Crab walk: Sitting
down on the job. PHOTO: JOSE CHAVEZ
WEST COAST LAWNMOWER MAN
INVISIBLE LINE
Bright, sunny skies and clear, shallow water make it easy to spot fish. The same condi- tions also make it easy for fish to spot you. Sometimes the fish are so wary that tying a short piece of fluoro leader to the mainline isn’t enough. For the ultimate under the radar presentation, carry an extra reel spool filled with straight fluorocarbon. I feel it casts less of a shadow. It’s pricey, but sometimes the dif- ference between seeing fish and catching fish. —JOSE CHAVEZ
THE CRAB WALK
If soft mud makes wading impossible, take a load off. Sit on the bow of the kayak while using your legs to walk along the bottom. Not only will this technique allow you to have a rest and continue fishing, it can also keep you from sinking into the muck. –JOSE CHAVEZ
WIN VERTICAL BATTLES
Fighting a big fish that suddenly makes a dive for the bottom can pull a kayak angler into the drink. To stay on the dry side, keep your center of gravity over the center of the kayak. To maintain balance, imagine a line that runs from bow to stern along the center of the kay- ak. Keep your head and torso over this line to maintain your balance. You can also swing your legs into the water and straddle the kay- ak to increase stability. During the fight, keep the rod low and use your leg as a fulcrum to lift the fish. Of course, the most important
2012 SKILLS GUIDE 46 …KAYAK ANGLER SUMMER/FALL 2012 Where the head goes, the body follows.
Keep your noggin over the kayak. PHOTO: JOSE CHAVEZ
thing is to have a reliable drag system that is set to one-third the breaking strength of the line. Combine these techniques to apply the maximum leverage on the fish and power through to victory. –JOSE CHAVEZ
THE ART OF THE TROUT TEASE
When shy sea trout follow the lure back to the ‘yak but won’t bite, give ‘em a little enticement. To pique the interest of finicky trout, periodically pause the retrieve for three to five seconds to let the lure sink slowly. This technique works particularly well with 1/8-ounce jigheads, suspending plugs and slow sinking lures. To turn on a trout, sometimes you have to turn on the tease. –JOSE CHAVEZ
When the yellowtail pop, it’s time to break out the surface trolling gear. Of course there’s often a snag. If you’re in tight to the weed line or dragging live mackerel just above sub- merged stringers, you’re living dangerously. Hook a powerful fish and you’re at its mercy. If it’s a kelp-seeking missile, that fork-tailed motor will tow the kayaker straight into the jungle. Savvy kayakers answer with a kelp cut- ter rig. It’s simple, all you need is a standard 20- to 40-pound big game outfit spooled with 65-pound test braided line. Choose a rod that has a moderate taper capable of absorbing a frantic tail beating. Add a rod-length of no-see- ‘um fluorocarbon leader to the braided line to hide your intentions from the fish. It’s not exactly a buzz saw, but it works. When a fish wraps the line in the trees, pour on the tension, and then, if all goes right, you’ll feel the “pop, pop, pop!” as the line lasers through the string- ers. All that’s left is to sink the gaff and break out the soy sauce. –PAUL LEBOWITZ
KELP CREATURES AND BOILER BEASTS
Kayaks can go straight into the rough neigh- borhoods where Southern California’s biggest calico bass live, right into the center of the thickest kelp beds and perilously close to surf- tossed rocks. Seek out potholes and lanes, es- pecially those areas that motorized boats can’t reach. That’s where oversized weedless jigs with large trailers come into their own. Favor- ite colors are orange, brown, chartreuse and pink, in weights from one-half to 1.5 ounces. Crankbaits can be hot too, particularly pearl, blue and white Norman shad patterns that dive six to 12 feet.
The chase for bruiser bass takes some kay-
ak anglers dangerously close to the surf zone. Among the wash rocks, calicos sometimes lurk in just a foot of water. Entice them with weed- less plastics or hard baits. Start with a fast ap- proach and then slow down and bounce the baits right off the rocks. Beware the danger. Risks include loss of gear, serious injury and worse. —PAUL LEBOWITZ
SCRATCH UP SCATTERED FLATTIES
To catch halibut, first you have to find them. Bounce-balling is a great way to cover terri- tory and incite a strike when the fish are scat- tered or there’s insufficient wind or current for drift fishing. Using a three-way swivel, hang a six- to 24- inch dropper to your ball or torpedo sinker.
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