By Paul Lebowitz

La Jolla Kayak Fishing guide Jim Sammons looked calm and confident. Yet there he sat on his kayak, in the worst possible place on the beach, broadside to the surf and square in the impact zone on a thumpy day. A roller arrived, reared up and crashed down at shoulder height. Direct hit!

Sammons jabbed his paddle into the face of the wave and leaned hard into it. Instead of tumbling through the wash cycle, Sammons skidded safely onto the sand securely atop his kayak.

I’d asked Sammons, as supremely talented and experienced as anyone in the waves, to prove a point. That given practice, the surf isn’t normally something to fear. Now respect, that’s a must.

Before we get any farther, let’s flat out stipulate this is a fishing column. Every pixel on this page is intended to help the reader catch more fish.

I’m not talking about guppies; I mean the powerful open ocean brutes that set hearts pounding as line peels off your reel and your kayak scuds across the ocean behind a freight train with fins.

To live this dream, at some point you’ll likely have to get yourself, your kayak, and all of your fishing gear safety through the surf. In a bit we’ll cover how to launch and land in the splashy stuff, but first let’s give Sammons a say. The man wants us to enjoy the waves.

“I don’t think guys realize how much fun it is to go out there and play in the surf,” Sammons says. Play is learning. The more you play in the waves, the more comfortable and confident you’ll be when faced with a steep, unexpected boat wake or other adverse situation.

Risks are elevated in the surf zone. Although unlikely, you could get hurt. Exercise careful judgement. Use the following tips to help you get started, but strongly consider taking a surf skills class with Jim Sammons or another well qualified kayak instructor. Their coaching will dramatically speed your learning curve and comfort in the waves.

One more caution: stow or at least leash the gear you want to keep. Kayak anglers make most of their donations to Neptune while traversing the surf zone. Detach your paddle leash and remove any hooks on your lines. Irons and plugs sporting trebles can be wickedly hazardous in a wipeout.  

Launching a Fishing Kayak through Surf
“I hate starting off a morning wet. I try to time my launch so even if the surf is big, I’m going through the smallest waves possible,” Sammons says.

That’s good advice. We want to get out there as easily as possible, but to do it we need information. As soon as you get to the beach, keep at least one eye peeled on the waves. Continue watching as you set up. By the time you’re ready to go, you’ll have a good idea of the size and timing of the waves you’re facing.

Is it breaking Mavericks big? It’s ok to back down.

“Know your limitations. Maybe today is a better day for bay bassing” Sammons says.

At a beach break where the waves crumble into foam some distance from the dry sand, walk your kayak out into knee to thigh deep water. Stand up by the bow, controlling the kayak with the bow handle. If a lot of surge or a pronounced cross-current makes it difficult to keep the boat straight (crucial!), switch it up and hold the kayak at the stern.

With your paddle held ready to use immediately, watch for a lull in the waves - a pause between larger sets. When you see it, quickly slide your fanny into the seat, swing your legs into the kayak, and go! Hard!

“Keep your boat going straight, keep your boat going forward. When you allow your boat to get knocked backwards, that’s generally when you’ll get dumped,” Sammons points out.   

What if you have to cross an incoming wave?

“You really have to judge the distance. Don’t let a wave break directly on you – it’ll stop you in your tracks. If it hits you square in the chest it could wash you off,” Sammons adds.

Either slow down and let it break in front of you or charge forward to clear it. When a broken wave nears the kayak, lean back to get your bow started up and over the foam. Lift your paddle shoulder high, and then as soon as the wave has passed dig in and get going again. If you’ve badly misjudged conditions and a wave is about to break over your head, point the paddle at the wave and duck.  

A steep beach break is entirely different. There the surf zone is narrow but all the waves’ energy smacks down at once. Timing is even more critical.

Getting Back to the Beach
Ok, now that you’ve got a 30-lb yellowtail on your lap, its time to call it a day. Stow the gear and hit the beach!

Not so fast says Sammons.

“As I’m headed in I take my time. I want to have plenty of energy for the sprint in. I cruise along and evaluate the situation. How big are the sets?” Sammons asks. Is the coast clear of other kayaks and swimmers?

Again the key is timing. You want to race through the impact zone when the waves are at their smallest. There’s another important key – this is not the time to catch a wave and ‘style’ for the bikinis on the beach.

SURF SMACKDOWN – To hunt big open water fish, most kayakers must dare the surf. Although intimidating at first, with practice it gets easier. Here La Jolla Kayak Fishing Guide Jim Sammons shows that it’s possible to survive even a direct surf smack without swimming. Note Sammons’ left paddle blade, thrust into the breaker to stabilize him for the upcoming side skid.

BRACING! – Picked up and propelled sideways by a broken wave, Sammons demonstrates how to side-surf without capsizing. He leans hard into the foam in a maneuver known as a low brace. This simple maneuver is one key to getting back in through the surf right side up.

CHARGE IT – The trick to both launching and landing is to time your move for the lulls between waves. It’s not always possible to get through unscathed. Fortunately kayakers can punch out through sizable waves as long as they keep their boats straight and moving forward. With his paddle held above the wave, Sammons’ kayak pierces a breaking wave.

THE SECRET TO A SOFT LANDING – When returning through waves, look for an upcoming lull. Follow the final wave in, paddling just behind it as it breaks as shown here. Then sprint for the sand, but keep an eye out behind for overtaking waves.

HAVIN’ SOME FUN – Playing in the surf is a good time and a great way to improve your kayak-handling skills. Here Sammons shreds a curler. Waves that would bore a surfer are thrilling for a kayaker.

Always be vigilant.

“Many guys crash because they get their noses set on the beach and don’t pay attention to what’s coming up from behind,” says Sammons, adding that the difference between a safe landing and a yard sale can be as simple as dragging the paddle to let a threatening breaker pass by.

“The ideal situation is to follow a wave in,” Sammons says. Let it break right in front of you, and then go all out. Remain on guard! You’re not safe until you hit the sand. Another wave may catch you from behind.

If one does, it may turn your kayak sideways. Now’s the time for the one paddling term I’m going to throw at you: the low brace. Done correctly, it’ll keep you from rolling. Lean into the wave, shove the paddle into the face, and let it hold you up.

“Lean back and out. Get your head out there, it’s only water. Slide the paddle over. It can support a lot of weight,” says Sammons, who adds an observation. If you’re going to fall off the kayak, you want to fall into the wave – not the other way, where the kayak can clobber you.

It’s counter-intuitive, but if you lean into the wave chances are you won’t fall off.  

Finally, there’s one more pratfall to avoid. If you’ve been sitting in your kayak all morning, chances are your legs will be slow to respond when you try to stand up. Step out toward the surf, not the sand, and avoid clumsily straddling the kayak.

However you get to the beach, remember the old adage, as true for kayaks in the surf as it is for aircraft: any landing you can walk away from is a good landing.