yakfishing

Mate its my dream to catch a king from a yak but with a stuffed back at the moment Im not game. I usually creep around Narrabeen lake and chase estuary fish, its much more physically managable. Not much I could tell you about paddle yak fishing tho, I chose the easy (and sane ) option and bought a hobie! (sorry paddlers, I do admire your determination)

My advise, DO NOT cheap out! it will end up costing more, because you will soon realise just how shit it is, throw it out, then pay again for the real stuff. I bought cheap line once, wasnt braid, just a spool of 6ib fluro, used it once and am now cursing the name surecatch for eternity. NEVER EVER AGAIN!!! Not worth potentially loosing a nice fish, not to mention all the bloody wind knots youll get with that crap.

Mate my lower back is rooted and I can last 3 hours and if the fishings hot, even longer. Yeah after that long I'm pretty sore, but most people would be fine. When the fishings good I can be tired, sore, hungry, thirsty and in dire need to fertilize the bushes but I won't notice a thing till I call it quits. But to answer your question they are more comfy than they look. They have good back support and you can always throw some more padding under your arse but even I don't need to most of the time.

I hear you mate, theres nothin like seeing the dark shape of big lizard emerge from the murky depths. Im still trying for something like those beasts tho, and a metre is just a pipe dream. Well done mate

Uni's good, strong, reliable and easy to tie

Hobie is the only one to make the pedals that drive flippers, tho I think some other companies are attempting pedals that drive a propeller, but I havent heard much of them. The advantage of a hobie is that it is an actual fishing yak, so there are plenty of flush surfaces for mounting downriggers, sounders and rod holders etc. They have 4 molded rod holders in the body of the yak, which can be useful depending on your style of fishing, but many people decide to mount scottys etc. I have a couple of quick release holders that slot into the front molded ones and a white 5 barrel mortar looking thing I made that slots into the back holders to keep the reels out of the spray (you can see in my avatar). A lot of guys have run-of-the-mill yaks they have converted to fishers and, I dont know how, but they manage to bolt everything but the kitchen sink onto them. Where theres a will theres a way, but it would be so much easier on a hobie. Just another note, I mentioned spray on the yak. It can get very wet sometimes and this can take a toll on your reels, so a good clean after trips and regular maintenance will see you through. For extra precautions especially for accidental dunkings (it happens), its worth getting something with a sealed drag. Dont take your nauseatingly expensive reels, get something that will do the job but will not make you want to kill yourself if you tip and loose it (it happens)

The best sp is the one that has a flathead attached to it, theres not one that will kill everywhere / everytime unfortunately, but a lot of the time I find the flattys arent that fussy and will gobble down anything that moves. Congrats mate. Next stop - Croc town!

Im a huge advocate of the hobies with the pedal mirage drive. I love having my hands free and be able to move at the same time and Im faster with the drive than the paddles. Also the stealth factor in the estuarys is great, no clanging paddles! (I do love paddling but not when fishing). I have a Hobie Outback, which would best suit a begining yak fisher as they are heaps wide for extra stabilty. Balancing is not easy when your not used to it and trying it with a fish on is even harder, not neccessarily from the physical factor but because your mind can wander from the balancing act in all the excitement. Eventually you do it automatically, and the only problem I have now is in chop where the balancing is more unpredictable. I have a terrible back, but it's no worse with the pedals or the paddles as long as you take it easy, the problem really is just sitting down for too long. But having a break every hour, even every 2 hrs, and having a stretch and a walk around really helps. I'd be very careful doing anything inshore, do plently of research before you try. I havent been game to try yet because my back can be really bad especially when Ive pushed it too hard, which you would have to do if the wind picks up. But if youre fit enough, and you pick the right time, conditions, location and you do a couple of trips with someone who has experience, then youre a lot safer. But learn your limits first in the estuarys. The other problem you could have with the back is transporting the thing. I had to get a trailer for my yak because getting it on and off the cars roofracks killed me. The things only 25 kilos, but it puts your back in an awkward position to get it up and down. Still tho, I wouldnt trade it for the world, I love the thing and theres nothing like catching a fish off a yak!

Thats the advantage of gulp, it is bait and plastic at the same time. But if you get desperate whitebait on a gang is the go but youve still gotta keep it moving. slow retrieve and some people throw in a few flicks

Bad luck mate. Electric downrigger maybe?? Probably not worth it getting dunked if you tip ay..

Only advice I can give you is cover large areas, youve gotta find the flattys they wont find you. Dont keep flicking to same spot, systematically cover all the areas you can cast to. Pick a spot on the water to the left and aim for it, then next a few degrees right, then a few degrees right for the next. Do this routine a couple of times with sharp flicks, then do the same again with another style (maybe slow retrieves and more subtle rod raises). If theres no luck there, move yourself further up and repeat. Still no luck change the lure pattern, colour or weight and keep at it, you will get there eventually and your casting will be so good you can hit a poddy mullet on the nose from 20m

Thats not a bream, thats a horse! Well done mate

good job from a noo mate. nice looking craft, what is she?

cheap fishing line. Never again Expensive gear and no money People who can afford expensive gear then don't use it!!! Too many lures to choose from Hooks.... When they are imbedded in your leg The aforementioned gulp packets Wind knots and unexplained tangles Explained tangles Watching fish ignore your offerings And worst of all - a lost fish due to faulty tackle

Gday Plastic Man, thanks for the info Yeah the longtoms are a good little tussle, I was spewing when he got away I wanted a good look at him and I was already gutted from loosing a really nice bream about 10 mins before. Just one of those days.. . I get a lot of bream drifting the flats from pipeclay pt to deep ck, where I deliberately drift for the lack of weed. its impossible drifting the shallower parts where the weed is more prominent. I always figured I was catching them traveling from one side of the lake to the other, cuz there aint much out there. Ive been waiting for an excuse to try poppers too so I'll have to give that a go. What sort of retrieve do you use? Also, are snap swivels an option for lures or do they stuff up the action? Making things easy on the yak is always a good option, as Im sure you know, and being able to change lures in seconds would be very appealing. Cheers

Only just noticed this - I think you just answered a question Ive been scratching my head over for the past year. I had this strange looking bugger with a big beak on the end of my line at the mouth of deep creek. Made some good runs on 6ib circling all around the yak, then must have sawed thru the leader cuz I lost him. Ive been curious ever since, but a long tom fits the bill. Thanks mate!

Awesome info guys, I'm hanging to hit the lake again soon in my yak. I do a lot of drift baiting but Ive been wanting to do a lot more with the placcies. The only reason I dont is that Im not confident on getting bream on them. I can get the flatties fine on plastics, but with the bait I still think I have the best chance for a bream or a flatty (and it works quite well so its hard to get away from it). But youve definitely given me some inspiration with the plastics, and im in the perfect craft to creep around the shallows and flick around. Cheers

Haha good story. I thought about a shark for a second when he was on but whatever it was definitely had a chew on that rancid old prawn and I could only see a stinga doing that. it didnt seem like he just rubbed against it and jagged himself or anything cuz he was sitting on it when I struck. Come to think of it tho, what are port jackson sharks like on the end of the line and how fussy are they?

Went out to Clifto today for a social fish off the wharf with my brother and a mate. Got some shitty servo prawns, rigged up sat back for a nice relaxing afternoon beer. Next thing I feel something having a go at the prawn, I felt a bit of weight so gave a good solid strike and awoke a huge, sluggish, dopey monster who proceed to slowly but surely peel away my 12 pound out into deeper water. After about 4 minutes of this it's like he suddenly realises - shit I have a hook in me and takes off with a bit more bollocks. Not a blistering speed again, but just a constant pull at a consistent speed for the next 4 minutes. Not looking like stopping anytime soon and my spool starting to look pretty bare, I figure well that’s that then. But the bugger finally slows and I start trying to get some line back for the next 6 minutes and hardly getting anywhere as I’m also fighting a back and shoulder injury. Already Im starting to feel a bit achy, then the big fella says – *yawn* Ive had enough of this crap, strips some more line off at decent rate and pop goes the leader. Never thought I’d be kind of relieved feeling the slack on the end of the line, but spending hours trying to pull in what was most likely a big-arse stingray and stuffing up my back for the next week wasn’t that appealing anyway. Very quiet for the rest of the day tho a few guys pulled some nice trevs. I don’t blame any fish for not touching the shittiest prawns ive ever come across. I hate servo prawns and will buy fresh whenever possible. Had a good day anyways.

Good stuff mate those trevs are awesome fun and nice on the plate. Nice size flounder too.

If you can find a 2nd hand Hobie with the mirage drive system for that price you're laughing. Its not easy fishing with a paddle yak especially when wind comes into play, tho it is still possible and many do it, but mainly trolling. Good luck

Not if you come across swarms of choppers and toads

Jeez theyre chunky mothers. Very nice mate, that would have been a blast.

i lost a fair bit of blood before i left. its still all over my pants, shoes, rod and tacklebox. i was suprised how much was coming out and it wasnt looking like clotting any time soon and i didnt have anything to wrap it up with. still, very hard decision to leave as you can imagine. this is what it looked like this morning

Especially on 6Ib!