My New Worst Fears...

Alright guys, stupid questions but I have to get them off my chest after a full week of kayak fishing...

I'm normally a bass fisherman on the big powerboat but I'm new to the art of kayak fishing and  a LOT of frustrating problems had arisen that I hadn't been able to figure out on a kayak.

Question 1; On a powerboat when I'm bass fishing, if I get a lure snagged on timber or rocks, I can maneuver the boat to the location and I can generally retrieve my lures. However, on the kayak, I found that retrieving a snagged lure is damn near impossible for me without capsizing... How do you guys go about retrieving snagged lures?

Question 2; My kayak reaches an excessive whopping 110 degrees around the plastics which literally burns my hands and legs out on the water and I can't figure out a way to cool down the plastics. (I have a sit in kayak...) Do you guys have this problem?

Question 3; I have read all the safety tips and precautions about kayaking on bigger lakes with powerboats and I just want to say, I've followed nearly 100% of the guidelines but yet powerboats still scare the pants off of me. I literally got a 4 foot orange flag that's visible for a mile but so far powerboats still zoom by me in a distance that's just WAY TOO SCARY for me...  :smt013I've even been told that the flag aren't so visible sometimes but I think half these people must be intoxicated or something! So how do you guys avoid near death encounters with powerboats?

The #1 thing you can do regarding PB's is to be visible with a flag & be aware of your surroundings.  In placed like the delta, I try to find a place to launch that is close to my fishing grounds & pick an area not heavily populated by boaters who are less courteous.

   Best of luck on the water!

~Bill

Well as far as retrieving lures, I never found a safe way of getting out a good snag. I just used light pound test mono or braid with a light mono leader that way I can snap off safely if needed....    as far as the hot plastic I don't have any suggestions other than try and get a sit on top kayak if possible, plus they are a lot safer. Especially around those crazy boaters...... I would just be selective with the spots I would fish in lakes and stay inside the no wake zones when possible. Drunk boaters are unfortunately a serious issue sometimes and there's no good way to keep them a safe distance. It seems like those stupid water skiers always want to come by real close and show you their moves even though we typically could care less. Hope this helps but if not I will remain un-offended:)))

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Yeah I don't mind snapping lures off sometimes because I am a clear water bass fisherman but some lures I really want to retrieve though... I'm a big fan of the Lucky Craft Hardbaits brand and they're not so cheap so I always try to retrieve as many of them as possible but so far, I found that in a kayak if I lean too far one way, I tend to capsize... I don't mind snapping a senko here and there but when I calculate my donations to the fish god at the end of the day, it does make me wanna cry sometimes...

As for the Powerboaters, CURSE them! When I'm out fishing on my bass boat, I'm always considerate of others out on the water and if I see someone fishing an area already, I will never zoom away causing a huge wake. I'm always aware of my surroundings but being a kayak had made me much more wary of my surroundings... Feel like I was once the hunter who became the hunted...

Go back the opposite way you were drifting with a slack line, turn your yak 180 degrees so you are facing your snag. Do the old rod pump, now if you break off suddenly your momentum will carry strait back against your back rest. If you can't break off wrap your line around a club and break loose. I would much rather deal with a snag in a kayak, I hate having to motor around to free snags and disturb my mates fishing.

The best thing for snags is reducing the number of snags, I found that removing the trevel hooks on the hard baits like hex bars.
If you use 4oz jig heads, get them from Andy1976 he makes them and selling for a good price, he also had 6 and 8 oz jigs that you can use a single hook.
or go to your local Fisherman's warehouse and get some hex bars but replace the hooks.

http://www.fishermanswarehouse.com/?page=locations

By the way the way i usually get unhook is to get the kayak back from where you were drifting from then try to get it loose, a lot easier on a Hobie  but not always successful.

Don't think he's fishing irons in Clear Lake.

   Same technique applies ... sort of.  Worst case it to get one of those lure retrievers that slips over your line & attaches to a rope.  It then becomes a leverage issue with the yak.  Sounds like it's time for a bigger, SOT yak

~Bill

OOPS.

I haven't any experience with hot kayaks. The Sac guys can speak on that. I do imagine a sit inside could be like an oven. Kayak fishing can be done in a sit-in but they don't go together very well. 99.9% of us are on SOT's.  SOT's are much more stable, Plus you have lots more functional deck space. Santa Cruz Kayaks advertises on this website The Raptor's twin tail design makes for an extremely stable platforn if that's your primary concern you wish to resolve.

My dark green kayak got real hot. My newer kayaks have been a lighter color, mostly yellow for heat and visibility.

Always amazed how some boaters will slow down when I point a camera at them.

Good luck on the snags.

Al

What color is you kayak? Mine is yellow and I have not noticed it being hot. So far in warm weather I wear my hiking clothes. Long sleeve shirt with vents and pants with detachable legs. They dry fast if I get wet and protect me from the sun.

I second the question on the lure retrieval. I recently posted this in general fishing tips but did not get many replies...

http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=47745.msg530230#msg530230

In researching the issue I found the following retrieval tools.

Go-Get-It
http://www.mygogetit.com/pages/see.htm

44Mag Retriever
http://www.bassfishin.com/bassfishingforums/showthread.php?t=22887

E-Z Lure Retriever
http://www.basspro.com/EZ-Lure-Retriever/product/44428/

I have also read that some people make their own. Others use a rewinding dog leash or clothesline reel to tie to the retriever weights so you don't have the rope in your lap when you use it.

As for power boats I am new to this also and so far I try to launch and fish away from the powerboat areas. Do you carry a handheld air horn? Bright colored kayak and clothes might help.

Snags/lure retrieval - Seems pretty similar to me in a boat or my yak. Get on the other side of the snag, pop the line off the reel etc. There WILL be differences in the heavy line end of the equipment though. No getting around that you will have less leverage/solid platform in a yak vs a big bass boat to try and bust off the higher pound test line etc.

There is no doubt that we are less visible in a kayak vs a boat. You have to be the defensive driver, especially when crossing the "shipping lanes" on a lake. Color of your kayak is important. So is the speed of your kayak for evasive action if needed. I'm always watching for the other boats to get a clue that they see me. If not, I'm thinking get out of the way, then get the boat pointed into where the big waves are going to be coming from and finally.......worst case, un-zip the PFD if I'm going to be run over. I would rather take my chances underwater than get plowed and chopped up by a big boat propeller.

Also - I would much rather have the boats go by me on a plane vs slowing down and creating those big/powerful waves. If my kayak is that tippy that other boats can't go by me at a reasonable distance and stay on a plane then I have no business being out that far.

When I'm returning from fishing in lower light etc. I stay much closer to shore. My boat draws no more than 2 feet. Those shallows provide us some additional safety. I don't want to be way out there when all the big power boats are coming back to the launch unless I have to be there.

I have a 16 foot yellow kayak that happens to be very fast. No guarantee of safety, but we need ALL the advantages we can get when fishing the bigger water areas safely. 

     

I fish at Bethel Island.  There are a lot of homes and docks along the shoreline. The boats have to drive 5 mph.  There are areas where there is no limit and you have to be careful, but its pretty safe.  You can avoid those areas. 

To alert boats to my presence I use this;
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Innovative-Lighting-Electric-Handheld-Horn/700627.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3DsearchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Dwaterproof%2Bhorn%26x%3D0%26y%3D0%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts&Ntt=waterproof+horn&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products



This thing will wake the dead! 

A handy, compact signaling horn that meets U.S. Coast Guard requirements. And it's built to last. It's fully waterproof, shock-resistant and stays afloat if you drop it overboard. Solid-state electronics are powered by one 9-volt battery (not included).

Before I got this horn, I used a flare gun.  Later I was told to shoot it ACROSS the bow, not AT the bow.  Sooorrrrreeeeeee........

Before I got this horn, I used a flare gun.  Later I was told to shoot it ACROSS the bow, not AT the bow.  Sooorrrrreeeeeee........

 

For the stability & heat issues, you should consider a sit on top.