# Yak Fisherman



## titusg (May 28, 2002)

Whose out there: Roll Call?


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## titusg (May 28, 2002)

I'm In Richmond. Fish from my Cobra Naviagtor. Love the Salt and Like being near the shore. Inlets are great. Looking forward to finding the skinny Backwater the large boat can't handle. How about you?


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## Ruedy (Oct 10, 2000)

I'm in Norfolk. I fish. I kayak. Been fishin a lot longer than kayakin. Only just last summer put the two together in Albemarle Sound couple times. Caught flounder and speck. Most exciting part was the run-in my Kid had with one of them neat lookin sticks that turned out to have a white mouth! (While I was loading the truck back up....Kids don't listen!) Talk about exciting!.......Wish I had a picture!

Surprised me too. Didn't figure there to be Water Mocs in that area. Isn't Albemarle Sound basically salt water?

I use an Ocean Kayak Scrambler XT. Kid uses an OK Kea.


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## Va_yakfisherman (Feb 14, 2003)

Ok so we want to know where all the lurking yak fishermen are...Well I am one. I am in Va Beach and fish from a WS Pungo. I fly fish and conventional, Can't see limiting myself to one style, besides, isn't it the ultimate goal to catch the fish reguardless of what type rod you use! Anywho, those that want to get together and go fishing this season let me know. Greg I know you are all ready high on the list. Looking forward to catching drum and specks with you again this year. Tight Lines !


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## fishnkid (Sep 30, 2001)

Im up in vienna right now. I normally fish light tackle (max is 15 lb test). Kind of hoping for it to warm up so i can get back to fishing. A week ago i even tried freshwater because i was so desperate but guess what?! The lakes were frozen.


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## Drumcatcher (Feb 8, 2003)

Im in Chesapeake, but soon moving to Dam Neck, VB, I fish Lesner, Lynnhaven pier, and Sandbridge pier, occassionally fish CBBT and Harrison's pier


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## CTROUT (Oct 22, 2002)

Albemarle Sound = freshwater

Great largemouth bassin over most of the sound and all the tribs.


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## Ruedy (Oct 10, 2000)

Thanks CTROUT. Found that out the hard way I guess. We caught the flounder & Speck further up towards Oregon Inlet. Our launch point was the New Inlet boat ramp 'bout 5-7 miles south of OI. That's where we found that "stick" (or the stick found us).

Be careful folks!


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## Va_yakfisherman (Feb 14, 2003)

Ok guys,
Wanted to bring this back to the top for one last look. After everyone has chimmed in I will make a mailing list of all local yakfisherman and see about trying to set something up. Not sure what can be done but maybe a small local get together or maybe even a small local yak fishing tournement. Anyway, if there are anymore out there or any of you guys knowof anyone else, have them reveal themselves to us and I will see what I can do for something later on in the spring.
Kepp on yaking, keep on fishing...ahhh...YAKFISHING!!!!!!!


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## Ruedy (Oct 10, 2000)

Sounds good, Va_Yakfisherman.

Thanks for the effort!


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## chest2head&glassy (Jul 2, 2002)

Add me to the mailing list. I'm planning on trying this out this season. I need to do something else during the flat spells.


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## rockhead (Nov 6, 2002)

A little late but I yack too. I live at 59th st Va BCH, and do alot of yacking at sandbridge mostly spanish macks and blues in summer and an occasional striper blitz in the winter. I like my two seater. I hope to try some new places when the weather warms up.


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## Ruedy (Oct 10, 2000)

Hey Rockhead,

Where in Sandbridge do you launch from, park, etc.?

Can you launch from the beach north of Little Island pier?


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## Fshnt (May 28, 2002)

Been yak fishing for a couple years now. Nice change of pace. Started at the pound nets off of Cape Henry trout fishing and now have even caught cobes and nice sharks at Hatteras. Now that I have just moved across the street from the beach i will prob do it every free moment i get. Great way to get that bait WAY out there. A kayak fishing tournament would be great.
Daniel


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## Don Burke (Feb 28, 2003)

I've got an Old Town Loon 160T That I've been known to fish from.

I generally go for flounder. Puppy drum are about the most fun I have had.

Then again, I haven't hooked up with a striper off the kayak yet.


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## Ruedy (Oct 10, 2000)

Don,

Are you the fella I hear a lot on
"Catchin' with Cap'n Reese"?


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## rockhead (Nov 6, 2002)

hey Ruedy, I am fortunate to have a family cottage at sandbridge, on chub lane which is between tuna and rock lanes. I just drag it down to the beach and launch in the surf.
I know there are lots of beach access's along sandbridge especially near s-turns w/ onstreet parking s-turns is where the road s- turns north of the pier. I would just grab a parking spot near an access, unload the yak and drag it to the beach. As far as I know you can yak everywhere down there, you should be ok as long as you dont drag through someones yard. Its a great place to go fishyakin.


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## Don Burke (Feb 28, 2003)

Ruedy,

Yes, that's me. I've left the radio station and now work for an outfit called Sea Search of Virginia. I captain the boat and work with Reefballs. Maybe now I can do some weekend fishing.

Va_yakfisherman,

Please add me to your list. You might want to start a yahoogroup for this.


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## sandcasting (Jan 25, 2003)

i've done some paddling in the past, but only mixed in fishing while in a canoe. freshwater. but, the whole kayak fishing excursion sounds good to me, and i'd be willing to rent one. ecosports near sandbridge is renovating right now but should be open sometime in march, and lots of times they have coupons for cheap rentals. little island park might be a good spot to gather all the yakers if a tourney is in the future. has anyone tried a catyak? it is double hulled with canvas stretched across and a chair on top, sort of resembles a catamaran. anyway i'm in if theres a tourney. we could even try and get together some weekend for a comp with our feet in the sand. it would be a good way to meet some folks from the board and help raise a little money to keep it going. dubbloons for the winners of course.


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## Don Burke (Feb 28, 2003)

Oh, another thing.

I'm up for some tournaments when the water warms up a bit. The skinny water around here really got my attention and I'd like to try some more.

How about the James River? I hear horror stories about the area around Dutch Gap. Is it really that bad?


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## titusg (May 28, 2002)

Man this is quite a turn out. Nice to know all you guys are out there. Can't wait to do some Yak fishin. 
Dutch Gap was in the local news here in Richmond, cause the buzzard have taken over the parking lot. As to the water there, I fished it in a canoe it wasn't to bad. Even managed a slammer of sorts. Wanta yak it let me know.


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## Squishy (Jul 30, 2002)

I use an Old Town Otter. I put a skirt on it, with some shock cord, and some waterproof dacron I had. I wouldn't use it in white water, 'cause it's too wide, but it fits in the back of my pickup, and has the space for the fishing gear. I've used it in the Lost River, Cacapon, Shenandoah, & Potomac. I caught an 18" Bronzeback in it last fall near Point of Rocks, MD. I was gonna chuck it (the Bronzeback) in the cooler, using my battery powered "bubbles" to keep it alive and bring it back to my farm pond, but I had to release it, 'cause I had a rendevous with SWMBO (She Who Must Be Obeyed). I'll catch him again this Spring. How many boats do I have ? Must be one of 10, that I either own, or have an interest in. I use a bigger boat in saltwater. I have the "bigger water, bigger boat" philosophy...


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## titusg (May 28, 2002)

If salt water and sitting in your Yak don't get you heart pumping and your senses tuned up, than the man is either stupid or dead. Either way, we gotta get you out there in a little tiny boat.


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## poleant (Sep 26, 2002)

I went to Wild River Outfitters to look at the yaks and they have a good selection.Talking to the REP there,he said they will be having a field trip I guess you could say to Seashore State Park in May I believe.You get to test drive all the new models for free.He put me on the mailing list so as soon as I know the exact date I will post.


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## Ruedy (Oct 10, 2000)

Poleant,

I think it's the 3rd Saturday of May at Seashore State Park down 64th St. from the ocean front. Called "Kayak Demo Day" they'll probably have about 200 boats there to try out. Ya have to sign in (waiver, I think) then you can try all the boats you want.

The only hold up usually is standing in line for a paddle and life jacket. If you have your own bring them along and you won't have to wait for that equipment.


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## poleant (Sep 26, 2002)

Ruedy,yeh that sounds right.I'll be there.


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## Don Burke (Feb 28, 2003)

I went to one of those a couple of years ago and it was the reason I bought my kayak.

This time I'm going to take the fiance so she can play with some of the single boats.

If they are holding it in the same place, the 64th street entrance will get you there. That's the same entrance you use for the boat ramp.


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## sand flea (Oct 24, 1999)

Bass Pro is advertising a "catyak" in their latest mailer for a couple hundred bucks. I'd love to try a kayak but transporting it is kind of pain--that's why the Bass Pro boat with the inflatable pontoons appeals to me. Has anyone used one of these things? I was thinking about it for poking around inlets and such.


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## Va_yakfisherman (Feb 14, 2003)

Sand Flea,

Sounds like a reasonable idea, however there are a few things that you have to keep in mind when in the inlets and such, first, sharp and I mean very sharp oyster beds. Them things cut through about anything. Secondly you have to think about the fact that you are fishing with hooks, no other kind that I know off that's legal anyway. So an inflatable is not something I would want to be on when it get a leak underneath me that I don't know about and be in the middle of say Lynnhaven Inlet. I looked up the catyak pictures and it seems that it is wide and you sit high, stability is not a problem with the cat style pontoons but for paddling it would be tough because it's so wide and the operator is very high. Also, I only found a two seater model on the net. It was all of 100 pounds. And unless you know the person that you are fisihng with, a hook in the back of the head on the forecast sucks alot. Not sure what you know about kayaks, but alot of kayak weigh under 50 pounds now. And that's for the very fishable styles. If you are interested in seeing any let me know and I can send you pics of some of the better ones that are less in weight and are fantastic for fishing.


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## Don Burke (Feb 28, 2003)

My tandem weighs about 65 pounds and that's a _bunch_ as kayaks go.

The oyster reefs are sharper than they sound. They'll tear stuff up in a heartbeat.


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## sand flea (Oct 24, 1999)

Yeah, I guess a regular kayak would probably be wiser around oyster beds. It's just that they're a bit unwieldy to transport.


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