Kayak question

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Originally Posted by j. gravy

When I come down with my 12' Malibu Stealth I usually end up fishing alone and have had no problems. If your 10' kayak is stable and you feel safe in it I'd give it a go, but I might just rent a 12'-14' yak once I got into town if I were you. Mostly for safety but in big water you will work much harder paddling than if you were in a 14' boat. I will post my usual routine, that has always worked for me, not always from a catching standpoint but from a safety perspective.

This is a typical summer/fall trip in the GS/OB for me. I wake up before sunrise and slide open the door looking out at the gulf. Before I even turn on the television to watch the news/weather I listen to the surf because it is obviously still dark. If I can clearly and loudly hear the surf I will shut the door and go back to bed. I generally only go out in the morning because although there have been so many calm afternoons I wish I were fishing, I know if there is only a 10% chance of rain/storms I can tell you who those storms will form over. If you get caught just a few hundred yards from the shore when a storm blows up, that will be the longest paddle of your life (that is if you are lucky enough to paddle the entire way). If seas are calm, launch your kayak and head out past the second bar. I pack lightly. Two rods, one for trolling for kings or whatever might hit a fresh frozen cigar minnow and a smaller rod with a looney jig or something of the like for casting into bait balls or just casting a bit in hopes of picking up a spanny mack while not trolling. I carry one plastic box (nothing with zippers) with some extra terminal tackle and a few more jigs or lures. Everything else I need is on or in my pfd like a divers knife, whistle, etc. When you get your rig set up, get your bait out from your yak about 60-80 feet and start zig-zagging parallel with the coastline. This will allow you to cover varying depths. It increases the amount you paddle and others might think it is silly or a waste of time, but it's always worked for me so I'll keep doing that until the well runs dry. When you feel you've had enough or hopefully caught your limit, paddle back to your put-in location. Dragging a kayak in the sand because you missed your spot, well.....sucks. Keep a good eye on your location and how far you've paddled. It seems strange but all those condos start looking the same from the water. It's easy to get confused. Remember to paddle your way back through the surf. Don't try to just ride the wave in, you'll find yourself and your gear in the water right at the shore.

I hope this helps and please ask more questions. If I can't help you out, there will be someone with WAY more experience than me coming along to offer advice. It's a great feeling to be paddling a kayak out in the gulf and fish or no fish you will enjoy the hell out of it. Just be safe and thoughtful about your adventure and it will be a super day.

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I have the 14ft Stealth but the 12ft is still a good kayak for going just off the beach. My 14ft put me on some great fish last year over here in Pensacola and can't wait for the warmer months and snapper season to do it again and hopefully bigger this year.

If you don't bring the 'yak, fish the pier, June can be one of the best months.

CarlF. If I fish the pier what the best size spinning reel. What length rod. And what pound test line. And either mono or braid. Never fished a pier before so I need a little knowledge of what to bring with me. And I will have my Alabama license. Is there any other license or permit I will need.

FWIW Surfman, if you just want to catch fish and aren't too picky, you may just want to stay in the surf. I've been coming down for several years in early Sep, and surf fishing directly in front of the condo in OB...using just pink shrimp fishbites on regular freshwater gear (size 4 Kahle hooks on 8 lb line with a 9' long crappie jigging rod), I've caught all the whiting, ground mullet, ladyfish, hardheads, I could want, usually in the couple of hours just after dawn and just before sunset. Throw in the occasional pomp and flounder, too. I usually put them all back, but this year I think I'll keep a few and try 'em in the pan. Good luck to you whatever you do!!

For Spanish macs, bluefish, slot reds, whiting, pompano, etc..., you'll need a 6-7' medium action spinning outfit with 8-10# line.
Jigs, bubble rigs, gotchas, small hard baits, etc...
For kings, a 7-8' MH spinning rig that can hold 250 yards of 15# mono., small black swivels, wire leaders and #4 or #2 2x trebles.

I only use mono. Don't care for braid. If you use braid, use brightly colored stuff so other people can see it.

Either way, surf or pier, you will need a saltwater license.

Lots of other information on here, does some searching and reading.

Thanks CarlF. Lots of good info. And I've been reading a little bit along. And Snakeeater, I was down 2 years ago and caught nothing but hardheads. And still had a good time. Till one put a fin between my thumb and pointer finger. And I just ripped it out. And let me tell ya the next day was horrible. That's when I started using pliers. This year I'm gonna throw more plugs try to avoid the hardheads. Thanks for the info. Nice to have a place to ask questions and do a little research.

Sometimes you just can't avoid the hardheads. I was fishing in Little Lagoon last summer and it was good until after midnight and then they moved in. Live shrimp or bull minnow on the bottom, under a float or retrieved slowly on a jig they had me covered. I find the fresher your bait in the surf the better your chance is to avoid them and the stingrays. Try not to use old or frozen shrimp or squid, Fresh dead shrimp and fishbites do much better for me. I usually buy live shrimp and cut them up as I need them. You can go to the seafood markets and buy small fresh shrimp as well. Good luck

I'd rent a sea worthy yak and go out in less than 1.5 ft seas. It's a blast going a few hundred yards out and drifting a cig. Last year I caught kings, spanish, bobos, cobia and hooked two sails within a mile of the beach. Just know your limits and err on the side of caution, but it's hard to beat landing a king in a yak. Also, one big advantage of yak fishing for kings is that you can be a little more flexible in how deep you fish. I fished pcola a lot this year and I would read reports where they caught just a handful of kings on a day where I had caught 4-5 by myself within sight of the pier. I would often be a couple hundred yards out in front. I generally cruise in a Z pattern until I dial in a depth where they seem to be and then hang out there. Post on the forums when you plan to go, during the summer you can almost always find someone to go with. I fished a lot last year with guys who were down on vacation. We'd meet up and head out in groups of up to 4 for safety.