# Gear for off shore.



## Rosey3008

Gday guys,

Im used to fishing estuaries and lakes for bream, flathead and bass. Ive just bought myself a PA14 with the intent of also going offshore. Having a bevy of light and finesse gear is probably not conducive to offshore fishing. Ive got a saltist hyper cj64 and a couple of Penn750 ssm and Penn850 ssm, but rod wise, I'm not 100% sure. Any suggestions would be helpful? Im looking snapper, tuna, kingfish, etc.

Cheers

Rosey


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## Squidley

5 or 10 kg rod, 4000 size reel and 20 lb braid has been fine for me with snapper to 80cm. I'm told its OK for tuna too (with a 10 kg rod, and I have doubts about line capacity), haven't confirmed it myself unfortunately.


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## Rosey3008

Thanks squidley. When you say 4000, are you referring to something like a 4000 caldia or 4500 saltist? Im new to this whole offshore gig.

Cheers


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## Squidley

As I understand it reels with those numbers in them typically have similar line capacity. I use two Pflueger Salt 40s - I guess they left off a few zeroes in that case. I'd be interested to hear what size eggbeaters are used by members that get pelagics regularly.


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## Rosey3008

Thanks Bertros. Im currently in SA, but Ill be back on the east coast in the next couple of years. Hopefully around the south coast of NSW, but could be anywhere from Brisbane down. I enjoy the finesse side of fishing as Im very much a believer that anyone can skull drag a fish up, but I think the real fun is challenging the fish and yourself when playing with gear that is lighter than others would use. I used to surf fish with big rods, big reels and heavy line, now its beach fish with a light rod, 3000-4000 reel and 8-10lb braid and 10lb FC leader. I get some awfully strange looks when I'm going after salmon and tailor with that setup. But, i have more fun with that, than I do with a 13ft beach rod, penn 750 and 30lb braid and 50lb mono leader.


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## Rosey3008

Thanks guys appreciate the help.


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## Rosey3008

Thanks guys, went out and splurged today. Caldia 14 in a 3000 with 20lb fins braid and a generation black supacasta (5-10kg). So between that, my barra outfit (abu 5500) and the saltist hyper with saltist 4500that should do it initally. Until n+1 sets in.

Really appreciate the help.

Rosey


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## dru

Guys, I've been wondering whether and how to respond here. I was going to be mute.

But no. I'm going to hand it over to you. Tell me about your thoughts of a PA14 in the offshore environment. Good, bad, indifferent.


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## dru

Rosey, you hit a particular wall where you can't get easily confirmed open advice. So what is happening here, is people who agree with me don't want to be too loud. And people who dont agree with me won't argue, in this forum anyway. So you have to work through it yourself.

So let's be clear, IMVHO, the PA is not an appropriate offshore craft.

Rosie, find anything, ANYTHING, official from Hobie that recommends the PA for off shore. Let me run over it to give you an opinion.

My advice for off shore (and you may want to reconsider what this means) is to start with a more appropriate craft. We tend to pussy foot around with Hobie. But I will sit as the pariah here. Wrong boat.

If what you are doing is actually estuary with open like environments... You are occassionally going to have trouble where you remember this conversation. But you may get away with it.

But it's the wrong boat for this conversation.


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## RhubarbTheYeti

dru said:


> Rosey, you hit a particular wall where you can't get easily confirmed open advice. So what is happening here, is people who agree with me don't want to be too loud. And people who dont agree with me won't argue, in this forum anyway. So you have to work through it yourself.
> 
> So let's be clear, IMVHO, the PA is not an appropriate offshore craft.
> 
> Rosie, find anything, ANYTHING, official from Hobie that recommends the PA for off shore. Let me run over it to give you an opinion.
> 
> My advice for off shore (and you may want to reconsider what this means) is to start with a more appropriate craft. We tend to pussy foot around with Hobie. But I will sit as the pariah here. Wrong boat.
> 
> If what you are doing is actually estuary with open like environments... You are occassionally going to have trouble where you remember this conversation. But you may get away with it.
> 
> But it's the wrong boat for this conversation.


Maybe...
but...



nezevic said:


> Dru, i reckon it depends on your launch point. I'd have no qualms taking one offshore from SWR, Moffats Beach, the corner of main beach at Noosa (the noosa yakkers call it cowards corner), Mooloolaba spit. Once off the beach, it is a very capable fishing platform.


I can't argue that it wouldn't be silly to try to a launch a PA in your area Dru, but maybe your experience doesn't apply in other more protected areas. Offshore in Gulf waters may not equate to offhore on the Pacific coast
As you said, there are pro-Hobie/anti-Hobie factions, but as an estuary fisher I'm not qualified to defend Hobie in this case


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## dru

Pick and play is the difference.

And to be fair the most advanced craft will still pick and play. Though at (presumably) higher levels. So let's "play" what is the level for a newbie in a PA? Noting we are talking off shore. It's a place I am somewhat reticent with. But I train relatively frequently.

I'll start the game at 30 kn off shore breeze (tending to gale force), who's launching a PA? Yes I have launched a SIK, dopey I know, but I had a coach with me. Oh, or without coach and in a Stealth in the Capricorns, Great Barrier Reef, playing in the surf. And fishing. PB trevally on that paddle.

PA? AND recognise that on the east coast (I suspect on the South coast even more so) that conditions can turn, very quickly.

Choose your craft carefully. IMVHO when the first word is "off shore" a PA is just about last on that list.


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## RhubarbTheYeti

Displaying INFJ's propensity for strong opinions :?


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## Squidley

Not much surf inside St Vincent's Gulf, or swell within 2k of shore (close to Adelaide at least); I'd take a PA out here in 10 knots. I'd want to be really familiar with it (a PA) in bad conditions before getting more ambitious though; knowing what it takes to cover a given distance in chop and strong winds should inform how you plan your trips. Fishane made an interesting post about getting PAs through surf here: viewtopic.php?p=716506#p716506


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## RhubarbTheYeti

Thankyou for an informed local comment


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## dru

Squidley said:


> Not much surf inside St Vincent's Gulf, or swell within 2k of shore (close to Adelaide at least); I'd take a PA out here in 10 knots. I'd want to be really familiar with it (a PA) in bad conditions before getting more ambitious though; knowing what it takes to cover a given distance in chop and strong winds should inform how you plan your trips. Fishane made an interesting post about getting PAs through surf here: viewtopic.php?p=716506#p716506


Squid, I know I am being a tad harsh. BUT in my challenge are we placing a PA at 10kn working environment? With respect, there's a fair chance I'd fish from a bath tub with that limitation.

But let's take a next step. 10 kn is comfortable (I'm extending your thoughts.) but we are dealing with the real world. The afternoon shift rolls in, are you still comfortable in say 15kn coming home? Or in Sydney and Brisbane a predictable afternoon kicking in 20?

The bottom line, one I was trying to get to... What conditions off shore for a PA?

My answer is don't do it.


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## dru

RhubarbTheYeti said:


> Displaying INFJ's propensity for strong opinions :?


Thanks buddy, love your input. But decided to stick to topic.


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## Fishane

dru said:


> Guys, I've been wondering whether and how to respond here. I was going to be mute.
> 
> But no. I'm going to hand it over to you. Tell me about your thoughts of a PA14 in the offshore environment. Good, bad, indifferent.


I take my PA14 offshore quite a bit and find it to be excellent for the task . It's not the quickest yak on the water but will still cover a lot of distance well (eg. 28km offshore chasing tuna today) and is super stable which really helps fishing in swell and chop. I have a lot more confidence in the PA offshore than I would have in a narrower yak. It will also carry a lot of gear, which I prefer for the various styles of fishing I do in a trip. It can be launched through moderate surf with some alternative techniques, but is best for sheltered launch spots. It does catch some wind but I've bever found this to be an issue. In terms of wind strength I personally stick to around 15kt and 2.5m swell, which allows a decent buffer if it gets worse.

Having said that there are a few modifications I would recommend for going offshore in rough conditions. As has been mentioned the front hatch will leak into the hatch liner and a bit in the hull. You can add extra seals to the lid to reduce the amount of water ingress and a foam liner on the inside of the lid can also help with this while providing some insulation. Extra straps etc can be added but only if the seals don't do what you want. The standard rudder is also not up to manouvering quickly and confidently in rough chop. Hobie now have an upgraded bigger rudder available or you can make one DIY.

On the issue of reels, the Penn's you have listed will handle tuna, sharks etc easily enough but if anything the 850 is getting on the big side for use on a yak.

Also check out your local regs for what distance you can go offshore before you need to carry exytra gear. For example in Victoria if we're going more than 2nm offshore we need to carry an EPIRB, flares and plenty of other safety gear.


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## Fishane

I know it caused some discussion at the time but I found this post to be helpful when researching taking my PA offshore:

http://www.akff.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=72&t=28415


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## Fishane

One other thing to note is that its always a good idea to carry a full double paddle offshore (and possibly a telescopic t-paddle and/or small sail) and not rely on the mirage drive to get you home. I've had to cover 7km's using a t-piece paddle when my drive broke and its not something you want to have to do offshore. The PA also also gives you space to carry some critical spare parts just in case they're needed. For example the chain on my mirage drive snapped about 2km's offshore this morning. If I hadn't had a spare and the right spanner on the water with me, it would have been a frustrating end to the trip. While I love the mirage drive it's not foolproff and they do break :shock: (I've done a crank arm, 3 cables/chains, pins,sprockets, masts and torn fins) and that goes for any pedal powered Hobie, not just the PA.


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## Zed

bertros said:


>


That isn't really relevant. La Jolla is an extremely protected launch. Those hobie bois still manage to blow up upon landing and break their mirages there. Plus with the geography, one is paddling out along a point. The offshore part being subjective.


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## Squidley

dru said:


> Squid, I know I am being a tad harsh. BUT in my challenge are we placing a PA at 10kn working environment? With respect, there's a fair chance I'd fish from a bath tub with that limitation.
> 
> But let's take a next step. 10 kn is comfortable (I'm extending your thoughts.) but we are dealing with the real world. The afternoon shift rolls in, are you still comfortable in say 15kn coming home? Or in Sydney and Brisbane a predictable afternoon kicking in 20?
> 
> The bottom line, one I was trying to get to... What conditions off shore for a PA?
> 
> My answer is don't do it.


I also think a PA is unsuitable and ideally another kayak would be used, but with the appropriate risk management you could do it fairly safely. I put out 10 knots/2kms offshore/gulf waters because I'd expect to be able to make headway home if another 10 knots shows up out of the blue. I put a caveat in there about getting really really familiar with the boat before upping the ante (wind, current, reflecting swells, bommies, surf) but I didn't offer my opinion that at that point I'd look at another yak, since it started as a fishing tackle question.


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## Rosey3008

Thanks guys, interesting conversation. To set the scene for you, i have an epirb, pencil flares, marine radio and plta course route and likely locations. As it was mentioned, to me risk management is the key. In my lineofwork, risk management provides a solid go/no go criteria. Personally here in SA, i think the guys going off shore into likey GW haunts in small thin kayaks are nuts, but they accept the risk vs reward.


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## dru

Rosey3008 said:


> Thanks guys, interesting conversation. To set the scene for you, i have an epirb, pencil flares, marine radio and plta course route and likely locations. As it was mentioned, to me risk management is the key. In my lineofwork, risk management provides a solid go/no go criteria. Personally here in SA, i think the guys going off shore into likey GW haunts in small thin kayaks are nuts, but they accept the risk vs reward.


Small, thin. Sounds like a kayak. And this appears to be a kayak fishing forum.

Nuts.


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