Yakabout - Australian Coastal Kayak Fishing

Fishing from Ai FAQ update

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 19:08:03 +0100

Prior to acquiring the tramps and fitting them to my island, I'd posted a fishing from the AI FAQ (content/view/1183/101/) document, which attempted to answer the most commonly asked questions I get on fishing from the island. Now that I'm using tramps I've updated the FAQ with this edited addition: Q: Have you tried the tramps, and do you think they will assist for kayak fishing purposes? A: Yes, I own a set of tramps and not only do I think they are great for sailing, are also excellent for kayakl camping and of course fishing. You can sit on the tramp easily, making it a perfect platform for drift fishing. It is also very handy to have the tramps next to you, effectively giving you an extra 12 square foot of usable deck space per tramp. Very very handy indeed.

End of the line

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 17:54:15 +0100

Be afraid... be very afraid[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bedirwk95Oc]Remember Al Gore's documentary movie An Inconvenient Truth? Sure you do - it's the one that made you think the world was going to run out of resources tomorrow, and that in no time at all, we'd all be breathing carbon monoxide. As alarmist as it was, I have to admit there really was some good points made in that film and for sure, it conveyed a message that the world needed to hear. The message was heard to, playing a large part in reigniting debate here in Australia about complying with the Kyoto protocols. But really... not much has changed.Now there's another movie coming with a somewhat similar theme, although the knee jerk reaction that is sure to follow is destined to put recreational fishermen in an unfavourable light. The movie is called 'End of the line' and is all about the problem of over-fishing. It's not even debatable that there is an over-fishing problem - of course there is. What is debatable is what, exactly, is causing the problem?The very title of this movie bothers me a great deal. 'End of the line' is a play on words and for sure, a lot of people are going to associate the title with the words 'fishing rod'. Despite the obvious truth of the matter (increasing populations combined with questionable commercial fishing practices - netting especially - are clearly to blame for over-fishing), us rec fishos are very likely going to be lumped into the same basket. I'd say the chances are pretty high that we'll all be demonized. And the bleeding hearts will gobble that crap up like starving cats on a lifeboat. Sadly, some people simply can't see things for what they are and will simply reach the conclusion 'fishing is bad, therefore fishermen are bad'. A lot of these people are complete hypocrits to... like my ex girlfriend, who would give me grief for catching fish (this is one of the issues that led to our break up), yet would be the very first person in a crowd to order prawns or scallops. Munching away on little creatures that were caught at the detriment to most other living things anywhere near them, and their habitat. Munch munch munch! Does anyone else see anything wrong with that picture? The fallout from this movie is particularly scary in light of the new measures (http://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Pages/default.aspx?ItemId=132159) announced for WA by the Fisheries Minister Norman Moore. We're talking complete and utter draconian measures that aim to make fishing an elitist sport fit only for the 'well-to-do' and completely unaffordable for just about anyone else. It's an authoritative measure to price the sport of fishing out of reach of most Western Australians. There goes my planned kayak fishing trip in Nth WA next year. If I was a West Australian, the very first thing I'd be doing would be protesting by not paying taxes. I have to say, however, that if such measures were ever taken where I live, I would do that, on top of simply ignoring the rules and go on fishing anyway. To hell with the consequences. There comes a time when you simply have to make a stand. Don't get me wrong - I'm all for conservation. I'd be much happier if there were more fish in the sea and I know I'm speaking for every rec fisho that ever lived in saying that. It is commercial fishing practices that should be called into question. The good news is that there is a very simple way for us all to make a difference on an individual level, and I hope this is the message the film delivers: stop buying fish. Not for bait, not for food, not even for your damned cats. Vote with your dollars. If no one bought fish, there would be no market. No market, no commercial fishing. No commercial fishing, no problem. Don't be part of the problem. This is a philosophy I've lived by for years, although sadly, I'm pretty much on my own with that one it seems.

Interview with Den Farrier

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 20:52:46 +0100

Kayak fishing the worldDennis Farrier is a member of the Hobie US Fishing Team and one of Hobie's most active kayak fishing evangelists. I was fortunate enough to spend some 4 or 5 days fishing with him in far north Queensland during the filming of the Aussie segment of the recently released 'Hobie - Fish the World (content/view/1208/39/)' DVD. In that time I came to know him as an intelligent and insightful person whom I shared a great deal of philosophies with and it was an absolute pleasure fishing alongside him and his kayak fishing partner, Mike Allen. Aside from his many kayak fishing achievements and experiences, Dennis has accomplished a hell of a lot in his lifetime, having worked with the Smithsonian Institution, The United Nations, Disney Television, Paramount Pictures, the Rainforest Institute in France and was involved in the creation of Biosphere II (Arizona). He is also a multiple Emmy award winner and has also been recognized for his work by the United Nations Environment Programme, the United Nations Centre for Transnational Corporations, the American Academy of Science, as well as the governments of Japan, Puerto Rico, France, and Italy. At the request of former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, Dennis was both a Delegate and featured speaker during the launch of the International Green Cross Program in Kyoto, Japan.So as you can deduct from all of that, Dennis is a very accomplished person and it's easy to see why I found him to be such an interesting individual. On top of all that I truly appreciated his genuine passion for the environment as well as his enthusiasm for kayak fishing. Recently Dennis finished up a world-wide kayak fishing tour, making this an ideal time to interrupt his busy schedule to corner him and ask some questions about his passion for the sport.JH: Thanks for taking some time to answer my questions Den. I'll start off with an obvious question. When and how did you discover kayak fishing and what was it about the sport that you found so attractive?DF: My first attempt to fish from a kayak was in 1964. I was in the United States Coast Guard, I tried to fish from a sit-inside – which didn’t work out – and I was fishing just outside the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California. A big part of kayak fishing is the time I’m able to spend on the water with Mike Allen, my cousin. For me it’s about the friends we’ve fished with for years, and the great folks we meet on the beaches, rivers and lakes that we’re privileged to fish all over our state, around the United states, and the world. Mike and I grew up together. We surfed in the morning and fished from our surfboards in the afternoon. Just as important? Spending time in a natural world that brings me immeasurable joy every day. And we can’t think of a better place to play. California – our backyard - offers us 1,000 miles of coastline, 4,000 lakes and reservoirs and some 30,000 streams and rivers to play in. Mike and I love to fish. If it came down to it we’d fish in a puddle in a parking lot. JH: Recently you and Mike Allen embarked on a kayak fishing world tour, fishing in various unique places in Europe, America and Australia. After all was said and done, did you conclude upon a favorite destination? And if so, was that influenced by the environment you fished in, the fish that you caught, or something else entirely? DF: Australia is way up there on my list of favorite spots. The beauty, Barramundi, and great people made this a top destination. I also was blown away by fishing the bayous of Louisiana for redfish. I’ve been fishing down in Baja Mexico for many years and the marlin, dorado, and roosterfish are phenomenal. JH: What was the most impressive fish caught during the tour (from either Mike or yourself), and can you share a photo of that magic fish with us?DF: There was a three-hour period in the Bayous of Louisiana when the Redfish fell in love with anything we threw at them. They’re beautiful with their neon tails, they’re great fighters, they gave us a sleigh ride with each catch and are strong enough to remain strong and healthy when released. Perfect. JH: Its difficult to imagine many people having had the opportunity to catch as wide array of species as yourself. Do you have an all-time favourite fish to try and catch? If so, what is it, and why?DF: The first fish that come to mind are the 40 to 50 pound Yellowtail off Cedros and Benitos Islands on the west coast of Baja, Mexico. They fight like a freight train. I love the sleigh ride.

Ultra-light stoves for kayak camping

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 17:51:07 +0100

Selecting the right stove type for the job When it comes to kayak camping, there are a few options available for those looking for a lightweight, compact cooking stove. In a nutshell there are 3 basic categories of ultra-light stoves (gas stoves, spirit burners and liquid fuel stoves) and all of them are well suited to most kayak camping endeavours. There are some fairly significant differences between them though (each of them have their pros and cons) and it pays to know what those differences are before handing over your hard-earned money. Although I wrote the following article for an outdoors website almost a decade ago (and targeted it towards hikers) little, if nothing has changed in that time and most of it is applicable for kayak camping scenarios as well. Gas stoves are generally the easiest to operate, and as everyone knows, cooking with gas is easy-peezy-lemon-squeezy. Gas hiking stoves are compact units that are connected to a gas cartridge or canister, and are sometimes equipped with piezo ignition switches for easy lighting. Whether you are cooking elaborate meals (such as stews, curries, etc) or are simply boiling water for soups, coffee and freeze-dried meals, gas stoves will be suitable.There are certain situations, however, where gas stoves won’t operate very well – and maybe not at all, so it’s a good idea to know a bit about where you are planning to use it, and what the weather is likely to be. Depending on what kind of gas is being used (butane or propane), gas stoves do not always operate very well at high altitudes or in extremely cold conditions. Propane is the best alternative for use in any condition (especially for high altitudes or cold climates), though generally isn’t well suited for hiking because propane canisters are made out of thicker steel, which of course adds to the overall weight. Propane/butane blends are available but are not guaranteed to work in all conditions. Spirit burner stoves are also very easy to use, and are very popular with hikers across the world. Without a doubt, the most common spirit burner style stoves are the Trangia storm cooker units. Incorporating the burner, windshield, 2 pots and a frying pan, storm cookers are often described as a total cooking solution that are well suited to cooking stews, stir frys and similar meals. They are available in full aluminium and some are lined with non-stick or stainless steel lined surfaces (the latter of which is preferred by the writer). A spirit burner is very easy to set up and operate – it’s a simple matter of putting some methylated spirits into the burner (adding a few drops of water will help reduce pot blackening), holding a flame to the burner and hey-presto, your away. Not only are they simple to use, they will operate in any condition and they are very quiet. There are some disadvantages to spirit burners, however, and it pays to be aware of these issues. The first potential problem is that compared with liquid fuel stoves, are not very efficient and can chew through quite a bit of fuel in a relatively short space of time. The second potential problem is that spirit burners do not burn very hot, and thus take longer to boil water than gas or liquid gas stoves. Liquid fuel stoves are a little trickier to set up and operate, but for many people, is the best solution for cooking in the backcountry. There are several reasons for this. Firstly, liquid fuel stoves are typically very efficient and do not burn through fuel as fast as the alternatives, which means less fuel is required to be carried. Secondly, liquid fuel stoves burn significantly hotter as well, and are the best at boiling water efficiently.This is a big plus for those moments when you just want to make a cuppa, or are otherwise living off freeze-dried or dehydrated meals. Finally, liquid fuel stoves are capable of operating in extreme conditions and do not suffer the same problems of gas stoves. The only down side to liquid fuel stoves is that they are more expensive than the alternatives and that some of them are downright terrible at regulating heat. This isn’t a problem for people who are simply using them to boil water, but models with simmering capability are by far the most suitable for hikers who take their backcountry cooking seriously. They are often referred to as multi-fuel stoves because some of them will operate on a varierty of fuels, including unleaded petrol (not recomended). This often makes them an attractive option for international adventurers as well, as not all fuel types are commonly available in all parts of the world. Shellite is a good clean fuel that works in almost all of them, although some manufacturors also offer a premium fuel, which is in theory a lot like premium fuel for your car. While liquid fuel stoves are significantly more expensive than their gas-powered counterparts, and require a bit more fiddling to get going, they are almost always very good quality and Coleman, Primus MSR have great reputations (the latter of which being favcured by the writer).

Gargantuan hook up, spot X

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 09:58:26 +0100

Cod, snapper, pearl perch humpback whale! Despite the illusion of serenity suggested by the calm seas of Spot X at 7AM, Alby I were well aware that this was merely the calm before the storm. 30+ knot offshore winds were predicted to roll in sometime during the morning, to be followed by rising seas. It was likely to be a small window of opportunity that most yak fishoes I know would have decided not to risk. We were pretty determined to get out there though and for all we knew, the reports would be wrong. They weren't. But we did manage to reach some reefy grounds about 5 - 6km out before any signs of rough weather emerged. When we stopped trolling to drift it was still pretty comfortable out there and as we started catching fish we were both glad we'd come out. In about 30 metres of water our soft plastics were finding the bottom, where we were both able to entice small rock cod, Alby bagged a couple more snapper and I caught my first Pearl Perch, which I mistook for a snapper at first. Fooled by colour, it wasn't until I took a good look at it with the black background of the tramp behind it that I realised that snapper don't have eyes that big, and completely different fins and tail as well.I was hoping for a snapper, but this was even better. According to Alby, Pearl Perch are one of the tastiest fish in the sea and upon learning this I was suddenly very glad we'd decided to brave the weather. By now it was still surprisingly moderate, but unknown to us at the time was that some locals had been watching the incoming front from an observatory and looking out at our position in the distance, were wondering if and when to send out a rescue boat for us. Being locals and all, no doubt they'd seen kayakers get into trouble out there before. But these weren't any old kayaks...Today's highlight was absolutely awe-inspiring and before I go on to describe it in detail, I have to make a sort of disclaimer and get it out of the way first. When a gargantuan humpback whale (I'd guestimate at about 16-18 metres) surfaced right between Alby and I, no more than 10 metres away from either of us and dwarfing us both, we had absolutely no warning that it was about to happen. We did know there were humpbacks in the area, as we could see them jumping some 7 - 8 km further out to sea. But this one just appeared out of no where, slicing a path between us as we drifted, heading north with purpose. There was simply no way that either of us could have averted what happened next. Had we known a whale was any where near us, we would not have had lines in the water, full stop.As I watched on in amazement, my jaw ajar, Alby laughing uncontrollably, I felt my rod tip bend and the line tighten steadily and immediately I knew what was transpiring. The whale had swum right into my line (this demonstrating how close it came) and was now peeling it from my reel at a rate of knots on it's north-bound route. My first thought was to cut the line but then I thought it might be better to try and apply a little pressure to force the line to come free from the whale - I figured it may just be snagged on a barnicle. As the whale pulled away there were no headshakes or tailbeats... just a strong steady pull. I doubt the whale knew it had even swam into anything. With a breaking strain of 20lb, I knew the line wouldn't last long but to my surprise the whale did manage to spool it. This all happened in less than 30 seconds. [youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CSXa0tsnFs]Click over to youtube to watch in HD (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CSXa0tsnFs)

Aide Comp SC kayaking 1st aid kit

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:42:57 +0100

Updating the 1st aid kitThere's some big trips planned for later this year, including a week-long yak fishing/sailing trip for a handful of AI adventurers around Fraser Island later this year, as well as numerous more kayak camping trips around the Clarence Coast area leading up to it. Inspired by Holger's recent article on the topic of custom-made 1st aid kits, (content/view/1137/101/) now seemed like a pretty good time to go forth and update my 1st aid kit, which was by now some 7-8 years old. Most of it's contents were just fine however, and a lot of it was transferred and added to the new kit. I looked into buying the various bits and pieces I wanted to update, as well as a more waterproof container to store it in, and quickly realised that buying a well-suited ready-made kit might not be a bad idea. The Aide Comp SC kit (http://www.macleanoutdoors.com.au/safety_compsc.htm) has a fair bit going for it as a kayak-friendly kit due to it's tough little drybag container, as well as how it's contents are sealed. All of it's contents (listed below) are of a very high quality and packaged really well - all of it in tough waterproof satchels (some of it vaccuum sealed) and much better than almost all of the alternatives available to me from the local chemist. So what initially seemed like a relatively expensive option turned out to be not so bad after all. I figured $60 was a pretty reasonable investment in a truly worthy kit for kayak fishing.And with just enough spare room in the drybag for me to add a few hand-picked items, I included a triangular bandage, stretch bandage, a few satchels of suncream, a few satchels of sting-eze cream, a few alcohole swabs, a couple of condoms (not for what you think... but hey...). I also included some painkillers in the form of Nurofen Plus (Ibuprofen codeine), which is pretty much the strongest painkiller you can get over the counter. I figure that if you need painkillers out there, chances are you need bloody good ones. I'd also pack morphine if I could get it. So those items are now combined with the stock items that come with the Aide Comp SC, making for a pretty complete little kit. I store this as a part of my safety kit, which is a bright yellow waterproof box, which sits in the rear storage well of the kayak. I'll elaborate on the contents of my safety kit in a seperate write up in the near future.

Long weekend of kayak fishing

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:34:28 +0100

With the Lismore Caravan, Camping 4WD show coming up next weekend (where Maclean Outdoors will be exhibiting the range of Hobie kayaks), my next week of work will be a 12-day affair. So it wasn't too difficult for me to twist Doug's arm and squeeze a day off for Friday. The Alby Allan show are still loitering around Spot X (and will be till Saturday) so i thought I'd join them for one more trip out before they head home. And oh boy, tomorrow looks like a doozie. But not in the perfect fishing conditions kind of way us fishoes usually reserve the term 'doozie' for. Strong gusty westerly winds are predicted for tomorrow, which can be really very hazardous for off shore fishing on the east coast. With up to 30 knots expected in the morning it's going to be a wild and wooly launch. For sure... it may not even happen. But I'm going equipped with the full island, so if it is blowing up I might just embrace that, do some sailing and troll for tuna. Otherwise we may all just hug the coastline and chase the tailor instead. We're pretty determined, so I think that somehow we'll hatch a good plan. Saturday and Sunday are looking far more relaxed in the wind department and do look to be more hospitable at this stage, so I'll be aiming to get out both days over the weekend as well. Both Sandon and Woody Head are in my radar. At some stage I'll be targeting snapper, though after last weekend's incident (content/view/1213/1/), I'm rather keen to get revenge on the longtail as well. This time I'll be trolling with mono instead of braid line, which I've concluded simply makes much more sense for this style of fishing, for various reasons.

Newry Islands

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 20:53:15 +0100

Mermaids, love bites and BarraIf I had announced that I was going to go barramundi fishing in July I would get a range of comments casting doubt on my sanity, hertitage and possibly sexual preferences. However there was method to my madness; there were a range of factors that actually would make this series of tides productive for barra - the moon was right, the temps were perfect and I saw one leaping about a week ago.The day was perfect, 24 degrees, sun shining, 5 knot winds, calm seas... gee I hate winter. Using the AI with a single outrigger I would fish the outgoing tide then wait until it turns and fish the incoming back to the ramp. I launched at 11.00 am at Victor Creek boat ramp with a plan to fish the channels deep and slow.Having spent hours chasing mackerel without success it was time to get clever and see if I could tempt a winter barra on to a lure. Digging into to my freshwater bag of tricks I decided on 2 tactics, firstly to slow trolled big soft plastic and the faster and more dynamic cast and retrieve with either blade or surface lures. The game plan was to troll the lure with the current so that they would travel slow and bounce along the bottom. Heading out past the channel markers my rudder hits something so hard it stops the yak, I pull up ruuder to inspect and all is fine. However when I got back to shore I found a set of teeth marks scratched in to the rudder blade. Eekkk shark attack! A bit further out I came across some dugongs and no matter how hard I tried I just couldn't get a photo of what sailors of old used to call mermaids. As I trolled I cast the blade lure far and wide, across the flats, jigging the deep and running the dropoffs all for zip. As the tide continued to race out I headed to rabbit island to fish the hole on the NE tip, although not completely landlocked it was shallow going on the bottom of the tide. With me was the local fishing guide and a couple of other tinnies, very little got caught and I nearly had a decent sized leopard ray leap into my lap.Having changed to a surface stick bait I hammered away until the tide started to run and then started again trolling the sp and casting into the bank. Coming across to Acaica island there was a little action in the channel, but nothing could be tempted on to my stick bait. As I came to the island I cut a cross the head land dragging the lure across a sandbar and the reel went off.Reaching around to grab the rod I forgot to set the camera and didn't get a chance till the very end. The fish had power and I could tell it was no trevally and my thoughts drifted to barra, stripping line on a soft drag I coaxed the AI around and was able to regain some control. This fish had power and stayed deep in a gutter we had drifted over, no colour yet, tightened drag a little and tried to turn it's head, a bit of back and forth and the fish came up. All I saw was silver then the big paddle tail of the barra as it took off it spraying me with water.I really wanted this fish and a sort of calm came over me, I automatically reduced the drag a little, prepared the gaff. The fish lunges turning the AI and puts itself on the side with the outrigger. I folded the outrigger in a and as the the fish made a pass I hooked the gaff through the jaw and brought it on board. I was one very happy chappy - the fish was hooked in the corner of the mouth and did not jump once.