haven't kayaked in years, however i do plan on buying a canoe in the new year

Nice pics ZuluX. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> And, welcome to the yard!

I've rented kayaks before but I don't own one. It is something i have thought about though.

I really don't need another hobby to spend money on. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

I'm looking at getting a canoe in the next month or so. I will be renting one in the next three weeks for a test drive for about four days.

Hey guys... Firstly just to say, "What a great site, lots of useful tips, advice and insight"... Nice one. I'm an avid Kayak Fisherman/Camper/Survivalist from the East Coast of South Africa. I've been Kayak Fishing for about 15 years now and there's nothing better than leaving really early in the morning while it's still dark and dissapearing for a few days. Paddling out the harbour and as the day goes beach somewhere along the coast and spend the night, of course while enjoying the catch of the day. Unfortuantely having to contend with the pounding surf of the Indian Ocean isn't always pleasure, but that's what it's all about.

The thing that comes to mind when paddling out of harbor on the Ease coast of South Africa into the Indian ocean, SHARKS.......

man eaters

I've had my fair share of 'run-ins' or should I say 'bump-ins' with Zambezis, Tigers and the odd GW, it's more out of being inquisitive than actually wanting to eat me... lol. End of the day I'm in his back-yard and like any top predator they just want to see who's messing around in their territory.

What's been happening lately is that as soon as you hook a fish and the fight starts it's a race getting your catch onto the deck and into the hatch before the 'Tax Man' arrives. With all the commotion it sets off the Sharks hunting instinct and of course it's an easy meal for them... lol.

There's a few basic ways to behave if you have a shark that's showing interest in you and if you follow those steps you'll be fine. The only thing is that sometimes the only way you know he's around is that you'll see a big black shadow on your Fish Finder, other than that you won't know he's there. Who knows how many times they've been around and I just didn't know about it... It's actually a good thing... lol.

It's really a choice between sitting inside (water and balance issues) versus sitting on top. My choice came down to a dedicated fishing platform with ample stowage space for camping gear, safety equipment, batteries, bait, etc. I also do lots of surf launching and I needed a platform with scuppers. After the wave has broken over me it takes a few seconds for my deck and seating area to be free of water and it's not long before I'm paddling 'high and dry'. It's also great when it comes to stability when fighting an oversize fish, there's no risk of tipping with all the 'Johnnies' in the water... lol.

Great detail on sharing your experience. I suspect its very exciting living in that part of the world and heading out into the surf. My only problem is not seeing what is lurking below me. I was stationed on the island of Okinawa back in the the early 80's and did a fare amount of snorkeling and never really put much thought into sharks until one year they yanked out a GW from Ishikawa bay. It would seem this giant predator had strayed off course. Great pictures and if you have more please share. I'm heading up to Northern NY for a canoe trip with my daughter. I will be doing some trout fishing while canoeing.

Some great rigs guys!

Just bought that



http://www.advancedelements.com/advancedframe_convertible.html

Hope it was a good deal

I have two SeaEagle 385 Pro's. They are inflatables and we take them out to the local lakes. They are two seaters and quite fun. My dad and I each take a kid. My kids paddle for about 42 seconds and then we paddle the rest of the way. Great fun though.

At the moment I’m working in Iraq so my fishing is limited to when I’m on R&R. Of course it’s always a fight between the wife and the fish… lol. The worst part of all is I’m only home for 21 days at a time so the time constraints are fierce to say the least. In the meantime my Kayak is up & out of the way. I have a four berth Kayak trailer but it’s impractical to leave my rig outside while I’m over here.

Here’s a few more pics for you guys…



I’ve done all the rigging & installation myself, each R&R I do a little more.





The separate dry hatch on this Kayak is brilliant, allowing for ample storage of camping gear, safety equipment, survival gear, rods, fish, etc. It really makes a massive difference when launching and landing through the surf.



My last R&R I fished the Mangrove Swamps a few miles paddle from where I launch. The only hassle is that you constantly have to keep your eyes open for Croc’s & Hippo’s but the fishing is excellent. Not to mention it’s literally always an adventure.