[IsoBar]

This morning showed me again the differences between the sit in sea kayak and the fishing ski.
I had to be back home before 8:00am, as my wife needed the car and I could feel the wind, even at my place, a few km inland, so I knew conditions were'nt perfect.
Under these restriction, I would have probably stayed in bed if my only option was the evolution.
But the sit in is just made for these conditions - 45 minutes after I woke up, I was already on the beach, ready to launch with minimal gear - a light trolling outfit, a box of lures and the GoPro.
I launched just before first light and just guessed and punched through the surf, because it was too dark to actually plan something better.
Just as I reached the reef, the reel signaled a fish and I reeled in a 40cm snapper. Threw it in the cockpit and kept trolling behind the breakers.
15 minutes later, I had the feeling the line was heavier than it should be, so I reeled in to check it out and found a small yellowtail sea pike. In other times, I might have kept it as live bait, but this time it won its release.
Time was pressuring, so I started heading back inshore, when I got another strike, stronger than before and reeled in a nice 60-65cm snapper. Again, like a few times before with snappers, the fish was hooked on the teaser and the lure was missing from the end of the line.
I Threw it in and then it was really time to head back, as it was past 7:00. I stowed the lures and fish in the cockpit and headed back, avoiding a few big breakers, to a safe landing.
I had a great morning and it seems that the snappers are well inshore and are hungry!

Good luck to you all if you're heading out during the weekend.
Cheers,
Iso

 

[BIGKEV]

Nice and productive little trip there Iso. You look a bit worried glancing back over your shoulder with the sand monster doing his best to eat you alive.

 

[HAWKEYE3]

How can you win,

a happy missus, a happy angler, fish for tea, off to bed early doing what you didn't do this morning............

Nice post mate

Ian

 

[suehobieadventure]

Well done would love to see the video from the gopro coming back through the surf. You obviously have done that many times before.

 

[justin83]

awesome work for an hour. Well done and a bit of fun coming in by the look of it

 

[Wrassemagnet]

Nice work. I wonder what happens to the lures on the end of the line? Leatherjackets?

 

[davo79]

Very well done on the landing there Iso.
I am quite jealous as it can take me an hour just to get to the beach let alone catch a couple of snapper as well.
What depth are the reefs that you are trolling up there and how do you go about keeping lure/s in the strike zone.
Thanks.
Davo

 

[kingambrose]

great landing, i would have got tossed a mile. lucky Hervey Bay has no waves, its always nice and calm up here thanks to Fraser Island.
Got to love those pink snapper, grabbed yourself a few feeds out of those bad boys. Well done man.

 

[Squidley]

Nice fish and slick landing, you made it look easy. I'm interested in that skirted lure you caught the second snapper on; how fast do you like to troll it, and does it have a bait up in the skirt?

I can't see embedded vimeos on this iPhone so here's the link for anyone with the same problem:

 

[IsoBar]

Nice fish and slick landing, you made it look easy. I'm interested in that skirted lure you caught the second snapper on; how fast do you like to troll it, and does it have a bait up in the skirt?

I can't see embedded vimeos on this iPhone so here's the link for anyone with the same problem:

The skirt has no bait on and it's trolled at my normal paddling speed (without pushing too hard).
The lure at the end of the line keeps it moving at the right depth. I would tie the dropper loop a bit further away from the lure (about a meter), that might give the leader a bit more tensile strength.

Cheers, Ido

 

[sunshiner]

G'day Ido

Thanks for the very informative TR. And thanks to Squidley for putting up the video link (embed not visible on iPad).

So you're catching snapper not far off a surf beach by trolling a small squid skirt? We occasionally get snapper on HB lures or SPs round here near the rocky headland at Dolphin Point, but I've never tried trolling a small squid skirt for them. Maybe I'll change my winter trolling tactics!

Loved the brace lessons in the surf return. Spectacular.

Thanks again. See you soon, I hope.

Kev

 

[Squidley]

Oh I didn't see the squid skirt was on a dropper loop; so you've got a hardbody chasing a squid on the one line?

 

[IsoBar]

Oh I didn't see the squid skirt was on a dropper loop; so you've got a hardbody chasing a squid on the one line?

Exactly!

 

[Marty75]

Nice fish mate. Just out of curiosity, did you go out without a paddle leash? Couldn't see one in the clip. Would hate to be caught out up s**t creek without a paddle!

Marty

 

[antsrealm]

Hey Iso, Nice fish! Just wondering what your wearing exactly in this cooler climate ? I haven't really been out during winter due to not really knowing what to wear to keep warm without over doing it.

Thanks,
Tony.

 

[Squidley]

Oh I didn't see the squid skirt was on a dropper loop; so you've got a hardbody chasing a squid on the one line?

Exactly!

I googled "hard body chasing skirt" at work and now I'm fired

I'll give this rig a go next weekend I think

 

[IsoBar]

Hey Iso, Nice fish! Just wondering what your wearing exactly in this cooler climate ? I haven't really been out during winter due to not really knowing what to wear to keep warm without over doing it.

Thanks,
Tony.

Hi Tony,

When it's get a bit cold I'm usually wearing either a special warming rashie that has a thin layer of fleece inside, or if it's even colder and a bit wet, a very dense, but not thick fleece top (the black top in the video). That fleece is so warm and cosy, you'd buy another one to sleep in... ;-)
Like this one:


Reed Chillcheater are a great company for these products (they have a few distributors in Aus).
As opposed to common belief, fleece doesn't get soaked and drains very fast, which makes it ideal for kayaking.
If it's really cold and rainy, I'd wear a drytop, but I save that for white water in colder places or winter rolling sessions, it hadn't been that cold yet.
My dry top is from Reed as well and it's by far the best I've tried. They have a special vinyl fabric that stays waterproof much better than any coated Cordura or Nylon. The neck and wrist gaskets are made from the same material and they are more watertight than neoprene ones but not suffocating as rubber ones. I have the warmest model, which is lined with fleece inside, makes it warm and cosy to roll around in cold water all day.

Add to that a pair of matching trousers and a beanie or a full hood and you could go fishing in any weather, all the way down to Tassie.

Some of Reed's retailers in Australia (from a quick google search) - Expedition Kayaks from Sydney, East Coast Kayaking from Victoria and probably there are some more.

Let me know if I can help with anything else.

Cheers, Ido