Rigging a sit-on kayak for spearfishing?

[sunfish]

Hi Milkman, I was wondering how you put your fins on when your about to start spearing. Isn't there a danger of dropping one overboard as you wriggle about trying to pull it on? I wear both fins and weightbelt while paddling, and feel safer this way in rough seas, as I'm ready to swim at any time. The fins ought to be a problem with any wind but so far they haven't been.

 

[Mr. X]

Excellent post Milkman, lots of great advice & it got me enthused. Kayak trolley/cart is definitely worth having - can't believe how expensive they are in the UK (for basically half a baby buggy). My homemade one broke when overloaded but is now repaired -- probably should buy a metal one. Sounds like the seats with pockets & rod holders might be a good investment too.
Do your rod holders have sealed ends? I'm a little wary of opening up the one & only buoyancy chamber.

Mr X. I'd like to see a sketch or photo of that rig with the hokai with a trailing eel lure. I've often thought whilst fishing a string of lures of adding a bass / pollock lure at the end. Looks like you're doing it already with some success. , are you still using a weight?

Finally, I get round to responding to this one. I rebuilt several handlines last week - thanks to your input I now have 2 sets: one set for trolling behind the yak & another set for jigging.

The trolling lines are simple, basically towing a rubber eel (cheap, low drag, low snag, highly regarded fish catchers) or two.

The jigging rigs are feathers (various types, the real feather ones are trimmed short - supposed to work better) with a terminating weight & "killer rigs": 2 snoods, each with a rubber eel, and terminated with a weight or pirk (the 150g Yann lure I found diving with a muppet attached). I use 10oz lead (Lidl's handlines) or 4/5oz sea fishing leads (found while diving), to help them sink quick if a current is flowing.

The rig I mentioned previously is shown below. Handline of orange parachute cord is quite small & slim ->about 15 feet of thick mono (old 30lb?) -> a big ol' American swivel clip -> then the hokkai feathers -> a swivel -> and about a foot of mono (15lb?) to the eel. The eel is cheap, moves poorly & twisted the line, despite the swivel - but it did catch a small bass. It is blue & white & contains silver glitter flakes and best of all, it glows bright green in the dark (an unexpected feature). I guess bass like to see their prey.

Pav, if you look at the photo you will see I also found the thermometer mentioned in recent discussions on smokers (it was sitting on top of the freezer's electrical socket in the garage - of course!). If you PM me details I will stick it in the post to you.

 

[the_milkman]

hi guys, thanks for that - yes I put my fins on in the yak before the dive. I hadn't thought they might fall over, but I guess you're right. I have some bungee cord (zigzagging from side to side across the tank well) at the front of the yak that secures them very tightly, one at a time until I pull 'em out. I'm not sure I'd want to paddle in my weight belt - even with a thick wetty on I wouldn't want the extra weight pulling me down in the event of mishap. Also, when you have pimped up, bucket style kick ass yak seat like I do it would be a bit uncomfy!

the rod holders in the yak are all sealed, and there are 6 of em in all - I've been sooo impressed with the Pro2's spec, it was designed to take 2 tank divers / fishermen and all their gear. But that reminded me - I also stash 2 or 3 silver wine bags from the boxes of wine (good excuses to drink shed loads of wine!!) which I inflate and then push down into the either end of the kayak. gives me peace of mind that if I do spring a big leak or flood the yak when I open a hatch at sea, the the thing won't sink totally!!

seats and storage on the back are so useful as well - all your loose items are safe and secure, and because they're raised, a bit drier too!

 

[the_milkman]

oh btw cool trolling rig, Mr. X. For a moment I thought the gauge was for measuring the tension on the line to check whether you had a bite!!! lol

how do you check for bites btw? do you run the line over your shoulder whilst paddling? how do you secure the winder in case a big bass rampages away with it when you are paddling?

 

[Mr. X]

oh btw cool trolling rig, Mr. X. For a moment I thought the gauge was for measuring the tension on the line to check whether you had a bite!!! lol

how do you check for bites btw? do you run the line over your shoulder whilst paddling? how do you secure the winder in case a big bass rampages away with it when you are paddling?

A bass-o-meter - you could be onto something there!

The end of the the para-cord is tied to the home-made wooden winder with a tail & loop left free. The loop usually has a black plastic clip attached. I use the clip or loop to secure the winder to a deck loop next to me (I usually sit at the back or in the middle). However, that is just a back up in case I drop it. I usually sit on a loop of the cord or hang it over my knee. I tug the line from time-to-time -- this tests for a catch (although it can be hard to tell) & also provides a bit of extra lure action for any following fish. I also pull the line in periodically to check the lure for weed, etc. -- not nes. onto the yak but at least along side, so I can make sure it is working properly (cheap eels often don't!). That said, we beached the yak once and I had forgotten to haul in the line before landing. As I stood on the beach coiling in the line I noticed I had a small pollock on the end! He can't have been on there long & I guess it could act as live-bait for a bigger fish hmmmight be worth rigging a 2 hook pennel set-up on the terminating eel). I let the fish go (single hook eels are easy to remove too).

Ideally the second person on the yak would do the fishing but I usually find the other person prefers not to fish (and often prefers not to paddle too!). Usually I'm the biggest, so it makes sense for me to paddle. Unfortunately, I'm usually the keenest fisher and/or least scared of catching a fish. I guess things could get exciting if you caught something particular big for lively (shark/ray/eel/squid/cuttlefish) -- prob. more likely to catch a cold though.

 

[Pastor]

Don't know if this link has been posted before but anyway KayakPaddling.net - Animated Sea Kayak Paddling School & Instruction

 

[Mr. X]

Nice graphics Pastor!

Thought this cart / trolley looked interesting:

Very good article: Kayak Fishing UK_Article_8 (good info. on anchors too)
Surprisingly pricey & plasticky though: [ame=http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/C-Tug-Kayak-Canoe-Cart-Wheels-holds-up-to-a-300lb-boat_W0QQitemZ130195112241QQihZ003QQcategoryZ87089QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD2VQQcmdZViewItem?_trksid=p1638.m122]C-Tug Kayak/Canoe Cart/Wheels[/ame]

I think this one is also interesting (versatile & cheaper too):

Canoe, Kayak Cart, Carrier, Stainless, Large Wheels New (item 370018358630)

 

[the_milkman]

Hi Mr X - all I would say about the first one is that it looks a little too bulky to be lashing to the back of the yak when you are paddling. Go for the smallest profile possible as if you are hauling loads of gear down you can float the yak out on the trolley, lash it to the back of the yak, have your fun and then land it wherever with no issues...

The scupper pup I bought is completely collapsable, and is all aluminum to keep corrosion to a minimum. It's small and light and sits out of the water on the back of the yak no probs...

I don't have shares in the company btw

 

[the_milkman]

Very good article: Kayak Fishing UK_Article_8 (good info. on anchors too)

Love the Hawaiian yak seats!! lol

Anyone else bother with PFD? I wear my wetty out and so count on the flotation that would give - too much bulk and hassle to take on and off when diving? But I do feel kind of guilty about not wearing one...you know like when you don't brush your teeth before you go to bed after a few beers? lol

 

[Mr. X]

I'll check into that. V. timely as I was just looking back for recent recommendations.

BTW I thought I might try trolling for squid sometime this year (they were off Chesil last October) & bought one of these "Diki squid" for the handline:

[I thought I'd got it cheap until I saw this link: Buy Spinners & Spoons at Marine Megastore 15% off orders over £300!* ]

As well as the useful starter link mentioned above: Kayak Fishing UK_Article_8 (I like the idea of using a Diver's SMB reel as a compact anchor line & spool).
This article gives details of a simple, neat anchor leash design: Kayak Fishing UK_Article_7

 

[Magpie]

The plastic one splits into 2 and the wheels come off so it can be easily stowed.

 

[Pav]

I use one. C Tug they are called. They are very capable trolleys for a fully loaded kayak! As with all the trolleys strapping is the key. Make sure you strap infront of the seat or something so the trolley cannot slide out. Take care not to lose the little leg! Its not essential but can help loading a heavy yak onto it.

I bought mine after trying a mates who used it on his prowler13. I got it primarily for the large tandem. I have always been keen on the more compact trolleys that fit into the scupper holes but I am hesitant as do not want to risk damage to the scupper holes which are said to be a weak spot on these yaks. A fully loaded yak (weight belt! etc) if anything is going to make this more likely, especially over rough ground (the C Tug will make it over cornish cobbles!).

It does break down into small parts that fit into a hatch. Its kinda dismantled with a karate stylke chop across your leg! , kinda a friction assembly.

But expensive! , don't pay the rrp as at least our yak shop will discount them, although they run out last summer. Seem popular trolleys which will adjust to fit different yaks.

 

[dario_deli]

Hi Mr.X
I wanted to buy a kayak malibu 2 sit on top for spearfishing and I've seen you already got one. Do you think I can handle it by myself or should I consider to buy one smaller? Any other advice? Thanks
Dario

 

[Mr. X]

Hi Mr.X
I wanted to buy a kayak malibu 2 sit on top for spearfishing and I've seen you already got one. Do you think I can handle it by myself or should I consider to buy one smaller? Any other advice? Thanks
Dario

Good question. It depends on what you want/need to do. It works fine for me solo or with 2 on board. It even carried 2 adults & a child once (I weigh around 235lb - so it sat quite low in the water) and myself & 3 kids on another occasion.

As I said, I'm quite big, so paddling it solo is easy but it might not be for a small person (weight/width). Being a 2 seater, it leaves a lot of cargo space for gear, although not particularly conveniently laid out. If I were to do it again, I might go for the new OK Malibu 2 XL -- it's a bit bigger & so would be better for 2 large adults or more than 2 people. The M2 fits on top of our smaller car easily & a longer kayak would easily fit on our bigger car (I did wonder if it might be too large before hand). The Cobra Tandem is about the same size as an M2 but has a larger carrying capacity -- Pav might be able to tell you more (they had them as rentals at Blackpool Sands in Devon, sold out of S. Wales now I believe).

I can load it onto the smaller/lower car easily myself -- the size & shape are more an issue than the weight. It is harder to load the taller car. I use a loading bar to allow me to load & unload from the taller car - although I prefer to get some assistance, in case there is a gust of wind or something slips - many seaside car parks are not flat.

We carried the kayak for the first year. That's hard work for 2. I can carry the empty yak short distances alone but... Buy or make a cart -- it makes life sooooooo much easier. You can then put your gear in the yak & wheel it to the water.

There was some talk of getting solo yaks but I prefer the 2 seater. It means one person can rest/swim/fish/play/photograph/whatever while the other(s) controls/paddles/anchors the yak &, if you need to get somewhere fast, you have 2 paddlers. I figure I am usually responsible for everyone anyway -- so this allows me to control the safety aspect of things. With separate yaks, it would be easy for things to get out of control.

Somebody asked about buoyancy aids. I usually wear one -- just trying to develop safe habits (it has one of those pathetically quiet emergency whistles). I occasionally kayak in just a wettie and, I must admit, I feel very safe in a wetsuit. Ditto with others on board, I prefer them to wear a buoyancy aid (esp. children) but am not overly worried as long as they have a wetsuit on. BTW You can use a buoyancy aid as an anchor float, if you want/need to park your anchor & recover it later.

 

[dario_deli]

Thank you! I'm 72 kilos for 1.72 cm so I'm quite small! I've got a matiz chrevolet car which is quite short and 3.5m long so is it too long for me for your point of view? I had already thouhgt to buy the cart and actually I found a new malibu 2 with 2 paddles and cart for 400 pounds which seems to be a good price, doesnt it? I'll use it the most of the time alone but I would like to buy a 2 sit kayak because in this way my girlfriend or a friend could join me sometime but I dont know if it is worth such a big difference and hard work to carry it to the water and load it on the car. What do you think?

 

[Mr. X]

Thank you! I'm 72 kilos for 1.72 cm so I'm quite small! I've got a matiz chrevolet car which is quite short and 3.5m long so is it too long for me for your point of view? I had already thouhgt to buy the cart and actually I found a new malibu 2 with 2 paddles and cart for 400 pounds which seems to be a good price, doesnt it? I'll use it the most of the time alone but I would like to buy a 2 sit kayak because in this way my girlfriend or a friend could join me sometime but I dont know if it is worth such a big difference and hard work to carry it to the water and load it on the car. What do you think?

Personally, I like the 2 seater & kayaking with others is fun. Of course you could buy 2 singles (or persuade a pal to get one). Sounds like milkman gets chauffeured around on his 2 seater.

Depending on the model, doubles usually weigh a bit more -- so if you plan to carry it that'll be a important factor. As you are planning to get a cart though, not such a factor. You car looks quite low, so loading it should be straightforward. Lengthwise you'll probably overhang a bit at the back -- but that's more to do with the shape of the car than the size (the OK M2 overhangs the back of our larger car but hardly at all on the small car, which it seems to fit incredibly well). Check you roof bar weight-rating...again our larger car does not have a huge carry capacity. Oh yes - you'll need roof bars. I found an on-line roof-rack specialist that was quite good; eBay, Halfords (surprisingly it sounded like they had a few bargains last year) and Lidl's sometimes have good deals.

Yes, the price sounds reasonable to me (might be worth seeing if you can get them to throw in the buoyancy aids/life jackets too...or seat backs). You tend not to see this stuff really cheap (yet) ... demand probably outstrips supply still.

 

[dario_deli]

At the end I bought an islander paradise II, a 2 sit on top a little bit longer than the malibu 2. I'm looking forward the weather will settle down to try it!Mr. X thanks for your precious advices!

 

[scottwilson]

Heres a picture of my dive yak. Its a scrambler xt, ive rigged it as simply as possible.

The red box in the front houses a fish finder, a small tackle box, a hand line, A bag for my mask and gloves, it has a drink bottle bracket on the side so i can have a drink when in the water( you can see it on the left of the box.)

theres a tube to put my dive flag in or a fishing rod and then two Hi TECH saftey cables with quick release clips ( old telephone coil and two dog lead clips) to hold things down in case of a roll.

and that all fits in the little red box leaving the rest of the yak empty to pile the rest of my dive gear on. although the xt doesnt look as smart as some of the new yaks on the market does me just fine. :inlove

I almost forgot, I have an anchor on front of the yak that I just stretch over and drop in the water. Very stable yak but its like paddling a barge sometimes.

 

[Mr. X]

Nicely put together Scott. The dive sticker on the side is an interesting idea too. When I started looking into getting a kayak that could also be used for spearing, the Scrambler XT was the one most sites recommended for kayak diving - not perfect (what is) but best combination of shape/size/quality/hatch layout/etc.

Good to hear you are set Dario. You'll have a great time with it. There is also a British company called Perception, I'm surprised nobody has mentioned them. They make a 2-seater called the Gemini I think, which was on display in Portland Oceaneering a while back. I've seen a few Perception yaks around and they seem well designed. Has anyone tried one? [The Bic sit-on's built in wheel is probably the smartest design feature I've seen though - could save you £30-£120, as no cart is required. Unfortunately they cost a lot more than other yaks].

 

[dario_deli]

I've seen the gemini in the store and it was interesting but it doesn't have the foot wells for when you paddle solo.About the bic to be honest the wheel is too small so I guess it's not gonna be useful in some cases but I don't really know since I've just bought my first kayak. One that I thought was really interesting, obviously after the paradise II (Hehehe), was the Ocean duo of RTM. It is similar to the malibu II but I think it's better done inside.