NEWBIE looking for some help - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

Grabbin_Gils · 03-16-2009, 08:06 PM

hey whats going on guys? first of all my name is Trevor and im new to this site and i am very interested in getting into Yak fishing. my cousins husband goes all the time out of la jolla. any ways i have a few questions.

what is a good starter kayak?
what would be a good rod to use?
and where is a good place to start?

sorry for the ?s but thanks in advance guys

ht 5'11"
wt 225 lbs
mostly ocean fishing light lake fishing and anything that bites haha is what im fishing for.i prefer to paddle and be in a happy median of speed and stability but more on the stable side i dont wanna carry a lot of tackle but a small box and maybe to rods.

Jim Sammons LJKF · 03-17-2009, 07:16 AM

Welcome to the sport

First off you should not think of "starter kayak"
Think of what type of paddling and fishing you will do then just get the right kayak for your size and style.

There are several kayak out there that will work for you.
Ocean Kayak Trident 13 or 15
Tarpon 140 or 160
Malibu X13 or the new Stealths
just to name a few.

Just match the rods and reels to the target fish just like you would for any type of fishing. 6 1/2 foot to 7 1/2 optimal for most applications.

IF this is real new to you a trip on the flat waters of the bay is a great way to start, much easier to get a feel for things when not having to deal with swell or surf.
If you want to really get a head start take one of our classes or a class with OEX.

taggermike · 03-17-2009, 07:30 AM

There are many good beginner kayaks out there. And just because it's a better beginner yak doesn't mean it's not a good kayak in general. You may want to start with a used boat that already has basic rigging or you can buy some thing new and do it yourself. I started on a Cobra Fish and Dive. This was about the original fishing kayak. Very stable, plenty of room, comfortable, but heavy and not a fast yak. I would recomend staying away from very narrow boats like the Scupper Pro or early Prowler if you are an inexperienced paddler. You might think about test paddling some of the Malibu kayaks line; with the Xfactor at the top. It's a decent ballance between speed and stability. Do some searches or check out kayak reviews for more info on specific boats. I would suggest you start paddling and fishing in MB or SD Bay. Get to know your kayak with out having to deal with surf or swells. There are plenty of fish to catch in our bays too. As for rods, man that's tough to narrow down. What do you want to fish for. The gear I use in the bay is not good for yellows in La Jolla. For the bays any decent out fit, spinning or casting, that will handle 10 lb line and a 1/2 ounce jig head will be fine. And a last word; tether you gear. I hope that helped a little. Mike

nmbrinkman · 03-17-2009, 10:00 AM

What up Cuz.. Why didn't you just email me?

03-16-2009, 08:06 PM	#1
Grabbin_Gils Junior Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 5	NEWBIE looking for some help hey whats going on guys? first of all my name is Trevor and im new to this site and i am very interested in getting into Yak fishing. my cousins husband goes all the time out of la jolla. any ways i have a few questions. what is a good starter kayak? what would be a good rod to use? and where is a good place to start? sorry for the ?s but thanks in advance guys ht 5'11" wt 225 lbs mostly ocean fishing light lake fishing and anything that bites haha is what im fishing for.i prefer to paddle and be in a happy median of speed and stability but more on the stable side i dont wanna carry a lot of tackle but a small box and maybe to rods.

03-17-2009, 07:16 AM	#2
Jim Sammons LJKF Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: San Diego CA Posts: 947	Welcome to the sport First off you should not think of "starter kayak" Think of what type of paddling and fishing you will do then just get the right kayak for your size and style. There are several kayak out there that will work for you. Ocean Kayak Trident 13 or 15 Tarpon 140 or 160 Malibu X13 or the new Stealths just to name a few. Just match the rods and reels to the target fish just like you would for any type of fishing. 6 1/2 foot to 7 1/2 optimal for most applications. IF this is real new to you a trip on the flat waters of the bay is a great way to start, much easier to get a feel for things when not having to deal with swell or surf. If you want to really get a head start take one of our classes or a class with OEX. __________________ Jim Sammons La Jolla Kayak Fishing The Kayak Fishing Show JimSammons.com

03-17-2009, 07:30 AM	#3
taggermike Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Chula Vista Posts: 1,589	There are many good beginner kayaks out there. And just because it's a better beginner yak doesn't mean it's not a good kayak in general. You may want to start with a used boat that already has basic rigging or you can buy some thing new and do it yourself. I started on a Cobra Fish and Dive. This was about the original fishing kayak. Very stable, plenty of room, comfortable, but heavy and not a fast yak. I would recomend staying away from very narrow boats like the Scupper Pro or early Prowler if you are an inexperienced paddler. You might think about test paddling some of the Malibu kayaks line; with the Xfactor at the top. It's a decent ballance between speed and stability. Do some searches or check out kayak reviews for more info on specific boats. I would suggest you start paddling and fishing in MB or SD Bay. Get to know your kayak with out having to deal with surf or swells. There are plenty of fish to catch in our bays too. As for rods, man that's tough to narrow down. What do you want to fish for. The gear I use in the bay is not good for yellows in La Jolla. For the bays any decent out fit, spinning or casting, that will handle 10 lb line and a 1/2 ounce jig head will be fine. And a last word; tether you gear. I hope that helped a little. Mike

03-17-2009, 10:00 AM	#4
nmbrinkman Work Sucks! Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: San Diego Posts: 559	What up Cuz.. Why didn't you just email me?