Northwest Reel Life April 2023 Volume 2 Issue 8 - Flipbook - Page 17
and the type of environment
you plan to be paddling or
pedaling in.
SAFETY
Perhaps the most important
part of kayak fishing is
keeping safe while on the
water. Safety on a kayak
involves knowledge, skillset,
and gear. Having a proper
understanding of incoming
weather and tides and how
those will affect your fishing
location should be the first
step before loading up the
kayak. Utilize weather apps,
wind predictions models,
and tide charts to determine
conditions for that particular
day. Always know before you
go.
SKILLSET
Knowing how to right a
capsized kayak and how to
properly re-enter the kayak
are two essential safety skills
for any kayak angler. To
practice, bring your kayak
into a pool or any other chest
deep body of water that is
of comfortable temperature.
From a sitting position:
practice capsizing your kayak.
Once the boat is upside
down, and while using the
buoyancy of your life vest,
place your palms under the
coaming (side of cockpit) of
your kayak, and in a quick and
forceful motion, throw your
kayak over. Once the kayak
is righted, work to keep your
body horizontal on the water
by kicking your feet. Instead of
pulling down on the nearest
coaming and running the
risk of flipping the boat back
towards your face, kick your
feet and reach towards the
far coaming and pull your
body (belly first) onto the
kayak. Once your hips are over
the kayak and your weight
is centered, you can then
flip yourself over onto your
butt. Repeat this until you’re
confident you can do this in a
non-practice situation where
stress levels are much higher.
SAFETY GEAR
A few things I keep onboard
when kayak fishing are a
manual bilge pump for
removing water in the event
that it makes its way into the
hull, a waterproof and floating
VHF radio for radioing coast
guard during an emergency,
a reliable PDF, a high visibility
kayak flag mounted on a
pole, a first aid kit, and flares.
In the PNW where I live, a
wetsuit or a drysuit are both
non-negotiable items to wear
while out on the saltwater.
There is much debate about
which is the better of the
two for kayak fishing. If I
plan to be in and out of the
water often, like during surf
launches on the coast, a
wetsuits work best for me.
Conversely, if its winter and
below 40 degrees outside, a
dry suit will allow the kayaker
to layer up in warm clothing
beneath their suit. During a
midsummer day, when the
weather and waters present
zero risk of hypothermia, it's
better to dress according
to the weather and stick to
lightweight clothing that
provide both UPF and SPF
protection.
JUNE 2023 | 17