Trip report on first kayakfishing trip

M

Moz-Spearer/Fisher

New member
As some may know I have gone on my first kayakfishing trip which I'm stil busy enjoying.. So I thought I'd just do a quick report on whats happening so far.

So after 9 hours driving we arrived at our destination.

Packed up all the equipment minus bait last night. Got up early and drive the kayak to the beach and checked the surf and lulls. The winds quite quiet but still blowing NNE. So slightly onshore. Look for gap... run run run!!! Perfectly timed!! Didnt even have to punch a foamie! Beginer's luck for sure!!

Paddle out, get behind far enough to bait up.. take rods out.. paddle a bit to keep position. Next get the tackle boxes. Look for the traces and halcos.

Got my gear sorted, then tied on my lures. A nice pink one and gold and red one. Off I go!!! Paddle towards some locals anchored over a reef. Greet them friendly and get the same greeting back warmly. Start paddling a circle over the reef(not even paddling 10minutes yet) and DDDZZZZZZZZZ!!! for two seconds then silence... crap missed it!!! After looking at the lure later there was a definite bite mark.

Ok lets head north. Kept paddling against the wind building slightly. Paddle closer to shore +- 1km from land. Ok after 1 hour trolling i decide to turn around and switch to couta traces. Got 1 half beack and another bait fish on the lines. This took about 20mins. Eish talk about slow!! Done that I turn back towards base and drift and paddle lazily back with the wind. So far nothing.. hmmmm

About 1km from the exit I decide to downrig one trace as I was close to the reef again. Let out some line and then attach the sinker and paddle off.

Not even 30 secs of paddling DDDDDZZZZZZZ!!!!! PADDLE a few strokes to set the hooks. Get the other line out of the way. Hold rod in one hand and get the gaff out of the hatch. Struggle to secure paddle eish. Ok fees like a small fish.. ohhh starts to pull VERY hard!! Ok not so small. Goes round the bow. Move quicky move quickly. So for the next twenty minutes I take line then it take line and so on.. but this fish doesnt get tired!!! Eish... you idiot!! The line tightens when a wave passes underneath and line slackens when wave is past!!! I felt like a complete idiot!! Here I was fighting a rock for 25mins thinking I'd hooked a massive fish.. talk about a disappointment!!! So I had to break off the line losing a trace..

I was so mad, frustrated and sad at the same time. I decided to take the hint and packed up and headed to the beach. Watch the waves.. paddle like crazy!! Oh boy big wave catching up!! It passes me without breaking. Phew. Almost there!!! A medium wave catches me and it is a nice ride to the beach. Almost at the beach it tries to flip over after broaching but I manage to get out mostly dry.

Aargh!! Not the best start to a trip but you win some and lose a lot more!! Will keep you posted.

My brother also went out this morning as the sea was dead calm, contrary to the weather prediction. Also got stuck on reef with lures which I find very annoying. He got punched by some foamies despite calm sea but made a faultless and fishlesa return.

Im thinking of trying some bottom fishing. Will see what happens with the weather. Cheers. Mozzie
 
M

Moztoppie

Member
Hi Mozzie

Thanks for the report and trip back on Memory lane ;)

The reef fighting happens to mostly all of us on the first few trips.
I adore your guts to go out there and give it a hell of a go......

I never down rig anymore....
Half beaks on down wind drift worked well for me in Moz.

Take on Malboers invitation for a Visit to Mili.
You only need a once off with more experienced angler and the you are ready to do your thing in future.
_seal1_
 
M

Moz-Spearer/Fisher

New member
Hi Moztoppie

Sorry I only got round to replying now. It’s a pleasure. I like writing stories and reports so I’m glad someone liked it!

Came back yesterday so still busy washing off gear and oiling etc. I will definitely take up his invitation when possible. Will see how the schedule goes.

Here follows a report on the rest of the trip:

So after a blank by both my brother and I, the wind decided to keep us off the water for good measure. So out came the surfboard. I surfed up quite a storm! Good exercise for paddling too.

On one morning the wind was quiet enough to launch so it was quite a rush to get the gear ready since the prediction was for a strong NE wind and some big swell. I decided to do some bottom fishing first then troll for game fish. The lull was in my favour and I got out easily. Paddled over to the close by reef, about 500m from shore and in 6-8m water. Quite easy to spot it from the kayak. Drifted slowly over the reef. Not a single bite!!

Ok try trolling now. Out come the halcos and rapalas and off I go into a wind that is starting to get some force behind it and with a sea that is getting slightly choppy. Never mind that just keep fishing. After a few minutes, DDZZZZ!!! Hold the rod. Not taking line. CRAP hooked the reef again!! Luckily I managed to get loose by paddling the opposite direction. Let’s try again

Off I go. I was doing circuits over the reef so I could cover a larger area as opposed to just troll over the reef once. Then my deep diving lure made friends with and embraced the reef below. Not again. Before I could untangle that one, my shallow diving lure had sunk to the bottom and was also now tight buddies with a rock solid rock. Loosen drag on one line. First one comes loose easily. Second one not so easy. Paddle up, paddle down, paddle side ways. Eventually I get it out by drifting over it and pulling it with my hands instead of the rod. Eish is an understatement!

I paddle further north to a deeper reef before letting my lines down again. By now the wind is blowing hard and blowing white caps all over the ocean. Thankfully I have had a strong stomach since a very small age. Up and down, over the waves, up and down, over the waves. Nothing at all!! The sea was getting quite unpleasant by now so I decided to call it a day and headed back with a following sea and managed to time my beaching right so as to stay dry.

A couple of local fishermen have some small boats (3m by 1m) and were out in two’s or three’s in the mornings too. But one this morning that I went out, we counted no less than 15 boats going out! Soon they were out of sight and over the horizon!! Later we found out that they went to a reef 13km away!! Talk about determined fishermen! I on the other hand wasn’t up for a 26km paddle.

That afternoon we went to the close-by town to get some groceries. On the way back we saw a fisherman cleaning a BIG fish! It was a SAILFISH!!!!!! These guys had managed to paddle 13km, caught a 1.7m+ sailfish on a handline and then paddled back 13km in a churning sea!! To say that I was impressed was an understatement!! It was a pity it wasn’t on the end of my line though.... But it wasn’t to be

My brother launched on another day, once again managing to punch some foamies on the way out. But that was the only excitement of the day. Same result. No fish. That was the last time we would fish off the kayak. Talk about a letdown! We put in some serious effort into angling but we had nothing to show for it. But we went scuba diving one day and the sea was very dead, so that explained to lack of catch. There simply isn’t any fish left! Very disappointing!

I decided to go spearfishing on the last day to get something for the pan at least. Paddle to the reef and jump in. Very little shootable fish. But some very beautiful reef fish and corals though! I managed to get a parrotfish and missed 4 others. My bad aim or speargun’s fault? Probably me..But no game fish! After about an hour I headed back. Sort of a anti-climatic end for the trip. At least I got one fish to eat.

End of the trip. 4 launches, 10+ hours fishing, 1 couta trace lost, nobody tipped, 2 dry launches and 1 dry landing and 1 wet landing for me, 2 wet launches and 2 dry returns for my brother, 4 reef hook-ups for me, 2 reef hook-ups for my brothers and 1 bite for me.

Hope you guys find this report entertaining and keeps you busy for a while when the weather is bad. I’m looking forward to my next trip on I-don’t-know-when-it-is-gonna-happen. Wishing all good weather, calm seas, biting fish and tight lines.

Cheers
Mozzie
 
M

Moz-Spearer/Fisher

New member
Hi Moztoppie

Sorry I only got round to replying now. It’s a pleasure. I like writing stories and reports so I’m glad someone liked it!

Came back yesterday so still busy washing off gear and oiling etc. I will definitely take up his invitation when possible. Will see how the schedule goes.

Here follows a report on the rest of the trip:

So after a blank by both my brother and I, the wind decided to keep us off the water for good measure. So out came the surfboard. I surfed up quite a storm! Good exercise for paddling too.

On one morning the wind was quiet enough to launch so it was quite a rush to get the gear ready since the prediction was for a strong NE wind and some big swell. I decided to do some bottom fishing first then troll for game fish. The lull was in my favour and I got out easily. Paddled over to the close by reef, about 500m from shore and in 6-8m water. Quite easy to spot it from the kayak. Drifted slowly over the reef. Not a single bite!!

Ok try trolling now. Out come the halcos and rapalas and off I go into a wind that is starting to get some force behind it and with a sea that is getting slightly choppy. Never mind that just keep fishing. After a few minutes, DDZZZZ!!! Hold the rod. Not taking line. CRAP hooked the reef again!! Luckily I managed to get loose by paddling the opposite direction. Let’s try again

Off I go. I was doing circuits over the reef so I could cover a larger area as opposed to just troll over the reef once. Then my deep diving lure made friends with and embraced the reef below. Not again. Before I could untangle that one, my shallow diving lure had sunk to the bottom and was also now tight buddies with a rock solid rock. Loosen drag on one line. First one comes loose easily. Second one not so easy. Paddle up, paddle down, paddle side ways. Eventually I get it out by drifting over it and pulling it with my hands instead of the rod. Eish is an understatement!

I paddle further north to a deeper reef before letting my lines down again. By now the wind is blowing hard and blowing white caps all over the ocean. Thankfully I have had a strong stomach since a very small age. Up and down, over the waves, up and down, over the waves. Nothing at all!! The sea was getting quite unpleasant by now so I decided to call it a day and headed back with a following sea and managed to time my beaching right so as to stay dry.

A couple of local fishermen have some small boats (3m by 1m) and were out in two’s or three’s in the mornings too. But one this morning that I went out, we counted no less than 15 boats going out! Soon they were out of sight and over the horizon!! Later we found out that they went to a reef 13km away!! Talk about determined fishermen! I on the other hand wasn’t up for a 26km paddle.

That afternoon we went to the close-by town to get some groceries. On the way back we saw a fisherman cleaning a BIG fish! It was a SAILFISH!!!!!! These guys had managed to paddle 13km, caught a 1.7m+ sailfish on a handline and then paddled back 13km in a churning sea!! To say that I was impressed was an understatement!! It was a pity it wasn’t on the end of my line though.... But it wasn’t to be

My brother launched on another day, once again managing to punch some foamies on the way out. But that was the only excitement of the day. Same result. No fish. That was the last time we would fish off the kayak. Talk about a letdown! We put in some serious effort into angling but we had nothing to show for it. But we went scuba diving one day and the sea was very dead, so that explained to lack of catch. There simply isn’t any fish left! Very disappointing!

I decided to go spearfishing on the last day to get something for the pan at least. Paddle to the reef and jump in. Very little shootable fish. But some very beautiful reef fish and corals though! I managed to get a parrotfish and missed 4 others. My bad aim or speargun’s fault? Probably me..But no game fish! After about an hour I headed back. Sort of a anti-climatic end for the trip. At least I got one fish to eat.

End of the trip. 4 launches, 10+ hours fishing, 1 couta trace lost, nobody tipped, 2 dry launches and 1 dry landing and 1 wet landing for me, 2 wet launches and 2 dry returns for my brother, 4 reef hook-ups for me, 2 reef hook-ups for my brothers and 1 bite for me.

Hope you guys find this report entertaining and keeps you busy for a while when the weather is bad. I’m looking forward to my next trip on I-don’t-know-when-it-is-gonna-happen. Wishing all good weather, calm seas, biting fish and tight lines.

Cheers
Mozzie
 
M

Moztoppie

Member
Hi Mozzi

Thanks for a lekka story. Yes fish is getting less and less. We have started catch and release but a Couta is not that easy to release.

Good that you could find something for the pan.

Next time out will be more succesfull ::tight:
 
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