vlad

There is an arctic bear somewhere there in the Arctic that is going to have an excellent Xstmas dinner and a new kayak for Xstmas present this year, and it doesn’t know it yet

I love fresh caught bass! I've never been served a legal size bass in a restaurant

Well done glennk! I am still hoping to catch my first bass from a yak yet. Your photo is much better than you show it, I liked it a lot so decided to show it in its full glory

Manta ray 12 is by far the better yak. If you are less then 100kg there is no better fishing kayak then the Manta12!!!!! Ask the North Wells kayakers. They have many Mantas in the club. I tried it at the Exmouth meet and it was brilliant. If I have to go out in choppy sea fishing I definitely prefer the Manta to the Tarpons.

Hi! I am gearing up for kayak fishing this summer. I live in Kidderminster and the South Wales is my closest sea fishing area. I will buy a kayak after I try a few at the Exmouth meet in May. I've already paddled an Elite 4.5 : and a Big Game: I also joined the local kayak club to learn to paddle before going to sea. I'll be able to join you on the weekends and Wednesdays. I've already ordered a pair of dry trousers from Reed Chill Cheater - made to measure and bought a pair of neoprene boots and socks. Vlad.

Thanks jasper3! I am comming to Exmouth!

Hi boomphat! I sat in the sit of the yak first but still capsized immediately. On the second attempt I was ok though.

Thanks for the exelent advise and comments guys! I am taking all this on board. Tomcat, thanks for the offer! I know the place very well. I fish there for bass at LLangelynin every summer. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/HarryPHotter/01.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/Har...June2006/22.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/Har...June2006/26.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/Har...June2006/10.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/Har...ne2006/01-1.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/Har...June2006/17.jpg I'll be happy to join you this year (hopefully with a kayak of my own).

Mark thanks for the advice and the invitation. I leave in Kidderminster – a bit far from you, but in the summer may come for a weekend kayaking. Do you know where I can find information about the meet in Exeter in May that you mentioned? Thanks for the advice snakey1! The isle of White is a bit far from me. I am 245lb and Paul (the shop owner) said any kayak of 13feet will sink under me. I’ll look out for info about those meets. Hi essexboy. Thanks for the advice! Unfortunately I leave far from the sea – in Kidderminster and there are no local kayak fishing lads. I’ll be the first. The closest to me was lazyhooker from Cardiff, but he sold his yak. I sat in a Trident at the Canoexpo2008. It felt too narrow for me. The Manta Ray 12 and the Moken were much roomier.

After reading the forum for more than a year, I finally got to try a real kayak yesterday the 1st of March. From all I read in the forum and saw at the kayak exhibitions, I decided that the best kayak for me will be the Manta Ray 14. I wanted to try also the Prowler 13 and the Moken before I by my first kayak. Thanks god I tried to paddle a kayak before I bought one. I couldn't believe how far from the reality I was. I went to the Herefordshire and Borders Canoes and Kayaks where Paul gave me to try first a Prowler Elite 4.5. It looked really beautiful! I stepped on it from the platform and sat on the seat and immediately capsized! Yes, two seconds after I sat in a kayak I was swimming in the freezing water. I did not give up. Soaking wet I sat in the kayak again and tried to paddle it. I did not capsize any more. For my big surprise I found that the kayak was very wobbly, much more than I anticipated. It was very difficult to control it. Whatever I tried to do with the paddle it just kept drifting towards the bank blown by the strong wind, and I could not make it turn away from it. It beached and I had difficulties getting it back in the middle of the lake. I was horrified when I imagined being on this yak in the sea with the wind and waves and the strong current. There was no way I could do some fishing and keep balance at the same time. It was horribly wobbly. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/Har...er/DSCF0140.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/Har...er/DSCF0141.jpg After 10 minuets I managed to gain some control over the yak and land it. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/Har...er/DSCF0143.jpg Paul told me that I am too heavy for the Prowler 13 and the Manta Ray 14. He gave me to try the Prowler Big Game. It was completely different ballgame. The yak was rock solid and I felt relaxed and secure. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/Har...er/DSCF0146.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/Har...er/DSCF0147.jpg I still find it difficult to paddle it but at least did not fear capsizing any moment. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/Har...er/DSCF0149.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/Har...er/DSCF0150.jpg I did not consider buying this model after the comments in the forums were that it is slow and difficult to paddle. But at the moment I would not dare to go in the sea with any other yak. The conclusion I arrived at is that I first will have to learn to paddle a kayak properly before I commit to buy one. I hope when I achieve that I may be all right with the faster models. I will recommend all novices who read this forum to do the same. Especially the ones that are over 200lb like me. I would be most grateful if someone could recommend a good sea kayaking course for beginners!

Thanks for the advise !

I visited the canoexpo2008 last week. I could not find any dry clothing for kayak fishing to fit me. I am too short and too fat. Does anyone know companies that sale made-to measure kayak clothing?

Hi Barry! Sorry for the late reply! The water was clear. In the winter on mackerel strips you can expect to catch witting, cod, rockling and dogfish in the Torbay area. Berry head was full of rubbish as usual. I took a black bag full of it to the rubbish been at the car park. Tight lines! Vlad.

I fished Torbay during the last weekend hoping to bag up on mackerel for bait for the coming winter fishing. The mackerel mysteriously disappeared. With no mackerel around it was possible to catch big Pollock from Princess Pier at night. It was tacking mackerel feathers dragged slowly along the bottom. I had 17 fish between 1 and 3lb and numerous smaller ones. Very big scud appeared for two hours around midnight. I caught only 3 mackerel that night. On Sunday I fished Hope's Nose and Berry head. I had only 2 mackerel but the gar fish showed in numbers at Berry Head. Everybody was catching them on the float. I had 11 for one hour and realising there will be no mackerel today I left for Kidderminster at midday. Hopefully the mackerel will be back soon so I can catch some bait for the winter.

What could've been a potentially great shot is let down by the poor composition. The photographer obviously has never heard about "The rule of the thirds" and ended up with this unbalanced central composition with tilted horizont crossing thruogh the head of the subject.