first year of kayak fishing

[timmeh]

I'd like to start by thanking those who gave me good advice back in the summer when I asked a few questions about picking up a kayak for fishing. I'm glad I asked and happier I listened.

 

After testing a few models I rented a Wilderness Systems Tarpon 120 for a day and it was great. It was more than I had hoped to spend but I was so comfortable fishing out of it and figure better to buy something I like than save a few $$ on a yak I may not. Plus they had a decent sale on so it was case closed.

 

I picked it up back in the summer but due to camera problems am just getting pics together now. It's a great way to fish, and I definitely spent a lot of time exploring new waters this year. As an added bonus it only burns calories and not gas. I've put it away for the year but can't wait until next.

 

Here's a few pics from this year,

 

 

 

This fish was really fun to battle, he definitely took me for a bit of a ride....

 

Can't wait for next year.

[pike slayer]

very nice, thanks for sharing! question though, do you wear slime pants for the pike you land? haha

[snag]

Awesome!

 

Yaks rule.

 

Boats and motors have a few degrees of seperation though the rewards are plentiful.

[timmeh]

very nice, thanks for sharing! question though, do you wear slime pants for the pike you land? haha

 

Ha, they can make a bit of a slimey mess. I usually just try to release them in the water, but thought I'd try to take a pic of this one.

[xKobeZx]

Very nice looking fish way to go!

[mbac31]

Yaks are great . I have a Tarpon 140 myself.

[yakpiker]

That pike looks like a lap-full...I found that carrying a net made it a lot easier to catch and release fish from my Hobie.

 

Congrats on your first year of yakking!

[jediangler]

Great pics timmeh. I'm glad you tried out a few yaks before buying one, that is the best thing you could have done. I think many make the mistake of buying the first one they see and have to buy again later. I'm doing one more trip, down the Grand river Saturday, and then I'm putting mine away for the season as well.

[Leecher]

Great report and pics timmeh

Sounds like you had fun discovering new waters and hooking into some beauties

Congrats

and thanks for sharing

Leechman

[cuzza]

Can't see the pictures (work internet restrictions) Where do you rent fishing specific kayaks? Quite like the idea of a kayak for fishing conservation areas etc. but they only rent normal canoes.

[jediangler]

Hey cuzza, I'm not sure what area you're in but the conservation areas around me have kayaks for rent. Orangeville's Island lake, Guelph lake, Kelso in Milton and Valens conservation area all have rental yaks of various types for rent.

[LucG]

Do you ever have any troubles landing aggresive fish. You'd think it's be quite wobbly.

[cuzza]

Hey cuzza, I'm not sure what area you're in but the conservation areas around me have kayaks for rent. Orangeville's Island lake, Guelph lake, Kelso in Milton and Valens conservation area all have rental yaks of various types for rent.

 

I'm in Oakville so thinking Mountsberg, Kelso etc. - I'll look into it in the spring - thanks!!

[lunkerbasshunter]

hey good on yeah for getting a yak and you are so right you will burn calories not gas!!!

 

Cheers!

[timmeh]

Do you ever have any troubles landing aggresive fish. You'd think it's be quite wobbly.

 

Usually for pike I usually get them up beside the kayak and unhook them in the water and away they go. It can be a pain hold them up out of the water if they're really feisty though, but the real issue is other than on your lap there really isn't any place to put them. Bass are easy, you can just lip them.

 

But it's not wobbly at all. I can actually stand up on mine if I'm careful, but I only did that once just to try it. The bottom is fairly flat so it's quite stable, I was actually worried about stability when thinking of buying a yak, but it's much better than I expected.

 

 

As far as renting them the conservation areas are good. Call up a bunch of them next year and see who rents them. There's also a place in Kitchener, I forget the name, that rents a few on the Grand. Another place I can recommend is Thorncrest outfitters on the Saugeen. It cost me $50 to rent a yak for the day, and that included the pick up, drop off rides.