Kayak fishing light line techniques

Kayak maestro Stephen Tapp goes back to the future, leaving the anchor at home and dropping to lighter line  – and gets his just deserts!
I’m sitting here contemplating a selection of bruises, a burnt thumb the security scanner won’t recognise, and an assorted selection of cuts and scrapes – just the sort of thing you’d expect after being in a brawl!
However, these aren’t the result of some dark carpark escapade, instead the damage was suffered during a session chasing big… more

Kingfish Tips- Jason Kemp

Kingfish tips from the experts
Northland based Viking Kayak angler, Jason Kemp has been rewarded for all the hard work targeting these awesome fish. In this post we call Jason and ask a few questions on his success that might help you land one, along with tips from Stephen Tapp & Milan from Big Angry Fish. 
Here are a few pointers from Jason Kemp. 
Where to find them
Things to consider before planning your location.

Reef Structure
Strong Current
Early Morning
Rod & reel… more

Kingfish off the Profish Reload

Getting out on the water feels primal. I’m only a year into kayak fishing and with every journey out into the ocean I grow a deeper understanding and a connection to its powerful life force. Just like me, the inhabitants of the ocean are all looking for their next meal. Using the food chain to target the Mighty King has seen some good mid-morning catches this March.
Up until recently I hadn’t exclusively fished my local spots for Kingfish using live bait. Over the summer I pulled one into the yak from the… more

Hunting big snapper out of the kelp this winter

Hunting big fish out of the kelp this winter
Stephen Tapp has proven time and again the effectiveness of fishing in close, resulting in some great catches over the winter months. With Covid 19 restrictions, the idea of kayak fishing in close might just hold a lot of appeal after reading these great tips.  Make sure you share your catches with us in the Viking Owners Group HERE

Update: many of these tips are around bait usage as that was the theme at the time of writing these. The techniques can be substituted… more

Live Bait Fishing For Kingfish

The simplicity of live baits
This kayak fishing report from Stephen Tapp and Milan from Big Angry Fish, covers the simple and effective technique of live bait fishing for kingfish from the Kayaks and how the Viking Profish tackle pod system can help you land the fish your targeting.  
As with all great fishing stories it all begins with a short notice phone call from a mate…
Milan “want to target some kings tomorrow?” -  ..no reply needed,  mad scramble to assemble the Profish Reload… more

Catching Longtail Tuna

Trip report from sales manager Jason - First Longtail Tuna from the kayak – After many hours on the water last season trying to land a Northern Bluefin (Longtail Tuna) with no success I finally landed one this season. Thanks to a culmination of those hours on the water and advice from other Sunshine Coast anglers my first attempt this season ended up with a 9kg Longtail on the line.

Here’s the report, full video below also.

Maroochydore was boiling with Tuna so even though it was blowing 15knots… more

How to get back on your kayak guide

“How to get back on your kayak” a question we get asked all the time by first time kayak buyers. This guide is a brief run through how to get back on your kayak if you fall off. Anyone can do this and all you need is practice.

Righting the kayak
If your kayak is upside down these are the steps to take to right it, there are 2 ways you can do this. Push Pull & Body Weight momentum.
With either technique, to avoid tangles and injury make sure all leashes, ropes fishing hooks etc are identified and… more

Hot Kayak Fishing Tuna Action

Paddle leashes are great bits of gear when things work against you, in this case saving this outfit from heading to the bottom – just be sure you don’t overreach yourself trying to make the save!
Recently I had another hot tuna session off Taranaki successfully boating multiple albacore as reward for the days paddling effort. To add spice on light tackle I even managed to entice a few small kings with trolled lures. At around a meter long they were definitely in another league as their sheer brute power… more

Kayak fishing light tackle - setting up to go light

Kingfish of any size can be a handful, but even a modest fish such as this light tackle specimen captured in just a few meters of water behind the breakers will stick in your mind for a long time.
One of the real joys of fishing from kayaks is the ease with which we end up on a “Nantucket sleigh ride”. Even a modest sized fish can have us moving against the wind, while larger fish can end up totally relocating us before the battle is done. This adds a dimension not experienced in larger craft as not only… more

Deep water kayak fishing..

It’s not always about the glamour species, the humble gemfish on lighter line is fun and makes great table fare
Into the deep
My calendar at this time of the year normally has as many weekends as possible blocked out in anticipation of the snapper run. Light tackle is tuned and grab bags made ready to make the most of any weather window to hit Bream Bay, the Bay of Islands, or Doubtless Bay. The lure of having large fit snapper dragging rod tips deep into the water beside the kayak usually has me thinking of… more