UPDATE: Kayak Fishing the Oregon Coast

I have decided to post midweek, because next weeks post will be a little late. We are headed to the Oregon coast to kayak fish a few miles of the lower Nestucca River estuary, down to the mouth where it meets the Pacific Ocean.

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Weather reports are typical for this time of year. Monday we'll see a high temp of 52, with partly cloudy skies, and winds out of the southeast at 15 mph. Ocean swell at Nestucca is predicted to be 8ft, with a period of 9-15 seconds. This sounds like a pretty good opportunity to get the Prowler Trident out into the surf.

I've been looking forward to getting some pictures and video of someone absolutely rocking the Prowler in some rough water. I'm going to pass the boat around to my friends at Alder Creek, and take pictures of the Prowler being put through the paces in 8 ft surf. Keep an eye out in next weeks post.

I'm hoping to get out into the surf and play a little bit, but I'm not sure if the hand is quite ready. I will however, be trolling Nestucca bay, trying to catch king and silver salmon. As for what I'm using, I'm sticking with my old faithful; a spinner on a 4ft leader, tied behind a banana weight, of various size.

This is a pretty cheap, easy, and effective way to catch salmon from a kayak. There are prettier ways to do it, but it works for me. I'm going to give plugs a try this time also. It will depend on what the current is doing, and how the tides are moving. I'll need to anchor up if I'm going to run plugs, and if the current is ripping through, that might not be the safest or smartest thing to do. I'll make that call when I assess the conditions.

Here is a link with tips on rigging & techniques for catching salmon in tidewater & estuaries. I rig things a little bit differently, but what they show is pretty standard and will work just fine. The lures they are using are almost identical to what I'm using.

The conditions get worse, or better, on Tuesday depending on how you look at it. If you are a fair weather paddler or angler, Tuesday is not the day for you. If it's action you seek; Behold
Tuesday!

Swell is predicted to be around 14 ft, with a period of 8 to 13 seconds. Winds will be out of the South at 25mph, and rain is likely. With a high temp of 52, this may not seam ideal for most people, but it will be nasty with 14 ft waves and high winds....exactly what I've been wanting to get pictures and video of the Prowler Trident getting rocked in.

This will be the day I get Dave White and Paul Kuthe, from the sea kayak movie "Pacific Horizons" to prove a point; It's not the boat. People always say they can't do this or that in a particular type of kayak, especially a big sit-on-top like the Prowler. Next weeks post will prove that theory incorrect.

It's going to be sweet. I can't wait to post the pics.

-Jason