Kayak Fishing Update: 2012 Guided Trips

There is much to report to my neglected blog. First and foremost, the dates have been set for my 2012 guided kayak fishing trips in the San Juan Islands. 

2012 GUIDED KAYAK FISHING - SAN JUAN ISLANDS, WA.

May 26 to May 29 - Sustenance fishing for Sea Kayakers

July 26 to July 29 - Crabbing and catch and release bottom fishing

The first trip is set for Thursday May 26th through Sunday May 29th, and is for those wanting to fish from sea kayaks. We'll focus on fishing for lingcod with hand lines while multi-day touring. We establish a base camp on Jones Island, off the SW corner of Orcas Island and learn the skills necessary to do a multi-day sea kayak fishing trip of your own.

The second trip option is July 26th to July 29th. On this adventure we include dropping crab traps in search of the incredible Dungeness crab. We base camp at Jones Island and conduct day paddles to learn the skills necessary to paddle competently and harvest the bounty of the sea.

Your guides, meals, camp fees, tackle, and hand lines (and crab traps) are included in the price. Kayaks & paddling gear can be provided at no additional cost to you if necessary. You will need to supply your own camping gear, toiletries, personal items, and purchase a Washington fishing license.

If you have any questions about what to bring please contact Alder Creek. They have a full line of paddling equipment and accessories, and would be happy to assist you in getting outfitted for your trip. Please remember to keep your personal gear to a minimum, but keep your comfort in mind. Remember the goal is to travel light and efficiently.

UPDATE: Out of Sight, Out of Mind

Things have been going very well at Out of Sight, Out of Mind. Our "Never Ending Cleanup Contest" on Facebook has awarded people with gear from Hilleberg Tents, Keen Footwear, Ibex Outdoor Clothing, Kokatat Watersports-wear, Sweet Protection, Aquapac, Skwoosh, Klean Kanteen, Thule Car Racks, Ocean Paddler Magazine, Cackle TV, and Valley Sea Kayaks. 

PICKIN' & PADDLIN': OSOM Paddle With the People

We're offering local trips around the Portland, Oregon area through Alder Creek Kayak & Canoe as part of our mission to take an active role in the stewardship of the places we play. The first OSOM "Paddle With the People" cleanup trip is set for February 26 on the Willamette River in downtown Portland. Click here to sign up. We'll spend a couple of hours picking up trash as we paddle around the Portland waterfront and Ross Island section of the Willamette. All the money raised goes directly towards helping fund our upcoming cleanup expeditions.

OSOM "PDX 2 SEA" Kayak Cleanup Expedition

Our first cleanup expedition; "PDX 2 SEA" is set for April 7-11, 2012. We are paddling our sea kayaks from Portland, Oregon to the ocean with canoes in tow, and picking up all the trash we find along the way. We are filming our trip to make a documentary and help promote the OSOM movement, and pro adventure-photographer Sean O'Connor from Freesolo Photagraphy is joining us to take still images.

We are busy installing camera mounts on our Tiderace Kayaks. The impact that GoPro cameras have had on action-sports is substantial to say the least. These relatively low priced, tiny hi-def cameras allow users to capture events on video unimaginable to the average consumer just a few years before.

We'll soon be exploring new shooting angles of coastal play & touring, surf footage, and kayak fishing. One of the keys to doing this is a clever little contraption called the Greenfish CPR Mount. By mounting Scotty Locking Rod Holder bases on the decks of our sea kayaks, we hope to capture video that is entertaining and engaging from a variety of angles. The CPR mount makes this simple and easy. 

"CPR" stands for "Catch. Photo. Release". Greenfish is "an apparel company with a conscience and a conservation minded mission. They believe in sustaining fisheries for the long term. For each Greenfish product you buy, they donate 5% to the sustainable fisheries partner of your choice through their Greenfish Gives Program."

....and they make some pretty sweet T-shirts and caps too!

Crabbing from a Sea Kayak, etc.

This is an attempt to lump what should be six or seven monthly posts into one monstrous presentation. Over the last few months the world of kayaking has kept me incredibly busy and I have a ton of things to share.

7-2011
In July Chris Bensch and I delivered our first attempt at video production with this little promo piece for Jackson Kayak's Journey day touring kayak:

In August, Chris Bensch, Shay Bickley, and I, (otherwise known as OSOM) did a photo shoot with photographer Fred Marmsater, who is not only an incredibly talented photographer, but also a really cool guy. You're likely to see some of the shots used by Jackson Kayak & Ibex Outdoor Clothing among others. Some of the photos that didn't make the cut are shown below.

Photo Shoot With Fred 8-2011:

Jason paddling out:

Shay launching off the beach:

Jason and Shay paddling to the river mouth:

Chris paddling out:

Shay paddling out:

Chris Paddling out:

Chris and Shay paddling out:

Chris and Shay paddling out:

Chris surfing:

Chris paddling out:

As always, I like to wet a line at the coast. I managed to catch a few crab while taking a break from the surf and snap a few photos of the scenery.

9-2011

In September the OSOM crew hit the Oregon coast again for another shoot. This time we were shooting for Tiderace Sea Kayaks, and I was the photographer. Some of the B-roll shots are posted below.

While shooting from the edge of the sea stack, I noticed dozens of crab in a depression in the sand at the edge of the rocks. I couldn't resist the urge to trap them there as the tide ebbed. After surfing for a while, Shay came over and I sent her down to grab a few of the crab. Her technique was a tad curious, but the results we're a couple of keepers for dinner.

After foot-crabbing, I managed to get a few more good shots of Shay messing around in the surf. As I write this in November, I'm already nostalgic of summer at the beach.

Yakangler's Choice Awards:

I was also voted #3 Kayak Angler & #3 Kayak Fishing Guide of the Year at yakangler.com & kayakfishingradio.com by you, the public. Thank you!

10-2011

Lumpy Waters Symposium

October brought Alder Creek Kayak & Canoe's Lumpy Water's Symposium. This event has quickly gained recognition as one of the go-to sea kayak events in the Pacific Northwest. This was my third year coaching at Lumpy, and I thought I'd offer a class on "sustenance fishing for sea kayakers". We focused on catching crab & bottom fish with minimal gear such as handline's and crab hawks on a multi-day trip. The currents & wind made bottom fishing a bit difficult, but we paddled ourselves right into an epic pile of keeper dungeness crab. Every one in the class finished the day with limits and big smiles. Photos from Lumpy Waters below:

Photographer Fred Marmsater joined us for Lumpy Waters and stayed a few days after for another photo shoot. Here are some of the great, but non-published pics:

11-2011

With the success of the crabbing at Lumpy Waters, I decided to run another "Crabbing from a Sea Kayak" class at the Oregon Coast in November. I could never have imagined the interest in crabbing from a kayak. It's impressive. At the moment I'm working on an article for Ocean Paddler Magazine on the subject, and I've got another full class set for December. I'm saving the photos from that trip for use in the article & will post what isn't published here later.

Expedition Update/OSOM Project:

We've had to postpone our kayak trip to the Gulf of Mexico until Novemember 2012, but the OSOM "Never Ending Global Cleanup Contest" is going strong. So far 620 people from all fifty US states and 20 countries have participated. The contest is responsible for over 5000 pounds of trash removed from the world's waterways to date, and we've awarded contest winners with gear from Keen Footwear, Ibex Outdoor Clothing, Klean Kanteen, Aquapac, Thule Roof Racks, Alder Creek Kayak & Canoe, Kokatat Watersports Wear, and Ocean Paddler Magazine.The contest has made the news in the kayak community, with pieces on OSOM gracing the pages of Kayak Angler Magazine, California Kayaker Magazine, and Ocean Paddler Magazine.

It's easy to participate in the cleanup contest. All you have to do is "like" our Facebook page and post photos of the removal and disposal of trash from any waterway, using any human powered craft to our FB wall. The person or group with the most trash removed at the end of each month wins prizes from our sponsors. It's simple, it's easy, and it's sustainable. Get out there and do some good and win cool gear.

Until next time,

Jason

Sustenance Fishing for Sea Kayakers: Crabbing from a Sea Kayak Nov. 13th. 8AM-3PM at the Oregon Coast $95/Person

Just a quick note before I post my full report on what I've been up to the last few weeks. (I won 3rd place Kayak Fishing Guide & Kayak Angler of the Year at kayakfishingradio.com, Jackson Kayak Dealer Summit/Ocoee River TN, Lumpy Waters Symposium/OR Coast, and Coumbia River Gorge)

I'm offering another opportunity to learn how to catch crab from your sea kayak at the Oregon Coast on November 13th, from 8AM-3PM. You'll need an OR shellfish license and OR invasive species permit. I'll supply the crabbing gear, bait, and boats & paddling gear if needed. Cost is $95/person for this on-water class.


The last crabbing class I did at Lumpy Waters Symposium came back with over 10 keepers/student! Call 503-285-0464 for info or to sign up.

-Jason