Yak trolling, fishing, etc.

Just curious as to how you would troll with a yak... also if any of you do this how do you rig up for salmon?  Also is it hard to bottom fish from a yak?  Like say for lings, halibut, etc?

My kayak trolling this far has been mostly for trout, using fly tackle (5 wt rod, type III sinking line, wooly buggers).  I have a Hobie Outback set up with a Scotty rod holder and extension (to get the rod above my feet/legs when I paddle).  I have had good success just kicking around nice and slow (maybe 1-1.5 mph).

I have yet to try salmon trolling from the yak, but my general plan is to stick to tidewater and go with with spinners/spoons, w/ a three way rig (canon ball weight on a dropper).  Basically fish it just like a typical salmon trolling rig, but with a lighter weight.

I do want to try fishing for springers via kayak in Multnomah Channel next spring.

Trolling is pretty straight forward in a kayak, set the rod in a rod holder and slowly paddle.  There are various rod holder options in terms of type and location and it's all a matter of taste.

Rigging for salmon often differs depending on where you're trolling.  In the ocean, a downrigger or sinker release is often used in conjunction with a trolled lure like a Apex or a striaght bait like an anchovie or herring.  In some of the rivers\estuaries a lure like a spinner or a plug might be trolled with a smaller cannon ball weight on a dropper loop or you might even back troll against the current with this type of rig.  It's best to find out how most people fish a particular area in a regular boat and adapt that technique for use with your kayak.

As for bottom fishing, again not a problem, you use pretty much the same techniques you might use in a larger boat.   Sitting in your kayak reeling in a fish off the bottom might feel a bit odd at first, but you soon get used to it.  The trick isn't so much dealing with the fishing rather it's dealing with the ocean conditions.  Pick a nice calm day and everything should be pretty straight forward.  Check out some of the articles and reports from this past summer on the NorCal kayak angling forum http://www.ncka.org/ as they do a lot of bottom fishing out of kayaks down there.

Brian

I've found that controlling my drift, while bottomfishing, is crucial. I always carry a ghetto rigged drift sock. It's especially important for deep fishing, like for halibut.