This article was written by Darrell Olson and re-published with permission.
Darrell writes for
www.yakangler.com
9. Kayak Fish Handling:
Releasing your fish is a great way to handle them. If you do keep a
few, practice conservation and only harvest the amount of fish that you
will need for dinner. If you do release a fish, it should be given every
chance to survive. Take any extra time required to fully resuscitate
the fish before releasing them. You will need to keep water moving over
their gills in order to transfer enough oxygen to their bloodstream.
Once you have whipped a fish you intend to keep, you will need to
store it somewhere. Smaller fish can be stored in a cooler with ice; you
might consider a fish bag with ice for a medium fish that will not fit
in a cooler. Wrap large fish in towels or netting and strap it to the
deck of your kayak. It is a good idea to carry a burlap bag to keep the
fish wet and to control fish slime.
A fish stringer could also be an option, but if you are fishing in
brackish or salt water a stringer could be a bad choice. You could be
presenting a temptation to sharks, especially if your catch is bleeding.
In freshwater in the southern states, this could also be a temptation
to an alligator. If you choose this option, make you have a
quick-release attachment so you can separate yourself from your catch if
the sharks or alligators decide they want it more than you do.
10. Kayak Fishing Safety:
This article is not intended to be the last word or authority on kayak
angling safety. No amount of information can prepare you for all
possibilities. Be careful out there. Always fish with a buddy & let
someone know where you’re going.
Weather: Weather
should always be checked and taken into account. The two most common and
violent causes for storm activity are frontal conditions and summer
thunderstorm activity.
Wind: Wind means
rough water, which creates a potential for overturning. Kayaks can take
quite a bit of rough water, especially when paddled by an experienced
kayaker. The key is not to allow the waves to catch you broadside. If a
big wave hits you broadside, it can turn you over. You want to keep the
bow or stern directed at an angle to the waves. You want to be wearing a
personal flotation device (PFD) with a whistle attached. The most
important thing is not to panic. Stay with your kayak, even if you are
unable to reboard.
When the weather has any chance of getting ugly, do not commit yourself to paddle large expanses of deep open water.
Lightning: If you
are on the water when a storm is coming and you hear a faint vibrating
or buzzing sound coming from your fishing rods, get off the water. This
usually indicates that the ions in the air are highly charged, and
lightening could strike at any time. While paddling toward shore, lower
your rods from the upright position so they don’t act as lightning rods.
Once on shore, stay low and reduce your contact with the ground (e.g.
by getting into your car).
Fog: It’s easy to
get lost when you can’t see, and these conditions can leave you open to
the threat of being struck by a larger boat. It is best to stay off
larger waters where motorized craft travel when it’s foggy and
visibility is poor. It is also a good idea to stay close contact with
the shoreline to prevent getting disoriented and traveling in circles.
When paddling on larger bodies of water, you should have a compass or a
GPS onboard.
Exposure to the elements:
Hypothermia is a threat any time you’re on the water. The weather does
not have to be freezing. It just has to be significantly lower than your
body temperature for an extended period of time. If you’re wet and
windy conditions, your body temperature can drop without you realizing
the danger. Be sure to dress appropriately – plan to get wet.
In warm weather, a kayakercan become overheated and suffer exhaustion
or heat stroke. If this happens, cool down. You should always have
plenty of water to drink onboard. Overexposure to the sun’s rays can
result in a painful case of sunburn. Long term neglect can lead to skin
cancer. Sunscreen or good SPF-rated clothing are your best friends You
may be tempted to wear your bathing suit, but make sure you have a hat,
good sunglasses, and the right clothing on board.
Hooks, fins, and teeth:
With such a low profile on the water, a kayak gets an angler closer to
the prey
than any other watercraft. With fish fighting for their lives,
some extreme behavior is displayed. Fish with mouths full of sharp teeth
or barbed trebled hooks can launch into aerial displays with wild head
shaking attempts to throw the hooks right back you. It is a good idea to
restrict the use of treble hooks, or crimp your barbs so the hook is
easier to remove from your skin. Use caution when handling fish at the
end of a fight. Many fish have sharp teeth as well as sharp or spiny
areas.
Scary critters: Aside from the fish that you pick a fight with, there are some other threats - real and imagined. Alligators are rarely a serious threat in daylight, however they
become bolder at night. Sharks are probably more of a threat in your
imagination than they are in reality - unless, of course, you hook one,
pull it up to your kayak, and face the consequences. If you do not want
incidents with sharks, be careful of creating any blood trails in the
water, do not drag any fish on a stringer, and if you are fighting a
fish on your line when a shark suddenly attacks it, let him have all of
it. Sit quietly until he’s gone.
In rivers or areas with low-hanging branches snakes can be an issue.
Sometimes they will drop and land into a boat. Try not to panic. Get the
snake out of the boat as quickly as possible, and try to keep from
capsizing. Watch for overhanging limbs when kayaking. If you come across
a swimming moccasin, paddle quickly in reverse and assume that the
snake will aggressively defend its territory.
The most frightening and dangerous creatures to a kayak are
powerboats. Try & avoid the boating channels and high-traffic areas.
The biggest threat is being run over by one. Consider a
brightly-colored kayak to lessen the chance of not being noticed. If you
are paddling in rolling waves where you are intermittently hidden, you
should display a bright flag high above your kayak. Night paddling
involves an even greater threat from boaters. You will need to carry a
bright light to get their attention.
A minimum list of safety equipment: PFD with whistle attached, safety
belt (attaches to bow line), drinking water, paddle leash, first aid
kit, sun block, and a raised visibility flag. For longer trips that are
farther from civilization I would suggest a flare, compass, GPS, VHF
radio/cell phone, flashlight, and anchor.
I hope these ten tips are helpful to get you starting in kayak angling!
Read Part 1 HERE
Read Part 2 HERE
