Getting Started In Santa Cruz

Hi All -

I used to fish a fair bit in my teens and 20s, and after many years off I've been getting into it again, surf fishing in Aptos and south, and occasional trout trips to the sierras.  I've decided I want to get a kayak to get something larger than perch, smelt, and staghorn sculpin   So I'm looking for kayak and gear purchase advice.

I have a lot of marine experience (avid surfer, have worked on boats and ships and have done a bunch of scientific diving in the past) I've been lucky enough to have caught some monster tuna and halibut working on research vessels in Alaska and the tropical pacific.   I have some kayaking experience, but have never fished from a kayak.

I envision launching from New Brighton and going out to the reefs off Capitola for rockfish initially, so something light enough to carry down the short stairs there would save me the long ramp.  I also have a wife and (small) kids that might want to go some time, so may consider a tandem that I could also go in solo, or just a single with weight capacity and room for a tyke?

Anyway, given all that, what do you guys recommend in terms of a (used to start) kayak and gear?  I've heard good things about pedal drives, are they worth it so you can fish and move at the same time?  I know the basic safety gear required (pfd, wetsuit, knife/shears, vhf, compass, whistle, food and water), but any good to have gear I might not think of?  Any must know tips, especially for the Santa Cruz area?  Any good reading material to point me at?

Oh, and any chance anyone is upgrading and wants to sell off a perfect beginner setup?

Thanks in advance to anyone who reads this and can offer advice, and glad to be on the forum.

Welcome to NCKA SandyToes.   

Thank you!   

Welcome to the madness ST 

Hi SandyToes, welcome 

Welcome sandy toes. Most people on here will say that a pedal drive kayak is well worth it, frees up your hands so you can fish and easier to kayak. As far as gear it can be overwhelming, Try to do as much research as possible Facebook, YouTube, here etc.. you don’t have to get everything at once get the essentials first. For ex. I still need to buy a fish finder...

Hey ST, welcome to NCKA!

Welcome! I used to launch from New Brighton all the time, but there are a few curious sharks that like to hang out near there. So you might want to consider the Santa Cruz harbor, or at least the Capitola wharf.

Pedal kayaks are great for fishing, but way pricier. And I think you'd regret the extra weight of a tandem.

Anyway, given all that, what do you guys recommend in terms of a (used to start) kayak and gear?  I've heard good things about pedal drives, are they worth it so you can fish and move at the same time?  I know the basic safety gear required (pfd, wetsuit, knife/shears, vhf, compass, whistle, food and water), but any good to have gear I might not think of?  Any must know tips, especially for the Santa Cruz area?  Any good reading material to point me at?

I agree with Loebs that a sit-on-top pedal kayak has huge advantages over a sit-on-top paddle kayak for fishing.  Pedal kayaks are more expensive than paddle kayaks, but the difference in cost between a good used pedal kayak and a good used paddle kayak is not that much, particularly when you consider the cost of the entire package of gear which you will need to safely and effectively kayak fish.

For some kinds of fishing, particularly freshwater fishing in small bodies of water, you may not need a fish finder.  But for fishing in the ocean and in larger lakes, a fish finder with GPS features and bathymetric maps is invaluable.  To see what the Navionics bathymetric maps look like in your area, go to https://webapp.navionics.com/?lang=en#boating@7&key=et%7B~Edb%7BfV.

One of the thing I learn is that faster is better.  So you may want to consider getting a faster hull.  Pedal over paddle for me, no doubt.  If you want value, get a used hull.
If I am to do it all over, I would skip to the best one I can afford instead of trials and $$.
Once you decide, be a minimalist, just bring what you need.

Thanks for all the advice folks.

Are pedals heavier than paddles?  Any advice on makes / models, especially if I'm interested in going lighter?  Ideal length (obviously tradeoffs, but what you think might be best for this area)?

Yeah, the more people look the more sharks they find in the north east corner of the bay here.  I used to swim around the cement ship pier for exercise years ago, until people started publishing the helicopter footage of all the juveniles...  That said, I surf all over these beaches including new Brighton the couple times a year it breaks, so I'm kinda resigned to being out there with them.  I guess maybe a stringer of bleeding fish might change that calculus?

Definitely interested in a fish finder, I've loved that tech since I was a tyke checking out the old school ones trout fishing on lakes in Oregon.  Any suggestions on good ones (or people upgrading and wanting to get rid of oldie but goodies) are welcome.

Thanks again!

Hey SandyToes, welcome! I picked up a Garmin Striker 4 recently. Cheap, simple and gets the job done.

Pedal yaks do tend to be heavier. Paddle yaks have more working deck space and even with a drive you still need solid paddle skills because drive can break and drive should be pulled on surf launches and landings. The advice many are given is start with a paddle yak and then see if you like kayak fishing enough to invest in a $2,000 -$3000 dollar pedal yak. Keep an eye out for a used yak on NCKA. How much are you willing to spend on a kayak ?

Thanks.  I have a fair bit of padding experience (kayaks, SUPs, canoes, etc.) so feel comfortable there.  Not an expert, but not a rank beginner.  And my arms are in good shape from surfing and other regular exercise.

It might make sense to get a cheaper paddle kayak to start, especially since I could use it as a secondary one for the wife / friends /etc. if I end up spending more on a pedal one.  But pedal drive does sound pretty attractive for the hands free action.

I have not set a firm budget, but less is better!  I'd love to get some basic gear together for ~$1k and add / upgrade from there, but don't know if that's realistic?

Thanks for the knowledge.

If you're thinking about getting a paddle kayak for fishing, a sit-on-top paddle kayak is way better suited for fishing than a sit-inside paddle kayak.  You can easily mount rod holders, fish finders, a net, a cooler, and various miscellaneous fishing tools on a sit-on-top; your options are way more limited on a sit-inside.  You can turn sideways in the seat of a sit-on-top kayak to get at gear in the kayak's rear cargo area; you can't turn sideways in the seat of a sit-inside kayak, and in any case there is way less room available behind the seat of a sit-inside kayak.  And if you tip over a sit-on-top kayak, in a matter of seconds you can right the kayak, climb back on it, and paddle away.  If you tip over a sit-inside kayak, and you aren't using a spray skirt and don't know how to roll back up, you are in a ton of trouble unless you are with a couple of experienced kayakers who can pull your kayak up on their kayaks, drain it out, and help you get back into your kayak.  The bottom line is that if you want a paddle kayak for fishing, get a sit-on-top.