late Report MP rigs friday 6/9

[Kyleb]

I was able to take off from work to to fish with Karyuu. Pretty rough conditions but we headed out and Roger joined up. This was my first time in surf this rough and I learned a lot!! Got through the breakers with no problem and started trolling ribbon fish. Got about half way to the rigs and found the first king! Got my pics for Kayakwars and fish in my bag. Started trolling towards the rigs right when I got over the same spot my ribbon fish got nailed again! King #2 in the bag that was now weighing down my bow to much!! Made it out to the first rig and shifted my fish bag to the back of my yak to get my bow back up. I decided to slow drift back in. I let Karyuu and Roger know were I found the kings and that I was heading back. My kayak still felt out of balance and I realized I just had to much weight for these conditions. Slow drifted and found 3 more kings to 50" on the last king I got it released and got sick. If this wasn't bad enough my caribiner failed that held my paddle leash!! I could not see my paddle. I called Karyuu and he radioed Roger who came to the rescue with a back up paddle!!! It this point I was defeated and paddled in. Worried about my yak being out of balance, tried to tine the breakers just right. Ended bad has a wave on the second bar pitched up and it was over. Drug my yak in and picked up my gear that wasn't tied down. Roger showed up an hour later and had found my paddle, My hero!! Sorry for the long story but I learned a lot this day and wanted to share. I had packed my fish bag with ice packs and with the 2 kings it was around 75 lbs!! I brought more gear with me than was needed which was all extra weight. Don't go cheap on your caribiner if that is your lifeline for your paddle. Big thanks to Karyuu and Roger for the help!!

[TKF Tommy]

Thanks for the report, I met up with ElTiburon at Quintana on Saturday for a beach launch. According to all the web sites it looked good. Was supposed to be flat with winds under 15. I checked the 60 mile buoy off Freeport before leaving and it was showing 1.5' @ 6 and winds doable. When we got there it was a completely different story.... Long story short....I had one really big hit on a red and white Super Pogy about a mile off shore...but no hook up. I was only out for 3 hours, some swells over 3 feet and really windy. On reentry I turtled for the first time in in 7 years of kayak fishing....I guess there's a time and place for everyone. Most everything was tied down or leashed....lost about $150.00 worth of gear, but learned my lesson.

Next time....

[Westsail]

Glad you still got the kings in but this is kinda making me rethink my kayak choice. I've got the prowler 13 same as you and thought it was too low in the water first time out. But I saw you out there earlier this year with it loaded down live well in the back and fish bag up front. I was unprepared that day and running very light but have since got more of the gear I need. Now I've got my fish bag and anchor set up. I've tried running various amounts of weight in the bag for test runs but even with the live well in the back full of water my bow still sits too low. Makes for a very out of balance ride. For laughs I even tried putting an ice chest in the back with 10 gallons of water and it didn't raise the bow just made the boat really slow. I've come to realize if I ever do get a day off with good conditions again I'm not coming back with 60+ lbs of fish on the bow. The boat says it's rated for 450lbs bit I'm only 150 and the footwell is more of a live well empty. I don't buy that rating. At only 250lbs the thing is just stupid. Love it in the surf though. I always have off time when the waves are too big to fish and like to get my buddy and go "kayak surfing" on 5 foot waves. It cuts through past the breakers quick with the low bow. It prefers going through them more so than over them. It's reenters great. We're getting so much practice that we almost never turtle in 3-6 foot breaks and it's a lot of fun to ride those waves. Although that's with an empty kayak loaded down I'm not so sure. What do you think kyleb if you could go back would you choose a different kayak or do you still love yours and I'm just whining to much? Still gonna use the heck out of it I just think there's much better options

[Kyleb]

Glad you still got the kings in but this is kinda making me rethink my kayak choice. I've got the prowler 13 same as you and thought it was too low in the water first time out. But I saw you out there earlier this year with it loaded down live well in the back and fish bag up front. I was unprepared that day and running very light but have since got more of the gear I need. Now I've got my fish bag and anchor set up. I've tried running various amounts of weight in the bag for test runs but even with the live well in the back full of water my bow still sits too low. Makes for a very out of balance ride. For laughs I even tried putting an ice chest in the back with 10 gallons of water and it didn't raise the bow just made the boat really slow. I've come to realize if I ever do get a day off with good conditions again I'm not coming back with 60+ lbs of fish on the bow. The boat says it's rated for 450lbs bit I'm only 150 and the footwell is more of a live well empty. I don't buy that rating. At only 250lbs the thing is just stupid. Love it in the surf though. I always have off time when the waves are too big to fish and like to get my buddy and go "kayak surfing" on 5 foot waves. It cuts through past the breakers quick with the low bow. It prefers going through them more so than over them. It's reenters great. We're getting so much practice that we almost never turtle in 3-6 foot breaks and it's a lot of fun to ride those waves. Although that's with an empty kayak loaded down I'm not so sure. What do you think kyleb if you could go back would you choose a different kayak or do you still love yours and I'm just whining to much? Still gonna use the heck out of it I just think there's much better options

Is a good yak, its light and its fast. Like you said it handles the surf good. When it is not ice cream conditions you just have to go light. Only bring what you must have. I will still bring my fish bag but I will put it in the back. No anchor, no livewell, only my small tackle bag, small dry box, rods, gaff, small cooler for drinks in the front hatch. There are many great yaks I would love to have... My next yak will be the Viking reload because it is all so light weight but has more storage. Hope this helps

[Drifting Yak]

Well that's a cool story Kyleb. Sounds like you got on the edge a couple of times but kept a clear head. Thank goodness that you had fishing buddies and a means to communicate. And congrats on nailing those kings!