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Hi,
I have just joined the board after lurking for a while.
I have ordered an inflatable (Sea Eagle) kayak and was wondering where the best places to launch on Lake Mead are. I live in Green Valley and plan on fishing with spinners and flies. I also aim to launch at Willow Beach. Cruising around the coves with my daughter is also something I would like to do.
Any suggestions on where to go would be greatly appreciated.
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A kayak can be launched just about anywhere. I usually launch at Government Wash and paddle across Vegas Bay to Hole 33.
Also Boulder Beach is a good place to launch or Hemingway Harbor on the eastside of the marina. Stay clear of the PWC (personal water craft) side during the summer (west of the fishing docks), you will get run over by crazy jetskiers.
Sometime next month, the Park Service will be opening a new launch at Echo Bay. I've only seen it from the water but it looks like a good place to launch a kayak when it opens. The present launch requires a lot of paddling before you get out of the harbor. The new launch cuts a lot of that paddling out of the equation.
I've also launch at Boxcar Cove but the road is rough. I was able to get my Ford Focus down to the water but there were a few hairy sandy areas I had to make sure to keep the momentum going to get through.
I prefer to launch my kayak at Willow Beach east of the fishing docks. Park in the first parking space by the covered picnic tables and carry your rig down to the shoreline. Be mindful that PFDs are required to be worn at Willow Beach while on a kayak.
I started with an inflatible kayak. Just a few tips for Lake Mead. I suggest you wear a PFD, leash your paddle to the kayak and tether yourself to your kayak. A PFD is required for everyone on the kayak. You are not required to wear it but do so anyway.
As a canyon lake, Mead can generate winds quickly and inflatible kayaks will blow away from you faster then you can swim. Leash the paddle with a old cellphone charge cord or buy one at the 99 cent Store. See:
[url "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2DVj2kUeQ4"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2DVj2kUeQ4[/url]
The first time I kayaked while I was fishing, I dropped my paddle without knowing it and looked up after reeling in a fish to see my paddle floating away with the light winds. I had to paddle by hand for amost an hour to get downwind to my car for a spare paddle and then paddle back to retrieve my lost paddle. Save yourself the headache and leash the paddle. You may also want to leash your rods and anything else you don't want to lose.
To make a tether, use a short piece of small diameter rope tied to the kayak and make a loop to fit around your shoulder. For more suggestions on inflatible kayaking go to:
[url "http://www.inflatablekayakworld.com/tips-advice/essential-tips/"]http://www.inflatablekayakworld.com/...vice/essential-tips/[/url]
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Kayak fishing is where its at!! I try to kayak as frequently as possible it's so enjoyable and ideal for sneaking up on all species - After trying a lot of diff places that were either too far or too much of a pain in the ass to get to, I made gov wash my main launch - It's your best bet. It's close, central to a lot of great fishing spots and you can park right next to the water to set up
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Thanks so much for the quick and useful replies. Any tips on trolling from a kayak on Lake Mead?
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Never had any luck trolling from a kayak...but could be just me. Try drift fishing fan casting a crank /or use a three-way swivel rig on the bottom with cut anchovy or both if you have a two rod stamp.
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hahaha I'm the same as gnelson, I've never hooked into a fish while trollin from the kayak I have no clue why? BUT! I'm gonna mount a fish finder in it soon so maybe that'll change mwahahaha!!
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Glad to hear I'm not the only one with an unsuccessful trolling record.
I think it has to do with trolling too slow, not enough line out and unable to cover alot of water ( I wear out after awhile paddling). Also its hard to see your rod with it behind you so you can't see a hit.
I do troll as I move from one place to another with the hope I might snag something. Also I have a fishfinder on my kayak and it hasn't helped in the trolling department.
A fishfinder can be frustrating at times. You see the bait fish but no striper in sight or you see the striper but no bites.
I'm starting to believe its best to find a general area where you detect fish, drop anchor, start chumming and wait for the fish to come to you. I find with chumming you have to wait atleast a half hour or more for the fish to find you, if it at all. After about two hours of chumming and no takers, I'll move on to other holes.
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I have caught a ton of fish trolling from my kayak. Stripers and smallmouth mostly, and all on swimbaits, crankbaits and spinnows. Just put the mileage in, and you will too. Paddle a little slower than traveling speed, and hang just a bit off the shoreline. I have caught stripers trolling in the middle of nowhere too.
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Well, here is an update. I tried out the kayak today (noon), launching at Government wash and trolled a soft shad lure. 15 minutes later I landed my first striper, maybe a pound. I saw a couple of boils and hooked a larger one that broke my 4lb line at the 'yak.
Thanks for the advice, I had a great time![cool]
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Thanks for the update. I'm glad you were able to hook up. I'm assuming by "soft shad lure" you mean a Storm Wide-eyed Shad.
4 lb line-you are adventurous! Were you using an ultralight rig? You will really have to work your catch to land it with a UL rig. Let the fish take the line by setting your drag on the low side and use the rod to fight the fish by keeping the rod butt perpendicular to the kayak. Your rod should bend over for the fight but this will tire the fish faster then if you try to use the reel.
Keep the line tight and don't let any slack form or you will break off. You can also use the kayak as a drag by not anchoring or disconnect the anchor (I use a piece of yellow pool noodle as a float at the end of the anchor rope where I tie off on the kayak to disconnect and then return to it later).
If you get a really big fish it can take you on a sleigh ride
[url "http://youtu.be/6E9PSS6Nyvo"]http://youtu.be/6E9PSS6Nyvo[/url]
I hope to get a sleigh ride some day! I've actually been pulled by a 2 lb fish (only it was slow going).
Stripers like to fight at the end so be careful as you try to land one. It may act tired but will surge as you try to net it. Depending on the size of the fish, it may take you 15 minutes to land a big fish but its worth it for the thrill of the fight.
For striper, I don't use below 8 lb mono or braid line and use a medium rod. To me this is ultralight for stripers.
Good luck and tight lines
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I knew that 4 lbs was too light, it was the only flourocarbon I had and I wanted an invisible leader. To be honest I wasn't expecting to catch anything.
Attached is a picture of the type of lure that worked (from Walmart). What would be a suitable and economical type of 8lb line to use?
Would it be possible to see pictures of other good lures for trolling around Govt. Wash?
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[cool]I I usually use trilene mainly because I can buy it in the big spools. Another one is Izorline. I use it when low on cash. Both are good and haven't let me down yet.
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Flouroclear from Pline is just flouro coated and not 100 percent but I use it a lot and its pretty reasonable, like 7-8 dollars I think.
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300 YDS 8 lb P-Line Fluoroclear is $7.99 at Bass Pro.
Essentially it is mono with a fluorocarbon coating. I've used in with success but not for trolling. Usually I use 2-4 lb as leader for trout. Not sure is this applies to fluoroclear but fluorocarbon does absorb water and sinks while mono and braid float. If you are trolling a deep diving crankbait, I would assume fluorocrabon is good to get the crankbait down in the water column.
From what I've heard, stripers are not line shy so fluorocarbon may be an expensive way to go. Like others here, my go to line is Trilene XL. You can buy it just about anywhere and it runs about $5.99 for 330 YDS.
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