Seward, Alaska checking in.

Novice kayaker, long time angler!
I'm a former charter captain but the new challenge of catching salmon and halibut from a kayak is intoxicating.

My wife and I just purchased some entry level sit in kayaks. Perception Sport Sound 10.5.  They seem to be nice boats, very comfortable for a big guy like myself, a few built in fishing options, and budget friendly.  After getting some racks welded on the ATV trailer we are in business. 



I'm starting to outfit them with Scotty mounts and accessories.  I just homemade a couple halibut harpoons today.   

We have started paddling locally and plan in slaying some silvers later this summer.



I also caught the GoPro virus last year, hopefully there will be some videos coming down the pipes. 

We do a lot of traveling around the state and plan on chasing Rainbows, Lakers, and Graying as well. 

If you are in the area look me up.

Ben.

Welcome Ben! My husband and I launch out of Seward often -- and I love chasing silvers there. We'll look forward to meeting you there sometime. Are you planning to come out to Whiskey Gulch in late June for our halibut contest? A great chance to actually meet the rest of the addicted Alaskan kayak anglers.

Welcome to the wonderful world of kayak fishing!  You got into the sport inexpensively, as the Sound 10.5 has a manufacturer's recommended retail price of $419.  I see that the 60/23 size of the Harmony Synergy spray skirt fits those kayaks, but can you modify the spray skirt to fit over the front end of the kayak's cockpit when you have fishing gear mounted inside the cockpit rim?

Actually just ordered that exact spray skirt a couple days ago and had the same concerns.  Once it arrives I will check it out.  Maybe a local seamstress or upholstery person could cut some holes and see the edges to they don't tear. 

I know they have safety properties but I was also only thinking of using it if the weather goes south. 

I would love to come out to Whiskey Gulch but we will be on an extended interior road trip.  We are heading up to Dawson City, Chicken, Tangle Lakes, and Chitina to dip some reds before we head home. 

Oooooh. Tangle Lakes -- bring your flyrod and some dry flies for the grayling.  Excellent dry fly fishing throughout the lakes country.... Have fun!

We go hunting up there every year and love the whole area.  I'd really like to catch a nice size laker so we might also stay at Paxson Lake. 

Have you ever floated the Gulkana from Paxson Lake to Sourdough, or the highway bridge? One of my favorite fishing float trips...

None of the above, sounds like a good time. 

Love that part of AK in the autumn. Have only fished it; I'm not a hunter. So much country to explore -- sounds like you and your wife have a nice roadtrip planned. Exciting time of the year to plan our adventures.

Do you get a drop off up the river to dipnet at Chitina? My husband does that trip with pals but I haven't horned in on that guys trip. Have fun!

Welcome to the forums!! All sorts of good information here.  Seward is one of our favorite places though I haven't spent nearly as much time there as I would like.

This forum is by far the best source of info on fishing water like Seward.  I have a website that has a tad more specific SC Alaska info. AlaskaKayakFisher.com

We have a get together at Whiskey Gulch schedule for June 28 and 29!  C'mon down!!

I hope to see you on the water!!

I'd use the spray skirt unless you're in a small lake near shore in good weather.  The performance of a sit-inside kayak deteriorates when it's full of water.  An easy way to make the holes in the spray skirt for your rod holders and other outfitting is to cut them with the hot-knife tip on a soldering gun, which will seal the edges of the holes.  To seal the edges of the holes further, you could work some Aquaseal or Marine Goop into the fabric around the holes.

That's a good idea.  I will check out the material when it arrives and see if it melts.

I value safety aside from the obvious PFD, etc what are your thoughts on dry suits?  I will carry be carrying a handheld VHF and I'm making a small survival kit. 
Any other ideas...

I've been a very active whitewater kayaker for almost 30 years, so I'm familiar with sit-inside kayaks.  I wouldn't take a sit-inside kayak out on anything but a very small lake without a spray skirt. I also suggest that you pack the kayak full of floatation, such as air bags and foam pool noodles.  Then paddle it out into 6 or 7 feet of water, roll it over, and figure out what you have to do in order to right it, climb back inside, and remove all the water without hauling it up onto the shore.  It isn't easy.  If you are with a couple of other kayaks, they can with difficulty pull the water-filled kayak up on the front decks of their kayaks, tip it over, and drain it out, but I encourage you to figure out how to get the kayak emptied out by yourself while you're out on the water.

A dry suit will greatly increase your comfort and safety when kayaking in cold water and cold weather.  In a dry suit, if you wear enough clothing under it, you can kayak comfortably when it's snowing; I took the pictures shown below on May 11 of this year on Lindbergh Lake in Montana.  When spearfishing for pike in Montana, I snorkel around in my dry suit for hours in water in the low 50s, and stay comfortable.  Any time you paddle a kayak, you should assume that the kayak might end up upside-down, and you might end up in the water.  Wearing a drysuit in cold weather or cold water conditions is part of that preparation.  If you lived in Florida, you probably wouldn't need a dry suit.  Since you live in Alaska, you need a dry suit. Be sure to get one with a relief zipper so you can pee while you're out on the water, and built-in dry socks and breathable fabric are definitely worth the money.

 



The neoprene spray skirts on whitewater kayaks routinely take huge water impacts without any trouble.  But because the spray skirt for your kayak is very long and made out of non-stretch nylon,I suggest that you be cautious about using your kayaks for surf launches until you figure out how well the spray skirt works. If you get a lapful of water, the spray skirt may pop right off and let your kayak fill up with water.

A risk of making holes in your spray skirt for rod holders and other accessories is that if you tip over, you'll be attached to the kayak by your spray skirt, which creates entanglement hazards.  Be sure to leave the tube which goes around your stomach (the "tunnel") real loose so you can easily pull it over your legs or head if you end up in the water.  Another problem is that you won't be able to pop off the skirt to get at gear inside your kayak unless you take the rod holder and other gear out of their mounts.

Great advice.  Thank you.  Even on a good weather day you can still get waked by a boat. I definitely need to figure out spray skirt logistics.  Where there's a will there's a way. 

I did attach two cleats to each boat so we could tie them together to help the other crawl back in.  You are very right that is something that should be practiced before you have to do it.

A dry suit sounds like something we really should have.  They look to be more expensive than the kayaks.  I think as a general rule of thumb we won't go out if the weather is bad.