Thanks HO,

And welcome

IMO there are a few that qualify as pros here.
Nothing wrong with that either IMO.
Again, I do not feel I am.
Depends on source definition: professional/pro.

I do believe we have more than qualified people here that can advise on the original question.

Do u have any constructive advise to offer Adan pertaining to the original question?

I gave him some constructive advice

If a "Pro Kayaker" has to ask off from their boss at the local auto parts store to go out, he's not a "Pro Kayaker".

WOW! 6 post and all of them negative. Looks like we have a pro-troller.

Here's a good tip - paddle out into the wind, that way your return will have the wind at your back. Probably the best wind advice there is.

2nd best advice - learn to paddle moving water. Being skilled on moving water will translate into much more confidence in your boat control when flatwater gets messy.

3rd best advice - if there's too much chop for you to be able to do a deepwater re-entry, stay withing swimming distance of the shore.

And since most people overestimate how far they can swim, even in warm water, cut that in half (at least) in cold water.

Okay, thanks again yall.

4th best advice don't paddle when it's too windy.

I think most people are capable of knowing what circumstances are too extreme and present a danger to them.

I admit there are some people that can paddle in some of the most severe weather you can imagine but when it comes down to my comfort and discomfort in the weather it is not complicated.

I don't like fishing in windy or cold weather that makes my fishing experience less than pleasant. I can handle hot days on the water but not the cold and/or windy. I can paddle in some windy situations but I can't fish without constant paddling and work. So, I just avoid those odd weather days when I can and enjoy the "good" days.

I've tried the off-shore fishing with big swells and it's just not that much fun while handling a 40 or 50 inch Bull Red or a 5 foot shark, so I wait. Same with in-shore or lake fishing.

I'm old and don't have anybody to impress so I just do the non-risk thingy.

HO,

Thanks

I agree!

Lots of good advise given and it's not just about kayaking in the wind that someone should think about.

I'm no pro as mentioned before I don't qualify since I've never fished to pay my bills, but I have fished nearly my entire life and I've made it thus far 65 years and probably seen more water conditions than a lot of much younger "professional" kayakers.

The most important tool a kayaker has is that thing between your ears, and just plain old common sense. Think about what you are doing before you take out, on the water.

It's important to realize you are the motor and the motor needs fuel and water. Don't let that motor overheat, and make sure you take water with you to stay hydrated as even in the winter you will loose water, and burn calories on long paddles.
Try to wear clothes that match the conditions and winter paddling you have to worry about hypothermia and you can fall victim even if you don't fall into the water. Summer time it's heat stroke and exhaustion you need to be aware of, and sudden storms with lightning in the spring.

Even a bright colored kayak is hard to see even on bright sunny days, and power boaters can get distracted, or not pay attention, and have a had time seeing you sitting low in the water in a kayak, so some sort of flag, bright paddles and clothing should be worn for safety at all times if in public waters.

A Quality PFD should be worn, and a sharp knife should aways be within reach, preferably worn, in case you flip and get tangled in your anchor line or someones fishing line.

Try to kayak with a partner, and always let someone know where you will be and when you expect to return, and a cell phone should always be within reach in a water tight pouch or bag.

Again, common sense goes a long way to staying out of trouble, and if you are unsure about something, then it's probably not the thing to be doing in the first place.

Any time you have to ask yourself "is this safe?" ,,,,

You probably already know the answer.

I personally try to stay of the water anytime it appears it is going to turn into actual work weather it is safe or not.

Tight lines, Phill

Strictly amatuer here.

I've lost track of time in my old age but around 2003 or 2004 about 150 kayak fishermen took part in the Rockport, Tx leg of the Extreme Edge kayak fishing tournament. At the captain's meeting the day before the tournament discussions of cancellation and safety issues were considered but as fishermen it was almost unanamous that we wanted to fish and the decision was eventually made to start as scheduled.

Temps were in the low 80s that morning if I remember correctly, sky clear to slightly overcast. The front hit 3 or 4 hours before forcasted as winds hit with a fierosity myself and others had never seen. Blasting at a steady 40 to 50 from the north, with some verified reports of winds to 70. If you were out there that morning you had about 5 minutes to make it to shore.

I was in a Tarpon 120 I had rented from slowride guide service, had never been in one before, having flown in from Florida. Luckily I was fishing near a small strip of spoil islands and pulled the kayak out of the water and got behind an old 10x5 wooden sign built at ground level to stay out of the rain. I was soaked before I could retrieve raingear. Temps drop into the 60's in a matter of minutes and I'm shivering. Wooden sign I'm behind is quivering like a stop sign in hurricane winds, kayak about to get blown away. Make a quick dash to get gear out of kayak, move my rods into the bushes and then go back to retrieve kayak to make shelter. I'm now chattering uncontrollably. I know I'm getting hypothermia. See a boat coming up the Intracoastal Waterway and run to water's edge to try and get their attention. I watch as boat captain never sees me from 20 yards away. Watch as boat with motor screaming wide open, headed directly into incredible wind, going maybe 20 miles an hour with three grown men laying down in back of boat, pass me by, boat captain with look of terror in his eyes doing his best to keep boat from getting hit by wind from anywhere but off bow. His stare dead ahead trying to see from the blinding rain.

Back to my windbreak, still cold, my dry bag only has raingear but no dry clothes.

The wind is constant, rain blistering and horizontal. Watch a group of 8 or 9 kayakers including women that are a quarter mile from me, hunkered down as well.

I lost track of time but eventually one of the guys from the big group makes a dash for his sit-inside kayak and is coming downwind towards me. It was the first break in the rain and that was all the encouragement I needed as I was nearly loaded by the time he got to me and determined that I needed to get warmed up fast. I put in just up current from a small cut in spoil island, water ripping at start of outgoing tide, made one paddle stroke and almost went over as water was running much faster than I could paddle. I never saw nor spoke again to the other paddler as he angled across Intracoastal Waterway, afraid to even chance the wind on my back turning me over if I turned to look. I chose to stay with wind directly at my back. So help me if I'm lying, but I swear that tarpon 120 eventually got up on plane as I held paddle out of water as you would control flaps on an airplane. Constantly adjusting left and right side of paddle by lifting or lowering to catch wind that kept me in balance. Thinking back I must have looked like the silly dude in Amex kayak commercial with his paddle movements to control my direction straight downwind. As I quickly picked up speed I watched my boatwake gradually pass out of sight behind me. I was flying and going too fast to even be able to stick paddle blade into water...with back of blades flat against the water it was like a water ski bumping over chop and the way I would eventually slow the kayak down later.

With current and wind both in same direction the ICW was flat,
Near the end of my route I've gradually edged over to the right side of the ICW where I need to turn into the waterway leading to the marina. I'm going too fast and worried any 90 degree turn to wind will knock me over. Luckily there is a bar or resturaunt (building) that was blocking some of the wind as I approached but that was soon to be the least of my worries.

Everything bad happened at once...I make a wide turn into the passageway as a big boat (Parks and Wildlife or police, I'm not sure)is headed out to rescue folks. As it comes out the wind protection the wind hits it broadside and pushes it into a seawall and boat dock as I watch folks fall out the back of boat and into the water. Right behind it is another larger boat with twin 250s obviously headed out to help rescue efforts, it almost gets pushed into the other boat and he hits his reverse and never see's me. He is coming backwards trying to stay off other boat as I fly by directly behind him. He missed me by inches and I'm not sure he ever knew I was there.

Lots of folks watching all this from the bar/resturant. I was damn lucky that day and felt I had just won the lottery making it in safely.

There were a lot of individual stories that came from that tournament and I would encourage all of you to look it up on TKF website. I later heard of kayaks that were being blown gunnel over gunnel across the water, folks abandoning kayaks and rescued by boat later, my own fishing partner that day (bear) sat in water up to his neck for hours staying warm and refusing assistance until others were rescued. Incredibly only one injury...oyster cuts on feet from someone trying to walk out.

I'm not saying there is any wind speed to avoid, just understand how bad it can get fast, how being wet and with wind will make you shiver, that hypothermia can hit you quick and to always pack a drybag with clothes and everything you need to make a fire. I've experimented with lots of plastic baits since then and they all burn great in a bind. Normally 2 to 3 minutes each, some as long as 5. I now carry a bag of old beat up plastics for fire fuel. Your DD22s and topwaters burn hot (use worms first)...and don't forget your tackle box and kayak are made of plastic too.


My shelter that morning.