# What do you do with a big fish in a kayak



## Chad Boles (Apr 16, 2009)

OK, so I got two Hobie Outbacks and loving it. The boats have been christened with Redfish in the ICW behind Navarre Beach. Now we're going big time...Pompano and Cobia on the Gulf side.

I plan on using a stringer when I catch the big boy Ling. Any other ideas? With all the shark stories, I need any other helpful ideas you all might have.


----------



## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

I strongly recommend not using a stringer. Sharks will come up to your kayak and I can't tell you how many kings I've had eaten yakside. I suggest getting an insulated fishbag. They will conform to the different molded wells in kayaks or can be strapped just about anywhere. These will keep your catch cool while your fishing and clean up really easily. 

Chris


----------



## Team Bloody Waters (Feb 24, 2009)

What he said.....a sturdy gaff and something to wack him with, I bring an aluminum Tball bat


----------



## need2fish (Oct 2, 2007)

Wear them out as much as possible. Gaff em and bag em


----------



## [email protected] (Mar 20, 2008)

If Im not too far off the beach I will peddle back to the beach and land him there. If Im offshore I am going to string him up and hope he doesnt get ate on my way back in.


----------



## SheYakFishr (Oct 1, 2007)

I wouldn't string ANYTHING out there.... :nonono I've heard the story... and a shark WILL eat whatever you have strung up and dangling... and who knows... may even BUMP you out of the yak... Nope... No thanks. It's all about safety.. and being able to come back another day! I put the fish into my 48qt cooler behind me... if it's really big... it will stick out... but at least it's INSIDE the boat. If it's TOO big after it's dead.. it rides in my lap all the way in... with a piece of rope around the tail... (in case of a bad landing.. it's not going anywhere). :doh


----------



## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

Yeah I too will tie a rope around a big kings tail for the ride back in just in case you flip or if it thrashes one last time, you won't lose your catch.


----------



## [email protected] (Mar 20, 2008)

Well Im just saying that I caught a 60 something pound cobia last week and it took me 30 minutes on the boat...it would have taken two hours in the yak atleast...they are out of control...gaffing a big cobia and putting it in your lap would be interesting...this is not a redfish we are talking about here. Ill let you know how it goes...im off until May 3rd starting today!


----------



## Stressless (Oct 2, 2007)

gaff, stringer or bag. no good place for a bag in my yak. I might look into it though... as I would stay out longer. Right now it's one decent fish and heading back in to keep it cold.



Two weeks of fishing Tex - you live right!



:letsdrink

Stressless


----------



## need2fish (Oct 2, 2007)

> Right now it's one decent fish and heading back in to keep it cold.




I said bag it earlier but I gotta agree with Bob if it's a REALLY big fish. Those big bags are kind of hard to manage. If I can get him in the yak safely I would- but if I'm heading back in anyway and can't safely get him in - I'ld tie him off good from the stern and head on in.


----------



## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

I thinkI forgot to mention that the fish generally go in the bag better once they're DEAD. Don't worry Tex, no cobia above 20lbs. is comes aboard until its time is done, and then I kill it again just to make sure!


----------



## captken (Feb 24, 2008)

I have a Malibu Mini-X and love to eat fish. There isn't a helluva lot of room in a Mini-X. I've had Trout, Redfish and Snook eaten off my stringer more than once. It can get very scary very quick.

I built a fish box out of 1/2" corrugated plastic sign board material, aluminum foil and duct tape. It is 33X7X7. It will hold any legal Redfish or Snook (1 of each) a limit of Trout bigger than I ever catch or a legal plus a little Cobia. 

This box fits from between my knees all the way to the bow. It isn't in the way at all.


----------



## Team Hobie (Oct 9, 2007)

I use a 36 inch bag and stringer anything that does not fit in the bag.


----------



## gottafish (Oct 6, 2007)

For Kings:

I have a 36-inch fishbag that fits on the front of my kayak. You can kinda see it on the link below.It works for most kings, butthe 50-inch 36lb+ king I caught on 4/4 didn't fit in it, but kept most of it cool. I think it was the 1st nearshore king caught in our area in 2009-gottalove yaks!

http://pensacolafishingforum.com/fishingforum/Topic310929-2-1.aspx

I thought about taking the king to the shore at the time, but the waves had built up and I knew there was no way I was going to get past the surf to fish more, and I still wanted to try to catch a cobia. I had immediately tied the king's tale to a rope which worked great because of how their tail is designed. I'm glad that I did because once I did try to come back into the surf, an early 5-foot wave took me by surprise and the king came out of the bag. (Normally the whole fish would be zipped in the bag and this would not occur.) With the handgaff I had no problem pulling him across the yak and then teethfirst where my left foot was. He was definetly tired out though. Kings die quickly in the air so I just waited until he died to put him in the bag. I kept the gaff and the rope on him because I just knew I was going to lose him. So far he is in 1st place in the Saltwater Series Championship, but that won't last and I just hope to place.

For Sharks:

Cut the line for a shark over 3 feet. I did keep a 5.5-foot 61lb one once only because I was in a tournament, but even then I finished reeling it in the last 5 min out of 75 mins sitting on my yak from shore. It did work well to let maybe 30 foot of line near shore and and pull it behind my while I paddled in. I did this to avoid being shark bitten, but would work for a big cobia as well.

For Cobia:

I haven't caught one in my yak yet, but I plan to use my mallet, gaff, rope and fish bag and make sure he is very tired before getting him in the yak. I am not going to pull one around one a rope or stringer due to sharks. (I hooked a 20lb king and a 7-8ft Mako shark skyrocketed and ate it last October. Cool to watch him jump twice at the time, not cool when I thought about it later when I considered that he could have done the same thing close to the yak!)

For Big Mako Sharks:

Do what I did and pop the line immediately!


----------



## yakhead (Dec 27, 2007)

I would think a cooler towed in an innertube might work if your planning on a lot of fish, not sure but i know it works well rafting down a river with beer


----------



## Linda (Oct 2, 2007)

I caught a 44 and couldnt bring him in the yak. Paddled him in and finished the fight on shore.


----------



## Chad Boles (Apr 16, 2009)

Wow. Thanks everybody. Now my shopping list includes a hand gaff and fish bags. I can go closet crawling for my nephews Tee Ball Bats.


----------



## captken (Feb 24, 2008)

Look back in the tips column for how to build a small flying gaff. It is a heck of a lot easier to handle a big fish from a yak if you use a flyer.


----------



## BloodyWaters (Nov 22, 2008)

sharks,shit! last summer i got harrassed all the way back in with a big king sitting in between my legs on an O.K. frenzy which is around the same size as a malibu mini.

blood was pouring out of my yak through the scuppers after gaffing and beating Mr. green. had a bull shark tag me 3 times , no teeth just all nose. it was pretty scary because i was out there alone. after his third attempt i slashed him on the nose with my paddle, and zip! he was gone. either safety in numbers,friends to follow you in and ward off the sharks. cooler bag. or catch and release which can be very difficult with a king unless you get him sleepy.

if your by yourself, know whats around you at all times. you dont want to get dumped on your way back in and have a shark take your foot in the surf, mistaking you for the king or cobe thats bleeding from your yak.good luck. Go slay em. Capt.Ollie, Bloody Waters Kayak Fishing Team


----------



## btucker51175 (Oct 5, 2007)

> *Linda&Ernie (4/18/2009)*I caught a 44 and couldnt bring him in the yak. Paddled him in and finished the fight on shore.


I would have to agree with Linda. We caught 8 kings last year over a couple of days. That is what we had to do on the bigger fish. As long as you have someone on shore or with you in the yak to help out.


----------



## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

A 44lb. cobia or king? I've caught kings up to 40lbs or so from my yak and theyare usuallypretty easy to handle. A big cobe (40+) would probably be a different story.


----------



## Team Hobie (Oct 9, 2007)

My 35 lb king from Saturday would barely fit in the fish bag with tail sticking out about 10 inches but then where to put the bag??? After having it fall off of the bow twice I decided to go with the stringer from the front and tailroped at the back. About 20 minutes later I hooked the 6 foot Bull shark that appeared to be trailing me. After he broke off I decided to try again to get the king out of the water. I ended up lashing him crosswise just in front of the cockpit. It worked okay there.


----------

