GoneFishin! Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Hey everyone, Over the last 6 months or so I have gotten back into fishing (after a battle with a big GT and devastating loss just before I landed it in Fiji.. but that's another story!). I've been jumping at every opportunity to get out and try to perfect the art of fishing and become one of the 20% catching 80% of the fish, needless to say I'm still a long way off from that (I'm going to blame it on the winter weather!). I currently do all of my fishing land based and as I live in Brighton-Le-Sands, most of it is done around Botany Bay. I've always wanted a boat to get out on the water but this is not an option at the moment, so I thought I would try fishing from a kayak. This seemed like the best option as it's a lot cheaper than a boat and I can store it easier not to mention that the bay seems to me, like a perfect spot for fishing in a kayak. Now what I'm going to say will probably cop a lot of negative comments but I have my reasons for doing this so please don't focus too much on "why I should have gone for something better"! I got my first kayak from online shop.... For the grand total of $425! Brand new with a paddle and "luxury" seat. I understand that this is about a quarter of the price for a decent yak and I know it's not going to be as good as one of the recognised brands out there but as it's my first one and I may get out there and hate it. I thought I would have a go without investing too much money in it at first. I've read up on the usual tips like attach everything to the yak with some sort of lanyard so if I roll or drop something it's not lost, and I will also invest in a PFD, but I thought I'd see if there is any advice from the guys who have been doing this for a while and also if there are any good launch points and fishing spots in Botany Bay that I can try when me and a firend paddle out for the first time next week. I've put up a few pics of the model I bought - I look forward to reading your comments! Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
user1829 Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Hey everyone, Over the last 6 months or so I have gotten back into fishing (after a battle with a big GT and devastating loss just before I landed it in Fiji.. but that's another story!). I've been jumping at every opportunity to get out and try to perfect the art of fishing and become one of the 20% catching 80% of the fish, needless to say I'm still a long way off from that (I'm going to blame it on the winter weather!). I currently do all of my fishing land based and as I live in Brighton-Le-Sands, most of it is done around Botany Bay. I've always wanted a boat to get out on the water but this is not an option at the moment, so I thought I would try fishing from a kayak. This seemed like the best option as it's a lot cheaper than a boat and I can store it easier not to mention that the bay seems to me, like a perfect spot for fishing in a kayak. Now what I'm going to say will probably cop a lot of negative comments but I have my reasons for doing this so please don't focus too much on "why I should have gone for something better"! I got my first kayak from online shop.... For the grand total of $425! Brand new with a paddle and "luxury" seat. I understand that this is about a quarter of the price for a decent yak and I know it's not going to be as good as one of the recognised brands out there but as it's my first one and I may get out there and hate it. I thought I would have a go without investing too much money in it at first. I've read up on the usual tips like attach everything to the yak with some sort of lanyard so if I roll or drop something it's not lost, and I will also invest in a PFD, but I thought I'd see if there is any advice from the guys who have been doing this for a while and also if there are any good launch points and fishing spots in Botany Bay that I can try when me and a firend paddle out for the first time next week. I've put up a few pics of the model I bought - I look forward to reading your comments! Cheers welcome mate, that 'yak looks great for the price! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoneFishin! Posted August 16, 2012 Author Share Posted August 16, 2012 welcome mate, that 'yak looks great for the price! Thanks! I'm hoping it goes well on it's maiden voyage and not leave me stranded! Hopefully I'll have good news to report back next week and not that I got out into the middle of the bay and started taking in water faster than I could paddle back! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjc123 Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Lovely yak mate! Looks a lot better than $450 so you've done well to find it! If you discover that paddling isn't your thing then you might want to look at a pedal yak next time your on the market. Most of them are much more expensive but still a fraction of the cost of a boat! Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nautica Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 What site did you get it from if you do not mind me asking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoneFishin! Posted August 16, 2012 Author Share Posted August 16, 2012 What site did you get it from if you do not mind me asking. Hey nautica, I got it from online shop - there's lots of different cheap kayaks on there and this just looked like the best deal for what I was after.. I've seen a few others that look pretty much the same as the one I got but there's a lot to choose from, although as with everything on online shop, it's difficult to know if the sellers are reliable or not and if you really are getting a good deal. Mine was advertised as $1,299 RRP with $300 of extras but I highly doubt they ever get sold for anywhere near that amount although they were working out of a real warehouse with a show room and offered a 5 year warranty so hopefully it's not too bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arpie Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 (edited) ....I've read up on the usual tips like attach everything to the yak with some sort of lanyard so if I roll or drop something it's not lost, and I will also invest in a PFD,..... YEP!! Both of those things are essential - by law, you require the PFD tho! Try & meet up with other yak fishos - introduce yourself to anyone that you see - ask if you can go along with them. There is nothing that will beat 'experience' - both your own & others around you! If in trouble, others can help save your life (and your belongings!) Yours is a relatively small yak, so isn't really designed for rough offshore conditions - and it CAN cut up pretty rough, pretty quickly! It'd be fine for glassy conditions. I've been offshore a few times in mine up at SWR off the Gaol and Long Reef, also off One Mile at Forster - my yak is the same size as yours - and it 'bounces' from wave to wave, rather than slicing thru them as the longer yaks do. Be prepared for a bouncy, wet ride! If you get sea sick, you will surely learn about it out there! For your first few outings, I would suggest that you go inshore, in an estuary somewhere, get used to the handling of the yak. Even go out with NO gear, deliberately fall off & pull yourself back on again - just so that you know you CAN do it, if you have to, under more stressful conditions! Test out how far you can Lean to the left & right to feel, otherwise, when pulling in a rampaging Kingie or snapper ....... lean too far & whoopsie daisy - you turn upside down in a flash! Trust me - it is NOT FUN! Tether EVERYTHING that you don't want to lose! Never leave your hatch open when offshore. Make sure you don't leave any old bait 'on board' after returning from an outing - a week later, you won't be able to get near it, from the smell!! You'll get thousands of hours of fun fishing out of that yak - just stay safe! If in doubt, don't go out!! There is always another day you can do it! Roberta Get a Paddle Leash (like a surfboard leash) - that is essential. If you drop your paddle, you are stuffed. Put 'downpipe' conduit in the front & rear rod holders - or your rods will pull out asap! Cut a nick in the side, to allow the reel seat to sit snugly, facing forward. Also Make strong tethers for your rods, using clips from yak to reel seat. Edited August 16, 2012 by Roberta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helliconia Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 If you're looking for a spot around botany bay to launch try the boat ramp at Kyeemagh. It gets busy on the weekends but it's fairly cheltered in the Cooks River and has plenty of easy access for loading and unloading. If you're going to practice rolling it - don't swallow the Cooks River water! You'll probably grow gills and a third eye Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bharris Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Been looking At they for a while Sent from my GT-I9100T using Tapatalk 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoneFishin! Posted August 16, 2012 Author Share Posted August 16, 2012 ....I've read up on the usual tips like attach everything to the yak with some sort of lanyard so if I roll or drop something it's not lost, and I will also invest in a PFD,..... YEP!! Both of those things are essential - by law, you require the PFD tho! Try & meet up with other yak fishos - introduce yourself to anyone that you see - ask if you can go along with them. There is nothing that will beat 'experience' - both your own & others around you! If in trouble, others can help save your life (and your belongings!) Yours is a relatively small yak, so isn't really designed for rough offshore conditions - and it CAN cut up pretty rough, pretty quickly! It'd be fine for glassy conditions. I've been offshore a few times in mine up at SWR off the Gaol and Long Reef, also off One Mile at Forster - my yak is the same size as yours - and it 'bounces' from wave to wave, rather than slicing thru them as the longer yaks do. Be prepared for a bouncy, wet ride! If you get sea sick, you will surely learn about it out there! For your first few outings, I would suggest that you go inshore, in an estuary somewhere, get used to the handling of the yak. Even go out with NO gear, deliberately fall off & pull yourself back on again - just so that you know you CAN do it, if you have to, under more stressful conditions! Test out how far you can Lean to the left & right to feel, otherwise, when pulling in a rampaging Kingie or snapper ....... lean too far & whoopsie daisy - you turn upside down in a flash! Trust me - it is NOT FUN! Tether EVERYTHING that you don't want to lose! Never leave your hatch open when offshore. Make sure you don't leave any old bait 'on board' after returning from an outing - a week later, you won't be able to get near it, from the smell!! You'll get thousands of hours of fun fishing out of that yak - just stay safe! If in doubt, don't go out!! There is always another day you can do it! Roberta Get a Paddle Leash (like a surfboard leash) - that is essential. If you drop your paddle, you are stuffed. Put 'downpipe' conduit in the front & rear rod holders - or your rods will pull out asap! Cut a nick in the side, to allow the reel seat to sit snugly, facing forward. Also Make strong tethers for your rods, using clips from yak to reel seat. Thanks Roberta, - that's the sort of info I was looking for! I will definintely take it out and find out it's limits so I don't take an unexpected swim! That's a great idea about the conduit rod holders, I don't want to loose anything over the side, especially the rods! Botany Bay looks pretty flat most of the time and takes quite a bit of wind to make it choppy but I suppose the effects will be magnified when I'm out in a little kayak. Thanks for your advice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoneFishin! Posted August 16, 2012 Author Share Posted August 16, 2012 If you're looking for a spot around botany bay to launch try the boat ramp at Kyeemagh. It gets busy on the weekends but it's fairly cheltered in the Cooks River and has plenty of easy access for loading and unloading. If you're going to practice rolling it - don't swallow the Cooks River water! You'll probably grow gills and a third eye Yeah I fish off the rocks and around the bridge there and see a lot of people coming and going from there, so thought that might be the place to go and it is protected there so probably a good place to start. Hopefully it's not too hard paddling back in after a long day fishing if the tides strong going out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoneFishin! Posted August 17, 2012 Author Share Posted August 17, 2012 Nice work with the modifications! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoneFishin! Posted August 17, 2012 Author Share Posted August 17, 2012 Yeah I think that's what tipped me over the edge when making the decision to buy a yak - summers coming!!! Well eventually haha I was looking at how people have been builipding livid tanks and I thought that might make the yak a little unstable by lifting the centre of gravity up if it's a decent sized tank.. But I guess people are doing it so it can't be too bad! Never caught a jewie before, still trying to refine my fishing so I can start catching decent fish - I'm hoping the yak helps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoneFishin! Posted August 23, 2012 Author Share Posted August 23, 2012 ahahaha Probably way too late but I just realised that the forum changed e Bay to "online shop" every time I wrote it! So for all of you people out there asking where I got it from it was e Bay!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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