Offshore bass Strait

[Calmseas]

Does anyone chase kingies and sharks close offshore around the rip, Inverloch etc..???
Cheers

[Franko]

it's a goal for me... I'll be scoping out cape schank in a boat on Sunday

[maverick]

Yep, around the front of Phillip Island, Flinders and Cape Schanck. The RIP isn't a place for yaks as a rule. I have also done Cape Liptrap and plenty have done the Prom. It just needs careful planning, the right gear & the right yak.

What sharks are you talking of?

[Seasherpa]

Does anyone chase kingies and sharks close offshore around the rip, Inverloch etc..???
Cheers

I wouldn't be going anywhere near the rip in an open cockpit tandem, you are asking for trouble there imho

[Calmseas]

Thanks for advice..
Not planning on taking current Kayak to rip.. Did a lot of fishing from Inverloch in the past in 5.5 metre boat from underwater bommies to Cody Banks... Now looking to buy offshore kayak to fish the close underwater bommies etc.. Used to get lots of threshers and Mako's even within 1 km of shore. Interested in tips re what fishing to expect now days as things were grim back then...
Cheers

[shane]

I've been in the RIP often enough to be able to tell you - do not to risk going there. It's an extremely dangerous place for a kayak and even a lot of experience and knowledge of the conditions won't always be enough. Anyway these days it's too full of idiots in boats to be safe for a kayak, even before you consider the crazy currents and standing waves.

I've also done some fishing out the front between the RIP and Barwon Heads. Access is difficult closer to the RIP with it all being heavy surf launches and difficult access over dunes. Barwon Heads is an OK launch but you need to understand the tide flows through the river mouth and know what size swell is safe to head through the bar. As a start point the ebb tide keeps flowing out for up to 2 hours past the low and the flood tide for an hour past the high. The tidal current through the river mouth is strong so you want to time things with the tide. At lower tides you can bypass the mouth channel over the sand. The bar can be dangerous especially with larger swells. Look for swell less than 1m to start (Willy Weather Ocean Grove Beach), the smaller the better and know how to get through waves heading in and out. You need to go left of the red block heading out and watch the breaks to pick the line with the least wave action. Out the front of Barwon Heads are a lot of reef areas that hold Kings. The better reefs are further out requiring an EPIRB, flares etc.

To some up this can be reasonably advanced offshore kayak fishing (usually not Calm Seas). On an excellent day it can be fine but there aren't that many of them and it can change quickly. If you don't have much offshore kayak experience then build it up elsewhere like the Inverloch, the eastern entrance of WP, Torquay etc where its a lot safer to get in and out. And go with someone else.

[Calmseas]

What fish are you targeting offshore?

[cheaterparts]

To some up this can be reasonably advanced offshore kayak fishing (usually not Calm Seas). On an excellent day it can be fine but there aren't that many of them and it can change quickly. If you don't have much offshore kayak experience then build it up elsewhere like the Inverloch, the eastern entrance of WP, Torquay etc where its a lot safer to get in and out. And go with someone else.

as above --- I don't know what kayak experience you have but some offshore days aren't for the faint hearted -- distances you may travel on the water to start with , can you paddle/pedal 30 km with out any problems

Can you surf launch and also get back in through the surf ( remember that the beach may have bigger surf on your return )

as Shane pointed out an excellent weather day can change quickly and in a boat you can quite often out run the weather where are a kayak only 8 km out will take an hour to get in

However there are a few of us slowly heading out the front and learning as we go - keep an eye out for our surf days , these aren't fishing events but more of a fun day in the surf learning some skills that may come in very handy for you
build up your paddling / pedaling to cover distance even short days in open water are harder work than the bays

pick a kayak that is suited for open water - these need to track well ( longer than 4 meters ) and have good secondary stability not so much primany

[laneends]

Then buy an Hobie AI, or a Stealth from Seasherpa...

[Jordo]

Hey, the best place to start around the area you are talking is probably the eastern entrance westernport. Can launch inside the bay at cleeland bite or san remo and time it with the tides to catch an easy ride out and back in. Picking up fresh couta, snook and squid on the way out you can then bottom bonce for gummys and flatties, try for threshers or look for the odd king that might be about. Makos are well and truly discouraged from the kayak.