This has gotta be the sport!

Another lurker/newbie Checkin’ in from Corvallis, OR. Things have changed since I tried to fish from a SIK sea kayak 10 years ago. You guys seem to have figured the sport out, and I’m ready to jump in! Seems like the perfect saltwater strategy that will get me to the near shore fish, but without all of the complexities, dependencies, ongoing cost, and lethargy associated with motorized fishing.

My problem, though, is getting started. I’ve been primarily a freshwater fly fisherman for many years with a smattering of saltwater, deep sea fishing.  Yeah, I bought the recommended book (Kayak Fishing: The Revolution), narrowed down the list of the Kayaks I’m considering, and started shopping for appropriate saltwater fishing gear, etc.,  but there’s still a lot of critical, localized info I’m missing that it seems only experience can provide, but without which the sport would be discouraging at best, dangerous at worst. Primarily your basic beginner’s stuff: where/when/how/what to fish?

Anyone out there who fishes the central Oregon Coast who’d be willing to hookup with a beginner? Short of that, is there such a thing as a kayak fishing guide (I haven't found them on the net) who could get me started? Any advice or recommendations appreciated…

Welcome Wannabe!!!  Yet another Oregonian!

Regarding kayak fishing guides, there are none that I know of in the OR or WA.  There are a couple in AK and a couple in the Bay Area if you want to travel a bit and immerse yourself in it.  I do think you can go through the learning process with people you'll meet here and enjoy yourself while doing so.

Here's something for you to keep in mind.  On Saturday April 28th I'm scheduled to give a couple talks on kayak fishing at Alder Creek's Spring Paddle Festival at Vancouver Lake near Portland.  Check out Alder Creek at (http://www.aldercreek.com.  They can also help you with your quest to buy a fishing kayak.  They don't have the details for the festival posted yet, but I'll post it here as the information comes in.  And perhaps we can follow the festival up with a fishing trip somewhere down there on the 29th.

-Allen

Glad to see you here Wannabe!
 This site could use more oregonites!

Howdy Wannabe, welcome aboard.!

After gearing up and trying it out on flatwater, I think the next stage is figuring out locations and the conditions.

Oregon has a tradition of beach launched power dories. The traditional launch sites are a good start for finding relatively easy access sites. They're usually truck accessable and have (at least sometimes) a relatively gentle break. A couple of sites, in OR, that I know of are Tovana (sp?), at the south end of Cannon Beach, and Cape Kiwana at Pacific City.

There are also scads of state parks along the coast- sometimes only a few miles apart. Spending a weekend scouting, esp. from Florence north, is highly recommended. There are lots of locations with protected coves; or protected by offshore reefs. Each is going to have different characteristics.

I seem to get down to OR at least once a year; I'll let you know if I end up in your area.

Hey Wannabe!

Welcome to the N.W. place to be, this forum that is.  Wow!  It's great to see so many of you kayak angling types showing up down there in Or.  I'm thinking that the question you've asked goes right to the very heart of what this web site is all about, to me any way.  And so its soul would probably be about the hook-ups and events, again imho.

You've asked about whether there are any kayak angling guides in the area and that was near exactly my first thought when I first started 2 summers ago.  So I booked myself a "fast-track" trip (fast to learn N.W. salt fishing that is) with Howard McKim up in Ketchikan, but that's a whole other story.  But for this area, Polepole has told it the way that it is except that apparently his humility keeps him from telling you that he's probably the closest thing to a guide that we have in the N.W. so far, so for fish sakes DON'T miss that paddle fest if there's any way you can make it.

And, hey, I notice that Allen mentioned maybe following up that festival with a day of fishing on the 29th too!  Shoot, if we can find a suitable launch site (we should probably talk a little with the local ocean kayakers) and we don't get blown out with a spring squall... then I say that sounds like just the thing!  I've got enough stuff to completely gear up one other angler at a time (except you'd probably want to rent a dry suit, wet suit, use your waders with a rented dry top, or whatever) and I know Allen does too.  This sounds like the perfect opportunity to kick start one or two kayak angling careers down there.  So let's see what kind of trip and what kind of anglers we can pull together for the 29th.  You in Wannabe?

Fishin-T

Hey Wannabe!

<snip>

>> This sounds like the perfect opportunity to kick start one or two kayak angling careers down there.  So let's see what kind of trip and what kind of anglers we can pull together for the 29th.  You in Wannabe?

Fishin-T

Sounds like just what I'm looking for. I've reserved 4/28-4/29 on my calendar.

Thanx for the help!

Hey wannabe don't let Allen fool ya, HE is the guide for the NW, I always read whats here just to see where that guy has been or is going. He is a plethora of info for anyone and everyone.

OH ya, welcome buddy, come on in meet the folks, have a beer, and talk fishing. (Watch out for that Fishing T guy though, I hear he's crazy ) Just kidding T.

                                      MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!      [/glow]

Floatin,
 Is that your farm in the avatar?? God that looks COLD!!!

Ya thats mine, my dad lives in CA and wanted to know how the weather was so I sent him that picture. Its taken out the front door of the cabin, that was during the start of a big storm we had here in WA, state wide. We have had about 72" of snow so far this year. Good for the water, but darn it gets cold every now and then.

BTW, its for sale.

HAH!
 Move from the scenic Oregon Coast!!?? My wife has been trying for years to get me to sell it all and move to Kuaii. I don't think I could handle an island for long. But I do stay home a whole lot!
 Hope your not one of those we see on the news without power for days at a time. Wa has been hit hard this year huh?
 Hang in there and keep a fire burnin, spring fishin' aint far off.

A married mand living in Kuaii, thats like a diabetic shopping at the candy store. Ya we are moving to another part of the state if we can sell this place.