White Water Kayak Fishing?

[DewTheDewDude]

Hey there fellas,

I'm very interested in starting to kayak diving. I live right off the water and about 200 yards or so from a couple breakwaters, where a LOT of stripers hang out, during their season. I really want to just paddle out and anchor off and have a field day out there. Thing is...I only have a whitewater kayak haha. Don't get me wrong it's awesome! Just a little small, less stability, and doesn't have the ability to tie down rigs. But it can roll! Get a nice view of the fishys down there without leaving the boat =P

Mainly just asking if anyone has been in this situation before, or if there are any entrepreneurs out there? Trying to find out if anyone has jerry rigged a whitewater kayak before, for spearfishing. Just looking for some pointers or just a direction to go in. Thanks in advance!

Happy Hunting.

[Samik]

I used to fish out of my Riot Glide/Disco in the ottawa river. huge cats and pike. they really pull those little boats around

Spearfishing? that's another can of worms. whitewater boats have very slow hulls, and you'd never be able to get in and out of it while it's floating.

[Goody1986]

Originally Posted by Samik

Spearfishing? that's another can of worms. whitewater boats have very slow hulls, and you'd never be able to get in and out of it while it's floating.

X2
Those boats are so small, it would take a long time to paddle where you want. Any wind,wave action would move you off course easily. If you want to make it easier on yourself, get a sit on top of some kind. At least you will be able to get in and out of the kayak without difficulty/risk of flooding the kayak.

[Stephane]

Originally Posted by Goody1986

X2
Those boats are so small, it would take a long time to paddle where you want. Any wind,wave action would move you off course easily. If you want to make it easier on yourself, get a sit on top of some kind. At least you will be able to get in and out of the kayak without difficulty/risk of flooding the kayak.

X3. Whitewater kayaks are slow. I'm pretty sure you would get there faster by just swimming from the beach.

[Ron S]

I don't know what yak you have, but I have an old Perception Dancer that's plenty fast enough, but there's no way I could get in and out with dive gear. That said, if you really want to get creative and the water's not too rough, it could probably be done if you add a lot of deck rigging to hold gear, and also so that you can set up a paddle float system behind the seat to act as a pontoon for getting in and out.
Honestly though, if your boats rigged to fit you for whitewater, you'll probably abandone the idea after the first or second try and start looking for a used sit on top. Good luck!
Ron.

[ezcompany]

aren't white water kayaks sit in types?
for diving you will most definitely want a sin on top type kayak. asides from what others have said, a 12 ft sot type yak would be most ideal for your purposes.

[Fishfood888]

Get yourself a cheap used SOT, 12'-15' long. You will be better equiped for fishing and diving, have plenty of deck/storage for rigging, it will be faster and easier to get in and out of while diving. I actually fish from a little rigged out OK Frenzy in whitewater rivers (up to class 3+), good fun...but my dive/fish ocean yak is a 15' SOT.

[Samik]

Originally Posted by Ron S

I don't know what yak you have, but I have an old Perception Dancer that's plenty fast enough,

The Dancer is the 30' long wood paneled station wagon of white water boats. a true classic. back in the days when an Endo or Pirouette were the end all be all freestyle moves. my first boat

[Ron S]

Originally Posted by Samik

The Dancer is the 30' long wood paneled station wagon of white water boats. a true classic. back in the days when an Endo or Pirouette were the end all be all freestyle moves. my first boat

And now I can't hardly give it away!