New Kayak, new kayak fisher...give me advice....

Hello! So, I'm pretty new here and just bought a used Old Town Big Water (listing photo attached) and eager to get started fishing and crabbing on Puget Sound. It came with rod holders, a down rigger mount, Garmin fish finder etc. Most of the things needed to get out on the water. I've never kayak fished before but done a bit of recreational paddling in my Tarpon 12'. Tell me what I need to know. I've watched dozens of YouTube videos on locals kayak fishing. I'm especially curious about what you all wear while out on the water....surely the season makes a lot of difference? I've got some spinning rods but figure I'll need a level wind reel of some sort for trolling/mooching. Any advice and or recommendations are appreciated! I'll also be poking around this forum as I know there is a lot of information here on these things. Thank you!

Hello! So, I'm pretty new here and just bought a used Old Town Big Water (listing photo attached) and eager to get started fishing and crabbing on Puget Sound. It came with rod holders, a down rigger mount, Garmin fish finder etc. Most of the things needed to get out on the water. I've never kayak fished before but done a bit of recreational paddling in my Tarpon 12'. Tell me what I need to know. I've watched dozens of YouTube videos on locals kayak fishing. I'm especially curious about what you all wear while out on the water....surely the season makes a lot of difference? I've got some spinning rods but figure I'll need a level wind reel of some sort for trolling/mooching. Any advice and or recommendations are appreciated! I'll also be poking around this forum as I know there is a lot of information here on these things. Thank you!

Looks like a good setup! I've got an old town as well and have been super happy with it. If you're looking to fish the ocean and plan to do it quite a bit I would invest in a drysuit, a drysuit will keep you dry (as the name implies) as well as allowing you to appropriately layer underneath it. A drysuit is ideal because you aren't wet (wetsuit) and you can be comfortable while still giving you flexibility to fish. If you're used to wearing a wetsuit or already have one then it would be appropriate as well, they're just nearly as comfortable for kayakers because we're not in the water (at least hopefully not) most of the time. The barrier to entry (cost) is high with drysuits though so be on the lookout for a good condition used one if you're in the market. Generally speaking our ocean temperatures are not conducive to not wearing any immersion gear year round unless we're talking super extreme temperatures which generally don't happen on the coast.

With that all being said you should use your best judgement, my rule of thumb is if I am not willing to sit up to my neck in the ocean for 30 minutes wearing it then I should probably not be wearing it while kayaking on said ocean. Regardless of your choice wearing your life jacket / PFD should be a non negotiable when on the water, especially so on the ocean.

As far as tips go? I would recommend taking your new rig to a nearby lake or pond and practice self rescuing, try a few different ways, bailing out with the kayak upright, then flipping the kayak and trying to get it back upright and you back in, do this with your fish finder and rod holder in place as well (no need for battery,) that can be eye opening as to the issues they can create with reentry. It can be more complicated than you would think, especially when the water is moving (ocean) but you don't want to do it for the first time when in a messy situation. Sort of to that end I would not go gung ho with bringing a ton of gear on your first few trips, get comfortable with it before you run the risk of losing a lot of expensive gear.

All in all I think you're setup for success and the forum here as well as other groups can be super helpful. The kayak fishing community is really welcoming for the most part and I am sure you'll meet some friends on the water as well.

I agree with a lot of what Matt said.  I'll add, if you don't want to lose it then leash it.  If fishing the ocean a good pair of fish grips (lip grippers) come in handy.  I wear a dry suit in the ocean and highly recommend, along with a uhf radio, and comfortable pfd.  While the initial cost of those 3 items may be high, they could mean the difference between life and death out there. 

Thanks for the input! I'm currently budgeting and searching for a dry suit or similar in the next couple months.

I've bought a couple drysuits over the years, used like new on eBay, for $200 or less. I actually have an NRS I'm considering selling, all seals replaced professionally last year. It's a bit big for me, and not nearly as comfy as the Kokatat I fairly recently acquired, but is a solid suit. $150 if you or anyone else is interested. It's either large or XL, can provide pics.

......why does that yak look familiar??