Noosa Yakkers News July 2013

Base pic: Sunshiner. Noosa Yakkers at Jew Shoal, 6Ju13

PUBLISHED 04Aug13

Hi there yakkers

Take a look at Pedro's new invention publicized for the first time here (story below). Fishos in general, and kayak fishers in particular, are great innovators, I have found. Probably this is because no two rigs and situations are exactly the same. It could also spring from the fact that kayak fishing is a relatively new way of hunting for fish (in the modern world at least although there are plenty of examples of our distant ancestors making a living from tiny boats) and so there is lots of potential for new devices to be "thought up". I'd be surprised if you didn't have some individual small but important inventions on your yak. And the ability to pimp our boats and make unique and smart changes is another attractive aspect of our wonderful pastime.

We wish you well with your invention, pedro.

Now, the weather's looking better, so let's get out and get some fish. My freezer's empty! Incidentally, last September one of our members caught a Spaniard in September, so don't forget to hang a hard body out when you're travelling between the beach and your fishing spot (presuming you make it safely through the surf).

Take care but have fun

Kev



Hello Yakkers,

It was another pretty lean month for offshore fishing in July with the conditions dominated by high winds, big swell and rain. The rain we can live with, but the wind and swell made boating a rarity. As a result we recorded only four trips taking our tally for the year to 68.

The only recorded catches were by Pedro (cod and snapper) on Jew Shoal and Owie (flathead and bream) in the Noosa River.

Some of my selected photos below.


Owie's flathead


Pedro's rainbow

Well that's about it folks, until next month…

TurtleBoy

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Pedro's Rod Bag
by Pedro

NECESSITY is the mother of INVENTION

My rod bag idea was born after four years of launching and landing through the surf zone and either:

• removing the reels and stowing them, a process that takes up fishing time; or
• trusting my ability to stay upright with rods with reels in the rod holders (if you get rolled this choice always exposes the reels to a dunking in sandy water, and of course the rods might get snapped).

The second option was usually my preference and the surf zone transit always got my adrenalin pumping. I had terrifying visions of getting hooked on the fishing outfits and being dragged along with the kayak, my reels filling with sand along with a danger of being impaled on the jagged ends of smashed rods.

Then I started slipping a drybag over the rigged rods from the butt end and tying it off above the reels. This provided some protection but if you were rolled, sandy water would still get in.

And so my rod bag was conceived.

This is the first prototype of my waterproof bag and it holds two 7-foot rods that are pre-rigged.

It's only had one trial run so far and performed well, although I did come in upright, which thankfully has been the norm recently. But one of these days, I know, it will get a proper test, as anyone who has launched at Middle Groyne will probably agree with.

There was some difficulty in pulling the rods out one at a time as being fully rigged they can tangle as rod tips get caught in runners and fishing line loops around anything it touches. This problem was solved by putting both rods into the bag together, and withdrawing them together also, being extra careful not to dip the reels in the water or drop one outfit as you do this (you could keep them leashed until they are secured).

That being said, I'm looking at a separation seam where the bag narrows to keep the tips of the rods apart. To eliminate the possibility of hooks puncturing the bag, a lure wrap of some sort should be used.



Depending on the make of kayak, the fixing points will need to vary, so the only fixing points on the first production model will be a D ring on the fold down end (butt end) and a velcro strap at the tip end. In the first pic you can see that the tip end is secured with the velcro strap by attaching it to the shock cord which holds down the front hatch cover. This velcro strap could also be used to fold down excess bag for shorter rods. I've also found this strap handy to make a large loop hung over the bow when removing rods when on the water.

In the first pic I've attached the bag in the middle with the paddle shock cord and I think that a couple of short shock cords with locking hooks just to make sure should be all that’s needed to firmly attach it to the yak.

At this stage I'm talking with a manufacturer in Brisbane to give me a price on 50 units.

So I'm interested in feedback from those who may be interested in purchasing one, as well as some general feedback on the idea (suggested improvements etc.)

Cheers
Pedro
Send an email to pedro

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Well guys, July has set a new record since I took the reins of membership coordinator. We have no new additions this month! (insert feelings of shock and horror here)… I can't really say I'm surprised, considering the poor conditions we have been subjected to, so let's just call it a minor statistical anomaly and move on…

To fill the gap this month, I'm going to briefly outline the way our mailing list works to give you all some insight into how it all fits together. It's not too scary, but there are a couple of things you may not be aware of.

The Noosa Yakkers' email list is currently hosted by Google Groups. It's a free service, caters perfectly for our small outfit's needs, and is easy to manage, maintain, and monitor. Upon signup (after you agree to all our scary conditions) I simply add your name, call sign, and email address to the list. By default I set everyone to receive all email, but there is also another option which I haven't really advertised. Some of our less active members choose to use the "abridged" mailing setting, which only sends you one email digest per day, provided that there has been email activity on that day. This reduces the number of emails you receive, and can free up your mailbox during peak discussion times. The downside is that during discussions about a trip or similar, you will be left out of the near real-time chat. If a trip is called off at the last minute, you may be left waiting, alone, in the car park. Ultimately it's up to you to choose which system to use, but the vast majority of our members are happy to receive all email, all of the time. If you would like to discuss a change, please email me directly.
The groups also have a running archive of all discussions we have had through the mailing list. Need to know about that useful rig Joe Bloggs used in March last year? It is there upon request, so please don't hesitate to ask!

I hope that enlightens you all a little, and here's hoping that conditions improve soon. I'm not sure if I can take too many more kayak free weekends…

Cheers!

Matt (Gemini)



Welcome to the Record Fish update for July 2013.

Hopefully the potential for offshore fishing adventures is on the improve with the outlook for early August so far being much more promising than most of July.

I have had only one submission so far this month.

Pedro has done it again. This time with another new species for our Record List.
The GoldSpotted Rock Cod (Epinephelus coioides) is also known as Orange-spotted Grouper, Brown-spotted Grouper, Estuary Cod, Greasy Cod or Spotted River Cod.

In his own inimitable and humble style Pedro sent me the following brief report with the accompanying photos:

"I'm submitting a claim for the gold spot rock cod I caught today 16.07.13 at Jew Shoal on two hook snelled pilchard.

The fish went 96cm. and weighed 14.5kg. On 30lb line. No NY witnesses."

Pedro's on water shot of his marvellous capture:


Gold Spotted Rock Cod on the tape:


Congratulations Pedro on another marvellous capture

Tight lines

Doctor Dog

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The Committee (in callsign order)







From top left, daveyG, doctor dog, eyetag, gemini, jaro, jimbo, pedro, sunshiner, turtleboy.

Noosa Yakkers News, June 2013

Base pic: Redwood. Winter launch, 16June13, at Middle Groyne

PUBLISHED 04Jul13

Hi there yakkers

Travel broadens the mind, they say, and there are many things I’ve learned on my latest trip to France. And out of all of those things there is one aspect that I think is worth passing on to Noosa Yakkers.





The lure pictured above is partly home made and is used successfully by my French friend Alain Chazot to catch meager (closely related to our jewfish) and seabass in his local area. The night I arrived at his home we sat down together and built several of them for our planned yak fishing trip the next day. We both caught meager the following day so I thought you might be interested in learning more about the lures and the techniques.


This is my first meager, and the first fish landed that day. Note the lure.

The only part of the lure that is truly home made is the lead head, for which Alain has made several moulds of slightly different sizes. There is no hook moulded into the head, only an eyelet of stainless steel wire. Bought online in bulk from a US supplier, the plastic tails are simply glued onto the flat back end of the head.

Both the treble hook, rigged as a stinger, and the main line are tied to the eyelet. As you can see, one of the trebles is embedded in the tail, mainly to keep the treble from snagging the main line while in use and to make sure that the hooks are in a good position to ensure a hookup on the fish.

We were using these lures in water up to 15m depth, but clearly they could be used in much deeper water, such as 30m at Sunshine Reef. Where we fished there was usually a tidal current, sometimes complicated by a breeze. We fished very close to the base of the piles of the huge bridge you can see in the pic below.



Now for the technique. Alain believes it is essential to get the lure right to the bottom, quickly, and keep it there, hence the weight of the heads which varied from 35gm to 53 gm (28gm = 1 ounce). So, once in position we simply dropped the lures straight down until they hit the bottom and then worked them gently so that they bumped the bottom and "bounced" along as the yak was carried along with the current/breeze. Most of the time the bottom felt sandy, but really close to the piles there were various snag hazards (fish structure) and of course these were the most likely places to hook fish, and, unfortunately, the structure. So fishing in this style does result in occasional loss of lures to structure, but I successfully desnagged my lure four or five times by manoeuvering directly above it and jiggling the lure before I eventually lost one, after many hours fishing.

Incidentally, I used the same reel I favour for snapper fishing with SPs, a threadline rigged with 6kg braid. Alain loaned me a rod similar to the one I use at home.

A couple of other points of interest. Firstly, when gluing the tails onto the heads I noticed that a strong glue smell lingered for hours afterward. On asking Alain whether he thought that perhaps the smell might deter fish he was firmly of the opinion that it didn't, and went on to prove his point by outfishing others using conventional SPs with built in scents! Secondly, as many of you know, I don't believe that colour matters at the depth we usually fish SPs so I asked Alain for his opinion (without telling him mine) and he quickly assured me that colour, in his opinion, doesn't matter, it's movement that does the trick.

Hope you found that useful. Now let's hope for some decent weather back because I have to get my snapper record back from Pedro, who knocked it off while I was absent.

Kev

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Improving your kayaking skills

(1) Noosa Yakkers' second and already famous (FREE!) Surf Skills Day is scheduled for Saturday 14Sep this year. DaveyG will preside and the guys from Stealth will likely attend, with spare yaks for those game to tackle the waves. Last Year's Event was a bottler, despite the foul weather, so get there if you possibly can. Details later.

(2) Safety Day, organized in Brisbane area by kayakone

"I am organising a Safety Day for SE Qld kayak fishos on Sunday 13th October. Details here.

"Great for all, experienced to novice. Several major suppliers/retailers providing demo kayaks and all the food and drinks for all attendees and their families/friends." Trev



Hello Yakkers,

Well what can I say? A total of only six trip reports of which four were local and two from our own foreign correspondent, Sunshiner, on duty in France. Photo below of Alain fishing the waters of La Rochelle, France. Photo by Sunshiner.



Back home in Oz, the month started on a promising note with Pedro landing a cracker of a snapper in the bay on the 6th and then Eyetag's night report of the 8th with mangrove jack, whiting and bigeye trevally.

Redwood and DC fished on the 16th producing a route pattern that resembled a kaleidoscope and IsoBar rounded out the month on the 28th with a special report on the advantages of also having a fishing SIK equipped to deal with heavier swell conditions. See action shot below.


Pedro's Snapper


EyeTag's Mangrove Jacks.


Isobar in action on his SIK

Bomber also validated his special article from last month's report about how to rig for Jew fishing off Coolum beach with fresh mullet strips. Nice eyes.



Well that's about it folks, until next month...

TurtleBoy

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Combination Sports
Kayaking and Ocean Swimming

by Doctor Dog

I am a relatively recent convert to the gentle art of kayak paddling. In my formative years I was a competitive swimmer and keen body surfer but when previously exposed to the opportunity to paddle a craft I struggled with the posture of sitting for exercise and suffered considerable lower back pain after even a short stint on the water. I have subsequently learned the benefits of yoga and of stretching my hamstrings to improve my posture sitting in a kayak. This has been a huge benefit to my comfort and endurance on the kayak.

My ocean swimming experiences have taken me all around the country to some fabulous water and are in no small way responsible for my combining my pre-existing passion for fishing with my newfound interest in kayak paddling.

In the early 1990s I started doing some shorter open water swims around south east Queensland with the triathlon leg at Noosa and Mooloolaba at 1500 metres as well as the Noosa Eyeline at 1 km.
I enjoyed the challenge over those distances but found that the fitter I became the further I wanted to swim. I was not winning events but was happy to be in the top 10-30% of the field. Some years I was keen and able to devote plenty of time to training so I aimed up and completed the Byron Bay Swim at 2.4 km and the short-lived Point Cartwright to Alex Surf Club swim over a similar distance.

Soren (now one of our fellow Noosa Yakkers) was responsible for getting me involved in the Island Charity Swim from Mudjimba to Mooloolaba out around Old Woman Island. At 11 km this event was my biggest swim so far -- I have subsequently done it twice as a solo swimmer and once as a support kayaker. I am this year planning to do it again on August 10 as part of a team from my current workplace.

The year Soren and I did the Island Charity Swim he made sure we were both very fit for the task and subsequently when I got to Mooloolaba I felt so good I could have turned around and swum back. This feeling sowed the seed of a niggling need to do an even longer event. With some of my family in WA involved in the Rottnest Channel Swim it was only a matter of time before I decided to give "the Rotto" swim a go.

On my first attempt I went as a dummy swimmer (I was not an official entry and swam alongside another swimmer in a wetsuit to pace myself and keep him company). For a lot of the swim I used fins but I made the distance and got a good feel for what was involved in a 20k swim in colder water than anything I had swum in previously. The Rotto swim is a FINA swim and as such only togs, cap and goggles are allowed - no wetsuits.

In 2005 I went back with a full six months of serious training under my belt and I spent two weeks training at Cottesloe in 20°C water just before the event. The temps in Laguna Bay were up to 27°C and the pool temps were as high as 32°C that February so it was poor acclimatisation for a long swim in 20°C water. I was doing 25-30 km swim training per week and it stood me in good stead as I was able to complete "the Rotto" in 5 hrs 33 mins and 3 secs. I was the 21st male swimmer and the 30th swimmer overall; I was beaten by a 13 year old girl but I made it.

In my humble opinion the Rotto Swim is the pinnacle of Australian Open water swimming and the spectacle of nearly 1000 spectator and support craft in Thompsons Bay Rottnest Island is breathtaking. Nothing beats the view from the Quokka Arms at the end of that swim and no beer and hamburger lunch has ever tasted so good.

For these long events each swimmer must have a support boat and a support paddle craft and it was the sight of these new stable comfortable plastic kayaks that got me interested in paddling a kayak.

In March after the February Rotto I nominated for a new event "Sydney Harbour Bridge to Manly" a 12 km swim in our iconic harbour. I was unable to complete that delightful harbour swim due to a massive blue bottle raft at the 9km mark just on the Manly side of Middle Harbour. Dozens of stings on my face and arms saw me haul out like a seal on the foredeck of the support kayak paddled by my dear wife Jane. The blue bottles were so thick she was picking them up by the paddle full as we struggled to get into clear water.

Last year I went back to Rotto but this time as a support paddler for legendary swimmer Chloe McCardel. Chloe came in as second female in Rotto 2012 but has since gone on to do a double English Channel crossing and recently made 11 hours into the Cuba to Florida swim before the stingers forced her to pull out. It was a privilege to paddle for her and it is not an arduous thing to do as swimming speed is slower than paddling.

So if an ocean swimmer asks you to support paddle for them give it a go I'm sure you will enjoy the spectacle and if it is a charity event like the Island Charity Swim then rest assured you will be helping raise funds for a special cause.

In my case it is for the Nambour and Currumundi Special Schools.

Read about it here Island Charity Swim

Thanks for reading

Mark (Doctor Dog)

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Well guys, June has been a slow old month for memberships. The lower temperatures don't help, but the foul weather isn't doing us many favours either. I am now convinced all school holidays are cursed.

We have had one new addition this month, bringing our total membership to 91. We're still on track for that century this year, and I expect the growth to increase as the weather warms up.

Now, over to our new addition…

Patrick Roach (Pi Seas)

Patrick is 61 years young, and hails from Sunrise Beach. Although yakking from his 4.3m Prowler is still a new experience, Patrick has plenty of fishing know-how from working on a game fishing boat off Hayman Island. He plans to join us offshore after he tests his kayak in the river for a time.

Cheers!

Matt (Gemini)



This month's report will be a two month effort covering May and June.
As your trusty "Record Keeper" I have been troubled only twice in the past two months and on both occasions it was the same angler.

The illustrious but ever so humble Peter Doff aka "Pedro" in May submitted his capture of a Black Spot Rock Cod. This was a new species to our list so on confirmation of its species identity I duly added it to our record list.

Here is Pedro's submission

“I'd like to submit a claim for a greasy rock cod caught on 15.5.13 at DIP on a spaniard special rigged with gar. The fish length is at 65cm. The current record list doesn't include this species and would need amending.”

Then early in June Pedro submitted this report to me

06.06.2013 Pedro - Peter Doff
"Caught this snapper at Jew Shoal today and submit it for a record fish claim.
Fish 79cm caught on pilchard, bottom fishing."


So Pedro has a clean sweep of record fish for May and June - his skill and patience are talents mere mortals like your scribe struggle to emulate.

Well done Pedro.

"Tight lines" and remember if you catch a memorable and potentially record fish then please measure photograph and submit it to me via email (within 14 days of capture) preferably with a reference to a second angler for verification.

Tight lines

Doctor Dog

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The Committee (in callsign order)







From top left, daveyG, doctor dog, eyetag, gemini, jaro, jimbo, pedro, sunshiner, turtleboy.

Noosa Yakkers News, May 2013

Photo by courtesy Pedro

Hello Yakkers, apart from our usual Membership, Record Catches and Fishing wrap up, this month's edition includes the following articles

• Bomber writes on how to rig up for catching Jew Fish and Tailor
• Interview with Jake Michael - Olympic kayaker based at Sydney University's School of Sports Science and Exercise

Also, back by popular demand, Davey G's surf zone paddle and water safety session coming up in the next few months so stay tuned for exact dates, location and times. Dennis Tocknell from Australian Kayak Specialists has also confirmed that he will bring his arena and some demo Stealth's for the Noosa Yakkers to try out in the surf.

Last year was a challenging event but the members are all better paddlers for the experience. A reminder photo below of the pre-briefing session at last year's event held in tough conditions on Noosa's West Beach.

Also coming soon, articles and video demonstrations of paddle strengthening and stretching exercises compiled by local masseur, personal fitness trainer, and new member, Owen Norris (Owie).

So sit back, grab a coffee or beer and read on.

TurtleBoy

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May is gone and Winter is upon us, but that just means it's time for some snapper action!  The trip reports this month were not in short supply, but the fish were a bit hit and miss.  Here's hoping for a bountiful season over the cooler months.

May memberships have seen the usual steady increase with one loss and two new additions, bringing our total numbers to 90.  Let's see who we have...

Alan Williams (Willo)

Alan is retired Tewantanite, and 61 years young.  Alan has little offshore experience, but is very keen to try his luck when he acquires a few more pieces of equipment.

Matt Carter  (Cybertech)

Matt is a self-employed computer technician and has lived in Noosa all his life.  A Viking Profish45 is Matt's weapon of choice, and he has modified it to suit his fishing style.

Welcome guys, and tight lines!

Matt (Gemini)

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Yakkers I have mentioned before my love of beach fishing.  The other thing that's great about it is that even when its a little too rough to get the yak out the beach still provides great opportunities for keen locals as we have some pristine waters up here.  When I fish the beaches I mainly only target 2 species, that being Tailor and Jew.  Of late the beaches of the Sunny Coast have been providing some great beach fishing and I have been catching some decent fish including snapper off the beach.  I will share with you what works for me but I will stress that I don't consider myself an expert just a lover of the sport.  I am willing to sit there all night in the cold for that one decent fish which is something that you must be prepared for when chasing Jew.

Rigging and bait -

Tailor -

I use 2 size 4 hooks joined together by a barrel swivel.  To the top hook I use a split ring to attach the hooks to a wire trace.  I then use some heavy mono of about 50cm which I tie to the swivel of the wire trace.  On the mono first is a rubber bead then a size 10 ball sinker then another rubber bead and finally another swivel, the beads protect the knots from the heavy sinker.  This rig is tied to the main line, I like to use at least 20lb line.  If you want to catch big tailor I only use flesh bait.  For this I buy bonito or mac tuna and I salt them down.  I leave them sit and freeze the bait in the brine and juices from the fish which toughens it up a bit but still retains its moisture.  I grew up using pillies but only started catching greenback tailor consistently once I started using decent flesh baits, I don't know why as I'm not a fish buts that what I and many others have found.







Jew -

For Jew I will start by saying that I have never caught one using a wire trace, not saying you won't but I haven't.  I use size 7 hooks on snell rig using a mono trace only which I attach to the main line with a swivel.  I then use a size 2-4 star sinker on a running sinker clip.  That's it, there are plenty of videos on YouTube if you want to learn how to tie a snell rig.  Of everything I have ever read and practiced only fresh bait seems to work.  I am not sure of anywhere on the Sunny coast I could catch some fresh squid so if anyone knows I would love some advise but I use fresh mullet, the best bait is fresh tailor if you catch one first.  When presenting your bait make sure there is plenty of the hooks showing.  Also I fish with very little drag on as the Jew will often just go for a run with the bait without actually taking it.  Even let them run for 20 seconds or so before tightening the drag and setting the hooks which is sometimes a test of a blokes nerves.



Gutters -

I am sure you all know what a beach gutter looks like so I won't touch on that but I will say that for me I like to fish on the shallow sand right on the edge of the deep water as both tailor and Jew will feed in the shallows especially when the have deep water to escape to.

Ok gents I sure there are plenty of you that are also keen and experienced beach fisho's and may dispute some of my advise but that's what's always worked for me so hope that helps a little for those that have never tried it.

Cheers
Bomber

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Hello Yakkers,

As pointed out above by Gemini, it has been a pretty quiet month in terms of the total catch during May despite the 10 recorded trips exceeding the lesser number of reports but more prolific May 2012.

The 2 most successful reports came from Pedro, Wendy, BigKev and the AKFF guys up at DIP and EyeTag's night on the Noosa River.

Open water catches included longtail, snapper and greasy cod with EyeTag taking bream, mangrove jack, bigeye trevally and flathead in the river.



Photos above and below of BigKev and Trev during the AKFF boys trip to DIP. Cold but happy !



TurtleBoy

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More than just an arms race, article by Charmaine Yabsley as published in the Sydney Morning Herald 23rd May 2013.

If you want to burn fat, improve your sense of self-worth and overall wellbeing, then pick up a paddle and head straight to the water. Kayaking is a great way to work out the entire body evenly.

The left ventricles of regular kayakers are 50% larger than those who are sedentary.

If you’re not comfortable surfing or paddleboarding, you can still hit the water for a top-to-toe workout, although this time you’ll be sitting, rather than standing. And while it looks like it is an exercise restricted mainly to the upper body, the entire body can burn up to 1000 calories an hour.

Body benefits

In research published in the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, researchers from the School of Exercise and Sport Science at Sydney University found that ‘‘ flat-water kayaking is characterised by exceptional demands on upper body performance’’ . This is good news for our heart and cardiovascular system, which also means good news for our waistlines. The same study also reported low levels of body fat and a body composition favouring lean muscle mass in Olympic sprint canoe and kayak paddlers.

So why use a kayak? ‘‘ Many people feel more comfortable in a kayak, as they’re seated within it, supported on either side,’’ says Olympic kayak competitor Jake Michael, from Sydney University’s exercise school. ‘‘ Using a double-sided paddle to propel the kayak forward, each stroke increases the velocity at which the kayak travels; each time you lift the paddle out of the water, the velocity slows down. This is because, the movement of a kayak, semi-submerged in water, is opposed predominantly by water drag,’’ he says. ‘‘ For the kayak to move forward the paddler must generate forces by the working muscles.’’

Even if you’re not competing in an event, or even paddling constantly, ‘‘ kayaking ... also improves the aerobic capacity and fitness of the paddler’’, Michael says. Aerobic capacity refers to the maximum amount of oxygen that the body can utilise during exercise, ‘‘ regardless of the pace’’ .

What happens to your body when you’re in a kayak

‘‘ Many people think that it is just the arms that are used during paddling,’’ Michael says. ‘‘ Paddlers also place exceptional demands on the entire body, from the large muscles of the trunk that rotate the torso, to the smaller muscles that extend the arm and, to a smaller amount, on the muscles of the legs.

‘‘ As your technique improves, you will find that the legs become important to assist with rotation. Because the legs are a much greater muscle group than the arms, a reduced strain is placed on the cardiovascular system when using these muscles compared to the arms. Thus, by incorporating the legs, paddlers can save energy in their arms and have the ability to extend the length of time they can paddle as well as get in a whole body workout.’’

How to prevent injuries

Because kayaking is not an impact sport such as running, where with each stride you land heavily on the ground, it is a safe and effective activity that can be performed by everybody. Some kayaks are double-seated , which means you can paddle with your partner, friend or child. And as you improve your level of fitness with each stroke, you are literally reducing your risk of generating an injury the more you paddle.

‘‘ However, with any form of exercise, the large force requirements, repetitive nature and postural considerations involved in paddling may place the structures of the lower back and shoulder joint at risk of injury,’’ Michael says.

‘‘ In addition, paddlers new to the sport often develop pain in the small muscles in the back of the shoulder and wrist. This may be due to technique problems and can often be fixed by a simple adjustment to the way the paddle is held.’’ Ideally, before you set out, have a lesson with an instructor to learn the correct techniques. This small investment may save you medical bills on the long run.

And there’s little chance of overexercising one side of your body, as can occur in other sports. ‘‘ Because kayaking uses a double-sided paddle, to get the kayak to move, paddlers will need to coordinate the left and right side of the stroke,’’ Michael says. ‘‘ This creates a strong core.. . as well as helping to stabilise the boat. Overall, kayaking is a great way to work out the entire body evenly.’’

All in the mind

Research in the Journal of Leisurability found that participants in a 12-week kayaking program reported elevated feelings of self-worth , confidence and adequacy. They also reported feeling better about their overall physical appearance. ‘‘ Depending on your goals and type of paddling you enjoy, kayaking can be peaceful and meditative or pedal-to-themetal-style ,’’ Michael says. ‘‘ Either way, it is a good way reduce stress levels and increase energy.’’


Charmaine Yabsley, Sydney Morning Herald

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Hello Yakkers, We have one record claim pending during May. More on that announcement a little later.

Tight lines

Doctor Dog


Well that's about it folks, until next month…

Turtleboy.

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The Committee (in callsign order)










From top left, daveyG, doctor dog, eyetag, gemini, jaro, jimbo, pedro, sunshiner, turtleboy.