Post by mark8 on Nov 28, 2013 18:36:30 GMT
So I finally got the kayak rigged and ready to go. The weather looks good for a few days so I put out a couple of lets meets and have a couple of new guys meeting up tomorrow on the Humber, then there seems to be an Armada of the ECKA guys going to Filey Brigg on Thursday.
Today I was supposed to be on a boat but plans changed so I snuck off into the Humber with my dad. Launch was from Wonderland onto a flat sea.
I have to say initially it was a strange feeling paddling from the seat but it took about five minutes to get used to. The mark we were heading for was 1.7 miles so a leisurely paddle out to a hole where it drops from 22ft down to 32ft.
Once there the rods were straight down.
and it wasn't long before the were regularly nodding with good size whiting and dabs. I am always amazed a dab can eat a 4/0 hook fully loaded with squid and lug but they do.
We fished for about two hours before the cold started to get to us then about an hour to paddle back against the wind and tide.
There are steep banks about half a mile from the launch which always have a surf over them. Nothing serious but enough to play in and I was happy with the way the Cuda went through it. It is the first yak I have had that has gone through that with absolutely no water getting into the inside, probably due to the way the seals are on the hatches but it was completely bone dry in the hull.
As everyone else has said the seat is amazingly comfortable to paddle and fish from. I was surprised how much water came through the scupper holes at the front and also into the well at the back. At the front it isn't a major issue as you are obviously sitting higher. From the back it does drain but a couple of times I looked behind me to see it full of water because one of the fish had blocked the drain channel. At one point it was like an aquarium with fish swimming around until I quickly moved the culprit and it immediately drained out.
Again as others have said it is a fairly heavy yak, similar to the Shakespeare. The difference is the balance when lifting. The handles are completely balanced so you don't have to worry about the frot or back diving into the ground and that makes it a load easier to handle than the one I was using before.
Anyway I will be able to gauge the true weight next spring when I have to pull it back a mile and a half over the beach from my low water bass marks.
Today was just a pleasure to be out with a few fish caught for dinner.
Filey will be more of a challenge, but also with more chance of Cod..
Today I was supposed to be on a boat but plans changed so I snuck off into the Humber with my dad. Launch was from Wonderland onto a flat sea.
I have to say initially it was a strange feeling paddling from the seat but it took about five minutes to get used to. The mark we were heading for was 1.7 miles so a leisurely paddle out to a hole where it drops from 22ft down to 32ft.
Once there the rods were straight down.
and it wasn't long before the were regularly nodding with good size whiting and dabs. I am always amazed a dab can eat a 4/0 hook fully loaded with squid and lug but they do.
We fished for about two hours before the cold started to get to us then about an hour to paddle back against the wind and tide.
There are steep banks about half a mile from the launch which always have a surf over them. Nothing serious but enough to play in and I was happy with the way the Cuda went through it. It is the first yak I have had that has gone through that with absolutely no water getting into the inside, probably due to the way the seals are on the hatches but it was completely bone dry in the hull.
As everyone else has said the seat is amazingly comfortable to paddle and fish from. I was surprised how much water came through the scupper holes at the front and also into the well at the back. At the front it isn't a major issue as you are obviously sitting higher. From the back it does drain but a couple of times I looked behind me to see it full of water because one of the fish had blocked the drain channel. At one point it was like an aquarium with fish swimming around until I quickly moved the culprit and it immediately drained out.
Again as others have said it is a fairly heavy yak, similar to the Shakespeare. The difference is the balance when lifting. The handles are completely balanced so you don't have to worry about the frot or back diving into the ground and that makes it a load easier to handle than the one I was using before.
Anyway I will be able to gauge the true weight next spring when I have to pull it back a mile and a half over the beach from my low water bass marks.
Today was just a pleasure to be out with a few fish caught for dinner.
Filey will be more of a challenge, but also with more chance of Cod..
