green horn yaks the nags head surf

[gill plate]

Every year I spend a short 7 days at MP10 In Nags Head and fish from the Nags Head Pier every day.
I have hooked cobia twice but failed to land either one.The first one I layed into was in the60# range (so the pin rig guys told me, as they saw the fish). That was when I learned a little bit about having the right gear. He pulled that 30# mono off the spool and I dont think he even knew he was hooked. It was a good 45 seconds of the wosrt case of buck fever I ever had, and as the 30# copolymer leader snapped I
just stood there shakin. That was a few years ago and I have since been accumulating gear a little more up to snuff for the bigger fish of the nearshore.
Last year while I was down I watched kayakers and even a canoe head out through the surf just out to enjoy a ride in the smooth as glass ocean we had almost all week last year.
I got to thinkin that if I where in a fishin kayak I could paddle on out to king/cobia central and enjoy a ride in the swells at the same time.
For the past year I have been researching alot about all these
guys who fish from Kayaks, and the more I read, watched videos and looked at pictures the more fired up I got!
I was ready to go and buy a trident and hit the water.
This Is where my wife comes in to the picture. She slapped me in the face a few times, threw some ice water on me and
and threatend to cut off all fringe benefits (among other things) associated with marriage. So I was working In BWI airport area only about 5 miles or so from Bass Pro Shops
Hanover store.Id stop in about once aweek and gaulk at the sleek smooth bullet shaped hulls, they almost seemed to taunt me-Dont be a sissy boy ,why are you scared of that woman?
I think if I had a half a sip of beer in me, I would have been sleepin with the beagle that night.(in my new yak ofcourse)
Plan "B". I figured If I'm not going to have my own yak I'm going to need to rent one. Try finding a angler model yak for rent. I couldnt find a single one. Plenty of frenzies and scramblers but no fishing models. I decide that I need to make up a fixture to strap to a scrambler that will hold lots of tethered rods, boga grips, gaffs, clubs, dehookers, and anything else I might need to catch anything from pogies to bluefin tuna.
I made my fixture up to hold up to seven rods, or less rods and other gear in the holders. Five of the rod holders have
1/4" gimbal pins and the whole unit is constructed out of pvc
pipe and a couple of pieces of 3/4" Koma boards (pvc boards). All stainless hardware, and all joints glued and screwed.
I got the dimensions off Ocean Kayaks site to cut notches for a ratchet strap around the hull. I would also use a bungee doubled around from anchor point to anchor point (front to back) on each side.Off to Nags Head we go!
Stop at TW's and buy a coastal license.recieve my rental yak, and get ta riggin. The closer I get the more butterflies I get in my stomach.The original plan was for my 15 yearold son to go with me, but he got a case of the nerves and decided against it. I'm actually glad that he did, I'm old enough to be responsible for my own stupidity and I could never forgive myself if something where to happen to him.I wake my boy up at 5am. I cart the scrambler to the Albatross street access and we carry it up the steps and over the dune. As soon as the boat hit the sand at the base of the steps my boy says
"well if you got this i'm back to bed". Hold on boy! Atleast keep an eye on me til I clear th breakers!
I push the boat out waist deep, jump on and flop off. Second jump and I'm on my way. The wind is light probably 5mph or so out of the sw and current is pretty strong from the south.
I head south maybe a couple hundred yards short of Nags head pier and a couple hundred yards eastof the end of the pier. Absolutley awsome. I'm looking for bait and breaking blues but the 64 degree water must have them elsewhere.
I move in and out of the swells and back south casting a gotcha all along the way.Not a single hit, but I dont care.If Iwhere to catch some bait and deploy it I'd get a hole new
case of stress and anxiety over how I'd handle big fish in a yak. I learned alot on the first trip out. Keep your drinking water to where you can get to it and have something to pee in unless your confident enough to stand or kneel or dont mind wettin your drawers. I held it for four and a half hours
and was so dehydrated My mouth felt like shag carpet. The water was right in front of me but I was to scared to crawl up and get it. Re-entry went good and Ichanged things around for the next two trips out and was able to drink and urinate at will.Ah Heaven. The week over and not so much as a blue for bait, But thats allright I fell in love with a new way to fish for me. Ill Be in a yak real soon in the middle chesapeake gunnin for stripers, and at MP10 again next year with a little more confidence and no complacinsy I hope. Thank all you individuals who post information, It really is priceless to learn from experience

[Tenacious]

Thanks for sharing your experience, great read and better luck next time!!!

[Jaydog]

You'll get them next time John. By the way, check your messages on here, I sent you one