# Beach kiting - feeshing that it



## BaitWaster (Jan 8, 2004)

Last year during a fit of winter boredom, I put together an AFTCO kite rig set-up to float a live bait or drop a big dead bait off the beach. 

Neighbor’s busted Kunnan rod that’s about 5’ with a Newell-converted 4/0 with 80# Fireline and fishing a Grandwave 40 -my float tubing tarpon reels that has slightly more than 400 yds of 25# but I’ll likely put a bottom shot of 30# braid. 

Thinking about buying one of the Aussie parasail-type kites ‘cause they claim to be able to tack with the wind better, have a better range of wind to fly in and, hopefully, a bigger payload.

Sort of clueless and blundering along as I go. 

My attempts to cobia/ shark fish with it last year were pretty frustrating. No wind, too much wind, wrong direction wind, no bait, finally get some live spots and operator error in running the bait out. Doh! You name it I’ve dealt with it. 

Any suggestions/experience on kiting would be appreciated.


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## Wilber (May 20, 2003)

Hey BW, The kite I use came from Kitty Hawk kites. It is a Snowflake high wind type with a long tail and is very stable. I rigged a standard release clip about 30 feet down from the kite, Works like a champ. I also use an old 4/0 senator and POS Boatrod to deploy the kite. I have the luck of having kids that love to fly kites soooo, they do the kite and I do the fishing reel. I get some pretty strange looks when Kite Fiahing on a crowd Kitty Hawk beach, but I could care less.

I'm sure if you walk into Kitty Hawk Kites they will be more than happy to sell you what you need.

PS I had a Cobia circle that one afternoon, but couldn't him to eat it. 

PPS You just might catch a SailFish, I've seen them in close.


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## BaitWaster (Jan 8, 2004)

Looking at this (hope the commercial link to NZ is OK)

http://www.fishingkites.co.nz/htmfiles/fishingkited.htm

Looking at the Flex wing - 4-50 knot capability.

With the exchange rate, about $75 with shipping. How does that compare to the "snowflake". 

These Kiwi run longlines of up to 25 hooks out 1000-2000 METERS with some of the bigger kites!


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## Wilber (May 20, 2003)

In looking at the kite, the triangle design to me looks kinda un stable, Meaning right to left movement, but I could be wrong. The snowflake thing is octaginal (sp) and has hardly any sideways movement and makes a almost perfect "outrigger" for dangling a bait from, you can set it up just like a pin-rig from a pier and let the baitfish swim right at the surface.
I think we paid $40.00 for the thing, we bought it 'cause the wife liked the colors (pink and purple) and later found out it was good for fishing. Had a hard time getting her to loan it to me for fishing.
If you get your rig ironed out we will have to meet on the South Beach at Hatteras and make a day of it.


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## Guest (Apr 5, 2005)

*Huh ?*

Did the wife tell you to go fly a kite ? Let me know when you get it configured out, I'll bring a few rods and reels down and help. Might even bring you a Redstripe. 


Fishhook


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

Bernie,I haven't a clue on how to answer ya on this,but I do have a release clip ya lost at tarpon tourney, in the console of my "Float Tube".. 

PS Good seein ya on here,Chris,loooong time no see..


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## Guest (Apr 5, 2005)

*Drifting around a bit*

I like the kite idea, if you can get it to fly straight. Very tricky, had a guy parked next to us at OI this fall, he was using a beach ball to float a slimy snake out, he was all over the place. 

BW needs to use his yak for getting baits out. I might let him take my baits out too.  


See ya soon DD, 

Fishhook, lurkin..........


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## BaitWaster (Jan 8, 2004)

Need a backup plan. Until I gets more comfortable with the Yak in the surf and 'specially if the surf is up a bit, may try to fly it out rather than float it out. 

I'd never live down a pitchpole face plant surfing the yak back in. Saw, I think, Dawgfsh do it, and it's stuck with me. 

Wilbur, not sure, even if it worked, I could fish with a pink & purple Snowflake kite. LOL!


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## Wormy (Dec 5, 2003)

Whats wrong with Pink and Purple  
Wormy


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## BaitWaster (Jan 8, 2004)

Fishhook - the square AFTCO kite doesn't wander around a lot the couple of times I farted with it. You can adjust the bridle lines to tack it a bit and elevate it but not up to speed yet on the adjustments. 

BTW, I'll be your bait beech anyday. Should be a high enertainment factor.


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## Guest (Apr 5, 2005)

*Always a pleasure.....*

Sounds like a plan, I would like to see how the aftco works, the off-shore boys sure make them work. 

Would be a good event to fill you in on the after party stories you haven't heard yet. 


Fishhook


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## Wilber (May 20, 2003)

Bernie, when you are sittin' on a crowded beach in June flyin' a kite with a live spot hanging off it, the color of your kite doesn't really matter.

The worse part of kite fishin' in Kitty Hawk is wind direction, the only wind that will take your bait out is west and we know what a west wind does to the fishing. An on shore breeze is usually best for fishin', but that rules out the kite.


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## BaitWaster (Jan 8, 2004)

Yup. A big 10-4. In May you want a SW wind and I don't think even the Kiwi's have come up with a kite that can float a bait off the south beach in a SW wind.


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## SEABEAR (Mar 9, 2004)

*Hey Bernie*

ya want to sell the kite ya got now?if so i will take it off your hands.need one for the first part of may.i want to try something in the little hatteras marlin tournament which is the first week in may.hatteras landing is hosting the event this year.yeeeehaaaaa stagger stagger fall roll roll and i will be in the bed fer sure.


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

SEABEAR said:


> ya want to sell the kite ya got now?if so i will take it off your hands.need one for the first part of may.i want to try something in the little hatteras marlin tournament which is the first week in may.hatteras landing is hosting the event this year.yeeeehaaaaa stagger stagger fall roll roll and i will be in the bed fer sure.


*Hmmmmmm* ,I wonder what he could possibly use a kite in a marlin tourney for??


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

Wormy said:


> Whats wrong with Pink and Purple
> Wormy


 Wormy,I thought it was just purple you were hooked on,now it's *PINK???*


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## sand flea (Oct 24, 1999)

I'm with Wilbur on wind directions--when you can kite something out the fishing sucks.

I've been trying to come up with a launcher for baits similar to those balloon launchers built out of surgical tubing. Look for me in next year's Darwin Awards.


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## Caught Myself (Sep 14, 2004)

*AP News Release*

Baltimore Man Launches Himself Into Ocean

A Baltimore fisherman launched himself over a hundred feet into the air and landed in the surf on the Eastern Shore of Maryland today. Witnesses said he was experimenting with a "bait catapult" when he accidentally became entangeled in the line and was hurled into the ocean. Hospital officials say that he is in stable condition and he was quoted as saying "The damn thing works!"


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## Smoothbore54 (Jun 8, 2003)

*I fooled with kites* a couple of years ago, and have concluded that there's probably 2 or 3 days a year when it works great.  

*Otherwise, Kites aren't the answer.*

But have you seen these battery powered, spinning "helecopter" hover toys ? ?

Hmmmmmmmm . . . . . . .


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## Rick (Feb 10, 2005)

I have some engeneer friends that are working on a bait launcher using the potato cannon method. I'm sure the park ranger will come running when that thing goes BOOM!


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## BaitWaster (Jan 8, 2004)

The main problem I would anticipate with a launcher would be it's gonna work best with a spinner or an Alvey (  ). 

A conventional spool just isn't the ticket for the sudden RPMs and then deceleration without some sort of drag on the line to prevent God's own backlash. 

Guess you could launch with the clicker on  or, 

on a lever drag, the drag engaged slightly, or

maybe install 38 rare earth magnets, or

get some dummie to thumb the spool.


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## can't fish today (Oct 8, 2003)

Rick said:


> I have some engeneer friends that are working on a bait launcher using the potato cannon method. I'm sure the park ranger will come running when that thing goes BOOM!


 Hmmm...... a mental picture is emerging.......


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## sand flea (Oct 24, 1999)

Hahahaha! That's funny. I don't care who you are.










And Baitwaster, you are dead on. A hard launch will be too fast an acceleration for a baitcaster. It would have to be a fixed spool, like a spinner. If you are using a traditional reel you would have to lay out several hundred yards of stripped line on the beach before launch.

Any engineers on here want to give me hints about using a crossbow vs. a slingshot? My life may depend on it.

I'm serious about this. Testing begins on Back Bay this summer.


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## Smoothbore54 (Jun 8, 2003)

I've given the crossbow a lot of thought, and I don't think the bolt has nearly enough mass to overcome the inertia of the 8 & bait.

You'd have to use an elastic shock cord to couple the bolt to the bait, and vary it's length until you reached a point where the violent acceleration of the bolt could be transfered to the bait without breaking the line.

Given the extreme effect of minor changes to the weight of the tip of the bolt, I seriously doubt that you'd do anything more than stop the bolt dead, if you coupled it to a bait of any size.

*I think you need to duplicate the spring action *of a fishing rod, in order to *gradually *accelerate the bait.

I'm presently contemplating a *Trebuchet* type device and also a spring loaded device, similar to those used to throw clay birds.


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## papabear (Aug 27, 2003)

lmao @ cant fishtoday.it may work rotflmfao


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## Fishing_Feud (Nov 16, 2004)

hers an idea tie a balloon to your line about 8 ft up on a SW wind and let er float forget the 8 just use the bait


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## SEABEAR (Mar 9, 2004)

*better not*

if the man sees it he is gonna hang ya out to dry,man reason is the turtles eatem and DIE :--|


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## AI4WD (Aug 7, 2004)

*Catapault .....ROTFLMAO*

Mechanical adjuncts for distance casting...
Here is a catapult for tossing baits across the Columbia River for Sturgeon fishing. Photo is by Bucktail Bob Watson...










I think that the upside down 5 gallon bucket is to hand spool your line to be casted. So it does not have to directly come off the reel, thus avoiding a backlash on the reel. It is a pretty nice setup and a cool idea....LOL... But it is to big to haul on my carrier.. ..LOLOL


Hooks up, 
Forrest


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## sand flea (Oct 24, 1999)

Holy crap! I can't believe somebody is actually doing this.


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## bluerunner (Jun 30, 2003)

them sturgeon fishermen are about as crazy as drum fishermen


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## the rhondel (Feb 6, 2003)

I wonder if I can get that thing on the end of Sandbridge pier at the height of the run with 'bout 25 stix leanin on tha rail......Ya sure would become real popular in a hurry    ....the R


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## the rhondel (Feb 6, 2003)

And now that I look at that photo a little closer ,check out what tha guy across the river is launchin with  ....the R


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## bluerunner (Jun 30, 2003)

i think thats actually more like a ballista than a catapult


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## Dyhard (Oct 24, 2002)

sand flea said:


> Holy crap! I can't believe somebody is actually doing this.


The need for invention is a mother!
Need is the mother of invention!


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## AI4WD (Aug 7, 2004)

*I stand corrected !*

Ballista, it is! LOLOLOL  Somebody put alot of thought into that setup, I bet I could get past the second Bar at AI without much trouble...   

Hooks up,
Forrest


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## JayCamx23 (Apr 3, 2005)

*kites*

kites give me nightmares. ive had so many problems with them without using them for getting baits out. using them for shark fishing? ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh. i aint tryin that  

http://www.outerbanksfishing.com/pictures/shm.htm

this website has a good rig for sharkin. it uses a lolly pop and trash bag....

anyone used a rig besides the kite or lolly pop one... let me know if you have


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## JayCamx23 (Apr 3, 2005)

*lolly pop rig*

havent tried it...but im gonna give it a chance this year in my first sharkin experience...looks like it should work fine


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## AI4WD (Aug 7, 2004)

*A large Party Balloon works well!*

I use a large Party balloon to float baits out. I have a light spinner attached to the party balloon to retrieve it back. The release clip is made of solid 140lb rigging wire I make a <>< shape and the bait line is suspended in the <> part. One or two hard pulls will pull the bait free from the <>< holder and reel the balloon back in with the light spinner.Move down the beach 50 yds and run out the next bait using the balloon. You can get the Balloons at Dollar Stores 15 for a dollar. Cheap enough , unfortunately it only works with a stiff west wind. Tryit, you'll like it!  

Hooks up,
Forrest


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## AI4WD (Aug 7, 2004)

*Just a thought?????*

I wonder if this would work with a larger balloon with helium? Kinda like the KIte idea....hmmmmmmm  

Gots me a thinkin now...and that could be dangerous....LOL


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## Smoothbore54 (Jun 8, 2003)

AI4WD said:


> I wonder if this would work with a larger balloon with helium? Kinda like the KIte idea....hmmmmmmm
> 
> Gots me a thinkin now...and that could be dangerous....LOL


Been there, done that.

The problem is, you *still *need a West wind.

With the right wind, a kite works fine.

It's all those *other *days that're a problem.


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## 8AnBait (Jun 24, 2002)

http://www.fishingkites.co.nz/electrickontiki/electric_kontiki-PT400.html


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

*Looks like it would work great..*

*BUT,1500smackers???*


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## BaitWaster (Jan 8, 2004)

But it comes with 5000 ft of 270# mono.  

All that to catch a progy?


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## Guest (Apr 18, 2005)

*Anybody tried these yet ??*

Looks good. 

http://www.snapfloat.com/shore-shark-fishing.htm


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