Newby in Wanganui with some Newby questions

[TheDansta]

Greetings all.

Taking the plunge and buying my first fishing kayak. Correction-bought my first fishing kayak. A prowler elite 4.5. Don't pick it up till Dec 23rd where I'll be taking up to doubtless Bay in the far north for 3 weeks to try it out.
Will be looking for a keen kayaker here in Wanganui over summer who could possibly show me the ins and out of getting out in the wild West Coast and then maybe even showing me where all the fish are at

Just a few questions to get me set up.
What should I buy for wearing while kayaking? Do most people generally wear neoprene or those bloody expensive sharkskin things all year round? Or just good ol togs and a singlet do me? Gloves? Leggings? I want to get everything I need now so I'm sorted for All seasons.

Also are EPIRB's an essential on the kayak? Or just a vhf? Just signed up for the vhf certificate course so I'll know how to drive it. I see I can get a vhf with GPS built in, far cheaper than an EPIRB. Interested to hear what youz think.
And could someone please suggest good life jacket to get?

Sorry lots of questions.

Cheers
Dan

[Kayak Adventures]

Hi Dan - Welcome to the kayak fishing community.
Probably many threads on here re clothing but my recommendations are:
Singlet and togs not such a smart idea if you want sun protection!
Neoprene also debatable - restricting, sweaty if you overheat and hard to remove if needing to pee!
Hat - wide brim - fluoro, better visibility and obviously sun protection.
Face - tubular face shields - wind and sun protection.
Top - yes Sharkskin can be expensive but keep an eye out for specials (we run them occasionally). Like the saying goes "you get what you pay for" and I am yet to meet someone who doesn't like their Sharkskin gear. They make the complete range for all seasons. Buy once and get it right!
Pants - Many brands available however we recommend Rasdex Adventure or Fishing depending on budget. Loose fitting, waterproof, sun protection and fish spike protection on your legs.
Gloves - Sharkskin do a heavy duty one - full finger but thumb and first finger open for ease of tying knots.
Boots - great range of these around - either soft or hard sole depending on your launch location (sand or stones).
Life Jacket - Our biggest seller is the BLA BladePro one. Quality, comfortable, good amount of pockets to carry phone, VHF and some fishing tackle. Something you should really try on at your local shop as need to get the fit 100% right.
If going out on your own a personal tether may be a good idea (attaches to your life jacket and the kayak). Also you may want to practice re-entry on your kayak (without fishing gear on board!!) so you are comfortable doing this on your own in case of capsize.
Two forms of communication are always ideal - you don't always have cell phone coverage or battery can run flat.
Leashes are another must - "Leash it or Loose it"! Believe me working in a tackle store it is quite surprising how many people still don't do this and come in to buy another rod/reel combo!! Also watch Rob's You Tube shows - heaps of good tips on there to help get you started. https://www.youtube.com/user/NZkayakfishing
Hope you find some others to go out with in Wanganui - have fun.
Cheers
Janet

[TheDansta]

Hey Janet,

Thanks heaps for the excellent reply. Lots of info there for me to look into. Just going to check out the link too. Very helpful.

Cheers

Dan

[dedant]

Yes to everything Janet said
Cheap leggings and a sun proof long sleeved shirt and gloves will save you from the horrors of maximum burning you can get when sitting so close to the mirror effect of the waters surface over summer, add a stowaway style waterproof / windproof rain jacket also. Have fun out there and be safe.

[FatherOfMany]

I have these really cheap cycling pants off ebay or AliExpress that I wear under shorts in summer. Not gonna help you find a wife while fishing, but perfect for sun protection. And they were cheap enough that I didn't care cutting a hole in the front (covered by the shorts of course) to do my business while on the yak.

I have a custom made top because I doubted at the time that I'd get a standard size sharkskin to fit me. However, as Janet said, I have never heard of a sharkskin owner who didn't love it, so probably if you wanna splash out, go for one of those.

Doubtless Bay is stunning, you're going to love that!

[TBreezy]

I also wear cheap leggings under my shorts for sun protection and either wetsuit booties or shoes depending if I'm landing on rocks or not. In winter I'll chuck on some woollen socks too, but usually after launch!

In summer it's a long sleeve tee and a wide brim hat for sun protection and in winter I add a woollen jumper or thermal and a waterproof jacket for warmth. I like wool because even if it gets wet it still keeps you warm. Yes, I guess it would be heavy if it got wet but I haven't yet had the pleasure of wearing a completely soaked woollen shirt.

Even in winter, the wool usually comes off once the sun comes up, it gets way too hot!

[TheDansta]

"And they were cheap enough that I didn't care cutting a hole in the front (covered by the shorts of course) to do my business while on the yak."


I've never actually thought about this issue before! Thanks for the heads up