Ultimate Kayak Fishing

Saltweter License

It seems that our Governor has signed the "bill" and as of July 1st we are required to have a saltwater license.










----- Original Message -----
From: DEP Marine Fisheries
To: DEP-marine-fisheries@list.state.ct.us
Sent: Thursday, July 02, 2009 4:21 PM
Subject: Connecticut DEP Announces Saltwater Fishing License Now Required in Connecticut


Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection
DEP Marine Fisheries News


Connecticut DEP Announces Saltwater Fishing License Now Required in Connecticut

The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) today announced that a saltwater fishing license, now required by state law to fish in Long Island Sound, can be conveniently purchased online through the DEP Web site.

The licenses – $10 for residents and $15 for non residents – are available at DEP’s Sportsmen’s Licensing System at www.ct.gov/dep. They can also be purchased at the offices of most town clerks and at many retail outlets and bait and tackle shops.

Lawmakers authorized the marine fishing license during the 2009 General Assembly Session. Funds generated by the new law, which was signed July 1 by Governor Rell, will be used for conservation and preservation programs in the state.

DEP Acting Commissioner Amey Marrella said, “The new saltwater fishing license will provide us with information we need to better manage our fisheries and coastal resources. The Connecticut program will also exempt residents from a federal program that would have required our anglers to register with and pay a fee to the federal government. It makes much more sense for us to gather information about our own anglers and to keep license fees in Connecticut.”

The requirement for the marine fish license goes into effect immediately and DEP Environmental Conservation Police will begin checking for licenses immediately; however the DEP’s initial focus will be on public education and awareness.

Provisions of the new marine fishing license include:

· A cost of $10 for residents and $15 for out-of-state visitors,

· Required for anyone 16 years of age or older,

· Free for anyone 65 years of age or older but must still be obtained annually

· Reciprocal to marine fishing licenses issued by New York, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Maine provided that state offers the same privilege to holders of a Connecticut Marine Waters Fishing License.

· Exceptions including:

o People rowing a boat or operating the motor of a boat from which other persons are taking or attempting to take fish,

o Anyone fishing as a passenger on a registered party, charter, or head boat registered in Connecticut that is operating solely in the marine district,

o State residents participating in a fishing derby that the DEP Commissioner has authorized in writing as long as no fees are charged for the derby, it lasts one day or less, and it is sponsored by a nonprofit civic service organization (these organizations are limited to one derby in any calendar year.

Hi Everone

Hello there,

Let me introduce myself – third season kayaker, lifelong angler.
This is my second season kayak fishing with very little success so far this year.
I’ve been getting them from shore, but not from kayak. Is anyone having any luck in Branford/New Haven? Maybe you can show me how to make them bite.

Moved To Saltwater Section

This is a true story which happened today.

An employee came in to work today to drop off some sewing she'd done at home, and she had her little grandson with her. The boy's mother had permanently run off with another man, his father is homeless and comes by very little, and his great-grandparents have been in and out of the hospital lately. Grandma has been busy taking care of her elderly parents and in-laws, as well as raising this little guy... the only way she can support herself is by taking work home and coming back when she can.

He's in 7th grade but looks like he's maybe just 7 years old.. just a tiny tiny, scrawny serious little boy without a smile.
He's smart as a whip, but struggles in school because he can't concentrate.

"Hey, you got any smiles for me today?" I asked as he came in with Grandma.

"Nope," he said, with a sad look on his face, way beyond his years.

"Well, that's too bad," I replied as I chatted with his grandmother about her work.

When we were done, I just knew I had to find a way to make this kid look like a kid again. I looked around in my warehouse area and spied my kayaks, which are stored by the warehouse doors.

"Hey, how'd you like to sit in one of my boats?" I offered.

He nodded solemnly and followed me. "OK," I said, "now sit down here and stretch your legs out." He was sitting in my little red Hop On Top kayak. "Alright, now when you go kayaking, you need to wear a vest like this." He stretched out his arms to put on a Small sized PFD, which absolutely engulfed his tiny body. It was way too big to even zip up. "And let's adjust these rudder pedals for you, so you can steer the rudder. Know what that's for?"

He nodded and said, "Yeah, so you can steer right or left."

I noticed the very slightest hint of enthusiasm in his voice. "OK, so here's your paddle. Just swish the water side to side, and off you go."

He moved the paddle, sitting in his PFD and flipped the rudder pedals.

"And see these hatches? What do you think they are?"

"They're places you can keep things!"

And there it was, his first smile.

"OK, now that you've mastered that boat, time to move on to a much bigger one. It's a sea kayak. 17 feet long, and you sit way inside and steer with the same kind of rudder pedals. Look at the difference in the bottom of this one compared to this other boat. Why do you think it's flatter?"

"So it won't tip over so fast?"

"Excellent! I can see you as a boat designer some day. Now look over here. This one is a fishing kayak. It's got holders for rods and all kinds of special features so someone can fish off one. Are you interested in fishing?"

The boy had a full smile on. I looked at Grandma and she winked at me.

"Yes! I love fishing!" he exclaimed. " Me and my grandpa went fishing all the time, and that's where I got my love of fishing. And I know a lot about fishing, too!" But his face got stormy again as he muttered, "But my grandpa died, and when they sold his house it all was gone. The rods and all that fishing stuff. All gone and I never fished again."

It was inevitable. "Would you like to go fishing with me, in these boats? What do you think?"

He got his businesslike face on for a second and said, "Well, I'll have to check my schedule, but YES!"

"Grandma, is that ok with you?"

"Well, of course. We'll have to go to Wal-Mart and get you a rod, kiddo." Grandma too was smiling.

He was beaming from ear to ear now, nearly jumping up and down with happiness.

"You know, don't use worms in a pond. Know why?" he asked.

"Hmmmmmm?" I said.

"Because there's already enough worms in the pond. Got to use somethin' else," he explained seriously.

So we walked to the door, and thought up some possible fishing dates for the summer. I gave him some local park services web sites to start looking at, with information about all the types of fish to be caught in freshwaters here, along with what type of bait to use. He was absolutely grinning from ear to ear, chatting and happy and looking like a normal kid in the summertime. Guess I found a new fishing buddy!

~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks for reading my story, and please let me know if you guys have any ideas about what type rod and reel might be best for a very small kid.. not a toy, but something he could be successful with.

Also, if anyone has any old freshwater stuff they don't use anymore, maybe his grandma would let me send you his address (if you PM me). I was thinking how great it would be if I could find him some fishing email buddies too. I have a feeling we might have a new kayak fisherman in the making here.

Saltwater Fishing License

A well thought argument why we need a license.

http://www.theday.com/re.aspx?re=5ed7e0dc-...bd-9b83b2e5dcc1

Electric Kayaks

There seems to me kayak evolution is causing a bit of controversy. The pure original kayak was a crude thing made of bones, sticks and animal skins being propelled with whatever was available that would push water. Kayaking has come a long way since then.

I for one don't like it one little bit. I want to go back to the good old days when there were NO wooden stick built boats, no fiberglass, no carbon fiber, no kevlar, no rotomolded plastic, no fancy ergonomic energy enhancing paddles. I might add that rods, reels, slugo plastics, metal Deadly Dicks. good grief those tubes with worms, and hooks made of metal and sharpened with lazers SUCK too. I think that we should only be using hooks made of bone and crude wooden spears with stones and bones tied on the end with rawhide strips.

My point in all of the above is that everything, including kayak fishing, evolves. With each evolutionary step there are always people in favor of taking the step and others opposing it. I don't think that anyone here wants to go back to where the original kayak fishermen were. Purism in each of our minds would be the point where we started. That may be paddles, pedals or if you are starting now electrics may not appear to be polluting the sport.

I remember when the Hobie Mirage Drive first came on the scene, most of the folks that I fished with, myself included, resisted the change. We soon realized that it gave us a real fishing advantage and changed over. Hobie pedal drive owners are now outfishing the paddle guys. I offer the results of the 2009 J Bay tournament to back up that fact. Every category except 1 was won by a fisherman in a pedal drive Hobie. Will an electric drive give the same advantage over the pedal drives that they give over the paddle drives? I don't know BUT if they do, I predict that you will be seeing the same kind of change over that we are now seeing from paddles to pedals.

I have reached a point in my life where paddle and pedal drive kayaks just aren't a possibility, arthritic knees and an aging back have seen to that. I really miss kayak fishing but now with electrics coming on the scene I can see myself enjoying kayak fishing again. I will purchase an electric when I find the one that is right for me, right now I'm looking at a Hobie PA with a Bassyak conversion. I will be kayak fishing again.

Electric Ok Trident

We're going to have to open the tournaments to electric boats.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PNU2fhJFJ8

Best Tide Sight

Great tide info;

http://www.noreast.com/tides/indexb.cfm

Anyone Up For Drifting Some Eels In Eastern Ct Fri. 06/25/09

I can't take it anymore. I need to get out.

I'm thinking about drifting eels after dark tomorrow night. Maybe in Stonington Harbor?

Anyone else going stir crazy?

Happy Ending To Capsized 'yakers And Advice

In the Narragansett RI area early Sunday morning, two kayak fishermen got separated and both capsized during the night, (weather was foggy and seas rough) but made it to shore with one guy losing his boat and the other managing to retain it. Apparently, someone found the other kayak washed up on shore and called the Coast Guard, who ran a large search until 9:30 am Sunday when the owner saw his kayak on TV news and called in to inform the CG he was ok. I was actually fishing around Beavertail Light on Jamestown early Sunday and saw the cutters and the choppers conducting the searches in the distance.

Few lessons here, I guess. 1) Both guys were wearing their PFD's, so another story where safety pays. 2) Let the CG know when you've had an accident, even if you're ok. Acc to the story, other fishermen found clothing and gear of the capsized yaks floating in the water and naturally assumed the worst. 3) Invest in a submersible UHF VHF radio that you have with you. Oilcan, myself and most of our fishing crew carry one and can monitor/call Ch 16 or each other in an instant. Worth the investment.

Tinman

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday Gary!!