Hey hey from Arcata!

My names Jacob. I just purchased my first kayak, a new to me Hobie 9ft mirage sport. Been out twice and both times were beautiful; I can’t wait to get back out before our Humboldt weather starts getting less than stellar.

No catches from the bay yet; a few bites here and there though. Haven’t really be focused on the fishing aspect as much since I’ve never been on a kayak in my adult life, but I’m hoping to get something on the boat soon.

Two questions:
Do I need a fish descender in the bay if I’m fishing near shore?
Can I have two rods on my kayak for trolling and casting? And if so, could I keep a third collapsible rod on the boat with the descender attached?

Thanks lads! Tight lines.

Jacob

Welcome to NCKA, Jacob.   

I'd have a descender any time in the salt - just to avoid a ticket, because obviously you won't need it in the bay - or for the vast majority of other nearshore fishing, for that matter.

You can have as many rods as you want on your kayak.  You can only fish one rod at a time for many species such as rockfish, lingcod, and salmon (closed this year and last), but California halibut is one of the few species you can fish with more than one rod at a time - unless you have other species on board that prohibit using two rods at once.

You cannot fish with two rods at once, catch something that requires one at a time, keep it and then declare that you're going to one rod to fulfill the rules!     Same thing with barbless requirements.  Sadly, there have been a number of people over the years who end up insisting that it's legal to keep the fish in that situation, or who end up displaying themselves breaking that rule.

Another ocean regulation for all boats fishing is that a net of at least 18" diameter needs to be available for immediate use - I recommend go big, as you are or will be hoping for a big fish.  Once you have a lifetime catch up to the boat, you don't want to regret leaving yourself totally unprepared to land it.

Good luck out there.   

Welcome Jacob

Welcome aboard Jacob 

Welcome to the madness 

Two questions:
Do I need a fish descender in the bay if I’m fishing near shore?
Can I have two rods on my kayak for trolling and casting? And if so, could I keep a third collapsible rod on the boat with the descender attached?

The regulations for a descender are here:

(2) Descending Devices: No person shall take or possess
any federal groundfish as defined in Section 1.91 and
all greenlings of the genus Hexagrammos from any boat
or other floating device in ocean waters without having
a descending device in possession and available for
immediate use to assist in releasing rockfish to the depth
of capture.

Which means if you are targeting the rockfish listed in 1.91 it applies:

(b) "Nearshore fish stocks" means any of the following:
(1) black rockfish (Sebastes melanops),
(2) black-and-yellow rockfish (Sebastes chrysomelas),
(3) blue rockfish (Sebastes mystinus),
(4) brown rockfish (Sebastes auriculatus),
(5) cabezon (Scorpaenichthys marmoratus),
(6) calico rockfish (Sebastes dallii),
(7) California scorpionfish (sculpin) (Scorpaena guttata),
( California sheephead (Bodianus pulcher),
(9) China rockfish (Sebastes nebulosus),
(10) copper rockfish (Sebastes caurinus),
(11) gopher rockfish (Sebastes carnatus),
(12) grass rockfish (Sebastes rastrelliger),
(13) greenlings of the genus Hexagrammos,
(14) kelp rockfish (Sebastes atrovirens),
(15) monkeyface eel (Cebidichthys violaceus),
(16) olive rockfish (Sebastes serranoides),
(17) quillback rockfish (Sebastes maliger), and
(18) treefish (Sebastes serriceps).

You can carry as many rods as you want, but regulations on how many rods you can use for fishing at one time need be adhered too. Personally if I'm not targeting rockfish, I do not have a descending rod rigged up for it.  I do carry some home made descending devices I can use immediately if for some reason I need to descend a rockfish.

My names Jacob. I just purchased my first kayak, a new to me Hobie 9ft mirage sport. Been out twice and both times were beautiful; I can’t wait to get back out before our Humboldt weather starts getting less than stellar.

No catches from the bay yet; a few bites here and there though. Haven’t really be focused on the fishing aspect as much since I’ve never been on a kayak in my adult life, but I’m hoping to get something on the boat soon.

Two questions:
Do I need a fish descender in the bay if I’m fishing near shore?
Can I have two rods on my kayak for trolling and casting? And if so, could I keep a third collapsible rod on the boat with the descender attached?

Thanks lads! Tight lines.

Jacob

Welcome.

Yes you should always have a descending device ready.  I use a handline spool with dacron and a shelton pin with 3 lead weights totaling 5 lbs at the ready, although in the bay you'll never use any of it.  It's a technicallity, just like having a net.  I keep a release right net which meets the legal requirement, but exclusively use fish grips or a gaff to land fish.  Except salmon.  You need a big ass proper net for salmon. 

Welcome Jacob!

Hey, Jacob!  -- anyone that fishes in a 9' Hobie Sport must be a totally cool dude! Especially if they live in Arcata!  . Please tell me you transport it on top of a Prius!

(all the above was said in a falsetto voice)

Welcome to the madness --

for the record, I live in Arcata, have TWO hobie Sports and an Outback, I fish from them often, and transport them on top of my Prius. 

 .  Dave

Also here's a Ca Halibut I caught in Humboldt Bay in my Hobie Sport back on Sept. 5... Middle Channel.  I did manage to stow this one in the aft section of the Sport!

Thanks for all the replies dudes!

I went to Sportsmans this weekend in search of a descender option and a net, wound up just getting a net and another rod.  Foldable and telescoping 18".  It'll come in handy on the jetty as well. Getting a SeaQualizer from Amazon along with a 150ft dive hand reel.

I think I seem to have it figured out.  I can have 4,500 rods on my kayak and use one to troll for halibut and another to cast for halibut.  Two lines in the water.  The second I decide to start targeting the fish under 1.9 I can only have one line in the water.  If I happen to get unlucky with a bite with two lines in the water and its a one of those respective fish, I can't keep it.  Is my understanding of staying legal correct here?

Hey, Jacob!  -- anyone that fishes in a 9' Hobie Sport must be a totally cool dude! Especially if they live in Arcata!  . Please tell me you transport it on top of a Prius!

(all the above was said in a falsetto voice)

Welcome to the madness --

for the record, I live in Arcata, have TWO hobie Sports and an Outback, I fish from them often, and transport them on top of my Prius. 

Also here's a Ca Halibut I caught in Humboldt Bay in my Hobie Sport back on Sept. 5... Middle Channel.  I did manage to stow this one in the aft section of the Sport!

Ha! I'm still waiting on a roof rack, currently I slide it into the back of my 328i wagon, so if you see me at the Murphy's grabbing some shrimp, a brew and a Gatorade feel free to say hello! I'm sure I'll see you around. One of these days I'll grab an Outback. Only reason I was able to get the Sport was a very lucky Craigslist find.

Gorgeous fish.  I'll have to look into halibut rigs; currently have just been using a Carolina style rig with those 6" white Gulp! grubs the ling seem to love. 

Where do you usually launch from?  I've just been driving down to Samoa and launching just north of the CG station.  I've seen a lot of boats down there absolutely nailing fish back to back, but I suppose it's good I've been skunked as I was naively fishing without fulfilling all of the legal requirements. I might try the Woodley Island launch point one of these weekends once that descender comes in.   

Thanks again y'all!

Where do you usually launch from?  I've just been driving down to Samoa and launching just north of the CG station.  I've seen a lot of boats down there absolutely nailing fish back to back, but I suppose it's good I've been skunked as I was naively fishing without fulfilling all of the legal requirements. I might try the Woodley Island launch point one of these weekends once that descender comes in.   

Thanks again y'all!

That day I launched from the Wharfinger Boat Ramp and rode the incoming tide up the middle channel.  I caught the fish after the tide change (on the outgoing tide) near the fisherman statue on Woodley Island as I was headed back to the ramp.   I launch there frequently and ride the tide in both directions. There's also a place to launch just south of the boat ramp in Samoa, near the CG station.  I've also launched behind Gil's in King Salmon and on the beach there at King Salmon.   Most often, I launch at Wharfinger.

I do know that you can fit an entire Hobie Sport inside a Prius.  I have a friend who actually drives her Prius with her Hobie Sport inside it.   

Hope to see you out there. --- Yellow Hobie Sport, Black Prius.

DaveTheSynthGuy