Rigging a sit-on kayak for spearfishing?

[Lockedin]

Be VERY CAREFUL using your scupper holes with your cart! I don't remember exactly where (probably on kayakfishing.com ), but I read of people getting minor to massive (lost 'yak!!!) leaks. This is because the scuppers are a bit thinner due to the molding process. As I said, I cannot verify this as fact, but I've chosen to err on the side of caution, and now lash the kayak to the axle with a ratcheting tie-down.

Enjoy!

[Mr. X]

Hi,
I read something similar, perhaps related to a change in scupper hole strength in some models(?). Although I notice that Ocean Kayak & Cobra produce their own scupper hole carts; I think one is plastic - odd choice of material but perhaps lighter & more forgiving on the kayak? I suppose they don't mind if your kayak needs replacing more regularly -- although I suspect they value their reputations, as the kayaks are expensive & buyers would likely change brand preference.

The cart I like the look of the most so far is sold on ebay out of MA, USA. It has large, removeable wheels & suspends the kayak quite high. The price is quite reasonable too although shipping to the UK would be expensive. Might look for one next time I'm out there.

I've actually got a set of plastic wheels off an old plastic wheel barrow...maybe I can make one? Saw a battery powered golf cart in Focus yesterday - looked like the v-shaped guides could hold a kayak!

[Mr. X]

I have been making up some new handlines today. The aim this season is to catch bigger fish and mackeral (my favourite fish).

Last year, we caught a couple of fish (a pollock & a bass), trolling with a homemade handline off the back of the yak. The rig was simple: a home-made winder, a length of para-cord, an American swivel clip, a length of 10lb line terminated with a single 30 year old, 11cm-ish, blue & white Eddystone eel. I opted for this simple rig, having lost my fancy first rig (holographic feathers with a terminating 14cm blue & silver rapala-like bass lure with 2x big treble hooks at the end) when we unwittingly encountered shallow water & dense weed as we passed over the top of a hidden reef -- major snag .

This year I have made 3 rigs:

- replaced the 11cm E. eel with a 14cm generic yellow & black eel. Hoping that the bigger lure will appeal to bigger fish. 14cm seems a favourite size of bass fishermen in S. England. I might try one of the currently fashionable black eels later. This should be good for all conditions, inc. weed & shallow water.

- made another handline, as above but with coloured mackeral feathers, with a 3 foot leader of 12lb line at the end, terminated by hefty 14cm, yellow & orange, Lidl's gel lure, skewered onto a 4/0 or 5/0 circle hook. The terminating lure might be a bit too big but it is easy to change. For deeper water.

- an old shop-bought crab line, with a recovered heavy duty game swivel, lock clip, currently attached to mackeral feathers & terminated with a yellow, 10cm Lidl's gel lure, with a Lidl's fluorescent lead head providing the hook.

I have a few other feather rigs that I might try later (plastic prawn feathers with glittery bits & small hooks; hokai rigs some with major cod hooks; holographic/glitter feathers -- saw a guy fill a bucket with mackeral using these with a child's handline on Chesil Beach).

[Huan]

The most effective commercial pattern for mackerel is 4mm red pvc pipe on a hook, the piece of pipe only needs to be about 2cm in length and doesn't even need to extend past the curve of the hook.
the closest I have seen to the type of material I am talking about is the green and yellow earth sleeve sold from electrical supply shops.

[portinfer]

Just been looking over at SurfSki dot info ... looks like a white kayak with red or orange tips is to be avoided

Surf Ski . Info

That is unless you feel like rigging your kayak with a sharkshield...
Cheers
Ed

[Mr. X]

Interesting Huan, I can't recall which colour but I read that one common colour found on mixed colour feathers never catches fish. I think white is supposed to be good too. I even heard of bare, shiney silver hooks being effective for mackeral!

Portinfer, I could not open your link -- but I am guessing from the gist of your comment it is something to do with kayaks being the ultimate shark lure! (Gulp). Just found the link:

Maybe I should give those red-head white lures another go this season!

I've added a smaller second eel to my main hand-line. Blue & white with glitter bits -- about 5"/12+cm. I wasn't sure how to rig it, so just ran a separate mono line, to the clip (which I switch to a locking swivel clip), a couple of feet shorter than that of the bigger eel. Hoping that one size or other will appeal to the fish. I'd like to try a cheap paravane (about £2.50), if I can find one in a shop (not worth shipping).

[portinfer]

That was my view too Mr X - just add some anchor sized trebles and you are away !
Edward

[Pav]

Check out the New Mini X from Malibu kayaks if your after a short fishing/dive Yak.

[Mr. X]

Lidl's boat and dive gear go on sale tomorrow 10th May.

• Lots of ropes that look like they might make decent float lines.
• Boat fenders (might make a float?).
• Dinghy!
• Cheapy wetsuits -- not for serious spearing but kayaking/summer snorkel/surf/kids/...
• Stainless steel karabiners
• booties
• torch

Lidl Online

I got a handline for the kayak from Lidl's for 2.99 a week ago (they still had a pile left over from the previous week) ...it has 3 blade spinners & 3 rubber worms, line, weight & winder/handle. I reckon it is good value: I have seen the blade spinners selling for 1.50 each elsewhere (a usually inexpensive online retailer) & similar handlines selling for around 7.00 in a seaside store. It comes with a 300g weight (10oz+) weight(I normally think of of 1oz as a big weight).

[Mr. X]

Originally Posted by Pav

Check out the New Mini X from Malibu kayaks if your after a short fishing/dive Yak.

Hi Pav, must have missed this post. Just found a link...looks interesting - has anybody got one? (I think its about 3 ft shorter & 20lb lighter than mine OK Malibu 2...so quite portable): Fishing and Diving Kayaks, Sit-on-top Kayaks, Malibu Mini-X

[Mr. X]

Homemade Kayak Cart...

The sherpas were suffering so ... I finally got around to making that kayak cart, it didn't take as long as I expected and it cost nothing...everything was recycled. I didn't design it, just started putting parts together to see what might work. I am pleased with the result. It works well on the drive. The real test will come in a few weeks time.

The uprights are actually straight (the pictures are misleading) and made of steel pipes with fibre glass sleeves (made from a salvaged broken beachcaster) to help protect the scupper holes. I have since found a pipe that could be used as a wider axle later, if necessary. Another advantage of making your own, which hadn't occurred to me before: you can tweak the design and add features at will.

I also fitted a homemade lifting bar to one of the car's roof bars a few weeks ago (unnecessary on our smaller car but helpful on the taller one). So, in theory at least, solo kayak loading, unloading & transportation should now be feasible...and with spearing/angling gear too. "Deep joy!"

[mundial]

i can say i have a new toy?
new ocean-kayak yellow scupper pro








with the jigging rod from the seat



450 long
66 wide
rocket! ! ! ! ! ! !

[Pav]

Nice Mundial!

I'm awaiting delivery of my Mini X! A change in life style (baby), so recently sold my fishing ski as I wanted something quick and easy, and that would fit in my Van. Good center hatch for storing spear etc, and should get me out to the point after work for an hour or so. Sacrifice will be speed! , so will work the waters closer to home ;>)

The Scupper Pro gets great reviews on the fishing yak sites. Fast Yak. Good choice.

[Mr. X]

That is a cool looking fishing yak Mundial. I've seen pictures of your spearing catches -- do you really need rods as well?! Nice cart too.

Pav, is this the life progression of a kayaker: fishing ski -> mini-X -> tandem-> triple -> 3x frenzy-> ..?!

'Tried out the kayak cart & lift bar yesterday at Kimmeridge and .... major success. My "chief sherpa" was tickled pink by the whole thing -- it was reminiscent of the character in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (Caracticus Pots?): a gadget for everything! Not only could I load and unload by myself but all the kit went in the yak, which I pulled alone which made everything much quicker, easier, less stressful. It also meant we could just park, rather than dropping off the yak first. Big win.

The little stick stand on the cart broke (not surprised), so I will replace that will some steel pipe.

We had some mini surf for our first hour. There are a lot of odd rock piers sticking far out into the bay, often lurking just below the surface at Kim. so it required a focused mind. I went out alone later, trolling deeper waters and checking out the headland where windsurfers were hitting the waves. Decided to haul in the lines & head back in when the 2 foot surf started getting closer to 3 foot. The M2 is remarkably stable though and with self bailing it almost seemed like cheating.

Quickly lost all the lures from the Lidl's hand line -- the supplied 10oz weight was far too much. 1 or 2oz would have been better. Also lost an cheap eel just as I landed the yak on the slipway (so back to the 30 year old one!).

[mundial]

hi
i have started with a cobra FISH N DIVE
big yak slower then others
my point is to get fsat to my points & also return fast
truling & jigging if i have time ot the VIZ is bad !
also long distance with the kayak 10-15 KM
this yak giving me a lot of options all time around