Slow drift & anchoring techniques for kayak fishing 

Drifting is a popular method of kayak fishing, both with bait and lures. On occasion, however, it pays to slow that rate of drift down - usually to make it easier for the fish to notice your offerings. It can also help to avoid being blown too far away from your launching destination too quickly.

Anchoring kit for kayak fishing

There are other times you wont want to drift at all - especially when you're nicely positioned near or over a nice reef or drop off. This is where having some kind of anchor can really help. Sometimes you wont need them - there are some windless days that are just so calm that you can see a perfect reflection of yourself in the waters surface. Other days the same action will return an aquatuc rendition that woud make Frankenstien look like Casanova and this is just one example of when slowing drift or anchoring up might be prudent. But how?

The use of drift socks, or sea anchors as I've heard them referred to are a common part of many kayak fishermans kit and for good reason. They work like windsocks (you know, the ones you se near airports) but catch water instead air. The net result is a nice drag affect that slows down drift speeds that can often man the diffeence between catching fish and not. I attach mine with a thick bungee cord by way of brass clip buckle to the bow handle. Another brass buckle attaches it to wherever on the yak I please. As pictured, I also carry a spare 8 meter rop, which I sometimes attach to the bungee to give the drift sock more length. I suspect this slows drift a little further - it does, however, add more possible tangle opportunities. 

To come to a full stop, I use an anchor that incorporates a plastic-coated 5kg solid dumbell, wrapped with 34 meters of rot-resistant nylon cord. I had used custom kayak anchors before (the Hobie one I first used was great, but alas, got lost to an unmoving reef). The use of exersize weights is nothing new to most kayak fishermen either - many of us use them. But most use dumbell/barbell weights, instead of a full dumbell. I had to in the past, but found unless rubber coated, they'd rust really quick. Secondly, they were clumsier to package up with rope. The simple dumbell has the handgrip, which makes for a perfect spool for anchor line. Easy to lower out, easy to retrieve cleanly.

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'Ouroboros' Hobie Revolution, fully rigged and ready to roll.

The fish in that tank have anxiety issues

In asking these questions I probably eliminated a lot of what may otherwise have been critical errors of judgement. Perhaps the biggest mistake I made with my Hobie Outback was the positioning of the Scotty rod holders - right where they'd impede on a pedal and paddle stroke when positioned in an optimal trolling configuration. Doh! It didn't bother me much to be honest, but in the long term it would, most certainly. It can be bothersome to adjust rod holder positions just so you can get moving again. 

Instead of Scotty rod holders I opted for RAM tube rod holders this time. These durable devices hold the reels higher from the waterline and are nice and simple to operate (simpler than the Scotty’s). They are positioned about even with the forward pedal stroke, but because of their shape and height, are well clear of the pedals range of motion and don't get in the way at all. They are much further forward than my Outback rod holders were but I can still reach them pretty easily. The bases only just fit into the position where I wanted them, but fit they did. Attached to each tube is a coiled rod leash for those precarious surf launches, which clip to the rods by way of a quick-release fastex buckle. 

RAM mount tube fishing rod holders - perfect

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Buddy kayak fishing is really catching on 

Tandem kayak fishing is fun!

I think most seasoned kayak fishermen would admit that fishing from a confined position takes a little getting use to. I'm the first to fess up to nearly snagging myself with flying treble-hook equipped bibbed lures a few times. Handling a rod while sitting on your butt with legs extended is not the same as doing it standing and it can get a bit clumsy at times - especially in choppy water.

And here's the thing... most fishing rods are at least 4 - 5 foot in length. Most of the time they are handled by it's handle (naturally). So in the case of tandem kayak fishing, pointed in the wrong direction, that puts the rod tip precariously close to the person sitting in the front. If the guy fishing from the back isn't paying attention the potential is there for an inadvertant hook up of the human-kind.

So there's rule number #1: whoever is perched in the rear (and thus controlling the steering in the case of a Hobie pedal kayak) really needs to pay due diligence to safety, and be careful where that lure is dangling.

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K.I.S.S knot tying works for me

*Note: I have since written an updated article on knot tying, having changed my tune after having a few bust offs from big fish using a couple of the knots mentioned here.

Aussie knot guru, Geoff Wilson

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Pros, cons and strategies for berleying from a kayak

Every fisherman worth his salt knows that using berley is a great to attract fish. I once read the perfect analogy as to how berley does (or should work), which went a bit like this: think of berley the same way cartoon artists would render a scene where 'Ma' is cooking up a storm in the kitchen. A visually apparent odour drifts from the food source and as a result, other characters follow their nose (usually a dog, floating through the air to the fuel of nostril power) to the kitchen as a result. Thats much like berley is supposed to work. Indeed, done properly, thats precisely how it works.

There is no debating that done right, laying down the berley can attract fish and often incite them into a feeding frenzy. The catch 22 for kayak fishermen, however, is that said berley might also attract sharks and they are the last thing you want nearby in a feeding frenzy... well, if they're big 'n toothy that is. Some yak fishoes just won't use berley because of this and well, you can't really blame anyone for that. Besides - there really are times when berley just isn't required anyway, not to mention that it's just one extra thing to take along.

Put into perspective, however, of the 400 species of shark swimming in our oceans today, only a handful of them are considered dangerous. You are 250 times more likely to be killed by lightning than you are by man-eating sharks, so why worry about them so much? Well, ok... it's because they're scary, I know - scary and real. But of those 400 species it is generally accepted that less than 10 of them pose any threat to humans. And they are generally no where near as aggressive as they are typically made out to be. So as kayak fishermen, should we be worried about such unwanted side effects of using berley? It's not something other boaters really have to worry about but there isn't a lot of freeboard between kayak fisherman and water surface, is there.   

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Lures at the ready when kayak fishing

Ever popular Ecogear sx40

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Easy access, loads of kayak fishing opportunities

Fishermen's Beach is one of several top kayak fishing destinations that lie within a stones throw of Mornington, making it easily accessible from Melbourne. Fishermen’s Beach offers easy access to the water with close proximity to deeper waters and productive reefs and as such, is quickly becoming one of the favourite destinations for Melbourne-based kayak fishermen. Not only do the nearby reefs hold healthy numbers of Snapper, Flathead can be found in abundance here, as can Squid. That's a pretty good mix for the hungry fisherman and although I'm yet to see it, no doubt Aussie Salmon, Barracouta and Snook traverse these parts as well.

Squid and Snapper holding reefs lie just ahead

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XL Steering rudder 4 Hobie yaks

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The pedal-driven SUV of kayak fishing

Hobie Outback 2007

Although there was absolutely nothing wrong with my Hobie Sport Fish kayak and that I'd never tipped it or encountered any problems whatsoever, after several months of use I started to wonder if it was really suitable for an indefinitely long trip around the coastline of Australia. My primary concern was stability - I'd had a few close encounters in some rougher waters in Port Phillip Bay (right near the heads specifically). No doubt I'll find myself in similar conditions over and over as I venture into unfamiliar waters, so more stability could only be good.

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Better to have a set of turbo fins and not need them than to need a set of turbo fins and not have them

Hobie Mirage Turbo fins

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Squid on a  jig... trust me - this works!

A few months back I was chatting with Victoria's Hobie dealer, Scott Lovig and as is often the case, we were discussing ways and means of targetting Snapper. Scott came up with an idea that I had actually considered trying in the past. When he reminded me of this idea I decided to try it out the next time I went fishing. The suggestion was to use an off cut off a Squid to use as a surrogate soft plastic. Kind of a real fake, so to speak. Why not... Squid is a pretty tough flesh and has the handy attribute of holding onto a hook nicely. It's also kind of rubbery, which gives the fish something to grab onto. And because it is fresh squid, by rights, it should also taste damned good as well. Looks like worm, tastes like Calamari... hmm...

Squidplastic - beat that Squidgy's!

So in undertaking the experiment, I chose a smallish bullet-nosed style lead jighead and fitted it with a smallish Squid tentacle, as pictured above. I liked the idea of this concept when I first thought of the idea and was encouraged when Scott came up with it himself. But when I saw that little rubbery tentacle resting on the hook I just knew it would catch fish. Sure enough, I hooked up on the first cast, on the drop (as is often the case with pinkies). As you could imagine I was pretty pleased with the result and will be adding this strategy to my arsenal. I can see it being useful in certain scenarios.

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Sandringham Yacht Club Breakwall, Port Phillip Bay 

Although nice and close to Black Rock and Ricketts Point, you don't often hear about Sandringham as a worthy kayak fishing destination. This surprises me a bit, because it really is a pretty convenient location, both for some land based fishing from the breakwall, or otherwise from boat or kayak within or beyond it. I share a connection with this place, as it lies within a stones throw distance from where I lived in Sandringham for near a decade, and is where I cut my teeth with kayak fishing. In fact, my main inspiration for taking up kayak fishing came after many hours fishing from the breakwall, all the while  wishing that I had some way of getting just a bit further out to the patches of reef that are scattered arund the area - many of which play home to resident and seasonal pinky Snapper.

Limited to a motorbike for transport, I picked up a light inflatable kayak and began exploring the area every opportunity that I got. The Sandringham breakwall turned out to be an excellent place to start experimenting with the sport of kayak fishing for several reasons. First of all, it was usually pretty easy to get a park near the cafe, which offers close and easy access to the beach. Secondly, because the breakwall offers excellent protection from strong winds from various directions, it's quite possible to head out and fish during times where it would be exceedingly challenging elsewhere. In instances where strong winds are coming from the north it's easily possible to find refuge either directly behind the breakwall, or even among the moored yachts.

I've had a great deal of success fishing for Aussie Salmon here, many times hooking onto fish with each and every cast. With a little finesse Bream can be caught here as well, along with the obligatory Flathead. AFL personality Sam Newman has a gargantuan boat moored here and much to his disgust (I think he always thought I was paparazzi), I often found a school of sambos directly under his boat! On a side note, I typically heard loud expletives being roared (not at me... I think) from within his cabin - usually when I was pretty sure he was alone. Maybe he was betting on the horses and losing races - I du't know. I do know that the personality you see on TV isn't made up - he really is an angry, angry man. But I digress...

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