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Hey...I have been contemplating kayak life, so I was doing some 'yakservations' yesterday in M.Squan inlet -- Had some questions but the most glaring OBSERVATION: Seemed like those boats were RIPPING into that inlet  creating  some big wake.  Is it always like that there?  Or, maybe I just never 'really paid attention' 

 

2.  Do you just 'ride' the wave however it hits, or do you have to 'point the bow' into every significant  wake?

-- I really feel like if taking the plunge ...errr....NOT a good way to phrase it! -- after purchasing  -- you need someone to say OK, NOOB, here is what you need to know to stay alive!  

Usually, I just figure $hit out-- but this has a 'boat load' of variables -- 

 

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I’ve done it a few times with and against the tide. You need to be peddling as hard as you can and alert to everyone around you. It’s definitely not something to go out and just try though. You need to know your and your kayaks limits. The fish in my avatar was outside the inlet on a November trip.

Edited by RobEnglish
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The angle you should hit the wake at has umpteen variables .... your sense of balance, your hips, your yak, wind direction and strength, size of wake, shape of wake wave, your speed, your confidence ... because wake waves are usually steepish and close together, I try and hit them at an offset angle of between 45* to 65* and use hips .... your sweet spot will come with time in the water. As to inlets ... avoid like the plague .... far too many factors outside of your control ... and to be fair to boaters too, having kayakers to also dodge in a busy, ripping inlet is an unnecessary complication ... IMHO

Any society that charges it's own children for knowledge, is doomed to fail.

Whilst intelligence is not affected by geography, it is influenced by education, opportunity and drive.   

Now is the time to change our attitude towards blues, next year may well be too late (Somebody listened :th: )
Member of the Yellow Eyed Devils
May you never have to fish to live, rather live to fish.

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3 hours ago, Africaster said:

The angle you should hit the wake at has umpteen variables .... your sense of balance, your hips, your yak, wind direction and strength, size of wake, shape of wake wave, your speed, your confidence ... because wake waves are usually steepish and close together, I try and hit them at an offset angle of between 45* to 65* and use hips .... your sweet spot will come with time in the water. As to inlets ... avoid like the plague .... far too many factors outside of your control ... and to be fair to boaters too, having kayakers to also dodge in a busy, ripping inlet is an unnecessary complication ... IMHO

Agree, No need to be in that inlet, some inlets can be done (Cape May) if you time the tides. Know your limits, fish smart, Google earth that location, I'm sure theres a place to launch both sides of the inlet.

 

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The biggest lessons learned kayak fishing in salt water as opposed to fresh water is that tides

matter.  Also not all tides are the same. Tides can be more extreme when the moon is full. Also not all

launch areas are created equal. Certain launch areas can only be used when the tide is high. This is particularly true on the Manasquan river. As far as waves and wake from power boats that is all part of the equation. If you are not confident in your ability to avoid flipping getting  side swiped by a wave turn the bow into the wave and meet it head on. As your skill levels increase you will need to do this less and less, Keep in mind it is your head that causes the kayak to flip,  If you lean over  to one side or the other your kayak will lean in that direction. You can avoid flipping by resisting the temptation to lean over and look into the water in the direction you are flipping. Simply lean the other way ? 

 Always try to keep your head over the center of the kayak. (Not too far to the right or left)As your skills increase you will learn to use your paddle to brace.  Some people even use thigh straps on a   sit on top  paddle kayak to help prevent tipping, Check out some you tube video's on proper paddle strokes and  kayak bracing. Viking kayak has some good videos on surfing waves. 

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5 hours ago, Africaster said:

 As to inlets ... avoid like the plague .... far too many factors outside of your control ... and to be fair to boaters too, having kayakers to also dodge in a busy, ripping inlet is an unnecessary complication ... IMHO

Good advise ..... Only time i will go into the actual inlet is when the tide is just fizzling out, not so much when its slack to picking up though, i find time slips by too quickly & its cranking in the blink of an eye, i will go up to the mouth when fluking in the back side but jet back in before going in too far....

 

The other thing about hooking up with something significant in an inlet with a building current & being in a kayak other than what africaster mentioned is, you're already fighting swirling currents trying not to flip & now you have to fight a fish that,s trying to pull you under with it, not much fun with the fear factor on top of the adrenaline rush.... been there. :help:

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Why the hell would anyone fuq around in an inlet in a kayak?! Just plain asking for all sorts of trouble IMHO.

IN FAVOR OF COMMERCIAL FISHING AND SURFING THE NORTH SIDE

MAY THE RICH GET RICHER!!

FISH ARE FOOD!!

UA MAU KA EA O KA AINA IKA PONO O HAWAII

 

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There’s gotta be somewhere close by on the beach for you to launch instead of the inlet. If not, man I’d look for another spot. As previously said, inlets are busy, many boaters can hardly make it in and out of inlets safely, and you can’t control wind, tide, etc. 

 

There are just too many things you can’t control, and there’s nowhere to run if things are going bad. If you’re gonna do it, pick your day and do it on a slack tide. Honestly, boat wakes are probably the least of my worries while navigating an inlet. 

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Thanks for your post.....I come here to learn and the pros responses are invaluable to me.  I'll give you my perspective as a kayak newbie in his 1st season.  I dabbled around back of Barnegat inlet on just 3 occasions in a peddle kayak when both tide and wind were optional.....I never felt comfortable.  What Bill described happened to us last trip.....chased birds, lost track of time and had a serious current to deal with.  I was in a drysuit and nearly dehydrated myself.  As far as wake, I'll say I've had boaters that enjoyed sending me a few.... I nose into them.  I'm pretty much done with the inlet....Barnegat inlet anyway.        

Edited by Frede
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Salt air provides the levity needed for survival.

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The amount of kayaks in Shark River yesterday was astounding :) I always slow down when passing them...out of respect...I also kayak from time to time. The problem is, the boat makes a wake two or three times bigger at plowing at 6-8 mph than it does on plane at 35....but I want the kayak dudes to know I see them and I'm slowing down outta respect. They'd get less wake if I blew past them...but that just seems rude :)

 

Inlets are tough...on any busy day they are washing machine...even if a boat wanted to slow down for a kayak it wouldn't matter because the rest of the boats are plowing their way through. Wouldn't catch me in Shark River or Manasquan Inlet in a kayak...there are days it's a grind in a 25 foot center console...a couple party boats go by when the current is cranking and you can get 3-4' curling waves bounding back and forth across the narrow inlet :scared:

 

TimS

Show someone how to catch striped bass and they'll be ready to fish anywhere.
Show someone where to go striped bass fishing and you'll have a desperate report chaser with loose lips.

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