# kayak fishing offshore



## Guest (Feb 19, 2008)

as a total offshore virgin, can anyone give me some good tips from your experiences in kayak fishing offshore. This can be anything from gear used, bait, bait storage, launching, currents, fishing tips, absolutley whatever you want.

I have fished many years from a yak, but never offshore. Dont feel that any advice can be too insignificant, as I will read and take on board anything anyone has to offer


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## L3GACY (Sep 2, 2007)

If there is a chance of currents take a good anchor that you are sure will be able to hold bottom in the area. Water_Baby and i nearly got caught out. If the currents were much stronger we would not have made it home. A drogue would be a good idea for high wind situations i guess. I cant advice on fishing tips as i'm not in your area but as a virgin i say dont even consider going it alone yet. I would suggest finding someone experienced and tag along with them for a few trips, that way you can learn first hand.


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## yankatthebay (Dec 14, 2007)

I always feel more comfortable going with someone else. It is a big blue sea, and if something goes wrong...get my drift..haha, drifting away...sorry rambling.

Depending on what fish you are after, gear might be the same as you use elsewhere. If you going after jewfish or larger snapper, then a heavier rig would be very helpful to stop the fish finding a hole at the bottom and you losing it all. Anchor is a must if you are going to bottom bash in the currents, if you are trolling then no need for the extra weight - I do both so I take an anchor.

Current when going through heads of a bay is your biggest hassle. Make sure the tide is not going out when you want to come back. I have almost made that mistake and was not looking forward to the return trip. Thankfully a storm cut the trip short and we got through inbetween tides.

The Swell...what can I say...it is bigger and meaner. Not to say that it is a problem though, because it is often further apart (peak to peak) than in the bays in my experience. So you have more time to prepare for the swell. Just getting caught side on to a rogue is a bit hairy sometimes.

Best advice I can give you, go out for a day with someone that realises that you are new to it, and be prepared to say NO to continuing if you dont feel safe with something. You may get used to it eventually, or you may never do some things.
My biggest fear is getting close to the rocks and cliffs (though with the mirage drive I should be less concerned about being able to get away). Those are the sort of things that just take time and experience.

Get out there and have some fun.


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## Breambo (Apr 19, 2006)

I would check the latest weather forecasts before heading out. Preferably an assisting breeze on the return leg. Being caught out a couple of kms or more with a strong offshore wind can be interesting if not exhausting, which can and does happen, especially with unreliable weather forecasts and quickly changing weather conditions. This leads to my next point you must be paddle fit and able to paddle 20-30k's easily, just in case the wind changes. We got caught out the other week and a normal 40min paddle took 1 1/2 hours flatout paddling, we checked the weather, its not always accurate.


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## Guest (Feb 19, 2008)

Make sure you know where the currents flow during which tides and be sure you know what the tides are doing at the time. If you're smart and or lucky enough, you can often have the currents do a lot of the work for you or at least avoid getting carried away by a surprisingly strong current that's going in the direction you don't want it to. Also make sure you've got some good energy food on board and don't skimp on the drinks either. If you do end up having to paddle hard you can dehydrate really quickly.

Take a gaff hook with you. If you hook a big tuna, mackeral or some other big pelagic, you'll kick yourself if you don't.

When and if you launch through surf, make sure your hooks aren't exposed. I use plastic hook keepers. Billybob just rigs up once past the breakers, which is even safer. And pack up your rods before doing a surf re-entry (at the very least make sure your lures, etc, aren't a potential threat).

Oh... and the age old: make sure someone knows you are going and when you expect to be back.


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## Guest (Feb 19, 2008)

Thanks for the info so far guys.

5th, how do you tell what path some of the currents travel??


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## Nodds (Feb 28, 2007)

I agree completely with the above mentioned.

I'd like to add a couple of small points in regards to surf launches. Firstly is take your time to watch the surf and get an idea what to expect and give yourself the best chance of picking the lull or the smallest set of waves.

Secondly and it's only a small thing but it may help. It's to make sure the backrest of your seat is tied up if possable, I didn't and as I went to jump on it fell forward and instead of just sitting on it I stopped and lifted it up only to have it fall again, and again I grabbed it and stood it up just in time to be cleaned up by a rather large wave. 
I didn't see the wave coming because my attention wasn't were it should have been as I was distracted by something small and avoidable.

cheers nodds


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## ArWeTherYet (Mar 25, 2007)

Where imparticular were you planning to go?

Fishbrain (Brad) organised a course on surf launches and reentries, as well as a lot of other general kayaking techniques, last year. Perhaps you could PM him and ask nicely if he wouldn't mind doing it again. I went to the last one and it was great. If there was another I would do it again, lots to learn.


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## Guest (Feb 19, 2008)

ar-we-ther-yet said:


> Where imparticular were you planning to go?


Im not really sure yet, I head offshore in the boat sometimes, but way too far out for a kayak. I am thinking off the goldcoast??? I want to get into chasing some big fish offshore (hence buying big yak) as I need a change from chasing bread and butter species.

I would like to get into the cobia, Snapper (big ones), Pearl perch etc etc. I would even love to hook into a Marlin from the yak if I could. This type of fishing from a yak is all new to me, so at the moment I am concentrating on building up my fitness for the surf launches and longer travel.

I am a bit nervous about the surf launches though, the X is a bloody big yak to have comin down on your head if I stuff it up :shock:


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## Breambo (Apr 19, 2006)

keljad said:


> I am a bit nervous about the surf launches though, the X is a bloody big yak to have comin down on your head if I stuff it up :shock:


Its not going out thats the hard bit, its coming in :lol:

A couple of sessions in the waves with all gear stowed below deck might be a good idea, practice makes perfect :lol:


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## Guest (Feb 19, 2008)

James, some places will have much faster currents than others - geography can play a big part - and there are different types of currents as well, such as surface currents and deep ocean currents. Some places don't seem to have much current at all, other than typical tidal movement. Tidal flow is usually pretty easy to determine - sometimes you can see which direction it is flowing and as long as you know what tide it is (and when it will turn), you can figure out what it's likely to do.

When I was travelling I just asked lots of questions in tackle and or boating shops whenever I got to a new area. I was always curious about finding out if there was any particular surface currents wherever I planned to go fishing (usually there wasn't). I'm pretty sure these won't change direction in a tide change. From memory, these usually flow in an anti-clockwise direction and I think that they are pretty much almost always best avoided in a kayak. I think if you're thinking about heading any significant distance off shore, it's just a good idea to put in a bit of research to find out if there are any particular currents (other than tidal flow) that you need to be aware of.

A GPS can be particularly handy off shore because if you do get caught in a current and have to paddle through it you might not know if you are in fact making progress or not. A GPS will give you your true speed of movement. It can be deceiving if the current flow is racing past your kayak. Sometimes it seems like you're moving quickly, but that might not be the case.

Breambo is spot on. heading out through surf is usually easier than it looks. Once you've picked your break and committed to it, just paddle hard right into it and you should come out beyond the breakers pretty quickly. But coming in, that's the challenge right there. I can't quite remember who (was either Kraley or Gatesy) wrote a fine tutorial on coming back in through surf a while back. It'd be worth digging that up if possible. It helped me quite a bit.


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## Astro (Nov 27, 2006)

i saw an article somewhere (will try and find) about using a drouge (spelling0 when coming: theory was you slowed down the speed and with a SOT you would float above the waves

anyway no surf here.......plenty of off shore though....just crap weather and too many barra in the dams......


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## DGax65 (Jun 7, 2006)

Astro said:


> i saw an article somewhere (will try and find) about using a drouge (spelling0 when coming: theory was you slowed down the speed and with a SOT you would float above the waves


Here is some info on the use of drogues for surf landings. It helps to read all of the background info as well as the posts. The subject has touched off some very heated discussions on a number of forums.

The genesis of the idea for using series drogues in surf: http://www.seriesdrogue.com/coastguardreport/ 
Australian series drogue maker: Series Drogues
The posts
http://kfs.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/5086057385/m/9141008492/p/1
http://forum.kayak4fish.com/viewtopic.php?t=7972&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0
http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php/topic,6765.0.html

The use of a series drogue might be helpful in *some* surf landing situations. I do not think that it should be used in every surf landing scenario. I also think that the best approach to surf launches and landings is to practice, practice, practice. Learn proper surf technique and become comfortable in the surf before resorting to the use of equipment such as drogues.


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## feel the sting (Aug 8, 2006)

Keljad

Can not agree more with breambo about weather forecasts, they are really important. As i do most of my fishing offshore in the kayak and boat, I spend alot of time on the websites, coastal waters forecasts from the bureau of meteorology, and another good one is http://www.seabreeze.com.au , which gives wind and swell forecasts with some live readings. If you want big fish, livies are the go.

the sting


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## Nodds (Feb 28, 2007)

Keljad make sure your scupper holes are unblocked so if you get water in your yak it can drain away instantly.


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## Dodge (Oct 12, 2005)

keljad said:


> I am a bit nervous about the surf launches though,


James mention has been made already of the item on launching on this forum, and here is another which is well written and concise and written by a well known paddler
http://www.kayakfishingstuff.com/articl ... rticles=20


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## couta1 (Sep 10, 2005)

Read ,understand the basics(weather ect and all that stuff) but expierance is the best teacher and builds comfidence all the time...the only way you learn that is to get out there to improve your skill level.Also try get together with a group that does the same type of fishing as you so things can be learnt..and buddy up with a fishing buddy


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## Straddie (Apr 19, 2007)

My first experience offshore is always remembered. Getting out and fishing was a great experience, but the real test is coming back through the surf, don't be fooled, it can turn ugly and some of the early strategies is to bale out and ride the yak in like a big boogy board. My first experience left me wet and bruised and a scar on my chest. Coming back in, I de-rigged and placed all gear below and put the rod along the side of the yak under a couple of ties. As I entered the surf zone, the green swells would propell you forward then as you drop off the unbroken swell, the yak seems to stop completely (at this point the decision was made to paddle hard for shore) With all my effort, I took off towards shore, and caught another swell and started to surf the wave until the yak turned and nosed dived into the sand bar. The error that I had created was leaving the tip of the fishing rod exposed to the sand bar, the rod dug in, bent, popped the tie down and eventually speared me in the chest, luckily only leaving a scratch/scar. I managed to hang onto the yak and just got pushed towards the beach and safety.

I now approach the surf zone with a full pack down yak and I am starting to learn the techniques described elsewhere on this site. So practice makes perfect, just do it with a bare boat a few times before launching into the blue with a full rig. You will quickly discover what works for you, your yak and your offshore locations.

cheers Straddie


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## Guest (Feb 21, 2008)

Thanks for all the info everyone, it has been a real help. As my yakking fitness builds back to where it was over the next few months, I will attempt a couple of surf launches with a bare kayak. If all goes the way I think it will, then in a couple of months there should be some nice photos being posted up for you to have a chuckle at as I come a gutser the first couple of times :lol:

Thanks again


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## outriggerbev (Jan 15, 2007)

have a fishing partner


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## Guest (Feb 23, 2008)

Another thing - when riding a wave, lean back and try to get as much weight towards the rear as you can. Avoid loading up the bow with any significant weight - this can help make the dreaded nosedive happen. I learned this the hard way while surfing back on waves through the Noosa bar. I caught the incident on video to - one effort that worked, another that failed, with obvious results. Video here:

http://yakabout.com.au/home/content/view/186/39/


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## Guest (Feb 23, 2008)

s%^t.........I didnt think them things moved so fast through the water. Thats great!!!


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## Guest (Feb 23, 2008)

Yeah James, and those videos don't do the speed I was doing any justice either. And they were small waves to. You have to look closely for clues on the speed I was really doing, such as how quickly I caught up to the wave in front in the 2nd vid. The 2nd vid was taken seconds after the first - the wave in front is the one I was riding in the 1st vid.


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## Guest (Feb 23, 2008)

Mate, I was looking carefully at the water speed going past the hull...........very very impressive. Hopefully next time I team up with Red pheonix I will have a peddle of his machine if he is still omk with that and get a bit of first hand experience.

Great stuff, any wonder they are so popular


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## Biggles (Jan 6, 2008)

keljad said:


> Mate, I was looking carefully at the water speed going past the hull...........very very impressive. Hopefully next time I team up with Red pheonix I will have a peddle of his machine if he is still omk with that and get a bit of first hand experience.
> 
> Great stuff, any wonder they are so popular


James, you know Red doesn't need to peddle his Hobie, he gets it up on the plane with a three strokes of a paddle, and then maintains it for hours. The paddle that is. :shock: :shock:

See ya

Al


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## Guest (Feb 23, 2008)

Biggles said:


> keljad said:
> 
> 
> > Mate, I was looking carefully at the water speed going past the hull...........very very impressive. Hopefully next time I team up with Red pheonix I will have a peddle of his machine if he is still omk with that and get a bit of first hand experience.
> ...


Dunno mate............I seen him launch, dig the paddle in and then all I seen was wake :lol:


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## Naki Man (Aug 30, 2006)

Another way of coming back in through big surf is to jump out of the yak, climb half way up on the back and bring it in like a body board. It keeps all the weight at the back of the yak and you can use your legs as a rudder. Make sure you don't get a wave crash on top of you and smash your face against the yak i.e catch the white water

NM


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## DGax65 (Jun 7, 2006)

Another lesson learned from the sand monster....If the wave is starting to roll you over, do not jump off on the beach side of the yak. Make sure you are between the wave and the yak. The last thing you want to do is jump off ahead of the yak and have the wave push it into/onto/over you.






As you can see in this video, most wipeouts occur when the kayak starts turning on the face of the wave. Most kayaks won't move fast enough to keep up with a wave. As they are overtaken by the wave, the stern lifts and the bow digs in, slowing the kayak further. As the kayak slows and turns parallel to the face of the wave, it wants to roll on it's long axis. Most newbies will instinctively lean away from the face of the wave as it gets closer. That shift in CG and the force of the wave will almost always cause the kayak to roll towards the beach. The number one thing to remember is that you need to lean into the wave. Leaning into the wave keeps the CG over the side of the kayak that is being lifted by the wave. Using the paddle to brace allows you to move the CG farther out, away from the kayak; counteracting the force of the wave trying to lift the edge. Worse case....you lean too far out and fall off; in which case you are on the safe side of the kayak. Just grab the yak as you go out, wait for the wave to break and then follow it in to the beach.

A lot a kayak fishermen that I know were surfers before they ever tried a kayak. These guys have a tremendous advantage, in that they already know how to ride waves. I had never surfed in my life when I started kayaking. I learned surf landing the hard way; trial and error (a lot more error than anything else). My surf landings were pretty ugly for a while (about two years, actually - I'm a slow learner).


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## Guest (Feb 24, 2008)

great stuff Doug. Looks like that last fella lost a bit of gear out of his milk crate :lol:


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## DGax65 (Jun 7, 2006)

keljad said:


> great stuff Doug. Looks like that last fella lost a bit of gear out of his milk crate :lol:


He was having what we call a yard sale. I've had a few of those. Flipping in the surf isn't always the most embarrassing thing that can happen. The wipeout happens quickly and your mates on the beach might miss it if they look away. Spending ten minutes wandering and wallowing in the surf as you look for all your gear lets everybody know that you had a yard sale. When I see somebody standing in the surf with that pained look on his face, I know instinctively that the poor bastard must have flipped and lost his gear.


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## RedPhoenix (Jun 13, 2006)

Unfortunately, due to the change in ownership of this web site and the lack of response by the owners to my requests to remove my email address from all administrative-level notifications and functionality, I have decided to remove my posts on AKFF. Thank you for the great times, the fantastic learning experiences and the many many fish. If you are desperate for the old content of this particular post, it is available below base64 encoded and bzip2 compressed.

Red.

----

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## JTC (Oct 19, 2007)

Hi James,

I had my first offshore experience on Sunday and it was quite an exciting trip.
See the trip report
http://www.akff.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=14376&start=15

Although it was a little wild at times, it was a tremendous learning experience. I had been wanting to try it for a while, but knew that I just didn't have the knowledge or experience to go out on my own. When I saw that a trip was being planned by Lee (pcsolutionman) and Nodds at my local beach, I decided it was now or never.

Unfortunately Nodds couldn't make it in the end, but the 5 of us that did, all spent time in the water at one (or four in my case) stage or another.

I went out again this morning without any gear to get some practice and the conditions were even bigger than they were on Sunday. It took two attempts to get out and even once out there today I was almost tipped over by the larger swell. As has been mention above, getting out is the easy part, I got rolled again coming in, before realising that it was simply too big for me today and deciding to call it a day.

I will continue to practice this at least once a week for now on though as the fishing out behind those waves is just too good to miss out on.

So my advice to you is watch the trips sections for any experienced guys going out in your area and tag along with them, and ask lots questions. Also read up on here and other sites about surf launches and landings, there's plenty of info out there and then practice, practice, practice...

That's my plan anyway.

Cheers,

Jason


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## paulo (Nov 1, 2007)

As its been said before, going out is easy, coming in is the challenge. Practice without any gear onboard. Its cheaper Things I have learnt over the past six months offshore:
Weather (wind and swell) and Currents. Check them as late as possible. I had a one hour journey turn into two and a half after the weather whipped up. It was predicted but came earlier. Learn what a change looks like in the sky in your area and the direction it comes from, stay alert and if its on its way head in.
Launch from a protected beach. On the Sunshine Coast, Noosa Groin, Marooch River mouth, Shelly and Moffats Beach Caloundra.
Leash everything. If its not leashed put in the hull.
If the swell is too big, at both launch and re-entry, derig everything and put it in the hull. I strap my rods to the side and put the reels inside. When I get past the line I rerig chop chop. Leader is already attached, just need a lure or hook.
Leave gear easily destroyed and mounted later inside the hull on launch and re-entry. Sounders etc.
Watch bigger surf for up to 30 minutes before going out. Work out the set timings.
If its beyond you go to the river or go home. No shame in being sensible and knowing your own limits. Tomorrow it will be calmer and smaller surf.
Not too much wieght in the bow, under you or behind you. 7amp batteries, tackle boxes.
Get a GPS. Essential if you want to find the reef or navigate back to the bait school, aftern you have drifted 50m, while despatching your livies into a bait tube. Good for knowing how fast you are drifting, what your progress is against wind and current (ie am I going backwards and need to change my tack).
Get a Sounder and learn how to use it. Livies are the best bait and you need a sounder to find the balls.
Get all the safety gear and have it on the deck and tied to you.
Tether yourself to the yak whilst outside but not entry or exit of the surf zone.
Buy a waterproof vhf radio and learn how to use it.
Take your mobile phone in a water poof membrane and preprogram coast guard number into it. Better still ring them as you leave and when you return.
Tell someone where you are going and when you expect to be back. Call them if things change.
Tale 4 litres of water. I only take 2. Last Sunday I would have had to cut the fish of my life off had I been alone and out of water. I will never take less than four offshore ever again. You lose a lot of fluid in a big fight. You work bloody hard and all your vitals are raised with the adrenalin. Keep the water on the deck near to you. Had my water been in the hull I would have struggled to get it when I need it. As it was I was still dehydrated 6 hours later and suffered for a few days.
Take a first aid kit and keep cutters that can cut through hooks in your hand. Cant paddle with a 6\0 in the palm.
Have two means of propulsion ie two paddles, paddle and pedals, paddle and sail.
Wear sunscreen and a hat. You could be out for up to three hours longer than you expect and be totally knackered when you do get back.
Get fit. Dont go out there if youre not. Full stop.
Work through emergencies in your mind. Separated from the yak, harrassed by a big shark, hooked a big fish. Have a plan for all of them and when they happen you will know what to do without having to weigh up options. Seconds matter.
Dont try to Jig, plastics, troll, bottom bash and popper fish all in one trip. Investigate the area, target a fish and take the gear you need. Take two rods and reels. Have a plan if one fails or your day is over.
Live bait = Big Fish. Dish them up what they live on.
Be prepared to do many many miles without reward. 
Be prepared for the size of the reward when it comes. 
Go out with someone.
Have fun!!


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## Guest (Feb 29, 2008)

thanks for all the responses fella's. Thre is heaps of info here, I hope everyone else has got as much out of his as I have


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