Kayak Fishing - before the fishing begins

[SeaFlea]

Before getting into the rigging of kayaks for angling I thought it noteworthy to mention a few items concerning safety...  This is not the be-all and end-all of safety, just a few items I have found to be consistant & meaningful over the past couple years.  I would invite any and all to add to the list to help us all out.

New Jersey Regs for vessels under 16’

1) Approved Personal Flotation Device (aka, PFD) a number of PFD’s are made with the kayaking angler in mind, Stohlquist’s “Fisherman”, Extrasports’ “Osprey” and Extrasport’s “Striper Angler” are just some examples...

2) Sound Producing Device
   a) whistle
   b) air horn


3) Visual Distress Signals
   a) Pyrotechnic
      (1) Orange Smoke - daytime
      (2) Red Meteor - day or night
      (3) Red Flare - day or night
   b) Non-Pyrotechnic
      (1) Orange Flag - daytime
      (2) Signal Mirror - daytime
      (3) Flashlight - night

Additional, “nice-to-have” safety items

In addition to the required items, above, it is also wise to have the following items:

- VHF radio
  - handy tool to have so you can communicate while fishing but if things go south you can hail your fishing partners and ask for help.
  - Remember:
    channel 16 the distress, safety and calling frequency
    channel 9 is a hailing channel
    Channels 16 and 9 are for “business only” and should not  be used for idle chit-chat.

- a bow rope in the event you need to be towed also handy to have if you want to beach the kayak during the day or want to “tie off” to something while on the water

- a stern light which is mounted above your head and is visible for 360`
  - Kayaks should not be using the standard red & green running lights used on most vessels.
  - The red & green light combination “implies” that you are a vessel under power and can move out of the way of an approaching vessel.
  - The use of a solid white stern light, only, signals to others that your vessel is “at anchor” and as such is not capable of moving away from an approaching vessel.

- reflective tape applied sparingly to the hull of the kayak will make you more visible in low-light and dark conditions. “Solas” is one such brand, usually sold by the foot.

[DAK]

Thanks Flea. Do you mind if I steal some of this to paste into the yak fishing primer?

[SeaFlea]

Don't mind at all, dak.  I have asked the powers that be if it could get turned into a 'sticky' so it'd be readily available to all... Just waiting on a reply.

[Pfishingruven]

Nice information!

 

[ped579]

Sticky done...

Paul

[SeaFlea]

Thanks Paul! 'preciate it!!

[Hotrod]

Good info

[rugman]

you forgot , THE KEY to turn the motor on

[RobbieR]

Seaflea,

Thanks for the good information here and turning me on to this great site . I just registered about 15 minutes ago. Good to see DAK here also.
Looks like I'll be spending some time here to catch up .

[IrishAyes]

Hi Robbie, you will find that we are a friendly sort.

Anything you can add, please do so. Any questions, just ask.

Looking forward to your reports/posts. 

[ped579]

Welcome Aboard RobbieR,

Thanks for stopping by.  This forum is new and we are hoping it will turn out to be a go to site for kayaking information.  If you can add anything please do so and if you have questions don't hesitate to ask.  That is what this site is all about.

There is a ton of great fishing info here as well.  Once you post a number of times other forums will open to you and then it gets to be fun. 

We are a no drama site and we like to keep it that way.  The guys and gals here share their information freely and spot burning is encouraged.  With todays fuel prices up so high it is a welcome to be able to go to a site and ask for specific spots to fish and get it.

Again Welcome Aboard.

Happy Catching

Paul

[SeaFlea]

Hey Rob,

Glad to see you found your way to the site! 

[RobbieR]

Thanks for directing me here. A lot of good info here.

BTW we need to get a new picture of you in super swift Miss Blondie with a big fish for your profile.

[sHArK]

Another life saving item for me personally has been a PFD mounded knife. I know everyone will say oh I always have a knife, but is it always where you can reach it. I know I'm new to the East coast here and not completely aware as to how Yaks are fished from around these parts, but I have found myself in the water a few times that were not by choice and in need of a knife.

The first time was actually a day that was to rough to fish, so I went to play in the 6' surf with my surfing buddies.. used an ankle leash along with a paddle leash.. was having a great time when as would be expected, I got dumped hard about 100yds offshore. I wasn't wearing a PFD  sadly enough . Getting hit in the head by the 12'6" 50# Dagger Cayman Yak during the spill left me stunned and dazed , comming back to reality I find the Yak is out of reach and wouldn't you know the leash around my ankle to the yak and the leash paddle to yak had twisted and tied my ankles both together. I struggled to reach the yak, but every passing crashing wave pulled the yak towards the beach and dragged me feet first with it. It was only by the grace of god that I was dragged in far enough, fast enough that I could bob up and down from the ocean floor to the surface of the water to keep from drowning. A PFD would have helped and a PFD with a Knife would have really helped.

One day in small seas with a 3' chop, I was busy running out shark baits... I get tired towards the end and decide that instead of dragging out the baits for the 12/0's one at a time, I will drag both.. now these 12/0's spooled completely full with 60# Mono with exception only to the 50yds of 100# mono top shot. I get what had to be 600 yds off the beach and get dumped by a rouge wave because one of the big baits "15# chuck of Jack" fell overboard and pulled me sideways. Once dumped I had 2 huge baits at my ankles along with the 4 20/0 circle hooks in each..trying to get the yak flipped over, feet untangled, and praying like you wouldn't believe that there were no sharks close enough to smell the combination of Jack Blood, Sting Ray slime, and..lol.. me pissing in the water. I had a PFD, BUT A KNIFE..A KNIFE would have been tits on the bull about then. I assume with a PFD and an attack, I would have looked like a popping cork being thrashed around out there.

Well those are some of my not so fine moments that bring the word SAFTEY to mind.

Peace