Gettin' salty in Oregon?

Hi everyone!

I've been been wanting to kayak fish the rocks just offshore from my in-laws house for years. I've also been thinking it must be a crazy idea for years, because I've never seen anyone out there. Then, people started playing in the surf in creek boats, and after that I saw a show on Oregon Public Broadcasting about a couple that has been sea-fishing from a kayak for years. Bottom line: I wanna go.

I've identified a few likely sites, and have been checking out cold water gear. I've done some whitewater canoeing, whitewater rafting etc. My last rig was a small whitewater pontoon I used to get to water the driftboats couldn't reach. I'm pretty comfortable on the water, but not nearly dumb enough to think about going out in the salt alone.

Is this a workable thing and, if so, would anyone else be interested?
I'd love to get together with a small group of like minded individuals for some regular salty fun.

Welcome fulltimenut!!!  I saw you over on the NCKA board.  Glad you made your way over here.

There are number of others from the OR area.  Hopefully you'll be able to hook up with them soon, especially with your "local knowledge".  Where abouts have you been thinking of fishing?  I'm also thinking of swinging through the OR coast in late June or early July.  I'll post something here if this happens.  Otherwise, I gotta make it down there sometime for at least a weekend.

That OPB show has sure brought a number of adventurous types out of the woodwork.  Anyone know how to get a hold of that couple?  I'd love to chat with them about their experiences and hook up with them for some time on the water.

-Allen

I sent a note to OPB last winter checking if they could put me in contact with the couple on the show; no response. I'll review the tape I have of the recent rebroadcast to see if they give their last names. Maybe I can track them down.

Hey fulltimenut! I was hooked by catching the Field Guide show too. I've been gearing up and just ordered a yak last weekend. I'm in Corvallis, so Otter Rock is pretty close for me. We'll have to put something together.

--
Mike

My wife grew up in PDX; we semi-regularly travel back to visit the the in-laws. Most of the last 4-5 years, we've spent a week on the North Coast. (Heck, back in the late 80's, I worked out of Eugene.) Not happening this year, though, which is a shame since I've been scouting it from the Columbia to south of Florence. Lots of interesting places between Seaside and Manzanita, easy day trip from the city. I've caught a 40# halibut, a mile of the beach, at Cannon Beach. (That was off a cattle boat from Garibaldi.) These areas are so far from launches, they seem relatively untapped, especially compared to Puget Sound. Ah well, maybe when my youngest can paddle her own, in the surf.

The couple in the vid launched, I believe, from Beverly Beach. I've since had someone else suggest it to me as a good place. Pacific City has also been reccommended for it's easy surf. One other idea that I'd like to hear some feedback on - an old coastal fisher told me to fish the leeward side of the jetties. He said it cuts down on the waves and works like a big, fishy back eddy. The rocks I've been looking at for years are just off the coast in Oceanside (near Tillamook). Half the year they're an off limits bird sanctuary and the other half they get lightly fished from boats. Lots of rocks and should be lots of potential.

I hope some of you do make it down this way because there's no substitute for experience. That event a couple weeks back sounded like a good one, but I had a previous commitment painting my wife's Grandma's house. That deal just about wore me out.
Ah, well...

"I'll ride with you Wyatt"

I too have been looking for an excuse to get out to the coast.  I never fished the salt up here, but I started out in SoCal and fished Mexico and the Gulf. Lot's of salt in my blood. But it's warm.

Which is why I got a drysuit

Where and when?

Pacific City is an easy launch site, it's a traditional launch site for beach launched dory fisherman. There's even a guy that offers charters off the beach. http://www.haystackfishing.com/ The Pelican Pub and Brewery is handy for the apres yak. http://www.pelicanbrewery.com/default.htm

Thanks, Tupperware. I have a little more than a week off starting next Friday and will be out in Tillamook some if that time frame fits anybody's schedule. If it doesn't, let me know what you got and I'll see if I can free up a day or two. Beverly Beach or Pacific City might be good places to start, but if someone's got a spot in mind that's good too.

Oh yeah, I have a couple SOT's and one of 'em's a tandem. (Hear that, Wannabe?).

>Oh yeah, I have a couple SOT's and one of 'em's a tandem. (Hear that, Wannabe?).

You bet! I should be getting my boat on the 19th, so timing in that regard couldn't be better.

My biggest problem might be finding time, but Sunday, the 20th may work out for me. We have a commitment to work at a swim meet that day--wtih a 9-year-old itseems like that kinda thing comes up more weekends than not--but we're trying to "buy" our way out of it. I should know if I get that day off early this week.
 

Well, I got out down at Beverly beach and have officially entered the land of a million questions. First and foremost - boat control. The wind and current were really pushing me around out there. Is a rod holder the way to go, and, if so, how do you keep in contact with a bottom that keeps changing? What about a drift sock or is the answer a whole lotta lead?

All in all, it went OK. Went out several times, caught a few fish and learned a ton. I would still very much like to find some people who want to meet and fish because it would seem to be a lot safer than going out solo.

Here should be a pic (with my daughter in there for scale).

Sounds like you had a great time and that Ling looks better than anything I caught (I didn't go) 
 
Some of you questions in order (more or less)

A drift sock is the greatest invention since sliced bread and Ikea* (?) makes the best one. Combined with an anchor trolley, it will slow your drift to almost a stop and control your fishing position as well.

Rod holders are pretty much a necessity but to stay in contact with the bottom you pretty much need to hold the rod. Fishfinders are ok for finding fish but GREAT for finding the bottom and more importantly changes in the  bottom.

Before I started pedaling instead of paddling, I used an over sized wooden ping pong paddle (sqwash paddle?) to make adjustments in position. Its easier to use than the regular paddle for small changes and it'll get you home in a push. It also doubles as the wood shampoo (fish whacker) when you use it on edge. Alot of folks have mastered the one handed paddle technique, but I haven't.

Again, "I'll ride with you Wyatt". We just have to settle on when.  How about tomorrow in St Helens for a start (or how long is the drive to Beverly Beach?)




*Ikea shopping bag with a 1/4" hard plastic tubing shoved into the hem around the top of the bag. Makes a great gear bag too.

Yup, what FFTW said.  You can bet that after this weekend seeing Bill have manageable drift control with a drift sock, that I'll be getting one shortly.  I keep telling myself I need one, and now I just need to do it.

Nice report fulltimenut.  I can tell that you are getting absolutely hooked.  Right on.  I hope to make it down there some time this summer.  After seeing how picked over Neah Bay was this weekend, we started talking about heading to the Oregon coast next time.  It's about the same drive time for us as Neah Bay is.

-Allen

My drift sock is part of an old knit dress that came in a $2.00 grab bag at the senior center. I whacked the top off, hemmed it with a line that lets me choke the flow through. Added a simple bridle and use a swivel brass snap at the end of my anchor line. A semi-rigid piece of plastic in the leading edge would make it quicker to deploy. I don't think you can go too big on the diameter. Synthetic material that didn't absorb water, and then drain it in my boat, would be handy. I've heard of people using blue tarp material..