Surf Zone

[Bi0tic]

Has anyone here fished from your yak in the surf zone (when calm enough) or just outside the breakers for whiting and pompano? For whatever reason, these fish seem to be hanging out deeper in my area and not coming in that close to shore (over 100 yds out at least).

I am basically looking for any advice for targeting these species under the aforementioned circumstances. The whiting and pompano I have caught from boats were mostly on pompano style jigs tipped with shrimp or twisty tails. If anyone has any tips for this type of fishing I'd appreciate it thanks.

[Bi0tic]

Funny, you mention this; I've often wondered the same thing.. I'm interested in what you find out.

The only time I've heard of this was a few years ago during a debate I had with a co-worker. We were talking about catching whiting from the beach, and he said he would outfish me (I'd use my surf fishing gear), but only because he would take his yak in the surf and sit in the trough with a double dropper rig. Unfortunately I do not recall all the details of the discussion nor did we ever get to have the contest.

Either way, maybe later this week if the wind dies down I will try this out and report back.

[yakfish100]

i've never tried it but it seems kinda rough

i would take a mothership with it..... if i had a mothership

[Frogfish101]

i've never tried it but it seems kinda rough

i would take a mothership with it..... if i had a mothership

a mothership 150 yds off the beach????? Huh?

[yakfish100]

well i thought u knew what i meant

[Frogfish101]

well i thought u knew what i meant

Well ok then, what did you mean?

[yakfish100]

take it out a boat with a yak on it and go a little few hundred yards off the beach, and then take the yak out of the boat

[Frogfish101]

Why would you do that when you can just launch the yak off the beach and paddle there? Hell, I've been 2.5 miles offshore with the yak!

[Bi0tic]

idk...unless he is saying that having a mothership would avoid having to go through the surf?

Yesterday was a perfect ocean yak day! Too bad I was bound to the beach. Oh well, hopefully next week we will get another flat calm day and I can give the theory a first test.

[yakfish100]

yea i know some guys who don't like to go through the surf. and then there are some weak guys who can't paddle a few miles offshore

[Cookinman]

If ya vcant paddle a couple miles, dont go. FAR to dangerous

Never can tell what the current will do....Need to be ready to get back.

Launching from shore is a vital skill in ocean yakfishing. I suggest practicing your launch and land in 3-5 with no gear, so when you dump, its easier to get back in. Once you can do this and know what to expect, all else will be easy.

Sitting in the trough is asking for trouble from rogue waves...Its a spot you should avoid in the yak.....even on calm days, its easy to get turned sideways where the yak is likely to go over - Remember that yak is designed to hit waves head on, not sideways....I can easily punch out in 5' breakers in my scupper pro, but would likely tip in 2' swells if sideways and tyhe eaves came in too close together.....

Anything 100 yards or less - I gotta believe its easier to cast to from a beach chair...

[Bi0tic]

A rogue wave could get you anywhere, although I will agree there is likely a greater probability near to the surf zone. The area I am interested in is past the last bar, 200 yds out or more. The last couple days I was at the beach there were hardly even any swells out there, nor were there any 100 yds out for the most part.

My ex co-worker said he would sit between the bars, not sure if he ever was swamped or not. I am not planning to spend a lot of time near the surf, but on really calm days I'd like to try it where I mentioned. I appreciate the warning tho

So far no one seems to have tried this and comment

[Cookinman]

To each there own.....however as far as far as the bars down here in broward, they are the most unpredictable of all the zones as far as kayak fishing due to their close proximity. I have dumped a couple times due to irregular wave intevals catching me on a lean the wrong way...You may do well there, but for me, if I am loading and dragging a loaded yak through the waves, Im looking for more than whiting or pompano....Chances are though they are there.