By Paul LebowitzJanuary 12, 2007 Toss that kayak on a mothership and fish where the big boat can’t. Long-ranger Qualifier 105 joins Islander, El Duque and other sportboats for kayak fishing far-off hotspots. Big news. One of the west’s premier long-range sportfishing operations will host a fleet of fishing kayaks for a 7-day run into remote Baja and a shorter trip to fish-rich San Clemente Island. And when the floating home base in question is the legendary Qualifier 105, it’s a sure sign the booming sport of kayak fishing has hit the mainstream. “Fishing kayaks are a natural evolution once you see what skiffs can do,” Q105 owner John Klein said. For 20 years Klein’s comfortable and beamy sportfisher has been running anglers down to the remote Baja coast, where they take turns jumping onto a skiff to fish where the big boat can’t. The hard to reach spots deep in the kelp or up close to the rocks are best known for trophy-size calico bass and broad-shouldered yellowtail. Now Klein, Q105 Captain Brian Sims, and Hobie Kayaks pro staffers are taking the next logical step and unleashing coastal big-fish hunters on one-man go-anywhere kayaks. It’ll be the first time they’ve filled the big Q with the little fishing craft, but it won’t be a new concept. Way back in 1992 Bill Stahl, at the time a deckhand, brought a pair of small sit-inside kayaks onto the deluxe sportfisher. Klein said the two of them snuck off at Clipperton Atoll – possibly the first time the lagoon had been kayaked. Q105 skipper Sims is looking forward to this year’s inaugural kayak trips. He said there’s no better way to fish the “virtually inaccessible” Baja coast. The Q105’s kayakers will trade grueling 4x4 rides, grimy back-country camping, dinners out of a can, and no-frills panga runs for comfortable staterooms, hot showers, gourmet grub, and unparalleled service from a crew of true pros. Hobie Kayaks pro staffer Mike Allen will be part of that team. Allen said the trips aren’t just for experienced kayak fishers. It’s a good chance for hardcore anglers to take a crack at the kayak. Allen and fellow Hobie staffer Den Farrier will hold kayak fishing seminars throughout the trips and will provide on the water instruction and guiding. Although Allen said most people will BYOB – that last B stands for Boat – he’ll have a variety of first-rate Hobie fishing kayaks to try, including pedal-powered Mirage Drive models. The Q105’s kayak fishing adventures are the newest and arguably the most luxurious mothership options, but they aren’t the only ones out there. Islander Sportfishing is starting its third year ferrying kayak anglers out to San Clemente Island for weekend 1.5-day trips. The boat, co-owned by Captains John Conniff and Shane Slaughter, sports a custom kayak rack and a large swim step that spans the stern. Easy on, easy off. The 88-ft. long Islander is a fine ride in its own right, with stateroom accommodations, steaming hot freshwater showers, and lots of tasty eats in the galley. The trips are convenient, departing late Friday evening, fishing all day, and then motoring back to San Diego for an early Sunday arrival. San Clemente is 65 miles from the coast, far enough to screen out most boats, and without a doubt there are still spots in the rocks and kelp that almost never see a hook. Prime kayak territory. San Diego’s kayak fishing focused OEX Dive and Kayak Center is taking 2007 Islander bookings. The Pt. Loma shop run by Brent Torgeson has another mothership offering to fire up kayak fishing fanatics. Torgeson’s new trip fishes the Sea of Cortez from the El Duque. The twist? The 3-day (not counting travel time) fish / dive adventures originate out of San Carlos on the Mexican mainland. The prospects for exotics and big game are good. During last fall’s exploratory trip, Torgeson said Team OEX staffers tangled with dorado from their kayaks and hooked a couple of marlin while trolling from the boat during a move. This fall’s dependable targets at Isla Tortuga should be yellowtail, pargo, grouper, snapper, and amberjack. Those are the scheduled trips, but there are other ways to get your fishing kayak motored to some out of the way spot. Do it yourself types with boat-owning buddies have it made. Don’t forget to kick in for gas and bait. On smaller boats, it’s nice to have a compact ‘yak, something like the 9-ft. short Malibu Mini-X. Here’s another one. Jim Sammons of La Jolla Kayak Fishing offers 5-pack charters out to San Clemente or other local spots on the Grander. Fishing from a 38-ft. Bertram offers a lot of flexibility. |
HITCHED A RIDE TO DORADO TOWN – Mothership trips make up for the kayak’s shortcoming – lack of range – by running to spots far beyond paddling distance. The payoff? Trophy fish or exotics like this dorado landed by OEX pro staffer Mike Knott on an El Duque Cortez mothership. PHOTO COURTESY OEX KAYAK AND DIVE CENTER
BIG MOUTH BASS – Island and coastal Baja mothership trips target familiar species such as calico bass, yellowtail, halibut and white seabass. The difference? Quality. By fishing the far-off nooks and crannies that powerboats can’t access, kayakers have an excellent shot at landing a trophy of a lifetime. The ‘average’ catch, like this calico that ate a live sardine fished deep inside a San Clemente Island kelp bed, isn’t bad either. They tend to be larger than their close to town cousins.
HAND OFF – Mothershipping doesn’t mean going light. Kayakers can bring along their normal fishing kit, including bait tanks, fish finders, full quivers, and all the rest.
Q105 + FISHING KAYAKS = BIG TIME – When sportfishing pros such as the Q105’s John Klein and Brian Sims set aside multi-day trips dedicated to ‘yakkers, it’s a sure sign the booming sport of kayak fishing has hit the mainstream. The first of the Q105’s kayak mothership adventures launches in spring 2007. |
| “You get more than two days of fishing time. We can kayak fish, dive, fish off the boat, and look for tuna or kelp paddies,” Sammons said.
One-time charters are sometimes posted on kayak fishing websites. The October 2007 3/4-day Santa Cruz Island trip set up by kayak fishing guide Jeff Krieger and Candy Catchers is an example. The 49-ft. Aloha Spirit was a bit cramped with kayaks strewn about, but once Captain Greg Ewart dropped anchor beside an acres-wide boil of yellowtail and bonus bonito it took only moments to clear the deck. Just a couple of hours from port, Santa Cruz is ideally located for motherships. At least a couple of Oxnard / Ventura area captains are rumored to be considering regular trips. For now, the best bet is to charter your own. Unfortunately, although Channel Islands National Park concessionaire Island Packers transports kayaks, their schedule doesn’t lend itself to 1-day trips. A special note to calico hunters. A mothership ride out to the back of beyond, then a short paddle through the weeds and into the slosh zone might be your best shot at that 10-lb. beast. Said Q105’s Sims, “We catch calico bass up to ‘oh my God’ size. The action can be so hot, you won’t stop to weigh a 7-lber.” Sounds good, but here’s the kicker. For kayakers, Sims and other captains can point out the isolated rocks and reefs that hold the big boys. These structure spots are too small to satisfy a boat-load of fish hungry passengers, but just right for an angler or two. Load ‘em up!Mothership Me: 2007’s Kayak Fishing Options |