Hello from Barnegat, NJ

Hi Everyone,

After reading the posts here for about a month now, I figured it was time to sign up. I've been renting kayaks for a couple seasons and finally sprang for a new one, actually I bought 2- one for me and one for the wifey, at least thats what I told her...lol
Anyway, Ive been a surfcaster for years and I'm getting tired of all the action being just out of casting distance, hence the kayaks...
I have no idea what it's like to launch from the surf but tonight and tomorow night I will give it a try by myself in L.B.I. so if anyone is looking for a good laugh, it would probably be a good idea to come out for a peak. lol
I look forward to meeting some of you guys out there and if anyone spends any time down in LBI you definitely should look me up.

Tight Lines!!
MIKEYMAN

what time you going out?

Tonight is my late work night so I won't get out there till about 7:30. Thursday I will hit the beach by 6pm.

I haven't been out front yet , I cant make tonight, but how far you planning on going out tomorrow night and for how long? Also, do you have a good spot to launch from?
Rob

Rob I plan on being out till dark tomorow night. I was planning on launching from the beach in Ship Bottom, right in front of the water tower, that way I have a landmark to get back in. I think that the tower is on or about 17th street.

Not only would it be great to meet ya, but to have someone else giving it a try for the first time besides me might be a relief as well! That way the people on the beach will have 2 newbie's to laught at...lol

LOL, yeah your probably right. I have never taken my fishing kayak through the surf before. I have done surf launches from my sea touring kayak but that was a few years ago too.
hit me up on my email [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] so we can take the convo off line. I think this might be good for us both.

ok, message sent...

yo guys! i know i'm a couple days late to this party but i would suggest you practice surf launches without gear before you start launching & fishing in earnest... i ain't all that worried about you hurting yourselves but having a yard sale on the beach can get expensive. yeah.. go ahead & ask me how I know...

the launch is often times easier than the return; you can see the waves you're gonna run into during the launch but not so on the return. returns are also worth practicing cause you don't want to turn your reels into a blunt shovel nor do you want to break the rods they're attached to... if you have no way to secure the rods & their reels to the bote you better be able to put 'em inside the bote.

Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance...

i'm just' sayin' is all...

That SeaFlea knows stuff

Thanks for the advise SeaFlea and Herder.

I could picture all the mayhem on the beach now as all my floatables washed up on the beach, the tourists grabbing it all up- and believe me, there would be alot to grab cause I carry way too much stuff...I gotta work on that.

Anyway, that launch never happened, thanks to mother nature. However, I will definitly give it a shot within the next couple days. Hopefully I can get Rob out there too. I do have a rod pod storage area inside the bote and I will for sure be planning on taking a swim so everything will be strapped down or stowed. I just hope I don't have one of those senior moments and forget something..

After the rough ride I had this past Sunday in the bay and inlet area off the end of Great Bay Blvd (aka: seven bridges road) in Tuckerton, I realized I need to work on securing that milk crate a little better. With 3 rods in it and a flag and a couple Plano boxes, it sure swings alot on those bunjee cords!
Do you guys have a suggestion for securing it better?

Oh and by the way, Cheers!

Mike

Whatever u do don't launch from the surf in a hobie proangler it doesn't handle the big surf well and just kinda sits in the waves I launched mine from rough surf like 5 -6 ftrs in belmar and the front cooler filled with water and I almost sunk that bitch! !

Mike I sent you an email regarding the crate.
I am looking to get out this weekend- let me know what any plans are.

Thanks for the email Rob. I'll shoot you a text in a little while about the weekend...

215- I always wondered how the pro angler would take a wave, it seems very open like it could swamp easy. Awesome yak though...

I love mine I've fished in rough conditions with it and it's great just learned the hard way about launching it from rough surf. Just have to launch from a bay area or very lite surf. I'm gonna get an ocean drifter for the beach and shorter distance fishing

Mike, we have to hook up this Fall. My dad lives in Village Harbor and I'm up there most weekends fishing, usually Loveladies. You should stop in at A Little Bite of Italy in Surf City and introduce yourself to Francis, the owner. He's an avid yak fisher and would probably hook up with you as well.

Thanks for the tip Bob, I will definitely stop in there and introduce myself.

Loveladies huh? So you must fish the Dike area alot? Thats a nice area, the current gets ripping at times thru there but definitely some fish to be had. Sure I'd love to hook up with ya sometime, but hey- why wait till fall? lol