Landing big fish from a kayak

[ronaultmtd]

We all spend a lot of time discussing lures, techniques to work them, rods, reels, lines, leaders, knots, kayaks, paddles, PFD’s...but one topic I feel is somewhat neglected is techniques for SAFELY landing big fish from a kayak...two years ago I was fighting a big redfish that I had alongside the Ugly Duckling...it was barely lip hooked on a 1/4 oz jighead swimbait...I forgot the basic safety rule of kayaks- never lean over the side to try to grab a big fish and turtled...the loss of the center of gravity is instantly...no warning whatsoever...no matter how fast your reflexes...it ain’t fast enough...great lesson that drove this experience home for me...so what did I learn? Keep one full rod length of line on the rod at all times...bring the fish to the boat by lifting the rod near verticle...keep your head in the centerline of the kayak- never lean over the side..and remember to back your drag off some...most fish are lost at the boat by pulling the hook...you fought the fish to get it to the boat, why horse the fish at the 11th hour and lose it? Certain species of fish have teeth that you don’t want to put your hand in their mouth...a boga grip (stainless steel) not plastic...is the ticket for theses species- I used to use Fish Grips but a large energetic snakehead broke the lower jaw out of mine in an amazing escape...I do not normally carry a landing net on my kayak- exception is trout fishing...so when needed having a boga grip handy is an essential tool for safely landing a big fish

[Oldbayrunner]

Ron, I couldn't agree more... lesson well learned. Thanks for posting this.

[RavensDfense]

This is an acquired skill and can be tricky for sure. I have not flipped my kayak trying to muscle a big fish in, but it is no doubt easy to lose your center of gravity.

My technique is all muscle memory at this point. Ill go through it briefly. I am right hand dominate, so keep that in mind.

1. The first thing I do is have everything laid out ahead of time. Make sure you have your Boca grip, net, or whatever else you'll use in the right place before you hook up. Because once you have him on, its a little late to rearrange.

2. Then I make sure I beat the fish. Do not try to land a huge fish green. Once he is tuckered out, I position him to the left hand side of the kayak, keeping the rod in my dominate right hand. I let out a little bit of line and extend the rod up and out (i.e.-UPWARD), over the side of the boat, making sure to keep my center of gravity square and an UPWARD amount of tension on the line. You do not want to pull horizontally here because that is an easy way to lose the fish. During the fight, the tension on the fish is UPWARD, so keep it that way throughout the fight.

3. At this point, I grab the leader with my left hand to hold the fish secure. This is why it is important he is all done fighting. A green fish and a leader-wrapped hand are not a good combo. Gloves help here.

4. Next, I open the bail and put the rod in the front-right rod holder (while still holding the fish and leader with my left hand). With the bail open, if you lose the fish at any point and he falls in, he will swim freely and not pull against an engaged reel, which would potentially end with your rear end in the water, the line snapping, or a pulled hook.

5. With the rod in the holder, your right hand is now free to grab the leader from your left hand. Once you do this, your left hand is now free to grab the fish with the Boca grip. Use your right hand (which now is holding the leader) to manipulate the fish's head into position.

6. Once the Boca grip is secure, lean to the right and pull him in with a combination of the grip and your right hand, which is holding the leader.

I have a video or two of it if anyone can't follow my ramblings.

[ComeOnFish]

I am adding one more based on my experience with a 28-30" striper and another incident (bottom rig stuck on the bottom when I got capsized).
I leash myself to the kayak since, especially when targeting tautog, sheepshead, striper, redfish, cobia, tarpon (It is on my bucket list this year), where the current is strong, and where the water is churning. So basically almost all the time and everywhere.

One incident: I was in 10-12' of water where the water was churning (due to sandbar). I got capsized when a 28-30" striper was hooked in Long Island sound. I barely could breath because the fish is pulling me down while the 30# test braided line wrapped my leg and straps of the PFD. The only thing that saved me was the rod leash. I eventually pulled the kayak back to me (by pulling the rod leash) and cut the braided line using a knife that was in my tackled bag (tackled bag was leashed). I learned that I couldn't cut the 30# test braided line with my bare hands. I also learned that I couldn't see a thing when the wave kept hitting my head above my neck.

Joe

[nhunter344]

I'm still new to kayak fishing and have a lot to learn, but the one thing I've found that has helped me as a beginner is a net. I use one of the smaller Ego S2 slider models or a small Frabill folding net depending on the targeted species. I've replaced the cloth nets with rubber versions to prevent fish injury.

I don't use the nets to get the fish in the kayak, I use it more as a fish control device while I get everything in order because no matter how I try, the pliers or grips are never where I left them last. If you get them in the net head first, they aren't going anywhere. I find the fish are healthier upon release due to being kept in the water for the most part. Keeping them in the water is even more important during catch and release striper season when you have DNR police ready to ticket you for even looking funny at a striper. An added bonus to the net for those who still use trebles is that they act as a nice hook catcher so you don't hook yourself.

I'm sure in time I'll become more agile on the kayak, but for now its nice to have a few seconds after a fight to collect my thoughts and gear and prevent myself from doing anything stupid that will result in losing the fish or dumping myself in the water.

[silasvirus82]

I don't catch any big fish (not from a lack of trying), but I'll add one thing to the discussion anyway. I typically use my boga grips for anything significant (say over 24"), but one trick I find extremely helpful for me and the fish is to have my boga grips attached to my boat with a retractable tether. After bringing the fish to the boat and getting them lipped with the boga, I typically release the fish immediately after getting the hook out with the boga still attached. This helps me get organized before measuring or whatever I plan on doing with the fish, and keeps the fish calm and healthy while I'm doing it. The retractable tether also keeps my deck free of anything to tangle up in when the boga is not in use. I use the same system for my pliers as well. Unfortunately T-Reign stopped selling the deck and track mounted tethers, but maybe somebody else makes them now.

EDIT: ACK still has some in-stock though, but only with pliers https://www.austinkayak.com/products...ack-Mount.html

[J.A. Veil]

As with most things relating to kayak fishing, I am a bit of a contrarian. I will not criticize the techniques that work for you, but I prefer to land my fish without the use of a net or grips. Here are my steps for handling a large or strong fish.

1) Wind the fish up until it is near the boat. When you are down to the last 4' to 8' of line off the tip, grab the leader with your right hand. I try to land fish on the left side.

2) Slide your hand down the leader until you can grab the lure or at least the lower end of the leader.

3) If you left enough line out (4' to 8'), you can lay the rod down flat in front of you.

4) For large fish, I place my left hand under the belly keeping the right hand on the lure or lower leader and swing the fish into the kayak. This is more of a sideways move than a lift. I learned this method from my Tampa guide Neil Taylor. It takes a bit of practice to feel confident,but it does work.

5) I am not a meat fisherman and rarely keep a fish. I want to handle the fish as gently as possible and get it back in the water quickly.

6) Once the fish in inside the cockpit, I may open the bail to prevent rod tip breakage if the large fish lunges. If the fish is particularly large or has sharp teeth I use my Fishgrips to control the fish (I only use the grips inside the boat, not to lift the fish out of the water) so I can measure it and get a photo.

I have not carried a net for years and don't really miss it.

[baitball]

Ron, thanks for posting this topic.

Doug (RavensDfense), John (silasvirus82), and others talked about the importance of preparing even before you catch a fish. Making sure you have gone through your technique(s) in your head, tied down equipment (i.e. boga grips and/or rod leashes), keeping your head positioned over the centerline, and clearing the deck beforehand are all important, but it's all for naught if you can't get the fish to gunnels.

With that in mind I'll like to add another item to that mental checklist, especially for those of us that like to troll more than one line at a time. If you have multiple lines in the water and hook a large fish the chances of a tangle increase significantly. The fish could swim erratically crossing the lines in your spread, or in your excitement, you fail to keep the lines apart from each other resulting in a frustrated angler and possibly a lost fish.

I learned my lesson the hard way. So I started paying attention to other multi-line trollers - thank you KenKayak and DaoLai for sharing your knowledge!

Here's what I learned if you troll multiple lines:

1. After you hook a fish, contain your excitement and keep pedaling/paddling. Keep your turns to a minimum and continue straight ahead until you have completed step #2. This will keep the lines behind you and spread apart.
*Additionally, if you are in shallow water and stop moving, your lures could hit bottom and snag - now you have one more problem to deal with.

2. Reel in the other lines. You don't have to stow away the rods. Keep your lures in the water right next to the boat, just reel in enough to clear them out of the way. This step takes a matter of seconds; mind you, I usually troll four lines and I have never lost a fish while reeling in the other lines, but I have saved myself countless frustration.

3. Once you are down to the rod with the fish on it, you can now turn the boat in order to place the fish off your forward quarter. Having the fish off the bow makes controlling the fish easier so you don't have to fight it over your shoulder. You can also move towards or with the fish while you play it out - in the long run it's better for the fish (i.e. less of a fight) and better for the angler.

Why troll multiple lines? I have found that trolling multiple lines allows me to test various lure/color combinations at the same time. This technique quickly identifies what the fish prefer on that particular day. Once I find out what the fish want, I reduce the number of lines in the water, and I proceed with confidence knowing I have the lure/color combo the fish are looking for. If/when the bite slows down, I go back to my four line spread and repeat the process.

I hope this helps anyone considering trolling multiple lines. Add this to the other techniques mentioned in this thread and you will significantly increase your chances of landing big fish.

[ronaultmtd]

That doesn’t always work...trust me, I know- I have learned the hard way by losing a lot of fish...the best way is to reduce the number of rods you troll...I used to troll 4 rods all the time- there is no good way to do that in a kayak- it is a compromise- 4 rods improve your chances to get a fish to hit your lures, but it also improves your chances to tangle...I use two rods- and fight the fish...if I tangle, I tangle but I am concentrating on landing the fish...I fished for Pacific salmon in Oregon/Washington...they have a law- one rod per angler...and in spring season, barbless hooks..

[yakscientist]

I am adding one more based on my experience with a 28-30" striper and another incident (bottom rig stuck on the bottom when I got capsized).
I leash myself to the kayak since, especially when targeting tautog, sheepshead, striper, redfish, cobia, tarpon (It is on my bucket list this year), where the current is strong, and where the water is churning. So basically almost all the time and everywhere.

One incident: I was in 10-12' of water where the water was churning (due to sandbar). I got capsized when a 28-30" striper was hooked in Long Island sound. I barely could breath because the fish is pulling me down while the 30# test braided line wrapped my leg and straps of the PFD. The only thing that saved me was the rod leash. I eventually pulled the kayak back to me (by pulling the rod leash) and cut the braided line using a knife that was in my tackled bag (tackled bag was leashed). I learned that I couldn't cut the 30# test braided line with my bare hands. I also learned that I couldn't see a thing when the wave kept hitting my head above my neck.

Joe

Scenarios like this always dance across my mind, so I make sure to keep both pliers (with braid cutters), and a pair of tethered snips, attached to my pfd at all times. The pfd stays on me from the time I launch until the time I'm packing up to head home, so I would like to think that I give myself multiple options in case of a tangle. I usually have a knife tucked into the pocket of my pfd, and one within arm's reach at all times, if only for convenience. Thank you for sharing your scary experience, it's def shed some light on what nightmare scenarios can happen.

[Mark]

Last year at Goodhands Creek, on the south end of Hog Island for those familiar with the area, I was trolling two rods. Like Ron, I never troll more than two. Both rods started rattling in their holders. Normally my tact is to keep moving but turn toward the side with the fish. My assumption is that the turn pulls the fish away from the other line and allows me to reel in it perpendicular to the beam. I ignore the other line. But what to do when both rods are hooked?

I turned the boat toward the rod that was shaking the most. When I had the rod in my hands, I felt that heavy unmistakable pull of a CNR. I horsed it for a while and as I usually do, got it to a position where I could point the rod at the ray and pull back sharply to snap the leader. So that took care of problem number one. Now to rod two. Wouldn’t you know, there was a ray on that one too. So again, I tussled with it get it into a position for a quick release. Snap…another ray gone.

Fortunately, they didn’t tangle my lines but I was left with one line with no leader and a much-shortened leader on the other. Tying a double uni-knot on a breezy day, bouncing in the water is not an easy thing to do. Tying it twice is doubly hard.

Thirty minutes later I was finally back in business. Thirty minutes of opportunity cost when I could have been hooking stripers. I did no more trolling lest I repeat the episode I had just completed – all of which reminded me why I like to cast as opposed to troll and why when I troll I never put out more than two lines.

Anyway, I am amazed at the size of fish some of the posters here bring into their boats. I don’t routinely catch fish much more than 20 inches so it’s easy for me to keep my center of gravity in the middle of the boat as folks here have advised. I see no need for a net and I point the rod-tip high to swing the fish into position close to the gunnel. I slide my hands down the leader as John suggested. Good idea of his on releasing the bail, by the way…I hadn’t thought of that.

To be honest the hardest fish for me to land are 15-inch stripers and undersized pickerels. Both shake uncontrollably when I slide my hands down the leader to subdue them. Another reason to use single hooks. Larger fish are often calmer at boat side after a lengthy fight. And of course, with the picks I have to watch out for slashing teeth. I carry plastic fish grips primarily for picks. But if I can get my hands around the smaller ones I grab them behind the gills. I lip most of the stripers I catch with my thumb and fingers. In fact, I can measure a good day on the water by how rough the skin on my left thumb is from lipping stripers.

Anyway, good overall topic. Rule number one – keep your butt centered in your seat – both cheeks firmly planted in the seat. If you do that you cannot lean too far to tip the boat with a sudden pull from the fish you have hooked. After that, how you wrestle the fish is largely matter of individual style.

[baitball]

I used to troll 4 rods all the time- there is no good way to do that in a kayak- it is a compromise- 4 rods improve your chances to get a fish to hit your lures, but it also improves your chances to tangle....

Ron,

I agree, if you troll less lines you minimize the risks of tangles. However, there are ways to manage those risks if you choose to do your prospecting with four lines in the water.

Ken's video below shows off some of those finer points

[ronaultmtd]

I just try to share my six decades of fishing experiences...free advice is free...take it or not- there is no one way is right and another way is wrong...every trip I learn something...we can never learn it all...what works for me may not work for you...I may be doing something so subtle I don’t even realize it that adds to my success and just chalk it up to luck...I do prepare meticulous, I rig up before I ever load my kayak. And I have a plan of attack before I leave my yard...study the maps, contours, water temps, tides, etc. I rarely change lures...I change out outfits rigged with different lures, but mostly stick with proven lures and techniques. I usually carry four outfits rigged and ready to go...drags are set...reel one in and replace it with another...if the fishing gets hot and heavy I fish one rod and put the others in the rod holder...sometimes I troll to find fish then stop and cast once the fish are located...depends on conditions and the fish telling me what to do...

[DonV]

This is a problem that I'm somewhat depressed I don't have often enough.

[baitball]

there is no one way is right and another way is wrong...every trip I learn something.....

Ron, you are exactly right. That's the beauty of this forum: the ability to share tips and learn from our fellow Snaggedliners.