New to Alaska kayak fishing

Hey just want to ask anyone if they have any suggestions for kayaks and also where i should start fishing. Im not new to fish just new to kayak fishing. And iv never really fishing out in South central alaska, iv only sports fished in Bristol Bay so im really new to the territory and would love some suggestions for places to fish out here. Maybe kenai or whittier. Let me know what you guys think any help is appreciated.

Welcome!

It's exciting to see new folks interested in kayak fishing here in Alaska. I was just in West Marine on Dimond today (tearing my hair out trying to comprehend electrical fixtures) and noticed that they've really increased the floor space dedicated to fishing, and kayak fishing in particular, in their new remodel. They've got some Ocean Kayak models on the floor, along with their own brand (which I think rebrands Wilderness Systems kayaks.  A pretty good assortment of sit-on-top kayaks.  My husband said there were a few more SOTs at REI when he was in there earlier in the week.   

Among those of us on NWKA from Alaska, the predominant kayak in use is made by Hobie and uses a pedal drive system. Unfortunately there is not a Hobie dealer in AK, though they can be shipped her pretty readily. Most of the guys use the Outback model, though I use a 13 ft Revolution (lighter and better at moving efficiently through the water for me). The hands-free fishing that is possible with a pedal drive suits the way I like to fish -- lots of mooching and trolling -- plus it gives me a bigger set of muscles to use against those big tidal currents in Cook Inlet.

There's a bunch of us planning to get together at Whiskey Gulch (north of Anchor Point) over the weekend of May 17-18 to chase after Kings and halibut. That trip will be thoroughly discussed on this board before hand, and you should definitely feel welcome to join in the fun.  At least one of the guys is down there right now enjoying the snow and rain today...  I keep waiting for the picture of a beautiful King to show for his determination.

Another of the guys (Kardinal_84) put together a pretty nice website dedicated to kayak fishing in Southcentral Alaska.  Here's a link: https://sites.google.com/site/kayakfishingalaska/home  That will give you a good summary of the common launch destinations. 

Everybody here is very approachable, happy to help, full of ideas.  None of us has been at this terribly long -- I think this is Kardinal's 3rd season, and the rest of us are entering our 2nd seasons at it. There's a couple who are just getting things started.  No matter, it's a pretty small community and we all share a love of fishing. Some of us have extensive kayaking experience, others none to start. It's all good.  SO much fun awaits you -- let us know when you've zeroed in on the kayak and are ready to give it a trial. 

PS: "only sport fished in Bristol Bay" is like saying "only played baseball for the Boston Red Sox". That's serious chops!

I really appreciate the warm welcome. Im kinda on a tight budget so i might have to go cheap when it comes to kayaks(poor college student). I found a nice 12 foot sea kayak sit in on craigslist for 400 and costco has some 12 ft kayaks for 500. So i guess im just gunna have to look around for the best deal. As far as the invite to anchor point gos it sounds great and hope i can get everything together before then. This weekend coming weekend me and a friend were thinking about the upper kenia and maybe catching some trout. Any suggestions this time of year?

I really appreciate the warm welcome. Im kinda on a tight budget so i might have to go cheap when it comes to kayaks(poor college student). I found a nice 12 foot sea kayak sit in on craigslist for 400 and costco has some 12 ft kayaks for 500. So i guess im just gunna have to look around for the best deal.

I would strongly advise against a Sit INside Kayak (SINK). Sit On Tops (SOT) are a much better option for fishing. Keep your eyes open for a deal on a SOT you will be much happier in the long run.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

I really appreciate the warm welcome. Im kinda on a tight budget so i might have to go cheap when it comes to kayaks(poor college student). I found a nice 12 foot sea kayak sit in on craigslist for 400 and costco has some 12 ft kayaks for 500. So i guess im just gunna have to look around for the best deal.

I would strongly advise against a Sit INside Kayak (SINK). Sit On Tops (SOT) are a much better option for fishing. Keep your eyes open for a deal on a SOT you will be much happier in the long run.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

+1. You'd be surprised what you can find on Craigslist if you're patient.

The Upper Kenai closed to trout fishing on May 1 -- stays closed until mid-June (check the regs for the exact date) to allow the rainbows to spawn without harassment. A better destination might be to cast for Dollies at the mouth of Fourth of July Creek near Seward, or any of the lakes in the Valley if the ice is out by then.

I saw some used ocean kayaks on Craig's here the other day. 800.00 ea. don't think it was a good deal but there were not any pics or anything else.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I think im just going to rent a kayak and see what i like for now. Me and my friend were going to seward this weekend to just kayak but i guess ill bring my pole and see if i can get any dollys. Any tips on tackle, all i have are  spinners.

Welcome! 

I can't say I have ever used a sit inside Kayak but here in Alaska it is next to impossible to find a sit on top used or for rent.  I recommend contacting Chris Mautino of Liquid Ventures out of Seward.  He should be in Seward Tuesday after a drive from his winter haunts in Baja.  He has the ocean kayak sit on tops rigged for fishing I think available for rent.  It is the ONLY rigid sit on top I have ever seen for rent here in Alaska other than at lodges.   

Lots of good information here.  Much more relevant than national sites that tend to focus on warmer waters.  A whole different ball game here and in the Pacific Northwest as far as doing it safely.

Check it out, but be warned!  It is HIGHLY addictive!!! Consider joinging us in Whiskey Gulch May 18 & 19 if the weather is do-able. 

I just got a 12 ft sit in. I got it for a fair price and comes with lots of stuff. This sit it might be a mistake but id like to be able to bring it down some serious rapids. Is the whiskey gulch thing the king derby? Its so surprising to me that there are kings this early in cook inlet. Ill definitely go to that. Im gunna try going to seward this weekend with a friend. Akfishergal told me to try and catch some dollies at the mouth of fourth of july creek and i think it would be a great opportunity to get my feet wet (figuratively). Do you guys know if i can just launch the kayaks right there at the creek?

Congratulations on getting your kayak ---you're on your way. You'll figure out how best to use it as a fishing platform though trial and error, like most of us do. The important thing is to be safe while you learn what kind of kayak you'll want to use, and what kind of kayaking you really want to do, when you're no longer on a college student's budget.  The kayak I want on a river, let alone serious whitewater, is very different from the yak I want under me when I'm fishing in saltwater or one of the big lakes like Tustamena or Skilak.

You can launch right from the beach at Fourth of July Creek into the bay --- the creek itself can't be floated. The City of Seward maintains the parking lot there -- pretty rough but the price is right.  I usually launch to the south of the creek, within sight of the dry dock. It can be a tough spot if the winds are out of the south.  It's where I launch into Resurrection Bay when the winds are northerly. The farther out you can get in the mixing zone, the better for picking up the fish. For some reason, casting parallel to the shore seems to be more productive for me than casting perpendicular to it. 

Have fun, be safe. I'm going to guess that you're not wearing a dry suit -- so a quick caution to remember to cinch up your wading belt nice and tight if you're wearing waders while you're out. 

Looking forward to meeting you at Whiskey Gulch in two weeks.

What kind of sit in kayak did you get? Like Akfishergal said, different pros and cons.

Still you will catch fish as long as it gets you off the beach further than you can cast!!! You will love it!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Its a 12 ft old town vapor wide open cockpit. Pretty nice and a fair price. I just need a medium action pole for kings and something for halibut then im set. oh and a net. and a life jack. and some waders. haha what ever it ll be fun. Definitely looking foward to the derby, gunna be fun now that the semester is over and i can relax.