Fishing 2016

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Thanks! Do you have many in the Keys V? They seem to like slightly murky water here in areas where there are plenty of shrimp.

Jim, I really enjoy the kayak fishing, it gets you right down where they live and it's just a whole different experience. No boat registration required here if you don't attach a motor. Paddling is pretty much upper body (mainly back) work but if it's calm it's very easy, in a decent 'yak you'd be surprised how fast you can make it go with moderate effort. I've been contemplating targeting some much bigger fish like tarpon that average 75-150 pounds in our area. There is great opportunity here to catch big sharks out of one but I'm not that thrilled about being at water level with a ticked off bull or tiger shark looking me in the eye.
 
Awesome post, Ray.:thumbup:

Jimbo. Kayaking is insanely cool. Modern plastic kayaks are essentially indestructible, no special care needed. Even if you aren't fishing, get out there and explore a lake. Physically it is as hard as you want to make it, can be easy easy or arm blasting, its up to you. You must have kayaked before, but if not, drop your pitchfork and go do it.

Then paddle boarding will be next...
 
Jim, there are two types, sit in, and sit on top. With the SOT, if something happens and you go overboard wearing a life jacket it's not a big deal. We snorkel out of ours and get on and off without any problem, although I must admit, watching my wife getting aboard out of the water can be pretty funny. The SOTs are sealed (with a drain plug), unsinkable and the most popular for fishing. The SIs are used more for whitewater, racing, and surf kayaking. Your center of gravity is lower and you're basically part of the kayak. Getting in and out is a little more problematic. I have very little experience with the SIs so maybe Cory or someone else can fill in the blanks.
 
I recall reading a story with photos of a guy catching a multi hundred pound giant tuna while fishing out if a small rubber raft. Something like three hours I believe it took to bring it in permanently.
 
Ive never capsized in a SI, just paddled on lakes etc where tipping over is virtually impossible. Anyway, ALWAYS where a life jacket and you will be totally fine. I haven't used a SOT but just like paddle boarding , falling in is half the fun!!

Jim, paddling is a fun, fun, calming thing to do, I strongly recommend it. Great family thing too.
 
cory said:
Jim, paddling is a fun, fun, calming thing to do, I strongly recommend it. Great family thing too.
Click to expand...
Fun indeed. Paddled the yak out and caught some more tripletail early this morning, came home, got the bride and took a ride across the bay where she caught a few blue crabs and I cast netted some mullet. What a wonderful day. Got to share our catch with a needy family, and we were both blessed with a fresh seafood platter tonight!
P5210697.jpg P5210701.jpg P5210692.jpg P5210711.jpg
 
Look at you living off the land!

Those are some serious crabs, can you tell a bit about their natural history and how you catch em? I could google the NH but rather hear it from you!
 
Blue crabs inhabit every Gulf state Cory and I believe all those on the Atlantic side as well. They are harvested in baited traps commercially, but my wife chases them down in shallow water and scoops them in a dip net and she dearly loves it. The meat is fine in texture, sweet and delicious. Their numbers have fluctuated pretty widely here in the last ten years, and are lower than in previous decades even though commercial harvest has dropped considerably. The egg-laden females, which are protected from harvest, used to make huge "runs" and I've seen the shallow sandy bottom around Dog Island literally black with millions of them. They shed their hard shells as they grow and the soft-shelled crabs are fried, eaten whole and are fantastic. There is a local blue crab festival that is a pretty big deal too.
 
Nice, thank you.

Do they deliver quite a pinch if you aren't careful?
 
There was a song that came out years ago that was titled, "Meet in the middle". That's what their claws do when they come down on your finger! And they don't just let you go either, the easiest way to get loose is break the claw off.
 
Awesome. Just dusting off the kayaks here, but after watching Rays exploits it's hard to get to excited about fishing here. Still is nice to get out on the water though.
 
Good posts!

Jim, you have some lakes near you? The bigger the better for exploration and fishing but you could have fun on a 1/2 acre lake for a while.
 
Everything is an hour away or so.

I have a fancy boat. Its a 18.5 foot Glastron with a inboard v6. Relaxing? Heck no. Stressful as hell.

I think thats why I want to give Kayaking a try. No kids, no wife, no stress. Just some weird dude with mutton chops and a Captains hat paddling around, silently. Homeland Security would probably get a call or two, but it sounds great. The relaxing aspect is what I find most attractive.

I am still worried that I am going to flip over and get stuck underneath. What do you do when you tip over?
 
FireFighterZero said:
I think thats why I want to give Kayaking a try. No kids, no wife, no stress. Just some weird dude with mutton chops and a Captains hat paddling around, silently. Homeland Security would probably get a call or two, but it sounds great. The relaxing aspect is what I find most attractive.
Click to expand...

EXACTLY. :drink:

I am still worried that I am going to flip over and get stuck underneath. What do you do when you tip over?
Click to expand...

Can you swim? If so and you wear a life jacket you have no worries. Kayaks can be a little tippy to first get into the cockpit but once you are paddling, staying upright takes no skill, its just natural. If you were to tip over for whatever reason, as you were tipping over you would tend to fall out of the cockpit so you wouldn't be stuck underneath the kayak. Afaik, the "only" way people drown in kayaks is when they are doing serious whitewater and they capsize and get stuck under water in a crazy strong hydraulic whirly current that is too strong to escape. In a lake, that won't happen. If it was real cold lake water, of course hypothermia could be a risk.


The kayaks are unsinkable afaik, meaning if you tipped it over in a lake and it was completely filled with water, it would stay at the surface of water, not sink to the bottom.

Go kayaking bro! Rent one for the weekend.
 
Or try the sit on top kayak where there is no cockpit to fall out of, just in and out of the water at will, great relaxation in hot weather.
 
Yep, I can swim pretty well, but would always have a life jacket on. Thats a rule on my boat too.

Thanks for explaining it Cory. For some reason, I thought you were kinda affixed to the kayak, so I was worried I could get stuck in it if it capsized. I have a weird center of gravity, so I worry about things.

I dont think I could rent one, but I might look into different sizes and types to buy. Seems like they are not too expensive. I will check to see if there is a weight limit.

My wife and I have very different views on vacations. She wants to go to Vegas or the lake with a bunch of people and make lots of noise. I want to go to a lake somewhere like Dick Proenekke and go kayaking in the morning and listen to the birds.

I used to spend several weeks at a time and not talk to anyone 'cept the hound. I guess part of me still misses that, now I have to talk to the bloody kids all the time.
 
Dick P, great book!!

I think you will love kayaking solo as well as with your family.
 
I was visiting my kids in Panama City today and Sports Authority there was going out of business and selling their watercraft dirt cheap. Too bad you couldn't run across something like that Jim. My son and daughter both bought stand up paddle boards and I bought another fishing kayak for my wife.
 
Chris I never actually targeted them, just dipped a few that have come up around the boat at night and caught some in the shrimp trawl as bycatch. The bigger ones pretty much stay well offshore here but I'd love to get serious with them. How about you?
 
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