Kayak fishing, I started kayak fishing because surf fishing frustrated me, it still does but I love surf fishing. Kayak fishing grew when people asked when are you fishing can we join you, can you show us how to do it? I started guiding because of demand not because I wanted to. Now I have to say the guiding has it's own rewards, I meet a lot of people I wouldn't have met and I gain a lot of fishing partners. Some become friends and hardcore kayak fishermen.
That's it for how I got to do what I love and since the guiding is seasonal, the fall and winter is mine...
This weekend we fished Friday and Saturday night. Sunday it was to windy and not safe to go out. Friday night after work I met with 2 friends from Vermont that came down to fish. We left just after sunset and had loaded up with eels for bait. After dressing up, and it's an ordeal when the temperature falls in the fall, you need wetsuit, neoprene waders, fleece top, dry top, neoprene bots, gloves, hat or similar gear to stay safe, warm and dry.
Air temperature was 10 degrees below water temp (Fahrenheit) and it was a calm beautiful evening with 3/4 moon and not a soul around. We got to the honey hole and dropped the eel down. I use circle hook, 40lb fluoro leader, 50lb Sproo swivel and 3/4 oz rubber core sinker because the bottom is sand and not to much to get hung up in. Within 5 minutes all 3 of us had hooked into fish and just as fast, they spit the eel... water is a little cold and it turns off the fish, need to let them run with the eel for +30 seconds before tightening the drag.
An hour into the fishing my friend Rick hooks into a big fish, this would be the biggest fish of the night. I'm paddling next to him and my GPS is saying 3 knots against the tidal current. I see the line go slack, and hear... lost her.. Then the line starts moving again and the fish is pulling the kayak sideways. I see Rick lean into the fish, next thing I hear is Matt saying... he's over.. He’s in the water. I look over and I say, can't be I still see his cigar.. then I see the stern light come back up when he uprights the kayak. I ask if he's OK, and he say the paddle leash is wrapped around my leg.. I'm swimming in. The tide is ripping around the point and he's mowing 5 meters to the side for each meter gained toward land. I throw him the safety rope and pull him in and we look at the kayak and check him over.
Everything is fine, leader broke and he flipped backwards off the kayak. Because everything was leashed down and strapped down we continued fishing for another 4 hours. He had just a little water down the front because he swam the kayak in.
I ended up skunked (no fish) it was the same with Matt, but Rick picked up a nice striper.
Sunday we decided to go out and get the sunset fishing in the harbor and then try some eels under the bridges after dark. Another friend joined us, Don and we chased rats/schoolies (small juvenile stripers 1 to 2 years old) until the sunset. Tide is still going in and we sneak up on the bridge and drop an eel down while drifting under the bridge, first 2 drifts, nothing. I can see big fish on the screen but no bite. third drift Don is ahead of me but the tide is swirling his kayak under the bridge so I pull up and start the drift over, as I let the eel down I feel the little "tap tap" and I wait for the striper to inhale the eel.. Clicker is on and here we go, she's pulling line like it's no tomorrow. I apply drag slow, and here is where circle hooks is the advantage. I'm sitting in the kayak and my head is brushing the steel beams of the bridge and no way you can lift the rod and set the hook. Fish On, I'm on a sleigh ride, once around in a circle, then back under the bridge again. I see her in the water ahead of me, nice size fish. Now, Don say fish on and I see the 2 lines and I think... tangle. I shorten up the drag and move my fish closer to the kayak. We missed each other and I can lift the rod and land the fish that was 39 inches on the nose. I released her and rest of the night we had some short fish.
Another beautiful fall night fishing was good and I didn’t have to work :). I hope there will time for a couple of more trips before the migration is over.
Nils