Subic on Kayak [9-20-09]

Every time I go out fishing, the most common problem I encounter is getting to the best spots. I always had to settle fishing on the shore together with the rest of the anglers. When fishing salt water or estuaries, getting a boat is almost always a must. But in most cases, there are no available boat or renting a boat will cost you an arm and a leg.

I first got the idea of kayak fishing when browsing Youtube's Chew-on-this episode featuring fishing on a kayak on one of Florida's estuaries. It was amazing! The angler can crawl very near the tarpons and snooks without spooking them. It was an spectacular concept --- paddling on your own, fishing wherever and whenever -- salty rivers, marshes, lakes, surf. No limitations except the capacity of the kayak and the skill of the kayaker.

There was a hitch, however. Kayak's are relatively expensive in the Philippines. Aside from being expensive, there are very few dealers of such watercraft. This means, there are very limited choices.

Last weekend, I finally got my wish. It is an 11' 2" Ocean Kayak Scrambler. I got it second hand through the help of my brother in law. Yesterday, I got to test it in Subic's Malawaan Fishing area. It was pretty stable and fast enough for my needs. It is not yet rigged for fishing so I need to fabricate the accessories such as paddle leash, anchor trolley, drift sock, dry boxes/bags, and rod holders. Still, even though it is not yet fully rigged, I had tons of fun.

I was able to explore the estuarine rivers. It was an amazing experience. So serene and at the same time exciting --- and then my brand new Fenwick HMG with Carbon Veil technology broke for no apparent reason! But that's another story.

Pictures courtesy of Dowie and Anthony. Thanks.