Lessons learned in my latest outing

[moondawg]

Took the kayak to Shelby Forest this morning for some fishing. I hooked a bass, but it got off the hook.

During this outing, I learned three lessons:

1. Size matters. I mostly use a 5'6 spinning rod. This time, I was using a 6'6 spinning rod that I bought yesterday from Bass Pro. Seems to be the average for kayak fishermen, as the extra reach helps play fish that might go towards the bow and under the yak. I realized that I did not like the 6'6 rod...the rod butt was long, and didn't fare too well in casting in a kayak. It's fine for an open boat with room to cast, but I couldn't get used to it in a kayak. So I took it back and got a refund. I'm gonna continue using the 5'6 rod, which is good for me.

2. I don't like braided line. I had some already on a reel, from when I was going to go saltwater fishing earlier this year--which actually did not happen. I never changed the line, and figured maybe I'll use it, since I went through the trouble of putting it on the reel. I kept getting hung up, and lost a few lures. So...I'm changing back to mono.

3. I don't like treble hooks. Usually I'll clip one or two of them, and I'll always make them barbless. Makes it easier to release fish...and easier to remove the hook from the crotch of your pants. :shock: A hook in the crotch of pants requires a steady hand, and the patience of a skilled surgeon. Luckily, this hook was barbless, and I carefully removed it from the crotch of my pants. I still had to check nads for blood, though, just to be sure. :shock: Nope, no blood.
(please don't laugh!)

 

[RUGER]

Man has started fishing out of a kayak this year.
He said he can't get used to setting the hook while sitting that low to the water.
I can see where the end of the rod might get in the way but I love the longer rods.

How does braid equate to you losing lures? Just curious.

Treble hooks suck almost as bad as yellowjackets.

 

[pressfit]

You will loose more lures with mono.. at least with the braid.. you can tie your yak to the tree your hung in with it while you winch the log off the bottom to get your lure out.. then untie the yak, crank it back on the reel and continue fishing as nothing happened..

 

[Daniel n]

Don't give up on the 6'6. I kayak fish quite a bit. It really helps when your are fighting a bigger fish and it goes back and forth on you. Setting the hook is a little different. If I'm fishing a worm or jig, something that needs to set by jerking up, I try to stay squared up. That way I can get a solid hook set.
Try a fluoro leader with a uni knot on the end of braid. It's really sensitive and once you get use to it you will never go back.

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

 

[Pinwheeled]

I feel weird fishing with anything under 7' even out of my kayak... different strokes I guess


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[WTM]

when i was looking at buying a kayak it was a wide bottom model made for fishing that you could stand up to fish.

using the wrong knot with braid will cause it to slip. braid will break usually at the knot, especially with crankbaits without a leader and a beefy fast tip rod. the whipping action of the cast and a drag set too tight will weaken the knot. popping the rod tip to get unhung with a stiff rod will weaken the knot. rubbing braid against rocks will weaken the line as why most people will use a flouro leader if fishing rocks. if you are casting finesse baits like worms in weeds or deep water jigging braid works, shallow water mono rules. its always a good idea to check braid for wear and retie a couple of times per outing.

no comment on the treble hook in the dang a lang, too painful to think about lol.

 

[moondawg]

Man has started fishing out of a kayak this year.
He said he can't get used to setting the hook while sitting that low to the water.
I can see where the end of the rod might get in the way but I love the longer rods.

How does braid equate to you losing lures? Just curious.

Treble hooks suck almost as bad as yellowjackets.

Forgot to mention: I can find just about any stump, branch or tree underwater, without even trying. Seems I got hung up yesterday...a LOT. :roll: To the point I couldn't retrieve the lure. So...I have to cut the line, as much as I hate to do it.

Maybe it's the combination of the extra long rod (which I'm not used to) and the braid (which I'm also not used to using). I went back out yesterday evening with my 5'6 trout/panfish rig, and felt like a pro. I do a lot of one handed casts, and it was hard to do with the 6'6 medium rod. I exchanged the 6'6 medium for a 6' medium light, I'll test that out this weekend.

 

[moondawg]

Don't give up on the 6'6. I kayak fish quite a bit. It really helps when your are fighting a bigger fish and it goes back and forth on you. Setting the hook is a little different. If I'm fishing a worm or jig, something that needs to set by jerking up, I try to stay squared up. That way I can get a solid hook set.
Try a fluoro leader with a uni knot on the end of braid. It's really sensitive and once you get use to it you will never go back.

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

Too late...already took it back. But...I found a similar one (Berkley Lightning Rod Shock) that is a medium light, which is good for the type of fishing I do. It also has a shorter butt, and might be easier to handle.

I had a flouro leader on the end of the braid. That was what my uncle recommended when I was preparing for a saltwater inshore fishing trip.

I might try that 6'6 medium light rod and braided line, and see how that works.
It also might help if I don't stay up all night and then get up at the crack of dawn with no caffeine/breakfast...which is what I did. That might have had something to do with it as well. :lol:

 

[moondawg]

You will loose more lures with mono.. at least with the braid.. you can tie your yak to the tree your hung in with it while you winch the log off the bottom to get your lure out.. then untie the yak, crank it back on the reel and continue fishing as nothing happened..

Good point. I will have to try that. I will get a rope for that purpose.

 

[moondawg]

when i was looking at buying a kayak it was a wide bottom model made for fishing that you could stand up to fish.

I am considering getting another kayak, a wider model for fishing.

 

[BackwoodsBoy]

I feel weird fishing with anything under 7' even out of my kayak... different strokes I guess


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Agree with that, I fish almost exclusively with a 7' spinning combo out of my yak

 

[moondawg]

I feel weird fishing with anything under 7' even out of my kayak... different strokes I guess


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Agree with that, I fish almost exclusively with a 7' spinning combo out of my yak

What are you fishing for with the 7' rod? Bass? Are you fishing deep water and heavier lures? I'll admit it's been a few years since I've even used a 6' rod, let alone a 7'. I actually have one that my dad was giving away. It's a medium heavy spinning rod rated for lures 1/4-5-8 oz and 6-17 # line. I might try it out sometime.

I mainly use a lighter setup (5'6 rod) to include crappie and bream, as well as bass. I figure all fish might hit the smaller lures, but only the big ones will hit the bigger lures. I'm also not fishing very deep, I'm just fishing along the bank.

 

[moondawg]

I feel weird fishing with anything under 7' even out of my kayak... different strokes I guess


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

What are you fishing for with the 7' rod? Bass? Are you fishing deep water and heavier lures? I'll admit it's been a few years since I've even used a 6' rod, let alone a 7'. I actually have one that my dad was giving away. It's a medium heavy spinning rod rated for lures 1/4-5-8 oz and 6-17 # line. I might try it out sometime.

I mainly use a lighter setup (5'6 rod) to include crappie and bream, as well as bass. I figure all fish might hit the smaller lures, but only the big ones will hit the bigger lures. I'm also not fishing very deep, I'm just fishing along the bank.

 

[MickThompson]

I use 2 primary rods for creek/canoe fishing. A m weight x-fast 6'6" spinning rod for small jigs and plastics and a
m weight mod-fast 6'8" spinning rod for moving baits. Both are spooled with braid and either a fluoro or mono leader. The leader will break before the braid every time because mono isn't as abrasion resistant in my opinion. I also like a leader because it's usually easier to tie a knot and trim up the tag with mono vs braid, and because I think the transparent line is harder for fish to see. I still have the same braid on one reel that I put on 8 years ago.

The long, stiff rods and braid definitely make a difference on hooksets when you are in less than ideal body stances or long casts. The braid doesn't have memory like mono either, so tangles are nearly eliminated.

What pound test braid are you using? I usually go with 10-15 pound test- that's usually 2 pound mono diameter. It casts like a rocket, especially with a 2-handed cast using the longer rod butt.

I think if you learn to take advantage of a longer rod and braid vs trying to fish it like an ultralight, you'll catch more fish because you'll be a more versatile fisherman.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[moondawg]

I use 2 primary rods for creek/canoe fishing. A m weight x-fast 6'6" spinning rod for small jigs and plastics and a
m weight mod-fast 6'8" spinning rod for moving baits. Both are spooled with braid and either a fluoro or mono leader. The leader will break before the braid every time because mono isn't as abrasion resistant in my opinion. I also like a leader because it's usually easier to tie a knot and trim up the tag with mono vs braid, and because I think the transparent line is harder for fish to see. I still have the same braid on one reel that I put on 8 years ago.

The long, stiff rods and braid definitely make a difference on hooksets when you are in less than ideal body stances or long casts. The braid doesn't have memory like mono either, so tangles are nearly eliminated.

What pound test braid are you using? I usually go with 10-15 pound test- that's usually 2 pound mono diameter. It casts like a rocket, especially with a 2-handed cast using the longer rod butt.

I think if you learn to take advantage of a longer rod and braid vs trying to fish it like an ultralight, you'll catch more fish because you'll be a more versatile fisherman.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Interesting. Now you've given me something to think about. This makes a lot of sense, and I kinda know this, but...old habits die hard. I can be somewhat resistant to change, and this changes a lot for me.

I am using Power Pro in 20 pound test, which is 6 pound diameter. And I had a 20 lb mono leader.
That's what my uncle recommended for an inshore saltwater trip, which didn't happen. So I just kept it on there, thinking I might use it someday. I changed the 20 lb leader to a 6 lb leader before I went yak fishing. Perhaps I need to back down to a lighter line in both braid and mono, and get the Medium 6'6 rod that I returned to Bass Pro.