Kayak Division Captain David Spencer 0418277573 Hi members, just a brief report on the recent outing for the kayak division at Apple Tree Bay near Bobbin Head on Sunday the 9 th of August. We managed to get 5 members along for the trip and we were also joined by a couple of keen kayak anglers from Kayak Fishing NSW via a couple of posts I made on their Facebook page. No bones about it, the morning started off a little crisp with Rob Cooper noting it was just 1 degree on Glenhaven road on our drive to the National Park. Still dark when we arrived at 5:30am however the two guys from KFNSW were already there getting their kayaks ready. We prepared our little vessels, with breaks to try and get feeling back into our hands, and launched at about 6:00am with a mist rising from the cool 13 degree water into the even cooler air. The plan was to head down river to a spot that had been suggested to hold jewfish and so off we all went with the occasional stop to flick some lures at what looked like some fishy spots along the way.
Day dawned clear and calm with the scenery providing a beautiful backdrop to our early morning exercise. We had the falling tide to assist in this direction so it was a fairly leisurely pace that saw us at the spot just as the sun was painting the tops of the surrounding hills in a nice warming glow. Brent, Paul and Tony all went to bait fairly early to try and coax some bites while I stuck with lures to see if I could crack the code. I tried a variety of different soft plastics and vibes but to no avail. Still, a spectacular day to be out on the water with some good mates and enjoying the great outdoors.
Our two new friends from KFNSW headed off further downstream while our guys tended to stick together around this set of points and bays to see what we could find to test our fishing skills. Paul kicked things off with a little leatherjacket at 29cm and Brent managed an undersized snapper that he sent back to grow up a little more. We could see the fish underneath us as the water to 10m was crystal clear. Tony landed a small flounder and a couple of tiny bream however nothing of particular size
Now we all know Rob Cooper is extremely generous with his time and always prepared to go that extra step to provide valuable support for his fellow fishermen. This particular day proved to be no exception. One moment he was fishing there beside Brent, and the next moment he had selflessly decided that he could provide an invaluable safety lesson on the foibles of kayaking. A sort of now you see him, now you don t thing.
This selfless act clearly demonstrated to all of us (fortunately close by) that it does not take much to go from boy this is great to this water really is cold. We can t be certain just what happened as he reached back for one of his rods. Whether he just misjudged the balance or if there might have been some water in the hull, but it did happen very quickly. What this valuable example held for all of us was a checklist of things to watch out for and an opportunity to learn from someone else s experience. Here, in no particular order, is a summary of important things to note. 1. These large (stable) kayaks weigh quite a bit and it is very hard to get any purchase when you are treading water. We all knew they are heavy from carrying them around but I don t think anyone in the club, except Tony Venter, has flipped one to try and figure out how to go about righting one. Also, it should be said, Tony s kayak is a different design and while narrower and comparatively less stable, it is possibly easier to get back up the right way should this kind of thing happen. 2. Water around the 13 degree mark comes as a bit of a shock to the system and very quickly saps your energy, making it particularly difficult to maintain your efforts to right your craft. 3. All the fishing gear, electric motors, batteries to run everything, and eskys lashed on only makes things harder. Fortunately, Rob considered some of this before his demonstration and lighted the load by not lashing down his rods, esky, lunch or thermos. Fortunately, most floated away, however we all know that fishing rods don t float and neither do glasses. His mobile phone in his top pocket was also a victim of the cool salt water but luckily his car keys seemed to be water tight. 4. Having help nearby made a very big difference to the outcome. It would be a VERY strong swimmer that could have dragged one of these rigs to shore unaided and to do so in the cold water, even more of a challenge. Stay in sight of your mates and keep an eye on one another. 5. If you want to keep your valuable gear, prepare for the unexpected. Lash things to the kayak or to something that floats. 6. Keep electronics and valuables in a dry bag or get waterproof cases for those items you need to be able to use regularly. 7. Another dry bag with some spare clothes is a good idea. 8. Practice what to do in this kind of situation so that if it happens, you have at least some kind of plan about how to get yourself out of trouble. There are loads of YouTube videos to watch on this subject and probably worth a practice session for this division when the water warms up a little.
After recovering all the gear that was floating we crisscrossed the area to try and see if we could spot his not so buoyant equipment on the bottom. Alas, nobody could spot anything but the fish all around our vessels so we got back to trying to tempt them to bite. While Rob took stock and wrung out his belongings we got a visit from another member just out with the family enjoying the scenery. Brett Bramble called in with the family to see how the fishing was going. All up, it really was a good trip. We all got out and followed a pass time we are passionate about and thanks to Rob s efforts, we learned some valuable lessons. Looking forward to the next trip which will be in conjunction with the freshwater division at Lake Lyell on the 18 th to 20 th of September. Don t forget the upcoming Fishing Club AGM on Monday the 17 th of August and the Presentation Dinner up at the RSL Club on Friday the 11 th of September Please check the Fishing Club s Google calendars for all the upcoming events. If anyone has some special requests for locations for some outings, please don t hesitate to let me know. See you soon. David