No matter whether you fish the ocean, bays, lakes, or rivers, you will find helpful, friendly, and experienced kayak fishermen here to share their knowledge and adventures.

Forum: The main discussion area includes fishing reports and pics, upcoming trips and events, fishing tips, kayak rigging information, launch sites, and more.

Articles: This section includes how-to articles and stories submitted by experienced members of our community.

The 2008 NCKA Angler of the Year Competition:  Check out these links -- Contest Rules, Current 2008 Leaderboard, 2007 Leaderboard Results, and Top 3 Fish in each species.

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NorCal's top kayak anglers will be competing for big prizes, fun, and braggin' rights as they fish year long to catch the biggest fish of 10 different local species.

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Before Kayak Fishing, I was floating around in a float tube and I thought that there was no better way of “silent stalking.” The sit-on-top kayak changed all that. Realizing the birth of a better fishing platform that requires no gasoline, registration, trailer, insurance, or launch ramps, I immediately invested in a sit-on-top kayak, and I have never looked back.

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Safety

Kayak fishing can take you to some great places. These places however can be remote and hostile environments. Generally speaking we are floating in the open ocean on a small plastic boat. Using the buddy system is always preferred but even with a buddy it is easy to get separated on a foggy day. These pieces of gear will help you make it back to dry land safely or call for help if you need it.

VHF Radios are a must have if you plan on venturing out to the ocean or bay. They are great for calling over your buddy to a hot bite, listening in to other boaters about where the fish are and in worse case scenarios, calling the Coast Guard. This two models below are nice small compact units that are waterproof. They can be easily placed in the pocket of a PFD.

Standard Horizon STD-HX600S Handheld Marine VHF Radio

Find Standard Horizon STD-HX600S on Ebay

Uniden Voyager

Find Uniden Voyager on Ebay

PFDs (also known as life preservers) are another must have piece of safety equipment for any kayak fisherman. If you kayak starts taking on water or you get separated from your boat your PFD will help you float while waiting for a rescue that you are calling in with the VHF radio you just purchased. The Extra Sport Osprey is my current favorite fishing PFD. It is comfortable and has lots of storage for your radio, camera or a snack.

 

EPIRBs (Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacons) signal maritime distress. It's the satellite-aided emergency locator beacon. Once activated it sends a constant signal to emergency responders with your exact location. By sending the exact GPS location to the emergency responders help can be on the way in minutes and location is practically guaranteed. This device must be registered with the Coast Guard before it is deployed.
 

Attempting to navigate along foggy coastal waters is extremely dangerous without a GPS and a compass. GPS devices have the added bonus of allowing you to mark all the best fishing and launch spots. While marking fishing spots is great, this device can help you get out of a serious jam when you get surrounded by fog.



Compasses are must have backup devices to have when your GPS fails or runs out o batteries. The zipper compass is compact and easy to attach to your wetsuit or PFD. The Orca compass is perfect for strapping down to your deck or permanently mounting it.

Waterproof Cameras

Face it, your fishing reports suck without pictures and there is no better way to get great on the water shots than with a waterproof camera. The Pentax Optio and the Olympus Stylus are two great water proof cameras that get the job done.

 

Find Pentax Optio W30 on Ebay



Find Olympus Stylus 725 SW on Ebay

Kayak fishing books and videos:

Getting your kayak from the car to the launch can be a real challenge. Loose sand, rocks and long hauls can zap your energy before you even hit the water. What is the solution? The ultimate kayak cart, Wheeleez! Wheelez starts with a lightweight aluminum frame then adds the best wheels in the business. Big wide wheels that glide over anything in the way way of you getting to the launch.

CLICK HERE to buy a Wheeleez Kayak or Canoe Cart.

Everyone wants to look good, stay warm and support NCKA with this great NCKA logo gear. T-shirts, long sleeve shirts and everyones favorite the NCKA Hoodie!

Buy great NCKA logo gear here!

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These video tutorials explain the 2 different ways to add pictures to your post on the NCKA website.

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On Saturday morning, July 21, 2007, Dan "dan964" , One of NCKA's members, was attacked by Great White Shark while fishing off the San Mateo Coast, CA near Pigeon Point. About a dozen members were also fishing the area. Here are some witness accounts......

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Learn how to catch dungeness crabs from your kayak and how to cook these tasty crustaceans!

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With the winter rains and big minus tides around the corner, I thought give some pointers on how to rig up and find success targeting sturgeon from a kayak in the San Francisco Bay. I'll comment on techniques that I've found to work but, as with everything, there's more than one way to skin a cat.

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In order to maximize your time on the water, certain practicalities must be addressed.   One is your WAF account.  If your WAF account is not well maintained, the best boat and the greatest skill will be for naught.

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A great intro to surf perching by Alex Vlasco. Covers the basic tackle and techniques needed to fight and land these great wintertime sportfish.

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