Balmoral 14/4 In The Yak

[southerly]

Headed out early this morning to the outer moorings at Balmoral to drift squid stips with a big squid I caught last night and a small one caught this mroning. I also had a LB go for squid at the spit in the dark on the way out for zip.

Heaps of pickers, not a good sign. Managed one Samson, it was very yellow in colour for a samson. It threw up a small striped trumpeter in the boat.

There were a few big boils against one of the bouys but I could not raise anything. Maybe some more Samson's coming up? The big bait schools sadly seem long gone and there was no surface action.

Here is a pic of my yak as requested a few posts ago. Finally had the camera down by the water.

PS: There are a few yaks operating out of Balmoral at the moment please take care in the area especially in the dark, we all have lights but they are not very strong. Will add a Scotty stick light to the yak once I find a supplier.

See you on the water.

Southerly

[CR@ZY OS@M@]

i saw a yak early of a morning last week inside middle harbour along side another yak with a female in it.

was it you.

good work on the samson

[southerly]

Hi Crazy John,

Nup, wasn't me, there are a few well rigged yaks and hobies getting about.

Cheers,

Southerly

[Clarkie]

PS: Will add a Scotty stick light to the yak once I find a supplier.

Nice one.

I've just added a light to my sik. I was looking at a few of the options, but eventually just went with the $25 version from Bios. It's a fixed base with the removable tube. Has a rubber seal for when it's not is use.

How do you find the harbour in the sik? I'm yet to take mine there yet. Too worried I'll tip her over and not be able to get back in. Does yours have flotation in it?

Cheers, Steve.

[southerly]

Nice one.

I've just added a light to my sik. I was looking at a few of the options, but eventually just went with the $25 version from Bios. It's a fixed base with the removable tube. Has a rubber seal for when it's not is use.

How do you find the harbour in the sik? I'm yet to take mine there yet. Too worried I'll tip her over and not be able to get back in. Does yours have flotation in it?

Cheers, Steve.

Hi Steve,

Thanks for the tip on the light stick, I will check them out. How many hours do you get out of a set of batteries?

As to the sik on the harbour, it depends where & when you go. I fish early morning when the traffic is less. Big bow waves give me the most grief as they are short and steep especially from the big motor yatchts, I have taken a bit of water over the back from them but nothing that would cause a capsize. Suspect a lot of chop would cause problems but sik's and wind don't mix so I fish from the shore if the wind is up too hard.

I do have built in floatation but rolling over would present a major problem as the easiest recovery in anything but dead flat conditions is to swim it to shore. And while my rods are tied in to the yak the damage bill on tackle would be big so I try to avoid capsizes.

When I first got my yak I took it surfing on a very small day (stripped of all kit of course), it was great to build confidence as to how it handles. Like all boats (including ocean liners) it is very hard to sink if you try to do it deliberately and frighteningly easy if you are not trying to.

Southerly

[Clarkie]

How many hours do you get out of a set of batteries?

I've got a sounder on mine as well, so battery life isn't an issue. I've got a 7amp 12 volt in a sealed lunch box. Longest I've been on the water with sounder only is about 6 hours, and still had plenty of juice left. The light doesn't draw much, so you could get away with something smaller. Checkout dicksmith or jaycar.

Another option a few of the sot guys are using is a led torch from dick smith. Stick it in the end of a piece of poly pipe. That'll then fit into a rod holder or something similar. The led's drain bugger all current so will last quite a few trips out.

I learnt the hard (expensive way) to always leash gear. I've been meaning to strip mine down and take it for a surf, practice session, but the fishing always takes over.

Might see you at Balmoral one day.

Cheers, Steve.

[gone_wishin]

i saw a yak early of a morning last week inside middle harbour along side another yak with a female in it.

was it you.

good work on the samson

I work with Sourtherly and trust me no self respecting female would be seen in public with him

Good catch and gee your'e giving the yak a workout!

[southerly]

Hi Steve,

I have been wondering about a sounder, how have you mounted the transducer? And how useful do you find it?

I always have this philasophical debate with myself between the whole idea of a yak as being a quick fish and travelling light versus having it all tricked up for fishing.

Southerly

[sunny]

hey crazy tom ~!

yeh the samsons must be hanging around balmorl cause i got one on a livi over ther~! had a live yellowtial~(nice small one) and starteed reelin in it and had a samson (nice size) exactly like urs(same color and evrythin)~@!@ i hadnt got a samson since a good year back~!!! man also there are heaps of garfish hangin roun dthere these days~@ im gonna go with my garfish setup and getsome~! there are heaps of them~!!! hehehehe

[CR@ZY OS@M@]

Hi Crazy John,

Nup, wasn't me, there are a few well rigged yaks and hobies getting about.

Cheers,

Southerly

no worries mate,cheers

[arpie]

Hey Steve

Good idea with the LED light & poly pipe. I have been thinking about putting one on my yak for when i go out at night (haven't done it yet!)

Well done southerly on getting out at Balmoral! There should be some squid around the pool there, too & kingies in amongst the moored boats. Plenty of room for your stuff in the double kayak!

Cheers

Roberta

[southerly]

Well done southerly on getting out at Balmoral! There should be some squid around the pool there, too & kingies in amongst the moored boats. Plenty of room for your stuff in the double kayak!

Roberta

Hi Roberta,

The squid around the pool have been a little quiet for me the last couple of weeks, I usually get a couple. I got a few kings a month ago in the morings but the last 2 trips have been very quiet at Balmoral, all that great bait seems to have moved on. Waiting for the next lot to arrive. There was mention above about garfish so if they school up big it could be very worthwhile to cast some stick baits about.

Considering heading out to quarantine this weekend for a jig in amongst the car (boat) park and to see how the yak goes in more open water. Not sure if fish are still holding there?

Southerly

[Clarkie]

How have you mounted the transducer? And how useful do you find it?

I've just attached it to my rudder, but most people just glue it using sicaflex or sellys allclear to the inside of their yak. Just pick a spot where it isn't going to get bumped. I went without for about 2 years, but now I have one I wouldn't go back. So handy for finding structure and depths. I tend to troll a bit, so they're handy for getting the lure depth right.

I always have this philasophical debate with myself between the whole idea of a yak as being a quick fish and travelling light versus having it all tricked up for fishing.

Know what you mean about travelling light. I started out that way, then started to carry more and more junk. But now I have the sounder and rod holders sorted out, I'm now reducing the amount of crap I take, and it's so much easier. This is what I've done for the sounder/rod holder mount.

This is the light I've used. Pretty basic, and easy to install. Just attached to the deck behind me. The pole can be removed which is handy, and it comes with a little rubber cap to cover the hole. Also thinking of upgrading the bulb to this led version. Much brighter and a lower current draw.

Both from Whitworths, but probably available elsewhere.

Edited April 18, 2007 by Clarkie

[southerly]

Hey Clarkie,

Thanks for the detail, greatly appreciated.

Southerly

[huntman]

Considering heading out to quarantine this weekend for a jig in amongst the car (boat) park and to see how the yak goes in more open water. Not sure if fish are still holding there?

Southerly

It's been very hit and miss, with a lot more miss than hit. You might be lucky though

[southerly]

Thanks Huntman,

Appreciated.

Southerly

[rare1]

Nice Samson, how long was it?

Guys for ideas on your yak setup and organising yak specific trips check out www.akff.net I found it very usefull and good reports etc. I have my sounder in a plastic cup with the bottom removed then siliconed to the hull and water filled, works great - I could pick out the ball sinker and squid head with fish rising up to it the other day! Pitty they were jackets! Might see you out at Balmoral sometime in my sot.

Cheers

Peter

Edited April 18, 2007 by rare1