Now that I have a Kayak what do i do ( low budget approach) ??

Hi NCKA

This is my first post ^_^

I have a Pelican Pursuit 100 that i got while it was on clearance at Sports Authority. I bought it for just recreational kayakin out in my backyard lagoon. But then I realize, why not bring it out on the bay for fishing. It is quite wide, hence , pretty stable. But it is a sit in. The problem though, it is not equipped for fishing at all. So anyone have any idea what the very minimal of stuff i need to get that I need to get in order to catch fish and be safe out there.

Does anyone fish with this kayak out there? I'm assuming i'll be very slow out there with the lack of tracking ability, and lack of the hi-tec that hobbie yak fins offer.

I was thinking of just getting some clamp and pvc n somehow clamp pvc onto the edge of sit in area as rod holder. Would that work? But that might risk cracking the kayak ^^;;

i'm guessin i'll just bring a lil cooler to put between my legs for keeping bait.  maybe a small lil tackle box also between my legs.  and i'll need a net, except then i'll have to make another "rod" holder thingy which i have no idea where to put. or should i invest in a gaff (which i always think is dangerous)

as far as safety goes, i do have a life vest. and, i heard from someone that i should stick in some "float noodle" swimming toy thingy in the hull just in case.

is a VHF radio n fishfinder necessary?  I won't be out fishing the whole day as I know the bay usually have wind kicking by noon and i'll be back on land by then. and I'm guessing i'll just be fishing in the approx area of where a lot of boats fish then i'll be fine?  ( for ex, i usually see a fleet of boat fishing right off oyster point, so i'll just mix in with them? )

in terms of rod, i got a 7' abu garcia wit a red round reel ( 7700 i think) ... its loaded wit 65lb braid .__.  i should probably down grade that a bit huh ^^;;  and i guess i'll be bring at least a second rod , i have a pretty light spinning rod wit 20lb braid, but then the rod might to too light. should i just bring one of those heavy ugly stick that people use on party boats then?

and if i do catch a fish, how do i keep it? if i catch a halibut, i sorta don't want that in between my leg ^^;;

the kayak does have a hatch in the back, but i dont think i would wanna reach back there anytime since its so inconvenient to open n get stuff without the risk of anything/me falling out/off the kayak...
 
so Yep, any ideas suggestions tips are appreciated

oh, and I'm a highschool student wit couple months left before i'll be kicked to college xD so , i would really like to keep this to super low budget , so i'm guessin i'll be DIY a lot of this.

thank you^_^

Congrats on your purchase and welcome to the madness.  The first thing I'd recommend is to leave your fishing gear at home, and just go paddle.  Build up your confidence in the boat and yourself before adding another element (fishing) into the mix.  A few weekends on the water will answer alot of the questions you have.  That said, safety is a priority.  Life jacket is number 1, but other necessities for me are my VHF (I also have a waterproof cell phone), extra flotation in the yak (noodles or float bags), a leashed paddle, and a pump (in case you take on extra water).  A tow line is another handy item at times, as is a paddle float bag to assist in getting back in your boat if you dump.

Once your confidence is up and you know your boat like the back of your hand, it's time to fish.  Keep it simple, I'd run your spinning rod w/ 20lb, a very small tackle tray that will fit between your legs, use a stringer/game clip for your catch...run with that, experience will tell you if you need to modify things.  Everyone has their own way of doing things, which is half the fun of yak fishing.
-beenfishin 

Well, IMHO I'd say this is not an ideal salt water boat. You could fish it, but ....I dunno. 10 feet is pretty short, and your predominant issue in the bay will be wind, which this boat won't handle well in.

You have a PFD & that's a good start.  You have some self rescue skills right?
I agree with BeenFishin, a VHF, flares, and a paddle float should be mandatory before going out. Get some water time in coltrolled conditions, or best yet, get someone to gift you an intro-to -kayaking class for birthday, etc. You'll learn a lot & it could save your life.

As far as fishing goes, I'd say one rod (what you described should work) and one small tackle tray. Forget a rod holder, just fish with it in your hands, and use some bungee cord to secure it on the deck when you aren't holding it (a rod leash would probably be good, or flotation on the rod). Maybe a small drybag in the cockpit for snacks or whatever. Maybe a net if you can stash a folding unit like a promar or use a diver's game bag? Maybe best to fish with a buddy who has a more fishing friendly yak who can assist in landing, etc.

You'll be very limited in fish landing ability, especially if you get anything of size. It can certainly be done, but it's problematic. I used to fish freshwater and flat calm salt in a 14' sit in yak. I landed a 16# salmon from it, but I beached the yak & dragged the fish ashore as I certainly wasn't going to drop a lively salmon with trebles on it's face in between my legs in the cockpit .
 In the salt I used it to fish SoCal calico & sand bass. Those fish I could drop into a medium sized diver's game bag & secure on the deck with bungee cords.

I tend to preach safety first to the point that people don't want to hear it anymore.

So with that said, welcome, you're gonna love fishing from the yak.

It's not so much if but when you're gonna dump that yak a ways from shore, so what are you gonna do then?

You need to be able to handle that situation, the yak must have enough flotation of it's own to allow you to get back in and pump it out.  Once you think you're ready try it someplace safe, but also somewhere where it's deep enough so that you can't use the bottom for an assist.

Buddy up would be best as well.

After you have the safety stuff down then everything else is fun and you'll learn what works for you.

The previous 2 posts have excellent advice as well on all this especially keeping the gear light and minimal in size and complexity.

That yak ought to scoot along pretty well, shorter means more work per mile but still,,,,,

 WoooHooo.

Oh, umm, i had this kayak for couple months already but just thought of using it for fishing just now. so i had been kayaking this in the foster city lagoon. so i guess i know how to paddle forward backward left n right, and working on sideway ( doing that figure 8 thing) About self rescue skills though, I've seen videos of people doing that kicking and launching yourself out of water to get on top of the kayak first and then rotate yourself in, but that was for a sit on top, im guessing that'll be the same-ish for sit-in.

so i guess my shopping list includes, VHF, paddle leash, game clip... i have a folding net that should work...

Oh, umm, i had this kayak for couple months already but just thought of using it for fishing just now. so i had been kayaking this in the foster city lagoon. so i guess i know how to paddle forward backward left n right, and working on sideway ( doing that figure 8 thing) About self rescue skills though, I've seen videos of people doing that kicking and launching yourself out of water to get on top of the kayak first and then rotate yourself in, but that was for a sit on top, im guessing that'll be the same-ish for sit-in.

so i guess my shopping list includes, VHF, paddle leash, game clip... i have a folding net that should work...

Seriously dude, take a class that will teach you the rescue skills you need. If you have a trusted friend who knows them, then cool, BUT, you NEED to go & spend a day learning rescues & actually doing them. Watching someone on youtube do a t-rescue or a paddlefloat solo recovery doesn't count. Your particular kayak will require secondary flotation via floatbags, at least in the bow (if the yak has a rear bulkhead then you are probably ok there).

Do your family a huge favor & learn from a pro. There are a number of quality kayak shops in the bay area that will teach said skills for very little money.
kayak fishing is 98% kayaking and only about 2% fishing.

haha kk, i'll check with aquan sport n see when they have lessons

Be careful out there and get some floation bags and wear a wetsuit the bay can turn nasty fast and the current can run faster than you can paddle.
 I wouldn't feel safe on the bay with a Sit inside unless I had a good skirt,floation,pump, dry/wetsuit,PFD,VHF, know how to roll, and a buddy

I fish a 14' dirigo 140 sit in. Pool noodles will not provide enough floatation, you have to have a float bag. They are not that expensive. And a sit in is VERY hard to re-mount after capsizing. You have to know your kayak very well. I have fished mine in all kinds of conditions an know just how far it can go, very important in a sit in, ecspecially if you are fishing any distance from shore. Good luck an be safe

perhaps i should rethink this    so it seems like more than anythin, i needa get a lesson from a professional to learn all the survival skills n stuff. *i was wondering if any body took Aquan Sport's "Fishing Clinic"

from my own logic though:
a sit on top can basically just somehow climb on there if u fall, but for sit in, a roll can be done with a skirt and a lot of practice, but then it seems like those who do it are using a long skinny kayak, tis pelican 100 is FAT , logically i cant see how i can manage to stay in the kayak if i flip over since the opening is so big and there is basically no brace, and it being so wide, i dont even know if it can be done or if it can be , my back must be able to crank out a lot of torque to produce enough rotational energy to "roll" that kayak even though that kayak is not even relatively round...

hmmm ... but then i guess i havent consult with real experts at the kayak shops who give lessons... hmmm

Hey Newb,
First, welcome to the madness. 

From your last post, it looks like you're getting the picture. Although kayakfishing is not extremely complicated, there is a little more to it than just jumpin' in the boat & going out on the water, esp the salt.

With your little Pelican sit-inside, I would stick to the lagoons and maybe lakes. I wouldn't take it on the bay unless you're completely comfortable with it and proficient with paddling and all safety aspects. Even on a lake you should be well rehearsed in self-rescue and be able to pump it out if needed. Float bags are a must in sit-ins; if that thing fills with water and you can't bail it out, you'll never get it back to shore.

I'm also think lessons are worth the money - that's how I got started and originally learned in a sit-inside. Once you learn self-rescue in a sit-inside, climbing back onto a sit-on-top is a piece of cake. With a class, you'll learn basic (and proper) paddling skills as well as all the safety stuff - it gives you a real head-start to becoming proficient on the water & being self-reliant, and ultimately getting on the fish a little easier. 

Also, there's a ton of safety & other info on this site - use the search tool and learn as much as you can.

+1 to what Pisciform says.

Before you blow any $ on the sit-inside use it to target fish in lakes. Have fun & meanwhile save your $ for a sit on top. I'm on my third kayak in three years each one better than the last. All the money you could dump into a sit-inside would never make it quite the fishing platform that a sit on top gives you IMHO. Don't worry about the vhf or fish-finder yet. Wear your pfd, enjoy your sit-inside, and save for the SOT. jim

hmmm.... perhaps i should just use my parents' sit on top tandem xD (and bring my dad out for fishing too )
but that thing is like bright orange xD

1.  use the sit-on-top
2.  talk to Aquan
3.  With is spelled with an "H"

Allen

but that thing is like bright orange xD

Yep, visibility is something you WANT, when you're out there.......have ever looked at a pic of a group get together of yak fishers, mostly yellow and shades of orange, they were nice enough to call mine "mango"