Gear for kayak angling in the NW

So I'm writing this article for a local kayaking magazine, and the topic is gearing up for kayak fishing in the NW.  Now I have my own way of doing things as does everyone else.  I wanted to make sure that I don't over-represent my own views.  So let's hear your own words of wisdom for gearing up to fish NW waters.

-Allen

Depends on what you're targetting, no? 

I wouldn't take my panfish gear for halibut, or vice versa!

Good point PS.  Let's focus this thread on saltwater.  We can do the freshwater as part of the "Stream and Small Lake Kayaking" thread.

-Allen

Hmmm, if it's for a kayaking audience, I'm guessing they don't neccessarily know fishing. so they'll need a solid description.

If I had one choice for the NW, I think it would be a mooching outfit, 9', about 20# line rating, able to handle 1-6oz weights. These outfits are common, and can be bought as packages at the big chains. (They may not be top of the line, but will probably be okay for someone just trying it out.)

It would be a bit heavy for inshore rockfish, just right for salmon, and a little light for halibut.

A small box with some ballbearing snap swivels, some solid-tie mooching leaders and some leadhead jigs and metal jigs, (and a copy of the regs.) and a person could start fishing.

I wasn't talking about just fishing gear, but your suggestions are a good start.

-Allen

Thats a good question. What gear, so what about the clothing aspect. As for me I HATE to be cold, and when you get wet you get cold. So whats best a wet suit or a dry type suit.  I am still trying to figure this one out. I have a wet suit from NRS and just bought a Endurance jacket to help with the drizzel when it happens. Big enough that I can layer under it if I need to. I would like to get a dry suit to maybe  extend the fishing on winter lakes cause you can bundle under but there is that cost. A dry suit can start at $400 dollars, that is cheap. They only go up from there. $900  $1000. Its a matter of what you got to spend. dry suit if you can, wet suit other wise.

Matt

The weekend we fished Lake Chelan (April 1, and cold and rainy), I wore breathable waders with a drytop. Even though I spaced out my fleece layers at home, and wore jeans underneith, I'm sure that I was warmer than Allen or Matt. (I was the last to quit Sat. morning, and I wasn't shivering.) I already owned the waders, and the top I bought (~$100.00) off of Sierra Trading Outfitters.

I would like a lighter/cooler outfit for the summer.

Thats another good point and I remember a thread on a SoCal web site that neverseemed to end about suits vs wadders. if for some reason a person capsized and had on wadders is he safe, given that wadders could fill and send you down. When wadders fill with water you have no control over them. I've had that happen fly fishing for steelies on the Russian river, I was doing good one second the next I stepped into a hole up to my chest. The wadders filled and floated me down river for about 20' (20'feet to far) until I hit a sand bar. Although I have wore my wadders on the yak with a cinch belt.
I just got a dry top and I may end up using it tommorow if it keeps on raining. Big enough to layer underneath.
Oh and I remember that day well, I was sick to begin with and the cold and wet just made me feel like pooh. (thanks kids) Bill I know you know how that goes.

With the dry top, I'm not too worried about the waders filling- I can cinch the neoprene waist strap so tight, I can barely breath. Now that summer is here (almost) I'll have to try flopping in the water with all of it on, and see what happens. Myguestimate is that I'll get only a trickle inside.

BTW, I'm looking forward to your report- I've never fished Evergreen, just read good things about it. I'm going to take our little one tyo a local lake wiy=th some perch in it. I may even put a hook (barbless!) on her line, for the first time

OK heres the report for Evergreen. Very slow for everyone there. Two guys I talked to said they were just nailing them the weekend before. Bass, walleyes and his friend caught a muskie at 40" Yikes But that day I was there it was slow. I marked a lot of fish, and I mean a lot of fish. My alarm  on the ff would go off like and alarm clock, I know a lot of that was perch but I had some monster bass follow my rapala up to the yak and then just stop. Not run off but, just mosie away. I am going to blame spawn and post spawn activietys.
The funny thing is a few power boaters there with there big fancy bass boats not catching anything. At the end of the day I was loading up the yak and started to talk to an older genlteman that was fishing out of his little car topper with his really old dog. I saw him out on the water and he was just kick back smoaking and crusing. he started to tell me about the walleye fishing in the res.. and what he does to catch fish, in detail, so i ask him if he caught anything and he said "oh ya, igot 3 fish, one keeper, and the two other small ones I let go, they were about 14" so I just kept the one." I asked him if I could see it cause I had never caught a walleye before. so he shows me this 20" fish that was about 5-6#. After he told me where on the lake to go and what to do, I got all excited and almost unloaded my yak again. If I didn't have someplace to be that night I would have been out there. Oh ya the wind did kick up at about 3:30-4:00 clock to make the paddle a constant battle. But I think I have found my new fun spot. I want to get really good at walleye from a yak, and that is a good practice lake. (who am I kidding, practice, its just fun!) And there thereare some big bass in that place too. As well as carp. should learn to catch one of those for a ride.

Floatin, Carp are fun!!!
 We used to catch them in Texas lakes all the time.
 For bait we would make a dough ball and let it dry around a treble hook. Toss the dry bait out in the weeds or over some lilly pads and wait for the fight!
 For dough ball we mixed bran flakes with a big-red soda in a ziplok bag till it feels like clay. I suppose any soda would work, don't know why bigred it's just what we used.
 Every year on lake Conroe they have a Carp kill contest, can be taken any way but explosives( guns, dynamite, etc..). Many use a bow and arrow standing on a deck built on their johnboat, fun fun fun.

That lake does sound interesting- I like a good mix of species.

I took my almost-4 year old up to Patterson Lake yesterday afternoon. Started off with 1 quick fish (perch) then realized I was probably too shallow. Moved and then we boated 25+ perch in an hour and half. Janni was thrilled. I'd set the hook and hand her the rod, and she would crank them in. When it slowed down, she would harass the fish swimming around in the bucket. She was bummed when we left! 

oh good times, good times. I did the same a few weeks ago with my 7 year old, Trenton. We went to fish lake for the fish derby. Caught a bunch of trout, but no winners. We camped the night before at lake Wenatchee, windy and rainy. Then went over to fish lake the next morning. good times, good times.

Threadjackers!   

Here's what I typicall wear.  7 mm dive booties.  3 mm full length farmer john.  Long sleeve polypro shirt or rashguard under the farmer john.  Sweater over the farmer john if it's cold.  Paddle jacket.  Lifejacket.  Choice of hat depending on weather.  I always have something on my head.  Sungalsses, I usually have something on my eye.  I also have paddling gloves, but rarely wear them.

-Allen

Currently- I wear my waders, but I am going to go with one of the following two options-

1- GI Joes has a Stolquist Paddling pant for $109-  These seem to have good re-inforcement and have the added benefit of being able to layer on those cold winter days.
2- NRS Farmer John wetsuit

Any pros/cons to either of these based on your collective personal esperiences???

With both of the above options, I will go with my new NRS Endurance paddle top that I just picked on eBay for $50. 

As far as other gear, I am currently toying with a simple modification to the WS ride that will allow me to mount rod holers, FF and perhaps a drink holder right down the center of the cockpit-  My wife thinks I have completely lost my mind..... 

pete