthusiasm, so when I heard of his book, I bought it immediately.

I'm pleased to say that The Kayak Fishing Manual has managed to exceed my high expectations in every way. The innovative format incorporates fresh design, pictures that zoom to full screen, many of which are entry points to mini galleries and salient videos embedded throughout, but most of all, the KFM is chock full of hard core kayak fishing wisdom, for both new yak fishos & old salts.

There are chapters on kayak selection, rigging, accessories, safety and more. My pick for most useful for me was the surf launching chapter, complete with photos & video of what to do (and what not to), but all sections offer valuable reminders, tips and tricks. To top it off, Kev offers a selection of trip reports guaranteed to inspire all yak fishos to get out there, battle with the elements and attempt to emulate his enviable successes. Step one - buy this book!_


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## sunshiner (Feb 22, 2006)

Adrian and the mods, thanks for getting behind me and giving me a much needed push. Your assistance very much appreciated. Also, a big thanks to the Reviewers who worked hard and even possibly gave up fishing trips to push the reviews out in time. What a smart and resourceful community we have here.

Thanks all and have a wonderful fishy Christmas.

Kev


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## granpop (Mar 23, 2007)

Downloaded it and thoroughly enjoying the read.

Cheers

Dave


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## soggypilchard (Dec 1, 2008)

hey mate, havent read the book yet, though i have one concern.
on the cover, is that some dude (the cameraman) with his foot planted on your genitals?

also theres no such thing as rocket science, its actually rocket engineering. however good stuff mate


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## sunshiner (Feb 22, 2006)

soggypilchard said:


> hey mate, havent read the book yet, though i have one concern.
> on the cover, is that some dude (the cameraman) with his foot planted on your genitals?
> 
> also theres no such thing as rocket science, its actually rocket engineering. however good stuff mate


G'day SP,

You're a keen observer. As I explain in the book, the foot belongs to one of my fishing mates, Jaro, who took the pic with my camera. We have found that out in the ocean we can steady the kayak of the subject and the kayak of the photographer by having each place one foot into the other's kayak, with the kayaks bow to stern and rafted up. Great pics are the result, especially if the sun is in the right position.

Regards

Kev


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## scater (Nov 24, 2007)

I had no idea you were so prolific Kev!


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## Yakydeyak (Jan 15, 2013)

Hi Kevin, I would love to purchase and read your book. In fact i went to do so and then ran into the problem that it can only be viewed on an ipad  . I know there is probably an underlying copy protection and formatting reason for this decision but why cant it be accessible to other mac products? ie. why is it limited to the ipad? I currently have a macbook pro and would love to support you and learn some more tips but i cant given the current situation. Im sure there are loads of people with the same issue.


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## sunshiner (Feb 22, 2006)

Hi Yakedeyak

I've researched this extensively and the fact remains that the iBooks/iPad option seems to be the only way presently to publish this sort of book. Clearly, it is possible that Apple may produce a reader App for the MacBook Pro etc, but that hasn't yet come about. As for Kindle, Kobo, etc, the standards vary tremendously and they are just not set up to cope with movies, interactivity, etc which this book contains. I could create a watered down version as a PDF which would be universally readable, but also universally copiable. That version would also lack the movies and interactivity which come automatically with the iPad technology.

I've sold the book in four countries so far and there are about 100 million iPads out there so I'm happy for it to just keep ticking along. I'm not in it for the money but wanted to try to find the limits of digital self publishing technology. I can now create books for the iPhone, iPod and iPad (all with movies) so have learned a great deal already.

Thanks for your interest and support. All I can suggest is that you lobby Apple to create an App which will allow you to read the book on your MacBook Pro.

Kev


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## sunshiner (Feb 22, 2006)

Hi guys

Just thought I'd let you know that the iBook is now readable on Macs running the new OS, Mavericks. Same book, same features, usable on both Mac and all iPads. This is what I hoped Apple might do (see previous post). The link to it remains as provided and is also in my signature.

Kev


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## keza (Mar 6, 2007)

How have the sales been going Kev ?
Hope it has has been doing well.


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