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Hello - new and looking to getting into Kayak fishing

Posted: 30 Oct 2018, 11:34
by clintos
Hi all,

new to the site - thought this would be a great place to start in getting set up to try Kayak fishing as a new hobie. Would be interested in any recommendations to get started, noting that I don't want/can't get to much money into this initially. I've recently moved to the Point Cook area and would be interested in doing some close to shore fishing in Port Phillip bay and also down close in off St Leonards (inlaws have a house down there) on calm weather days only.

I have been looking online at kayaks2fish Nextgen 10 as they seem a really good price $599.00 for what is included, the size and weight (total and capacity).
I just have a standard SUV with roof racks so weight is a consideration for loading on and off.

Ideally if I really enjoy it and go out enough one day in a few years I may consider laying some really money down (+$3k) for a fancy pedal kayak.

would love to hear your thoughts on the Kayak mentioned above or any other options - maybe if you could start over with under $1000 only what you would do.

cheers

Clint.

Re: Hello - new and looking to getting into Kayak fishing

Posted: 30 Oct 2018, 13:32
by 4liters
I dunno what kayaks2fish are doing marketing-wise but it seems to be working, seems like all the newbies to kayak fishing are eyeing off one of their yaks.

See if you can get something longer than that for bay fishing, it’ll be easier to paddle so you’ll enjoy it a lot more. It’ll also be more stable if the weather turns to S#!^ unexpectedly while you’re on the water. There’s a good chance you’ll find a second hand paddle yak like a wavedance kingfisher or something for that kind of money that’ll be much more seaworthy than a 10 foot pool toy. It might even come with a fish finder and some other bits and pieces which will save you a bit of coin.

Don’t worry too much about the weight, you’ll find it’s easiest to just lift one end of the yak onto the car then slide it on the rest of the way. This way you’re only lifting half the weight at any given time.

Re: Hello - new and looking to getting into Kayak fishing

Posted: 30 Oct 2018, 13:46
by laneends
Simple answer. Something like bruyakkas hobie quest he is selling on this board is infinately better than all these little shorty playtoys.

Ignore what you may read on Facebook bypass the short kayak phase if you want to fish the bays.

Re: Hello - new and looking to getting into Kayak fishing

Posted: 30 Oct 2018, 14:17
by vicyak
$600 will get something reasonable 2nd hand. 10ft long is too short. 12ft is recommended.

Also campbells cove which is only down the road from you is a kayak haven. Easy launch (have to watch the strong southerlies or east wind). Plenty of flathead, squid, whiting in close.

Re: Hello - new and looking to getting into Kayak fishing

Posted: 30 Oct 2018, 16:39
by clintos
Thanks all, when mentioning the yak I'm looking at being undersized I just want to stress the furthest out I would be going is a few hundred meters and only on calm days, seems like overkill and a lot of extra effort with bigger yaks than 3 meters.

I have a boat if I'm really keen to travel out further or in rougher conditions.

Re: Hello - new and looking to getting into Kayak fishing

Posted: 30 Oct 2018, 17:18
by cheaterparts
clintos wrote:Thanks all, when mentioning the yak I'm looking at being undersized I just want to stress the furthest out I would be going is a few hundred meters and only on calm days, seems like overkill and a lot of extra effort with bigger yaks than 3 meters.

I have a boat if I'm really keen to travel out further or in rougher conditions.
rougher conditions like S#!^ sometimes just happens like others have said 3 meters is just to short for a bay boat
3 meter kayaks are just plain hard work - they don't track well so most of your work is spent on keeping it straight

funny I would be hard pressed going back to a 4 meter kayak these days and for the bays would be the shortest I recommend

Re: Hello - new and looking to getting into Kayak fishing

Posted: 30 Oct 2018, 17:51
by clintos
cheaterparts wrote:
clintos wrote:Thanks all, when mentioning the yak I'm looking at being undersized I just want to stress the furthest out I would be going is a few hundred meters and only on calm days, seems like overkill and a lot of extra effort with bigger yaks than 3 meters.

I have a boat if I'm really keen to travel out further or in rougher conditions.
rougher conditions like S#!^ sometimes just happens like others have said 3 meters is just to short for a bay boat
3 meter kayaks are just plain hard work - they don't track well so most of your work is spent on keeping it straight

funny I would be hard pressed going back to a 4 meter kayak these days and for the bays would be the shortest I recommend
Thanks, so even in totally calm conditions anything under 4 meters is hard work?

Seems to be plenty of small ones about where we do most of our fishing at St Leonard's so assumed these ones would be fine for something easy to throw in at short notice without the hastle I'm envisioning that would come with a larger heavier yak.

Re: Hello - new and looking to getting into Kayak fishing

Posted: 30 Oct 2018, 18:19
by laneends
When it blows up and you can't make headway, doesn't matter if you are only 500m out.

With short kayaks the arse is too short with too little bouyancy, when the nose rises up a choppy wave your COG goes dangerously close to tipping backwards without warning.

Regardless of intentions your perspective changes as you get used to it and 500m soon becomes 1km and so on. You may be only 500m from shore, but the nearest shore is not always a beach, so a safe landing may be far further directly into that headwind that you can't make any headway against.

Most buyers of small kayaks either like it and soon upsize or they give it up as too dangerous/hardwork

Re: Hello - new and looking to getting into Kayak fishing

Posted: 30 Oct 2018, 18:27
by 4liters
The shorter the kayak the slower and harder work it is to paddle in any conditions. The shorter hull gives inferior tracking and a reduced hull speed. It doesn't mean you can't go paddling in it, it just means that for the same amount of money as a longer second hand yak you've gone and got yourself something that isn't as nice to use or as safe.

A bigger yak isn't necessarily more hassle, you can still take a small amount of gear out with you if you just want to chase squid or something. It does give you the flexibility of taking more stuff if you want to chase a few different species though.

Re: Hello - new and looking to getting into Kayak fishing

Posted: 30 Oct 2018, 20:29
by peatop
Hi Clint, i was one of those who bought the small kayak and believe me it's not worth it, they are fine in sheltered waters like a river or creek, but downright dangerous on any open water like ppb, and st leonards definitely is not somewhere to use such a small kayak, it's exposed to all winds accept a westerly, that quest other people have mentioned is one of the models i looked at getting when i upgraded, they are a great little unit, and paddle real well, i recently upgraded again and i went even longer than the 4m ;) in the case of kayaks size does make a difference :lol: as far as weight the quest is a light kayak it will by no means overload your roof racks, and at $400 if you dont like it you will easy get your money back maybe even a good profit ;) that style were 1800 new, the ones now (different seat) about 2400 i think. So at 400 very good first kayak, and these guys won't steer you wrong :up: