How big of water is unsafe for kayak fishing???

Okay, I already know the answer is it depends on a billion factors.  But I'd like to hear about some real world experiences and what other folks have to say.

As you may have seen in the video I posted crashing through big waves, I have been venturing out in increasingly worse conditions as I get more experience. 

I have been AMAZED at how well the yak feels and how safe it seems to be even in conditions where I would dare not go in many power boats MUCH bigger than my outback.  I hear everyone's experience in Huli'ing on surf landings so I am thinking those waves in my video can't be much difference.  Do people Huli in the surf all the time?  No.  BUT how many times will I have the opportunity to learn (as in live through it) from a Huli experience half mile out or more in frigid Alaska waters in the middle of winter.  I am thinking the answer could easily be zero...maybe one.   

So as I look at the marine weather, I now  see the weather forecast calling for 5 footers on the weekend.  Well I have been out in five footers and though not ideal, I could fish it.  Is there a difference between a 5 footer and 10 footer for example?  Is it the wave steepness and not size?   

But that little voice in the back of my head says "ARE YOU F^K$NG NUTS?!?!?!?!"  I'm not out to impress anyone, just catch fish!  Keep in mind when I say five footers, we are NOT talking 5 foot swells at 15 second intervals like I easily handled in the PNW.  I'm talking about conditions where wave height is greater than the period in seconds. 

I'm talking about conditions like:

   
Wave Height Dominant period Avg period
 8:50 pm   4.9        5             4.4
 7:50 pm   5.2        5             4.3
 6:50 pm   5.9        6             4.5
 5:50 pm   5.9        6             4.5
 4:50 pm   6.9        5             4.7
 3:50 pm   7.9        7             5.3
 2:50 pm   8.9        7             5.6
 1:50 pm   10.5        8             6.2
12:50 PM   10.8        8             6.6
11:50 AM   9.5        8             6.5
10:50 AM   9.5        8             6.3
 9:50 am   9.5        8             6.2

If it was summer, I think I'd do it.  In winter, with no one around, I am less inclined.

I'd sure like to try it on like 10 ft seas and just see how insanely hard...or not hard it is.  But with rescue boats, a Navy Seal team and a Coast Guard rescue diver standing by!  Does anyone have experience they'd like to share? 

I know it comes down to each individual but I am hoping I can get some insight from the collective centuries of experience on this board. 

I guess I couldn't wait to ask...lol.  This frickin addiction is going to be the end of me or my job yet....

there are swells and there are wind waves and there are their combined effects... not sure which you are talking about, sounds like you are dealing with wind waves more than big swells?  Your video looks like pretty small swells with decent wind waves on top, not that uncommon off the NW coast in the summer afternoons.  Not sure if your data table is for wind waves or swells, either way not fun fishing.  Have you been launching into exposed surf breaks? if you have,  showing up on a 10ft "square day" will answer a lot of these questions fairly quickly..

a 10 foot wave with 6 second period is one steep mother!!  I'd stay on the beach with that condition.  YMMV (I have a Hobie Adventure, sold my Revolution to get it)

Spot would go.

If you are surf launching as long as I can get through it I'm fishing! =)
But in all seriousness conditions are unsafe when you feel you no longer have control. Fear is ok, good even, but you have to remain in control to be safe. Even when you huli.

Have you been launching into exposed surf breaks? if you have,  showing up on a 10ft "square day" will answer a lot of these questions fairly quickly..

All good points! 

In many of the areas I fish, there always seems to be a place where I can find sheltered water to launch from.  Only a few places are like the west coast of WA where I am also familiar with where there are just miles of coastline exposed to big surf.  I know funngunnin was semi kidding (only semi) about if you can launch, then he can fish.  But if that was the case, I would be good to go in almost any conditions.  But in a way that is the point. I thought the super short 5 footers would scare the bezeesus out of me but it was more fun than scary.  So what's next?  8 footers, 10?  Based solely on my experience with the 5 foot waves coming every 5 seconds, is that YES you can do it.  But I think I am seriously missing something here.  But the kayak as a fishing platform continues to amaze me in what it is capable of doing.  All my prior experience has been in an open bow, non self bailing power vessels that can get up and go for the most part.  The pucker factor for me in those power boats has pretty much always been when we were running.

Interested in hearing more stories or experiences. Thanks!

5x5 is scary to me.   

-Allen

5x5 is scary to me.   

-Allen

Allen, Have you ever been dumped over in a 5x5 type conditions.  The wave conditions I listed were from yesterday I think in a spot close to where I was. (completely different shore and bottom characteristic though I think).  Because I am thinking that is the difference between me thinking "fun" and you thinking "scary."  Well I'm not stupid enough to think experience doesn't trump getting lucky and getting away with one.  I want to be able to do this for a LONG time but I also can't just wait for the "perfect" conditions every time though either.

Also Keep in mind I am out there to fish.  Not really looking for an adrenalin rush of just being on the water.  if that was the case, I'd get a whitewater kayak....

I do think it would be a serious kick in the pants to be in conditions like once when I was in Hawaii when the swells were MASSIVE, seemed like 20 ft or more but they were so far spaced apart that it was just a surreal experience.  You'd see the islands, and then all you could see was water for what seemed like an eternity.  I was in a decent sized power boat but I just had this super cool feeling of "WOW!  I am really just sitting in the middle of the ocean!!!"   It was super cool.  Never felt unsafe even while running...slowly....

I don't dump!   

OK, so maybe it doesn't scare me.  But it's just plain uncomfortable and not really fishable, so if you're looking to fish, why waste your time.

My general rule of thumb is closer to 1:1 ratio is bad, closer 1:2 or better is good.  Of course, wind conditions come into play.

-Allen

In my humble opinion the wind/wind waves is a big factor in safety, as important as the swell height/period.

Big waves and strong winds make self-rescue really difficult, thats the problem right there. Once your in the water unless you get right back in your boat is gonna go sailing away.

Personally more than ~7' swell @10 with ~20 knot winds is enough to keep me on land.

Here's my $0.02

Unsafe is relative to the experience, immersion gear and comfort level of the paddler as well as the way the swell hits your launch area.

4' at 6sec is unsafe for me in waders and a splash top.
10' at 12sec is safe for me in a wetsuit.  (But not worth fishing)

W 4' at 15sec with a wetsuit is not safe for me at Gleneden
NNW 10' at 10sec is safe for me at XXXXX Beach.   

An hour changes a lot anywhere north of 45deg

-Spot-