First Post

[Capt Brady Bounds]

Greetings Fellow Kayakers and Anglers,

Thank you for the site.

My introduction : By profession I am a fishing guide in Ches Bay, specializing in fly fishing and light tackle for more than thirty years. Many of the places where I go by guideboat, indeed where few folks can go, is ideal for small craft such as kayak. And so I want to learn more, and I wonder if my guide service could assist kayakers in traversing long distances to get into remote locations.

I've made canoes, folbots, and sit-in kayaks, paddled quite a few miles in my youth, both whitewater and flat. I marvel at the new technology. I ask your patience with my questions and hope to be able contribute in some way, especially in the fishing info.

Capt Brady Bounds

[MetroMan]

Welcome to the site! I'm sure we can benefit from your experience

[Redfish12]

Welcome to the site Captain! I know I would be interested in a "mothership" trip at some point.

I saw your posts last year on the SOL thread, hopefully the Jamboree will have better weather this year!

[ictalurus]

Welcome to the forum, Captain. A mothership trip to the Honga River for redfish and specks would be awesome. A trip to the Target Ship for the big redfish would be cool, too. I've seen guides in other places offer mothership trips, and I've always been curious as to how they transport/secure the kayaks in their boats.

[chex]

Welcome, Captain! You have a cool job!

[Meadeo]

Welcome!!

Meadeo

[jffoley]

Welcome, Captain! It's great to have someone with your knowledge and experience join us. Definitely would be interested in exploring some of those remote locations via kayak. I've been out with Captain Pete a couple times and often thought how good it would be via kayak.

[Yak Fish]

Welcome Captain. The more the merrier. We all are learning from each other here. It's really a great group of guys and knowledge base, and it's always good to have more expertise.

[Capt Brady Bounds]

What Is Your Idea Of A Mothership Trip ?

Momma duck and the ducklings ; the concept propels a host of considerations.

Carry the yaks aboard the mothership or tow? What hassle is it to unload your gear for transport aboard the momma duck; advantage higher speeds, quicker travel to staging site, longer distances.

How (or even can you) board your yak in deep(over your waist) water ? BTW, my guideboat can get into a foot of water fully loaded, so I can take you to almost any shoreline in the Bay.

Will I need to construct a "floating dock" (and tow it around) to assist you to embark and debark into your craft from the mothership in deepwater ?

If we get these questions worked out satisfactorily, I'd be willing to pilot an experimental project.

Honga River in June or Susquehanna Flats in April are possibilities.

[chimo]

I'm not sure how well towing the yaks behind a boat would work... I've never tried but I have been towed in a canoe and you had to go pretty slow to keep it stable and upright. I would imaginge it would be the same with yak's.

As for boarding the yak, I would think it would be similar to boarding from a pier / dock like people were doing at the Bay Bridge this last year. Brace against the boat in this case and then lower yourself in. Might be a bit harder said than done if the boat is bouncing around in the waves


Welcome aboard!

Chimo

[Memory Maker]

Greetings Fellow Kayakers and Anglers,

Thank you for the site.

My introduction : By profession I am a fishing guide in Ches Bay, specializing in fly fishing and light tackle for more than thirty years. Many of the places where I go by guideboat, indeed where few folks can go, is ideal for small craft such as kayak. And so I want to learn more, and I wonder if my guide service could assist kayakers in traversing long distances to get into remote locations.

I've made canoes, folbots, and sit-in kayaks, paddled quite a few miles in my youth, both whitewater and flat. I marvel at the new technology. I ask your patience with my questions and hope to be able contribute in some way, especially in the fishing info.

Capt Brady Bounds

First ........ a Hearty Welcome Aboard Capt'n .......... and yeah ........ your guide service can REALLY assist yakr's ......tell ya what ......... we'll have patience with your questions if you'll have patience with ours ........ bet we'll have more though .......

Oh and BTW ........ my second ProAngler is at you service whenever you'd like ......... really !!!!

[ictalurus]

I haven't tried it, but getting on a kayak from a boat probably isn't too much harder than getting on a yak from a dock, which isn't too bad as long as height difference is 18" or so. I can't remember what the drop was at G-dock by the Bay Bridge, but it was surprisingly easy even for somebody as uncoordinated as I am. If that kayak was a model designed with standing in mind, it would be even easier. Having stern and bow lines on the yak might make it easier still.

If you needed a floating dock for your boat, a folding, homemade version of this product would probably be enough:

http://www.getkayaktive.com/launcher.php

Another problem is that kayaks are heavy. The official weight of my Hobie is 58lbs, but I bet it's closer to 75. A 2-man lift in and out of the water probably wouldn't be too bad, but I haven't tried it. I would try to minimize my gear as much as possible and just go back to the mothership if I needed something. I would probably try to get away with 2 rods, one 3600 size tackle tray, and water/snack. I could probably live without my fish finder in the Honga, but I don't know about the upper Bay.

Stand up paddleboards might be another option. There are some models designed to be able to attach a milk crate for fishing gear.

[Capt Brady Bounds]

Boarding a yak from mothership in deepwater

I've given this some thought. Seems like we need either of several "inventions." One being a handrail/bar that firmly hangs off the side of the guideboat and parallel to the hullside so one can lower his/herself into the yak OR a tow behind floating dock, U shaped with the yak in the middle, or a Hobie cat sailboat without it's trampoline and higher arching cross beams, or a single "outrigger" attached to the guideboat.

Anybody have some insights into this boarding problem ?

[Yak Fish]

I remember hearing of one post where a guy was towed by a bass boat. It didn't sound like it ended well, with the kayak flipping, dumping his gear. There are tuna kayak trips where I've seen 2 yaks loaded up on a boat, but any more than that would be tricky. The idea of a tow behind barge may be a good one.

During transport most guys seem to have their kayaks and their gear separate. There's usually about 10 minutes of rigging at the boat launch, including rods, tackle, fish finders, anchors, flags, pfd, etc.

I don't know of anyone currently doing this on the bay. It would be cool. The upside of a kayak is that you can pretty much drive to wherever you want and drop in your kayak as long as there is a shoreline and the fishing ground is within a few miles. However, there are plently of long paddles to get you where you want to go which is not only tiresome, but also dangerous if you're in open water.

[Capt Brady Bounds]

Whoa ! That yak launcher is the deal ! We could work that right off the side of the guideboat.

As to taking you to a staging area nearby a protected shoreline, that is quite easy.

Here is the smaller of my two guideboats http://www.angelfire.com/md3/fishingbiz/brady8.jpg

I'm thinking we could transport four yaks, possibly six. This boat is 19'x8', very wide and only 10degs deadrise in stern.