Albany Newbie - Yak

[AaronB]

Howdy folks!
Just got a kayak and am looking forward to trying to catch some stripers from it on the Hudson in the Albany area from about... Troy Dam to Coeymans. Most of my striper fishing has been downstate surfcasting or from charter boats. Also, I am new to kayaking.
Suffice it to say that I could use: (1) some local advice, and (2) company on the water(safety in numbers!).
Let me know if anyone is interested in hooking up for a few hours on the water whenever the [email protected]#[email protected]# weather improves.
-Aaron in Albany

[JakeF]

to the site Aaron!

[dlangan]

My son and I are experienced yakkers. But most of it on the coast. Can't say I know the Hudson for stripers very well but would one day like to. Tomorrow we may run to Croton before the snow.

In any event, you are more than welcome to join Joe and I sometime. The best advice I can give is get out in your yak where there is no current first - say the Mohawk? At first doing anything in the kayak seems awkward. In a short time everything feels second nature and you wonder what took you so long to get one. What did you get?

[AaronB]

Thanks for the offer to join you. I would like that.
I got a Tarpon 120 and like it well so far - except that I noticed 2-4 cups of water in hull after taking it out on Thompson's Lake this weekend!! I now need to call the manufacturer.
Hopefully the weather will improve soon!
-Aaron

[dlangan]

Tarpon 120 is nice. I've paddled that a bunch of times. Hole in the hull - bummer. Wilderness Systems is reputable, they should help you out. Worst case, you can get a kayak welder or use mine once you've found the leak.

I was at Croton Saturday. Depending on runoff I may wander about Troy -> Ravena this weekend, hours unknown...

[dlangan]

Not sure what you know or don't know.... so l=please don't be offended...

Pretty soon you are going to want to anchor - in current. Note, I said anchor in current, not flip, or anything of that sort....

I use a 5 lb. folding anchor (& even that doesn't hold well in currents I am comfortable anchoring in). My anchor line is placed through a big float. There is a stopper at the end of my anchor line so the float can ride the line freely but not come off.

When I anchor I am holding the rope in my hand. I do not tie down to the yak and see what happens... If something doesn't go right I can let go of the rope and, due to the float, not lose it. (Never had to do this but it's nice knowing...) Once I am tight to the anchor I generally just sit on the rope. I do have an anchor cleat to tie down to but this allows me to get at, or release, the rope very quickly. Should I hook a big fish and am too busy to pull up the anchor, I can release the rope and give chase.

So, the short of it. Put a float on your anchor rope. Always, give a little thought before you tie down your rope to your yak.