Spear fishing from a kayak

[Dawsie]

How many use a sit on top kayak to spearfish?
Do you attach yourself to the kayak when diving and tow it along with you, or do you anchor up?

Anyone have pics of there set up? and how they go about things would be good to see.

Or is it just easier to swim out from the shore to your hunting areas?

 

[grantl]

I have a couple of SOT kayaks that I have dived from. 1 is a Prowler 13 and the other a Dorado mk2 but find the prowler far better for diving off as its more comfortable with a weight belt on.
I tend to use it like a big float and always stay connected to the kayak. Anchoring is obviously an option but there is a risk that you could struggle to get back to it if the tide picks up. Boats also like to come and look at unmanned kayaks even if your displaying a dive flag so IMO it's better to be close enough to it to get back to it quickly as they are unlikely to hit a kayak (?) but could run over you if you're a distance away from it and they're not expecting that.
Putting a phone call or radioing into the coastguard is very advisable as there's a pretty high chance of a member of the public calling them when they see you fall off it or notice an unmanned yak drifting.
Kayaks are great for diving off but tbh I find it far more attractive / simple to just go off the shore mostly. The kayak comes into its own for getting to remote areas or if I've got more time for a longer trip.

 

[vasile]

I use my prowler elite for fishing if the viz is crap,so far I anchored near the fishing spots where I visited in advance and where it produced fish.I have a fish finder also which I use it for scaning the sea bed.When i'm going spearfishing I carry minimum equipment,to be able to get back into it without getting cought in unnecesary gear.So is not much of a set up to show to you just the anchor,fishfinder,speargun,VHF radio,iphone with navionics installed and all in a dry bag.Optional fluids to replace,hypertonic drink for the paddle back.I'm sure there are much more divers on the forum with more experience than me which they point you in the right direction...

 

[DafyddRees]

Depends entirely where you are fishing Dawsie whether you can anchor or not.

Having fished Pems for a number of years before moving away from cardiff, I know what the currents are like around those headlands. I only fished with my kayak attached to my belt and used it like an SMB, it really does not feel heavy dragging a tarpon 120 around all day at all.

Amazing place is Pembs, very sad I had to leave! Enjoy it!

 

[Dawsie]

Wow, 3 Celts in a row!
Thank you boys, Diolch Dafydd (Im assuming you siarad cymraeg with a name like that?)

Hey Daffyd, would you mind pointing me to some good marks in Pembs?

 

[foxfish]

Hey Dawsie, there are thousands of post relating to kayaks on the forum but this 20 page thread might interest you http://forums.deeperblue.com/spearfishing-equipment/65152-rigging-sit-kayak-spearfishing.html

 

[Dawsie]

Yeah, thanks Foxfish, I had already (somewhat painfully) read through the whole 20 pages!

Ive been kayak sea fishing for a number of years now, so I am well aware of what is needed (more importantly, what is not needed) while fishing offshore, its so easy to become a ('tackle/kit tart') in any sport, dont you think?

What I was really wanting to know was, how long a line do you use to attach yourself to the kayak, is it best to use a floating webbing tape or a floating rope, would it be better to attach the gun to the kayak or yourself, or both? do you carry spare spears? is it easier to strap a knife to your arm or leg, is knife attached to a lanyard? etc, etc,.

Safety and anchoring are not a problem (if you can do it just off Cardiff in the Bristol channel, you can do it most places, believe me).

Its the finer points specific to spearfishing Im after.

 

[foxfish]

Well you might be better posting your needs on the above thread as lots of folk are subscribed to it.

 

[Dawsie]

Will do, thanks Foxfish.