New to me Fishing Kayak Tarpon 130x

[Rora]

Hey Everyone, 

 

Since I'm already falling down the rabbit hole i figured I'd drink another potion or two and ended up getting a Wilderness Systems Tarpon 130x off of craigslist. I got it for 400 but it looks like it is brand new! Super excited to take it out. Thinking about heading over Puddingstone Reservoir in SoCal. Funny thing is i actually thought i was going to get a tarpon 120, but the seller posted it wrong. I really wanted the 120 but im sure this will work out for my first kayak. 

 

Already got a slew of things I want to do to it, but I'm super new at this so I am trying to take my time. 

 

I'm super budget, so opted to do the whole PVC cart and milkcrate-rodholder-tacklebox.

 

Going to get a fish finder for it, most likely Garmin 4cv?

 

But hopefully in the future i can rig up a trolling motor.

 

Good luck out there everyone.

[Darth-Baiter]

AWESOME!!  welcome to the madness.

[casts_by_fly]

Nice. I remember when the tarpon series came out and they were one of the best fishing platforms. I think you’ll be happy with it. Take your time to learn it and how you like to fish. Then start adding stuff. 

[Koz]

On 8/16/2022 at 5:50 PM, Rora said:

I'm super budget, so opted to do the whole PVC cart and milkcrate-rodholder-tacklebox.

 

Get back to us in 6 months and tell us how that is going for you! ?

 

If you're interested, I have a Lowrance Hook2 5 Tripleshot that I'm looking to sell along with a 7AH Dakota Lithium battery. The Tripleshot transducer has sonar, down scan, and side scan. I'll also throw in a YakAttack head mount for it. DM me if you're interested and I'll also tell you how I had it set up on my rig.

 

I really liked my Hook2, but for my old eyes I wanted a bigger screen and I upgraded to a Humminbird Helix 7 Di SI.

[Rora]

Took it out for the first time. Caught a freaking whopper on the zara spook. First fish on a kayak and first fish on the top water. Definitely learned a lot and made a TON of mistakes. 

1. It's really hard to cast in a kayak, especially casting to my right side.

2. it was really hard to land the fish, even with a net. I think my net wasnt long enough.

3. It was really hard to keep steady when fishing, constantly drifting all over the place.

4. Forgot all my tried and true SoCal city pond fishing techniques and started branching out to techniques i've never tried. Took both a bfs rod and a ultralight which seemed kind of useless. Don't think its true but just need to figure out their place in my lineup. 

 

In the end that was the only fish i caught on a roughly 6 hour day, so that was both awesome and really disappointing.  Hoping to get out more and learn the patterns, just in time for them to change it all during the fall transition.

 

[Darth-Baiter]

Your first kayak fish could eat my first kayak fish. Awesome. 
 

you’ll figure it out.  My back hand cast is every bit as good as my forearm cast.  
 

game on!1

[Rora]

Thank you! I got really really lucky. 
 

the casting is hard cause there is so much to be mindful of.  The poles behind me, the trees right next to me and the terrifying fear that once I fall in the water a siren is going to drag me down. 

[Koz]

On 8/28/2022 at 12:07 AM, Rora said:

1. It's really hard to cast in a kayak, especially casting to my right side.

2. it was really hard to land the fish, even with a net. I think my net wasnt long enough.

3. It was really hard to keep steady when fishing, constantly drifting all over the place.

4. Forgot all my tried and true SoCal city pond fishing techniques and started branching out to techniques i've never tried. Took both a bfs rod and a ultralight which seemed kind of useless. Don't think its true but just need to figure out their place in my lineup. 

 

 

1. You'll get the hang of it. Just be careful if you have rods in rod holders behind you. But the easiest way is positioning the nose of your kayak to accommodate your cast.

 

2. I've lost a few trying to get them in. As you try and position the rod to use the net or lip it the line sometimes slacks. You might find it easier to just lift them on to the deck.

 

3. This is why I have a pedal kayak. I can jog the pedals and bump the rudder to stay in place. You might want to look into an anchor and anchor trolley.

[the reel ess]

@Rora Nice bass! All these things will come to you. You'll learn to sidearm cast a lot. I find that I instinctively go around a small body of water clockwise because it's easier for me to cast that way. You'll learn to use a paddle with one hand to make adjustments with a rod in the other without thinking about it. I can do it while fighting fish now. You'll learn how to bring fish to your strong hand and land them. You won't usually need a net.  I have a net that I only use when I'm landing a big bass on trebles, so not very often. I do lose some smaller fish that shake off at the boat, but no biggie. I wasn't going to eat them anyway.

[Rora]

Thanks the reel ess. I'm going out again this friday, in like 100 degree weather but I figure practice makes perfect. I'm figuring out little things here and there, like I don't think I like having the rod holders closer to me because I have to reach past treble hooks to grab stuff in my crate. 

[Darth-Baiter]

I dont usually have a bunch of treble baits on my kayak, ,but when I do - I use those Bait-sacks to keep things safe.  not so much keeping me from getting poked, but a treble hook has an almost magic like gravitational pull to anything snaggy next to it..like a drop shot rig.  it self ties better knots that I can ever dream of sometimes.  

 

bait sacks.