Halibut Kayak Fishing 2016?

My biggest recommendation would be put in as much training paddle time as possible.
Halibut fishing often requires long distances and heavy currents. If you are comfortable with 15+ mile days and strong currents then you are good to go in the ability aspect.
One of the best fishermen here went on a 5 year shutout before finally catching a halibut. It is not easy....

I think at a minimum I would run a ratchet strap through the inside of the vehicle (open both doors and run through) just in case those things gave up.

Sure, and the same way you can hook-up to hood and trunk/hatch door. I have seen examples in internet.

Just some further advice on carrying your kayak:  you should always use a bow and stern tie down in addition to any straps around the middle of the kayak. Wind loads are way higher than just the weight of your boat. That suction thing seems like an accident waiting to happen (to someone else near you while driving). This would be part of the "Be Safe" advice. I carry 2 hobie kayaks on a Prius - it can be done safely!

I think at a minimum I would run a ratchet strap through the inside of the vehicle (open both doors and run through) just in case those things gave up.

Sure, and the same way you can hook-up to hood and trunk/hatch door. I have seen examples in internet.

Just some further advice on carrying your kayak:  you should always use a bow and stern tie down in addition to any straps around the middle of the kayak. Wind loads are way higher than just the weight of your boat. That suction thing seems like an accident waiting to happen (to someone else near you while driving). This would be part of the "Be Safe" advice. I carry 2 hobie kayaks on a Prius - it can be done safely!

Wait is regular driving in a Prius safe ? "just kidding" BB , I haul two yaks one very big and heavy on yakama bars on a Subaru Outback ANY speeds above 30 I use a bow and stern strap in my opinion your nuts if you don't. It only takes a few minutes and can be the difference between getting there with a usable boat and getting there with a road rashed boat.

I think at a minimum I would run a ratchet strap through the inside of the vehicle (open both doors and run through) just in case those things gave up.

Sure, and the same way you can hook-up to hood and trunk/hatch door. I have seen examples in internet.

Just some further advice on carrying your kayak:  you should always use a bow and stern tie down in addition to any straps around the middle of the kayak. Wind loads are way higher than just the weight of your boat. That suction thing seems like an accident waiting to happen (to someone else near you while driving). This would be part of the "Be Safe" advice. I carry 2 hobie kayaks on a Prius - it can be done safely!

Wait is regular driving in a Prius safe ? "just kidding" BB , I haul two yaks one very big and heavy on yakama bars on a Subaru Outback ANY speeds above 30 I use a bow and stern strap in my opinion your nuts if you don't. It only takes a few minutes and can be the difference between getting there with a usable boat and getting there with a road rashed boat.

My opinion is there is nothing strong enough on the kayak in the bow and stern to effectively tie off a bow and stern line to.  For me at least it only impairs vision.  Where is everyone tying off their kayaks...the Hobies at least.  I've put something close to 100,000 miles with no issues...but that Hundred thousand AND FIRST mile could go bad.  I definitely don't want that.

I think at a minimum I would run a ratchet strap through the inside of the vehicle (open both doors and run through) just in case those things gave up.

Sure, and the same way you can hook-up to hood and trunk/hatch door. I have seen examples in internet.

Just some further advice on carrying your kayak:  you should always use a bow and stern tie down in addition to any straps around the middle of the kayak. Wind loads are way higher than just the weight of your boat. That suction thing seems like an accident waiting to happen (to someone else near you while driving). This would be part of the "Be Safe" advice. I carry 2 hobie kayaks on a Prius - it can be done safely!

Wait is regular driving in a Prius safe ? "just kidding" BB , I haul two yaks one very big and heavy on yakama bars on a Subaru Outback ANY speeds above 30 I use a bow and stern strap in my opinion your nuts if you don't. It only takes a few minutes and can be the difference between getting there with a usable boat and getting there with a road rashed boat.

My opinion is there is nothing strong enough on the kayak in the bow and stern to effectively tie off a bow and stern line to.  For me at least it only impairs vision.  Where is everyone tying off their kayaks...the Hobies at least.  I've put something close to 100,000 miles with no issues...but that Hundred thousand AND FIRST mile could go bad.  I definitely don't want that.

Mine were just looped thru the carry handles.  The goal isn't to have the tie-downs restrain the weight of the kayak in a crash, I doubt if anything could do that.  The goal is to provide a much smaller tension force to hold the boat in place and prevent small motions (i.e. the wind bouncing the boat around a little as you drive along) from turning into big motions and sailing off the rack.  Plenty of strength for just keeping stability, the main tie-down forces would indeed have to come from the cross-straps.

Jim

good point jim. I will say I'm afraid enoufh that I have two extra straps running through the car.  I also tend to ratchet down the tie downs too much.  I can tell it has slightly warped the kayak because it as always messes with my center hatch opening and closing. 

my system without the lines has worked so far.  but it doesn't mean there isn't a better way.

good point jim. I will say I'm afraid enoufh that I have two extra straps running through the car.  I also tend to ratchet down the tie downs too much.  I can tell it has slightly warped the kayak because it as always messes with my center hatch opening and closing. 

my system without the lines has worked so far.  but it doesn't mean there isn't a better way.

My "better way" ended up being a pickup to replace my Honda   I no longer have a 112-mile daily commute, and it's a whole bunch easier on my increasingly broken-down bit and pieces to lift it into the bed vs top of the car... 

I tie off to the carry handles.  The bow straps don't impede vision - I hardly see them when I'm focussing on a further distance ahead while driving.    And this is the way I intend to carry my kayaks when we go Halibut Kayak Fishing in 2016 (just to stay on topic).  The prius is kinda like a Harbor Freigt trailer with an engine.

bb2fish, what are the straps on the front of your Prius attached to?

I don't like to have bow ropes running right in front of me and interfering with my view down the road, so I tie my bow ropes to the tow hook on the right front corner of my 4-Runner, which keeps the bow ropes off to one side of my main view through the windshield.

In addition to strapping each of my kayaks down with two straps and a bow rope, if I have more than one kayak on the roof of my vehicle, I strap the bows together.  If I'm going to be driving on bumpy roads, I also strap the sterns together.

Somebody should start a thread entitled "Stories of kayaks which fell off vehicles," or something like that.  I am of the opinion that you aren't really an experienced kayaker until you've been involved in a situation in which kayaks came off the roof of a vehicle. 

Many years ago I was going kayaking with a friend who had strapped down his kayak with rubber bungie cords and no bow rope, which is a technique which I do not recommend.  We were driving down the interstate, when suddenly the nose of his kayak disappeared from view.  We looked out the back window, and saw his kayak cartwheeling down the highway, and then fortunately went off into the median before another vehicle hit it.  He screeched to a stop, and as we jumped out of the vehicle he blurted out, "Dang, I wish that had been your kayak!"  Thanks a lot, Art!  The kayak was OK except for some abraded spots on its nose and sides.

Another time I was whitewater kayaking with Art and a group of friends in a new vehicle which Art had just purchased.  We had about five kayaks on top of his vehicle with two straps running over the whole row of kayaks, and as we were driving along a bumpy dirt road, the kayaks started to squirt out from under the straps.  Art came to a stop, but one after the other the kayaks slid off the roof rack, bounced off the hood of Art's brand new vehicle, and landed in the road.  Art jumped out and was rubbing at the scratches in his shiny new hood.  I asked him "What happened?" hoping I guess for some reasoned analysis of how our kayak strapping technique had been inadequate.  Art shouted "THE #$@!*& KAYAKS CAME OFF THE ROOF RACK!!!"  We all ran off into the trees and hid for about fifteen minutes until Art cooled down.

We were driving to the launch site on the Jarbidge river for a Jarbidge-Bruneau kayak trip, which involves about 60 miles of bad gravel road, with about six kayaks on top of a pickup, when they all fell off.  Art had packed some gear, including his cook kit, in the nose of his kayak, and when his kayak hit the ground it bent his main cook pot.  The lid never fit right after that.  Years later I'd see him fumbling with the lid, trying to get it securely on the pot, and I could tell that he was remembering the Jarbidge incident.

One time I was driving back to Missoula from the Alberton Gorge with a group of friends, and I forgot to strap my kayak onto my vehicle.  I got back to Missoula and discovered that my kayak was missing.  I drove frantically 45 miles back to the Gorge, scanning the shoulders and median of the interstate the whole way, and finally found my kayak about a mile from the take-out, completely unharmed.  As soon as I got up to highway speed it had levitated off my roof rack, and fortunately landed gently in some bushes.

The good news is that I have learned from these incidents, and haven't lost a kayak off a vehicle for many years.

Remind me never to travel with or near Art.

The good news is that I have learned from these incidents, and haven't lost a kayak off a vehicle for many years.

... generally it's a good idea to learn after the first incident!  I agree, Avoid Art!

Guys, anybody knows good places to camp with tent and kayak in Westport area that probably will have spots on Sat-Sun halibut days? I really want to go but have no idea where to stay. Thank you in advance!

you have nearly zero chance of catching a halibut in westport from a kayak. there are some nearshore (several miles out) spots, but most the hali fishing out of WP is in grey's canyon, 42NM offshore.

there are a few campsites in the area. Google is your friend. https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=camping%20westport%20wa

Maybe I missed it in here somewhere but do yourself a huge favor and take your kayak out without gear the first time in salt. I don't really know what kind of launch you are looking at but make sure you are comfortable in the surf. Both going in and out, might save you a lot of money donating to the ocean.

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you have nearly zero chance of catching a halibut in westport from a kayak. there are some nearshore (several miles out) spots, but most the hali fishing out of WP is in grey's canyon, 42NM offshore.

there are a few campsites in the area. Google is your friend. https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=camping%20westport%20wa

DWB - thank you! Sure, I already searched Google, most of these places do not have web sites, so I was thinking maybe somebody had an experience with them and could share. About places - anyway I do not know other places where halibuts are, and 42NM is kinda too far for kayak with paddle.