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Picture Of The Month



SD2OR with a trophy fall walleye

Topic: Transplant from NH  (Read 1359 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

kredden

  • Rockfish
  • ****
  • Location: North Bend, WA
  • Date Registered: Feb 2018
  • Posts: 170
I'm a recent transplant from NH (about a year ago) to the NW and have been enjoying the Seattle area fishing.  I've been wanting to move off the bank so recently picked up a new Outback (my first Kayak) so am looking forward to better weather to start playing with it.  Planning on staying with lakes until I get some decent experience.

Would love to hook up with other local Yak anglers to learn the ropes.  I'm in North Bend, WA.

Kevin


Trident 13

  • Salmon
  • ******
  • Location: Kent
  • Date Registered: Jul 2016
  • Posts: 791
You're in a nice spot.  Lake Sammamish is a good place to get the boat wet in a sheltered location as you dial it in.  I'm told there's good cut throat fishing there, but I'm still blanked after a couple of tries.  Ballard Brad (on this site) has it dialed in and you can search for Lake Sammamish and look for his posts.
There's a group discussing Winter Blackmouth that fish pretty regularly off Shilshole Marina.  It's a great group and jigging is one of the primary methods and is easy to set up and do, look for the thread "Blackmouth from a Kayak" threads.

The map shows a nice easy place to launch at Sammamish.  You  need a pass to use it.  There's a nice bathroom and you can just follow the trail from the north west end of the parking lot to the water.  Google "cut throat fishing in Lake Sammamish" (or lake Washington) and you'll get an idea of the gear.  While the water is usually calm, it's cold and dry suits are the style this time of year.  You've got a stable craft, have fun.
   
« Last Edit: February 26, 2018, 07:03:48 AM by Trident 13 »


kredden

  • Rockfish
  • ****
  • Location: North Bend, WA
  • Date Registered: Feb 2018
  • Posts: 170
Thanks!  Looking at dry suits now.

Kevin


Trident 13

  • Salmon
  • ******
  • Location: Kent
  • Date Registered: Jul 2016
  • Posts: 791
Take a good look at advice you can search for on this site.  For me, the gold standard is a Kokatat Gortex with a relief zipper.  You will occasionally find used ones for sale on Craigslist. Make sure you try some one before taking the leap as there are some $$ involved.

Once it warms up I switch to Kokatat dry pants and a dry top.  It's important to watch water temps more than air as that's what will get you in trouble.  You've got a pretty stable platform, but it's still recommended that you go out with no valuable gear, try to tip it to get a good handle on where the tip points are and then go ahead and jump out and get back in.  Sammamish has some nice areas to try that and I personally wouldn't hesitate to try this in the swimming area with a good PDF and even someone on shore in a PDF watching you that can come in if needed or have a tow rope on the yak.  some might disagree, but it's a personal decision.  You can always PM some of the locals.  There is a lake close to me (Lake Meridian) that's always calm and it would be an easy run over Hwy 18.  I'd load mine up and would be happy to laugh watching you gasp :D

What size are you thinking?  These aren't skinny pants and you want some room.  My gear is clean and you could use them for a test.
« Last Edit: March 01, 2018, 08:12:53 AM by Trident 13 »




kredden

  • Rockfish
  • ****
  • Location: North Bend, WA
  • Date Registered: Feb 2018
  • Posts: 170
Been hunting around, so far it seems like the only deals on suits and boots are for the smallest sizes which don't work for me!  Heading over to Kayak Academy in Issaquah to see what they've got.

Kevin


kredden

  • Rockfish
  • ****
  • Location: North Bend, WA
  • Date Registered: Feb 2018
  • Posts: 170
Take a good look at advice you can search for on this site.  For me, the gold standard is a Kokatat Gortex with a relief zipper.  You will occasionally find used ones for sale on Craigslist. Make sure you try some one before taking the leap as there are some $$ involved.

Once it warms up I switch to Kokatat dry pants and a dry top.  It's important to watch water temps more than air as that's what will get you in trouble.  You've got a pretty stable platform, but it's still recommended that you go out with no valuable gear, try to tip it to get a good handle on where the tip points are and then go ahead and jump out and get back in.  Sammamish has some nice areas to try that and I personally wouldn't hesitate to try this in the swimming area with a good PDF and even someone on shore in a PDF watching you that can come in if needed or have a tow rope on the yak.  some might disagree, but it's a personal decision.  You can always PM some of the locals.  There is a lake close to me (Lake Meridian) that's always calm and it would be an easy run over Hwy 18.  I'd load mine up and would be happy to laugh watching you gasp :D

What size are you thinking?  These aren't skinny pants and you want some room.  My gear is clean and you could use them for a test.

Thanks, definitely thinking of doing it that way.  Don't want the first time I go in to be accidental.  I'm 6 foot and about 235.  Thanks for the offer of watching me gasp, I may well take you up on that!

Kevin


Trident 13

  • Salmon
  • ******
  • Location: Kent
  • Date Registered: Jul 2016
  • Posts: 791
PM sent.  A little later on maybe there's others who want to give it a try.


Dark Tuna

  • Lingcod
  • *****
  • "Dark Tuna?"
  • Location: Redmond / Sammamish, WA
  • Date Registered: Aug 2014
  • Posts: 453
Check out the Kayak Academy south of Issaquah, they will have some suits to try on.  I’m similar dimensions and fit in a Kokatat XL suit but I had no room around my calves, so I went XXL.

The Hydrus Supernova will be fine on lakes, but I wish they’d made the GoreTex version back then.  On open water or high wind days a workout is fun but I’ll be damp at least inside.

There are some nice freshwater lakes around here when the season’s open. Beaver Lake is year round but I’ve never figured that lake out.

2015 Jackson Big Tuna (tandem) (dark forest)
2016 Hobie Outback LE (screamin' orange)
2014 KC Kayaks K12 (the better half's, in camo)
2015 Jackson Kraken 13.5 (bluefin)

Raymarine Dragonfly; BB Angler Aces; Kokatat Hydrus 3L SuperNova Angler Dry Suit; Stohlquist Fisherman PFD


kredden

  • Rockfish
  • ****
  • Location: North Bend, WA
  • Date Registered: Feb 2018
  • Posts: 170
Went down to Kayak Academy on Thurs and tried on the Kokatat Goretex SuperNova Angler and the Kokatat Hydrus 3L SuperNova Angler.  I liked the first one better.  I also like the neck gasket on both of them, not sure I'd be able to deal with latex one in a full drysuit.

Do you guys wear hi-vis colors for your suits?  The goretex one has a choice of gray or red.  A little less garish than the colors for the Hydrus.

Kevin


Trident 13

  • Salmon
  • ******
  • Location: Kent
  • Date Registered: Jul 2016
  • Posts: 791
Personal choice but I prefer the hi-vis. The suit protects from the cold. The color helps someone else see you or find you. Take your time and make the right choice for you. The hunt is half the fun, at least until your first good hookup lol.
« Last Edit: March 03, 2018, 04:46:29 PM by Trident 13 »


JasonM

  • Lingcod
  • *****
  • Location: Snohomish
  • Date Registered: Jun 2017
  • Posts: 282
I went through this same decision a few months ago. I ended up with the red Goretex Supernova Angler suit because I wanted the Goretex version and that was the brighter of the two standard colors available. I would have rather had it in the bright orange color that the Hydrus version is offered in so I could more visible to power boats on the water or to anyone who might come by and rescue me if I'm in the water. I would have loved to buy a custom-made suit, but it would have effectively just been the Goretex Supernova Angler suit in a different color for hundreds more. I'm a big fan of being seen by those that might kill me if they don't see me, and that includes both kayak fishing and riding a motorcycle among much larger vehicles on the street. I also have a paddle with a bright orange blades that I can (and have had to) wave at power boaters who don't see me.


kredden

  • Rockfish
  • ****
  • Location: North Bend, WA
  • Date Registered: Feb 2018
  • Posts: 170
That's the way I think I'm leaning.

Kevin


kredden

  • Rockfish
  • ****
  • Location: North Bend, WA
  • Date Registered: Feb 2018
  • Posts: 170
Went with the Goretex Supernova Angler from Kayak Academy, had to do a special order to get bigger feet put on it.  Just waiting for it to show up.

Kevin


 

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