[oceanviewace]

Anyone ever tried kayak fishing in the Bay? I plan on trying it myself this June with the East Ocean View Reef as my initial destination, but would appreciate hearing from anyone with experience in kayaking the bay. I figure if I set our a couple hours before high tides and head back on incoming I can't get in too much trouble. I'm a good swimmer but fairly new to paddling.

 

[Tom Powers]

I don't know about the bay. I am sure you could do OK. But fishing the creeks, etc. inside Lynhaven is pretty cool.

Tom

 

[jack]

I tried it last season in a wide camping canoe. On a prefectly still day it was, just ok. With a stiff breaze, forget it. I was in a creek, with the tide running in, by myself. I could not get around a point to get out of the creek. Everytime I got to the bend in the creek, with the tide and wind against me, I just got blown back up the creek. I was glad I had my flotation vest on. Jack

 

[Kozlow]

Hey OC
Try this board it may get you some imput. http://www.kayakfishing.com/
T<------>Lines

Kozlow

 

[rockhead]

yea it works good in the bay. one suggestion DONT try to fish the cbbt, there is too much current, you'll be banging into the pilings left and right like I did.

 

[Ruedy]

Hey, Sounds like fun! Been wantin to do that for a while. Don't know of many launch spots near good fishin though. I have paddled (but not kayak fished) along CBBT tunnel. Chick's beach near CBBT tunnel is best launch spot directly onto the bay I've found. Would love to have a Cobie tow me around the bay for a while. I figure the best/nearest launch point to Cobie waters is the beach next to Grand View pier.

I figure a sit-on-top kayak would be best and safest for fishing "BIG" water like Ches. Bay.

Tight lines,

 

[Fshnt]

I fish ot of my kayak alot. One of our favorite things to do is to take it to Hatteras. We carry live bait out a couple hundred yards. We have caught numerous sharks and a few cobes. Another good spot is that pound nets off of Cape Henry. In the summer we catch plenty of trout. Good luck and have fun!
DAniel

 

[fishwagon]

YEP. My favorate place is the eastern shore. I put in at kepoteke(?) at the concrete ships, or on the ocean side there is a small creek at the wildlife refuge. I TEAR UP the flounder drifting minnows. It's peacefull, like it shouid be. I have gone around the small boat channel north of fisherman's island (under the cbbt) and tied off to a lightpost, dropped an eel and menhaden oil, to no avail. A kayak is PERFECT for flats fishing on the eastern shore or tidal creeks. I plan on stalking reds and juvenile stripers. I havent had the time in the last year because i renovated a house. I have seen a bald eagle 25 yards away on the beach, and had a turtle come up 15 feet away, and gone hours without hearing an engine. The only modification I have made is a small screw-in rod holder (made for a jon-boat) behind the seat. the rest is mostly developing techniqes to stow and organize tackle, switch rigs, troll, drift, etc. I carry a trolling bucket for my minnows. I have to balance it on top while paddling because it upsets the tracking. When i stop, i let it drop. Eels are pretty funny in the yak because if one gets away (which it always does), you are stuck with squirming eel for a couple of hours. In fact I have no stow compartments, so flounder end up pounding around my feet. I would not recomend the cbbt at all unless you are north of fisherman's island. Also, forget mennaden oil or chum for obvous reasons. good luck, post your results. I think that pier and surf is apropriate because a kayak will stay within 200 yards of surf. Also, I assume you have a good kayak, with rudder , skirt, lifejacket etc.
I hope you will enjoy it as i do.

Ps; it's a level playing field with the fish . It brings real skill back into the game, instead of dropping bottom rigs off of a $45,000 boat, chasing the birds and watching all the gadgets.


FISHWAGON.

 

[fishwagon]

oh yea, forget parking at grandview to put in at the beach, they are afraid of the liability. The only thing to do is portage with a wagon-type attachment 1000 feet into the park to the north. there is a public boat ramp north if you follow the signs. other access: chick's beach (700 feet)
Wiloughby beach
james river bridge(huntington)
kepoteke(?-spelling)

 

[fishnkid]

Kayak fishing the bay works very good. Especially when the fish are hiding in sloughs to far out to cast to.

 

[Va_yakfisherman]

Hi Oceanviewace,

I fish from a Pungo. Have been out to the small boat channel off of chicks beach. Don't restrict yorself to just a couple hundred yards from shore. Most of the time that's all you will need but with the right rigging, safety equipment and such you can go out pretty far. I usually fish chicks beach, lynnhaven inlet, owls creek inlet and out at sandbridge on the false cape state park. Great back water and inlet fishing. Would love to meet up sometime in oceanview and go fishing. email me and we can talk fishing and yakin.

 

[docg]

hello,
i built 2 17ft yaks last year and have modified mine with 2 pieces of pvc pipe for rod holders. i have fished granby street bridge, willoughby, lynnhaven, owl's creek, rudee, back bay, eastern shore...all with marginal success. would be interested in going with anybody if a trip was lined up...tight lines.

 

[titusg]

Sound like a job of VA_yakfisherman. You want to organize this. I'll try and make it.

 

[Gumby]

I used to put a canoe at Owl's creek (public launch) and used to fish any where from behind the science museum almost all the way up to the actual inlet. If you mind your manners with other watercraft you will be okay. The only problems I ever has was with a few jet skiers one day, but a trebel hook with 50 pound mono took care of that.

Used to catch spot, croker, a few flouner, trout, ...

There are docks fish around, weed beds, brush, it is almost like bass fishing with a twist. - later

 

[chest2head&glassy]

All this talk of yak fishing got me to take a trip to Wild River Outfitters in Va Beach. They offer courses from paddling techniques to surf kayaking. Some of their classes launch from Owl's Creek.
I'm going to take a class this spring to get a feel for this sport and be able to handle myself around boat wakes and those problem PWC's.
They have a couple yaks that are outfitted specifically for fishing. Not too expensive either, but may have to pass up on a new surfboard this year.

 

[Ruedy]

Check out the sit-on-top kayaks by Ocean Kayak. They're stable and great in waves.
I've got a 12' Scrambler XT by OK. Great for shoving off at Sandbridge through the surf, of course like surfing it's best to wait for a lull before shoving off. OK also makes a nice kid sized boat called the Kea, which Santa brought for my boy XMAS 2001.

Also check out coastalkayakfishing.com.....They have a kayak seat/backrest contraption with two built in rod holders. It works real well. Far as I know Wild River Outfitters doesn't carry that particular seat.