Getting the kayaks out of the garage

[BenCantrell]

I was in Illinois for a few weeks, but now I'm back!  It's 2018, and I've declared 2018 the year of the kayak.   Yesterday was step one, which was to get Ruoxi's and my kayaks out of the garage and take them for a spin on Lake Miramar.  Weather was great, and we had a good paddle around the lake.





I've been ordering a few accessories starting with the cheap stuff.  On this trip we brought:

1. paddle leashes
2. backup telescoping paddle
3. floating rescue/tow rope
4. throwable PFD (which also makes a great backrest)
5. fixed blade blunt tip knife (clipped to PFD)
6. waterproof first aid kid





A friend sent me his old fish finder, so I'm looking forward to mounting that soon and playing around with it.  I'll be ordering a few more mostly safety related items before I start paddling around the bays (handheld VHS radio, high-vis flag, air horn, bailing sponge, waterproof/resistant tackle bag, paddling gloves, pool noodles for extra flotation in the front and back of the hull).

Sorry for no fish in this report!  Next trip will be Mission Bay and I'll bring fishing gear.

[Pinoyfisher]

Good luck. Curious to see how that style of kayak does in a surf launch.

[Latimeria]

I still have a few things of yours Ben.

Great to see the new 'Yaks out!  You'll open up a whole new world in MB with the kayak!

[1morecast]

You can yak out baits for me anytime!

[Pinoyfisher]

You can yak out baits for me anytime!

Yeah! We'll see you and the kayak this Thursday Ben.

[BenCantrell]

Good luck. Curious to see how that style of kayak does in a surf launch.

I won't lie, I'm nervous about it.  There's a reason ocean kayak fishing really didn't become popular on the west coast until sit-on-top kayaks started coming out.  My plan is to take baby steps.  I'll start off by getting comfortable in the bays (dealing with the boat wakes in SD Bay in particular), practice flipping my kayak intentionally and doing self rescues, and then work on doing surf launches and landings without any gear.  At that point I can make a judgement call as to whether or not my sit-in kayak is appropriate for doing fully loaded launches and landings in the surf.

I still have a few things of yours Ben.

Great to see the new 'Yaks out!  You'll open up a whole new world in MB with the kayak!

Thanks Tom, I'll PM you about meeting up.  It would be nice to get out for some corvina fishing, but if you're still resting up I can just stop by and pick up my cooler.

You can yak out baits for me anytime!

I'll entertain the idea if it's in the middle of the day and not freezing balls. 

[sasquatch]

Good to see you wear your PFD.

[Pinoyfisher]

Good luck. Curious to see how that style of kayak does in a surf launch.

I won't lie, I'm nervous about it.  There's a reason ocean kayak fishing really didn't become popular on the west coast until sit-on-top kayaks started coming out.  My plan is to take baby steps.  I'll start off by getting comfortable in the bays (dealing with the boat wakes in SD Bay in particular), practice flipping my kayak intentionally and doing self rescues, and then work on doing surf launches and landings without any gear.  At that point I can make a judgement call as to whether or not my sit-in kayak is appropriate for doing fully loaded launches and landings in the surf.

I still have a few things of yours Ben.

Great to see the new 'Yaks out!  You'll open up a whole new world in MB with the kayak!

Thanks Tom, I'll PM you about meeting up.  It would be nice to get out for some corvina fishing, but if you're still resting up I can just stop by and pick up my cooler.

You can yak out baits for me anytime!

I'll entertain the idea if it's in the middle of the day and not freezing balls. 

Binh can help with the freezing balls.