Fishermen re-united

I had found it bit lonely out there on my own the last 6 months or so Kayak fishing , so you can imagine how pleased I was to hear that Tim had taken the plunge so to speak, and decided to get himself a Kayak.

Now that the Florida fishing adventure is just a memory the Mick 'n' Tim fishing duo are trying something a bit different. The luxury of a boat with the latest electronic gadgetry, powerful engine and enough room to swing several cats has gone, we are now fishing the way some have been fishing for hundreds of years, the primitive kayak.

The Dolphins

It was Tims first day out in his Kayak. I had assured him a while back how stable these little Kayaks were and with the sea so calm, what could possibly go wrong?

We set out from Lepe beach and headed in the direction of Calshot. Tim had suggested we might paddle off to Keyhaven but I talked him out of it.

Launching from Lepe

The day was spent trying different spots around Lepe without much success and ending at the mouth of Beaulieu river. Still no fish but it was nice watching the geese from the Kayaks. When watching from they shore they do not let you get so close. I thought that maybe I should have taken my new camera with it's powerful zoom lens and got some great photos, it being so calm, it would probably have been fine.

To end the day we decided to give the other side of the Beaulieu river one last try to avoid blanking on the fish front. After I had dropped anchor I checked to see that I was not the wrong side of the post that marks the channel of the river. The peace and serenity of the day was then shattered with my spluttering and splashing as I capsized my Kayak. Getting it the right way up was no easy task. Then, like a big fat seal I got back onto my Kayak and surveyed the damage. I lost my rod, drowned my phone and wounded my pride. I half expected to see Tim snapping away with his new camera but, he did look a little concerned. So I got wet and cold and Tim got a free lesson of how not to turn suddenly when sat on your Kayak. The sudden shift of my bulk was all it took.

So as I sloshed my way down the beach, my dry suit bottoms holding a gallon or so of water, towing my Kayak behind me I thought, well that was different.

Looking forward to the next day of Kayak fishing..........................................

Now for the fish....and the learning curve......

Today was a success, no massive fish but I was able to put the Kayak to the test. It is still a learning curve for me though. I'm not the most organised of people and I think I did alright but, I can do better. Remembering my glasses would have been a great help.

There is a lot to learn with Kayak fishing. It isn't just learning how to use the Kayak, it is also learning how to load the Kayak onto the car without wrecking the car. Unfortunately, I learnt the hard way. I have lost control getting it off the car and I have lost control getting it on the car. You can be fooled into thinking you are in control of the Kayak, you are not, it will lull you into a false sense of security and then, with a little help from it's friend the wind, jump off the roof, slide down the wind screen and then onto the bonnet. Now with the damage done I have a solution, The Karitek loading system. A fantastic system designed to out think the Kayak and save the car from damage.

Why Fish from a Kayak?

Well, I have owned a number of small boats with motors and trailers that got very little use. This was because finding suitable launching places wasn't that easy or cheap. Add to that, the cost of maintaining and running an outboard it seemed like a good idea.

So, I sold my Dell Quay dory for £1800 and bought my Kayak and accessories for £1710. The Kayak I chose was a Hobie Outback. It is a versatile little craft that can be sailed, peddled or paddled. You just tie it to the roof of your car, find a beach or lake and you are away.