Kayak Fishing Blog

Ocean Kayak Classic 2015 - Plymouth

17/6/2015

Liam & Kieren Faisey at the Ocean Kayak Classic 2015. Photo by www.sophiephotos.com

The next big competition of the year had arrived - the Ocean Kayak Classic, a catch, photo and release competition held in Plymouth. The competition had been on the cards for months and Kieren would be coming up to fish it too. I had been for a couple of exploratory sessions a few weeks before but the venue was still largely unknown. Would we come away with any prizes?

Tope Time!

7/6/2015

This time last year i had caught my first Tope from the kayak so i have been itching to get out again this year to try for them. A very narrow weather window presented itself but it would be choppy with an onshore wind. I contacted Rob who had just brought an RTM Abaco and we planned an early morning session on the North Coast......

Places to Kayak Fish In Cornwall

28/5/2015

I often get asked where you can launch a kayak in Cornwall to go kayak fishing so over the last few weeks i have been busy building a new section of my website - Places to Kayak Fish in Cornwall. I have compiled a list of over 70 potential launch venues with interactive maps, information on parking, expected species, tides, weather forecasts and more. Click on 'Places to Fish' in the navigation menu or open this blog post to find out more.....

Plymouth Sound - Mini Species Fishing

26/5/2015

Goldsinney Wrasse caught from the kayak in Plymouth Sound

Im not used to fishing for small stuff from the kayak so when Mark and Martin planned a mini-meet at Plymouth on Sunday i thought it would be a good opportunity to fish for mini-species.....

Plymouth Sound - Seeing Red!

22/5/2015

The Ocean Kayak Classic Kayak Fishing competition is being held at Plymouth on the 13th June. A practice session was arranged with Mark and Martin and it would be my first time kayak fishing at Plymouth. After a quick bait-stop at Seaview Angling were headed off to Mountbatten to launch for an afternoons fishing. Time to see what we could catch....

The Swanage Classic 2015 - An Awesome Weekend!

19/5/2015

I had been planning to fish the Swanage Classic kayak fishing competition for several months. Not only would it be my first kayak fishing competition, it is also held at a venue which throws up a few species that i really wanted to catch. This was going to be an interesting weekend.......

New Palm Paddlewear: Kaituna Top, Ion Pants & Descender Shoes

26/4/2015

I have been using a wetsuit for kayak fishing over the last 3 years and have decided to upgrade. Whilst the wetsuit has served me well, and will still be used when surfing the kayak or snorkelling, it was time to invest in something that would be more comfortable to wear whilst fishing from the kayak. I decided upon paddle wear from Palm - Ion Pants in Jet Grey, a Kaituna Neoflex Top and a pair of Descender Shoes. Here is an initial overview of the clothing.......

Making Lead Fishing Weights

8/4/2015

Lead weights are an item of tackle practically every bait fisherman uses in some form or another. They can be an expensive item of terminal tackle if you lose them often in snags. It can be much cheaper to make your own once you have purchased some basic pieces of equipment. Here is how i make my fishing lead weights.....

Installing Ram Tubes on the RTM Tempo

2/4/2015

It was time to install forward facing rod holders on the Tempo. I get on well with the flush mount rod holders on the Abaco but the Tempo lacks space on the side rails to fit them. I settled on installing Ram-Tube™ 2008 rod holders with 1.5" ball round base so that i could position the rod at various angles for bottom fishing and trolling. Here's how i installed them.....

Supertide Mackerel Mayhem!

24/3/2015

A weather window was spotted. Its the first chance i've had to get out on the water this year due to university commitments but the weather was looking great so the chance couldn't be missed. The session would coincide with the weekend 'Super tide' - an exceptionally big tide producing the lowest tides for a decade and an associated big tidal range. Time for some fun in the Tempo!

Palm Kaikoura PFD - Initial Overview

19/3/2015

I recently won a kayak fishing video competition, run by Wet and Wild, on the Anglers Afloat forum with my Tope fishing video. The prize was a £150 voucher to spend on their website! I decided upon the new 2015 Palm Kaikoura PFD (Personal Floatation Device) in blue. Here's an initial overview......

Sun, Ice and a few fish

29/12/2014

I had been waiting for a weather window for weeks. No wind forecast, hardly a drop of swell but i would have to compromise.... it would be freezing cold! I was going regardless, it would be my only chance for a number of weeks as I'm back to Plymouth soon and the coursework will be heavy. A plan was forged. Simon, Laurence (and Nobby the dog!), Huw and myself would be trying a spot of reef fishing to see if the Pollack and Cod were feeding......

Blonde Ray Fishing Video

29/12/2014

I finally found some time to edit a video from the Blonde Ray sessions a few months back. Click 'read more' to check it out. Make sure you select HD from the settings (if you open it on the full Youtube website) and if you don't like the soundtrack then press mute!

Ugly Stik GX2 6-12lb Kayak Rod - Initial Overview

23/11/2014

Shakespeare have just released a new range of Ugly Stik rods designed for kayak fishing. The range includes a 6ft 12lb class rod, a 7ft 6in 6-12lb class rod and a 7ft 6in 12-20lb rod. I love my 8ft 2in 12-20lb Ugly Stik Braid rods but have been waiting for Shakespeare to bring out a lighter version. As soon as the new range was available i ordered two 7ft 6in 6-12lb rods..... here is an initial overview....

Fitting an Anchor Trolley and Reel to the RTM Tempo

17/11/2014

An anchor trolley is a fairly essential part of anchoring up whilst fishing. It allows you to position the point along the kayak at which your anchor line will enter the water. This allows you to position the kayak in a comfortable and, more importantly, safe position relative to the wind, swell and tide......

Nomination for Kayak Angler Blog of the Year 2014!

28/10/2014

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I have been nominated for Kayak Angler Blog of the Year in the Kayak Angler Choice Awards 2014! If you enjoy reading my blog or visiting my website then a vote for me would be great. Click on the photo or HERE to access the voting webpage. Im in section 10. Cheers everyone!

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Oceanic Pufferfish

9/10/2014

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I was recently contacted by someone who had found a pufferfish washed up on Eastern Green beach at Penzance. It was taken to a local tackle shop, Newtown Angling, and frozen until i could collect it and take it to the Marine Biological Association for identification.....

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Sun, Swell and Ling!

2/10/2014

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Strong winds are on the way and the swell is building however the forecast looked superb for the next two and George, a fellow marine biology student, had a day off work. I had promised him a trip out at some point so it seemed like the perfect time to go before the weather turned rubbish. I really wanted to hit the reefs again but it would be hit and miss whether the swell would allow us to launch......

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The Big Pollack and The Big Cuckoo

29/9/2014

It was an early start. The alarm went at 5:45 and a strong coffee made very soon after. Im back living in Plymouth now so if i want to fish my usual haunts it involves an early start and a long drive. I left Plymouth at 6:30 and drove home to get the gear ready and load the car. Kieren and myself were heading out for a reef fishing session. He had caught an 18lb Ling the weekend before. What would turn up today?