Becoming discouraged.. need a mentor! - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

Fiskadoro · 07-28-2012, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonesyak

When you are using a weight with live bait do you use a slip egg sinker? With or without a swivel? Or do you stick a crimp on weight a few inches back from the hook?ffice

ffice"

I nose hook my mackerel because they troll better that way.

Weight wise I flyline of there is a hot surface bite but if it's slow I just slide a half ounce egg on the line with no stop or swivel.

If there's fish working deeper I use a one and a half to three once egg, with a swivel and three feet of fluorcarbon. When fishing this way I let out sitting still, and drop it to the bottom. Then put a few cranks on to get it five feet or so up. Then troll it that far out. The idea is that when I stop to cast iron etc.. the bait will sink down till it's just off the bottom, but not drop so deep it can hang. When I'm paddling it will rise up in the water column. The faster I go the higher it get's the slower the deeper, and since I'm usually on the move covering ground looking for fish then stopping when I find them it covers a lot of the water column.

Jim

jorluivil · 07-28-2012, 03:50 PM

Roughly 15 trips to LJ
198 miles round trip
15 gallons of fuel per trip on average
$4.25/gallon
4-5 hours drive time round trip

When I caught my first WSB at LJ I stopped keeping track of my trips

dwntwnall4u · 07-29-2012, 02:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fiskadoro

I nose hook my mackerel because they troll better that way.

Weight wise I flyline of there is a hot surface bite but if it's slow I just slide a half ounce egg on the line with no stop or swivel.

If there's fish working deeper I use a one and a half to three once egg, with a swivel and three feet of fluorcarbon. When fishing this way I let out sitting still, and drop it to the bottom. Then put a few cranks on to get it five feet or so up. Then troll it that far out. The idea is that when I stop to cast iron etc.. the bait will sink down till it's just off the bottom, but not drop so deep it can hang. When I'm paddling it will rise up in the water column. The faster I go the higher it get's the slower the deeper, and since I'm usually on the move covering ground looking for fish then stopping when I find them it covers a lot of the water column.

Jim

Thank you for the details.

yaky yak · 07-29-2012, 03:54 AM

I do pretty good at LJ for an out of towner. I don't spend a lot of time making bait. I have had good luck yo yoing iron. I do it all year. I like to have a surface jig set up, my yo yo jig set up, and a lighter 20# class outfit for trolling macks. I got rid of my bait tank a long time ago, and relie on a home made bait tube, works fine.
Yellows like to move around I believe so I do the same thing I am all over the place. You got to believe your going to get hit on the next cast.
I am 50/50 on catching yellows on bait and on jigs. I have a baitcasting set-up for my subiki rig. I use heavyer pound test 15 to 20# for subiki's and use a single hooked spoon on the end. I have got some good size fish on my subiki rig while trying for bait.
Getting a fish finder was a game changer. I have a cheap little humming bird FF. Less then a 100.00 I search for bait balls then drop my iron on them, works pretty good for me some times.
I may make 5 or 6 trips for nothing, but then BAM fish on. That feeling of a big beast pulling your yak around motivates me through the dry spells.
I often spend 12 hours on the water and paddle 15 miles or so around LJ. I am proof that hard work and dumb luck will get you fish if you lack skill. I have a cheap kayak, a cheap car, and cheap rods, yet still get several yellowtail each year. If I could only get a WSB now I'd be happy. Good luck and put in work, you'll get bit.

Jonesyak · 07-29-2012, 09:52 AM

Thank for all the advice and encouragement! Perfect advice Jim thank you.
Had a great day on the water yesterday. Cought lots of bait fish and my first yellow bite. Next week I will try again.

When putting a small FF on a yak, do you have to cut holes for the transducer? I have a decent spot to mount the monitor, just not sure where to go after that. And my 6v batt is in a soft pack behind my seat, not sure how that will play in.

jorluivil · 07-29-2012, 11:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonesyak

Thank for all the advice and encouragement! Perfect advice Jim thank you.
Had a great day on the water yesterday. Cought lots of bait fish and my first yellow bite. Next week I will try again.

When putting a small FF on a yak, do you have to cut holes for the transducer? I have a decent spot to mount the monitor, just not sure where to go after that. And my 6v batt is in a soft pack behind my seat, not sure how that will play in.

Check the Share Your Innovations thread and check out the way others are mounting their transducers. I know there's guys out there that have cut holes in their kayak for the transducer, this is the one type of install where you measure 10 times and cut once.

icelogger · 07-30-2012, 12:02 AM

I appreciate the info as well. I've kayak fished 6 times and been skunked 4 times. What keeps me going is trying a new technique each time out. Tomorrow I will try and catch bait for the first time.

Good luck.

cowboybill · 08-06-2012, 04:51 PM

Hey, I can appreciate your pain. One of the guides is definitely a great idea.

I have been doing this for less than 3 years...

First Year I got spoiled. I slammed the YTs for a beginner. I even doubled once! I got a little cocky(time on da wata wtf!?!?)...

2nd year was very dry. While my bay fishing somewhat improved, my LJ trips were not productive (I caught some threshers, calico, misc rock fish but no YT or WSB).

Went on a 1-1/2 day boat at the end of the year and limited out on YT, got a Dorado, and won the $ pool (yahoo free trip!). That did help my confidence.

In my third year, I am learning that fishing is part art, luck and feel, mixed with science and patience. When I try too hard, get frustrated, or discouraged it doesn't work... If I dont care at all it doesnt work either!?!
There isnt an exact "what to do", but there is lots of general what to do and not do

Keep at it, keep a positive attitude (you could be working or ???)

I have been skunked, but seen some amazing cool stuff while gettn good exercise!

You gotta have a fish finder, even a cheap one! Just knowing your depth is invaluable! Trust me those guides use depth a lot!

Best wishes!

Cowboybill

07-28-2012, 03:50 PM	#2
jorluivil Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 6,856	Roughly 15 trips to LJ 198 miles round trip 15 gallons of fuel per trip on average $4.25/gallon 4-5 hours drive time round trip When I caught my first WSB at LJ I stopped keeping track of my trips __________________ www.facebook.com/Teamsewer Last edited by jorluivil; 07-28-2012 at 04:06 PM.

07-29-2012, 09:52 AM	#5
Jonesyak Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Posts: 45	Thank for all the advice and encouragement! Perfect advice Jim thank you. Had a great day on the water yesterday. Cought lots of bait fish and my first yellow bite. Next week I will try again. When putting a small FF on a yak, do you have to cut holes for the transducer? I have a decent spot to mount the monitor, just not sure where to go after that. And my 6v batt is in a soft pack behind my seat, not sure how that will play in. __________________

08-06-2012, 04:51 PM	#8
cowboybill Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Santee, CA Posts: 103	never give up... Hey, I can appreciate your pain. One of the guides is definitely a great idea. I have been doing this for less than 3 years... First Year I got spoiled. I slammed the YTs for a beginner. I even doubled once! I got a little cocky(time on da wata wtf!?!?)... 2nd year was very dry. While my bay fishing somewhat improved, my LJ trips were not productive (I caught some threshers, calico, misc rock fish but no YT or WSB). Went on a 1-1/2 day boat at the end of the year and limited out on YT, got a Dorado, and won the $ pool (yahoo free trip!). That did help my confidence. In my third year, I am learning that fishing is part art, luck and feel, mixed with science and patience. When I try too hard, get frustrated, or discouraged it doesn't work... If I dont care at all it doesnt work either!?! There isnt an exact "what to do", but there is lots of general what to do and not do Keep at it, keep a positive attitude (you could be working or ???) I have been skunked, but seen some amazing cool stuff while gettn good exercise! You gotta have a fish finder, even a cheap one! Just knowing your depth is invaluable! Trust me those guides use depth a lot! Best wishes! Cowboybill

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Switch to Linear Mode Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

07-29-2012, 03:54 AM	#4
yaky yak Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Riverside, calif Posts: 130	I do pretty good at LJ for an out of towner. I don't spend a lot of time making bait. I have had good luck yo yoing iron. I do it all year. I like to have a surface jig set up, my yo yo jig set up, and a lighter 20# class outfit for trolling macks. I got rid of my bait tank a long time ago, and relie on a home made bait tube, works fine. Yellows like to move around I believe so I do the same thing I am all over the place. You got to believe your going to get hit on the next cast. I am 50/50 on catching yellows on bait and on jigs. I have a baitcasting set-up for my subiki rig. I use heavyer pound test 15 to 20# for subiki's and use a single hooked spoon on the end. I have got some good size fish on my subiki rig while trying for bait. Getting a fish finder was a game changer. I have a cheap little humming bird FF. Less then a 100.00 I search for bait balls then drop my iron on them, works pretty good for me some times. I may make 5 or 6 trips for nothing, but then BAM fish on. That feeling of a big beast pulling your yak around motivates me through the dry spells. I often spend 12 hours on the water and paddle 15 miles or so around LJ. I am proof that hard work and dumb luck will get you fish if you lack skill. I have a cheap kayak, a cheap car, and cheap rods, yet still get several yellowtail each year. If I could only get a WSB now I'd be happy. Good luck and put in work, you'll get bit.

07-30-2012, 12:02 AM	#7
icelogger Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: All over the country Posts: 109	I appreciate the info as well. I've kayak fished 6 times and been skunked 4 times. What keeps me going is trying a new technique each time out. Tomorrow I will try and catch bait for the first time. Good luck.