Hi

Hi I am the Admin of a Uk forum   http://coarsekayakfishing.proboards.com/index.cgi   we are predominately freshwater anglers.

I am here to get more knowledge of what is happening in the kayak angling community.

Terry

Hey Terry! Welcome! I'm looking forward to learning more about your style of fishing in the UK if you're willing to share a thread with us here and there.

Thanks for the welcome.

I hope I can contribute here. My biggest reason though is also my biggest frustration.

In the UK sea angling dominates in the kayak community I live inland and as such do what I guys would call 'flatwater'.
Our kayaks have generally been dominated by Southern Hemisphere boats from Ocean Kayaks. As I looked around I saw that the flatwater scene has a whole new view of kayaks and the comfort that can be achieved when you take ' surf paddling'  out of the equation.
Via my website I have had the privilege to have a loan and review boat from the US, the Native Watercraft Slayer. Wow! You guys really do have some great boats.

The same goes for your rods and reels whilst we have the same manufacturers servicing our markets they certainly do not  import the same rods or reels when dealing with the UK kayak market.

I created my website to try and highlight that there is a 'flatwater' market in the UK. We are slowly learning which of your styles will convert to our species. We are working hard on dropshotting, vertical jigging, ultra-light spinning and general fishing using plastic lures. We are learning steadily and slowly some products are being imported. We are getting there and hopefully manufacturers will support us in time.

Terry

What species do you fish for? (I tried to look at "what I caught")

Currently the predominant targets are predatory species, pike, perch and zander.

Many guys are trying to perfect fly fishing for pike from the kayak.

Personally I am also working at trying to catch all our species that are normally caught from dry land but using the kayak as a route to inaccessible locations. Tactics are evolving I am experimenting with ways of anchoring in 12' of river water and trying to eliminate any swing. The main reason for this being that I am trying to fish a method we call swimfeeder. This entails using bait holding 'cage' which carries enough lead for it to be hard on the river bed. Bait is then on a tail of varying lengths. The line is then tightened to the soft tipped rod and bites are indicated by movement of the tip. Thus a static platform is essential/ This is easy in shallow water but not when you get over 6-7 feet. But hey these are the challenges that are making the sport of kayak angling so great.
This method would catch most river species: roach, perch, chub, carp, barbel and bream.

Terry

The 'What I caught' section is members only because in the UK we have limited fish stocks and many carp, pike and zander are being illegally taken for the table  by some migrants from Eastern Europe who disregard the laws on poaching. Many fisheries are becoming devastated.
Forums are visited by these 'migrant fish takers' to find target fisheries. Hence we try and protect our fish with the restricted access to catch reports. I hope you understand.

Joining is only a few clicks if you should wish to see a little more.

Terry

Keeping locations secret is a good practice. As far as preventing swing when anchored in current, I have not done this from a kayak but, from a drift boat in a river, a small drift sock works great to keep the boat in place. Maybe some of the members here have done this from a kayak. It's just a cone-shaped bag on a rope that you let out several feet.

The 'What I caught' section is members only because in the UK we have limited fish stocks and many carp, pike and zander are being illegally taken for the table  by some migrants from Eastern Europe who disregard the laws on poaching. Many fisheries are becoming devastated.

Terry

If your local poachers are from my neck of the Eastern European "woods" I need names and descriptions.

RR mate,

It seems to be a cultural thing. Many have come here from Eastern Europe where I believe fish is a staple diet and we have been led to believe they may take fish at home without restriction.

However as many Polish anglers have joined forums we have found out that they are regulated at home. The Polish forum members are contributing a lot to our sport but are upset that when they arrive at a fishery that people hear their accent and immediately distrust them, which is unfair.

In the past I have challenged foreign anglers with fish in carrier bags and I get blank looks and 'No understand'. If you phone the authorities they have ' No one nearby'.

Unfortunately the practice has gone on for some years now. An area of eastern England known as The Fens used to be a Mecca for pike and zander is now a shadow of what it was.

There is now multilingual signage on almost every fishery but regretfully it is frequently ignored.

No one seems to have an answer, I feel very sorry for the true Eastern European anglers that fish our waters respectfully as they are being unfairly treated through no fault of their own. 

Terry

Keeping locations secret is a good practice. As far as preventing swing when anchored in current, I have not done this from a kayak but, from a drift boat in a river, a small drift sock works great to keep the boat in place. Maybe some of the members here have done this from a kayak. It's just a cone-shaped bag on a rope that you let out several feet.

C-Run,

I have used what we call a drogue to slow drift in a wind but not on a river.

You may have a point though, I have seen slim drogues like an airport windsock that have been used behind a kayak carrying a casualty and being towed by a second kayak. I will get one and try it for when our river season starts in mid-June.

Great my first post and already you guys have helped me.

Terry

River fishing is a staple in the Pacific Northwest. Many of our members fish everything from small streams to rivers over a mile wide and some 80 feet deep.

Keep the questions coming ... lots of guys here to help.

Flat water kayaking is exploding in the US right now. Frankly we have the opposite problem as you. Most of new boat designs are targeting fresh water. With a big push for boats that allow the angler to stand and fish.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

Terry,

So am I right in thinking that all your "flatwater" fishing waters are officially catch-and-release only?

Bummer about the poachers. How prevalent are the game wardens? I'm no fan of the game wardens here (mostly because they are underpaid powertrippers), but I have to admit they do have enough boots on the ground and in boats to deter widespread poaching. Are they around and what do they do when they encounter one of these guys with a fish bag?

Also, how are the stocks managed...or are they?

Rory,

'Game Wardens' ..... On privately controled waters owned by fishing clubs we have what we call bailiffs. These are usually retired guys who visit a couple of times a week but are volunteers and have no legal powers.

Over and above them we have officers from a government department called the 'Environment Agency'. they DO have legal powers but are very thin on the ground.

Many anglers have challenged the poachers but they are rarely alone and often the angler can be intimidated.

It started just as fish caught on rod and line were taken, then night lines were being set and it has now progressed to setting nets across rivers.

In the UK fish stock have been depleted in recent year by a migration from Europe of a species of inland cormorants. These apparently can consume 2lbs of fish a day. Many of our small fisheries are very small and 10 pairs over Wintering nearby can decimate a fishery.  Then we have had otters re=introduced to many areas and they too are enjoying the stocked fish supplies. See the damage they can cause:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2263960/Fishery-owner-sues-Environment-Agency-2-5million-claims-colony-OTTERS-business-eating-prized-carp.html

When we have poaching on top of all this we have problems. Our fisheries are tiny in comparison to the US lakes and  rivers and so our stocks are finite and cannot hope to maintain good levels.

Efforts are being made by clubs with re-stocking but effectively we are just providing a fish McD's for furry, feathery and human predation.

We then have your 'friends'    PETA trying to influence the public.

 But hey fishing wouldn't be as much fun if it was easy...   

Terry
 

Damn. Nearly forgot: Yes catch and release except for some trout fisheries where for a ticket fee you can take home a set number of fish.

Aw man PETA bothers you out there too!? I ain't never been in a fight (i guess nobody wants to go with a 6'7" dude? bunch a wussies)...but i will  be in one lickety split the day some PETA lover tries to keep me from fishing. But i guess that's what they're basically begging for. Fucking bastards.

Sounds like a tough scene out your way terry. I recommend you move here and fish with us

Rory,

Do you really expect me to want to leave few and little fish, small waters, poachers, crowded towns etc for a land of open spaces quality fish and wonderful landscapes?

Oh if only   

Oh if only. 

Terry