I just bought a new pelican icon 100. I will use it at the coast in the bays and flats. I will try to fish the surf with it and run baits out. When I plan on fishing the surf I mean just beyond the breakers not to far. Maybe 200 yards. I'm excited and nervous about doing that. Guess I will just man up and try it. Any advice would be great.

thats a tiny boat for going out into the ocean.

I think it's a great boat for running baits. Not so much for landing big fish in the open ocean.

I would definitely recommend AGAINST just "manning up and trying it". You should hook up with some guys that are experienced and go with them. You can almost always find open invites down in the Galveston/Corpus areas on TKF. If you aren't sure what that is, PM me.

It's no joke buddy so don't take it lightly! A lot can go wrong... the ocean is a powerful force.

But regardless, welcome to the plastic navy!

Congrats on the new boat and enjoy it! Read yakkin aggies poats abkut his first byb trip. Its posted in here about how it turn into a near death experiance. Good read.

Thanks for the advice. I will use it majority of the time in the bays. Only run baits out when there is a couple of us fishing. When I talk abt BTB it's not really far. Only on a calm morning. 200 yards from the beach. Do y'all still think its a bad idea? Trying to get to the third gut. I've seen guys go out a lot farther. I will take y'all's advice and stick with it. Just trying to explain my BTB terms. I think it's crazy how far some of them guys go.

Most important advice: Always Wear your PFD

First, welcome to the Plastic Navy. I can't offer up any sound advice on BTB, as I've never ventured into the salt. I would strongly suggest reading the Epic Adventures post on Payne's Paddle Fish. Lots of useful, educational and life altering information there.

Are you new to kayaking all together?

+200

No I had a kayak couple years ago that we ran baits out with and fished in the bays, lakes, creeks. I missed fishing from one so decided to buy another. Got the PFD, paddle and anchor. Just ready to do some fishing now. I read that article and WOW.

have you ever tried to swim for 10-20 in the ocean
without touching bottom? im not talking about swimming across the sand bars (guts).

stop by & pick up a beach pass & make sure youve filled out
one of these. stick the beach pass to you front windshield & attach the other to your big toe.



under cause of death write: A LOT
its not just how far you go out that matters
or the name brand on the side of your yak.
there is a lot to factor in. no pun intended

moving water WILL generate currant.
currant that u cant see is the most dangerous IMO!
if u add hooks, line, big fish, inexperience, some waves, and a pelican kayak (which is for pond hopping NOT BTB angling)
to the mix... you've got a most excellent recipe for DISASTER!!!

to be FISHING "BTB" (Beyond The Breakers) responsibly you'll
need a veteran by your side to help explain, prep you and help if & when u need it. if u or anyone else is planning to do a lil "BTB" please get cha a yak that's
designed to fish BTB or stay out of the surf all together cause so much can go wrong in minutes if not seconds.
its your life we are concerned about here.

Oh, & "Paddling Out Baits" is pretty dangerous also.
Novice just don't understand why

Now thats funny right there

There are rentals designed to do BTB ! Talk to Yak'n Aggie ! A lot to know before you go. The ocean is no place for a novice, there are experienced men, who will gladly give you good advice and help you! We do not need any filled out toe tags! We all really do care about all of out safety ! SAFE + MORE SAFETY = FUN

There is SoooooooOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH INFO here on just this forum alone.

most lurkers will eventually say "hey everyone!!!
been lurken cause im cautious in nature! took you dudes advise though. bought my 1st yak today! The wildoceanjackhobiemali 13.333333 and wow! I like it a lot!
would like to know where is good to go in my area. can ya offer any tips for a rookie?
wouldnt mind meeting up for my maiden voyage. anyone going to lake, creek or river x? would like to learn the ropes n look forward to meeting a few of ya "

BOTHER YOURSELVES!!!!
read and do some research, so u know not to say...
"hey guys i bought the newest cheapest piece of plastic i could find as soon as i could, cause im a impulse kinda guy!
as soon as i get out of work 2day im planning on going where no yakangler has ever gone b4!!!!!"

baby steps man baby steps
go out on an open invite, heck join a thread. post some pics. share a story...but most of all live to tell the tell bra!!!

Well said Zombie! Can appreciate one who takes our sport very seriously.

Heck, I've only been kayaking for about a year and a half and I still have trouble yaking and fishing DFW lakes. Can't even imagine going BTB. Nuts!

The distance out is not the issue. I paddled 4 miles out to the oil rigs two days in a row and had absolutely zero issues. Went flawlessly.

Then the very next day I moved spots and went out 3/4 of a mile and almost died. Then the next day I FOOLISHLY tried again, this time sat only 200 yards out, and flipped again.

I had never flipped before, was in a more stable boat than I had ever been in before (and much more stable than your Pelican) and still flipped.

Things can go from "a calm morning" to "holy **** what's happening" very quickly on the ocean.

We aren't just trying to scare you bud, BTB is an absolute blast and I encourage you to try it, but DO NOT GO ALONE. Too much can go wrong too quickly. If you get tangled in your anchor rope, or get a shark leader wrapped around your foot with an angry shark on the end of it, it won't matter if you're 200 yards out or 20. You will drown. You need to have backup.

Also, in that boat, my biggest worry would be when you do hook into a nice fish and have it near the boat. That thing will not be hard for a shark or bull red or even stingray to flip if you aren't used to handling big fish at the kayak. It is a whole different ballgame than from the beach with 200 more things to consider. And it ain't easy from the beach.

Again, just my 2 cents. Take it from a guy who learned the hard way - take our advice seriously and learn the easy way. Find an open invite on TKF, this time of year there are people in that area going EVERY weekend. There is no reason to go alone and take that chance. No reason at all.

Let us know how you do brotha.