BristolLes

Hi Dan There's often a fully rigged kayak for sale on this site = www.anglersafloat.co.uk ( You would need to join forum to access the for sale part of the site) As all kayaks have different strengths and weaknesses Ideally you should try to go to one of the many meets / Kayak demostration days held around the country. You can then try and compare a number of different Kayaks and find the one that suits you and your needs before parting with any money. I would add that anglersafloat site are running a number SOT Angling kayak courses this year including one at Ardwell, Scotland (Mull of Galloway) (Portpatrick RNLI Station) on 21st June.

Great pictures and report Some nice quality fish there well done I don't fancy that surf though !

This gives kayak fishing a bad name No safety gear = no respect for the sea - they were very lucky, this time

Totally agree - Occupational hazard, kayaks = scratches. Then one decent gust of wind at the wrong time and its off with the wing mirror !

Hi Chris I recently treated myself to a Palm Hydro Adventure Touring PFD which enables a bladder / drinking tube to be housed in the large back pocket http://www.berkshire-canoes.co.uk/canoeing...o-adventure.htm just the job - no more salt rinses for me !

They charged me when I fished fished there two weeks ago !. Its a privately owned beach but they only asked that I put a small donation into the RNLI collection box ( Which I was only too happy to do). They charge £2.00 to park all day for non residents - which again is very good value (i.e 85p an hour at Exmouth) It seems a great venue - an easy trolley down from the car park to the not very steep slipway followed by a clamber over the pebble ridges - I only caught mackeral and a few dogfish but very enjoyable. I would certainy be up another paddle there but I'm currently off work with a bad back and strict instructions no kayaking for at least 4 weeks, and just like you I have picked up a new kayak on Saturday - frustrating ! Any good luck

Hi chrishuk welcome to the forum Whereabouts in Somerset are you based ? . I'm from Bristol but I am aware of a few kayakers in the Somerset area - not aware of any official clubs in your area though. Most kayakers seem to avoid to much officialdom ! and tend to meet in small groups for safety reasons. I would suggest for local meets try some of the other forums as well as this one i.e. anglersafloat.co.uk have a "lets meet" entry Anyway all the best - I,m writing this from Ladram Bay Holiday camp as I wait for the evening tide and the rain to stop falling

This sounds like a great contest Mark - it has a nice ring about it "British Open Kayak Fishing competition" ! You mentioned you have already had a great response - Have you already posted this on any of the other main kayak angling sites ? (Anglersafloat / northwaleskayakfishing etc)

Sounds like a cracking day - well done (hopefully your mate will have a less expensive trip next time) Oxwich gets mentioned a lot on the different websites - sounds it a becoming a bit of a mecca for Kayak fishing - were there any others about ?

Nice report Martin (and some chunky flounders) As I've not been out since November, reading about other peoples trips is the next the best thing. (I'm starting to become a bit of a voyeur ! ) Ive just bought myself a nice yellow one, not used it yet - do they tangle often ?

They must be mad - more extreme than one of richi's night conger wrestling matches ?! "Reports said they had been forced to halve their rations since about day 30" why did'nt they take same lures with them ?

Sounds quite a challenging day ! You deserved more fish for all that effort I like the idea of the incredulous pikers - you flying past singing I am sailing, I am sailing etc Do you ever fish for the famous broads bream ? i.e. chuck a babybath of bait in a couple of spots and reel them in !

I agree its a very useful book for complete beginners like me Just brought my copy to work for my 3rd re-read !

I'm here ?! I think everybody else is on the anglersafloat forum Anyway, a belated happy new year to all kayak fishermen everywhere and roll on the warmer weather

Thanks for sharing Mark. Great photos / informative text Pleased to see your local waters are still producing the goods despite all those tidal surge problems You've encouraged me to look in the garage and blow off all the cobwebs covering my underused tackle - the species hunt beckons !

I would of course like to have good quality kit and fully appreciate the satisfaction a top of the range rod can give. (Although I'm no connoisseur, I do have decent quality match/pole/pike and beach gear) However, as my first priority is obtaining the full safety gear (more seaworthy kayak/drysuit/VHF etc the list is endless !) the decent quality kayak fishing rods will come later. My kayak sea fishing is generally done from a busy beach with the family in tow - not always possible to give the tackle an immediate good wash down and grease up, other issues often take priority i.e. I'm hungry now ! / I'm not staying here in this rain ! & the classic I want the toilet !

I do ! I currently use a pair of cheap and cheerful telescopics coupled of with two budget fixed spools - around £30 the lot ! So If I lose them overboard or rust up at end of season no great loss ! Also, I have no hatches so great for transporting Its surprising what you can land with them but I think I need to obtain more appropriate tackle if I go on one richi's night conger hunts !

Try Charlie Smith at www.bigfishmadeira.net He runs two big game boats and his own bar ! Never fished with him but the photos in Boat Fishing Monthly (august 2007) looked good !

Thanks Moonyaker - I did that but no improvement. However, Ive just emptied my PM in/out box (was on 24%) this appears to have solved the problem PS I see you are based in Warminster -where do you fish ?

Thanks for your responses lads The problem is obviously my end. Its a little weird, as I can use other sites (BBC news /ebay) with no speed issues I will tidy up PC by removing any unnecessary programmes - starting with my daughters "the SIMS" games (4GB) that should help !

Is anyone else experiencing problems with the speed of this site -ie its taking up to a minute to change screens I have'nt posted much recently as its taking me all night to read one thread !

I almost fished the upper Fal during the Summer when staying at Falmouth. Deep water, hardly any tide and the odd wreck - it did look very promising. The local tackle dealer (Falmouth) suggested launching from loe beach and fishing the small reef just south of there (for bass) or launching from Mylor and fishing the deep holes just off there. I ended up fishing Falmouth's main beaches instead. If you do fish it I would be interested to know how you got on. Good luck

I've got it and recommend it I learnt a lot, but I suppose that just proves how little I knew in the first place ! I'm off now to practise my strokes !

Well done Jon nice to see someone's catching a few (and posting the pictures !) That flounder looked a bit of a plumper ! Why are the flounder so scare in your area - are they being netted for the crab pot bait ?