The wheels supporting the Hobie kayak rolled nicely as I guided the yak down the roadway towards the ocean. 12 feet of forged plastic proved easier to maneuver than I expected.
The air was cool and calm. The sun was going to rise in about 20 minutes, much later than earlier this summer.
September has arrived!
All Set And Ready To Go Just Before Sunrise
I rolled the yak down a hill and onto the wet cool sand. It was at this point I realized I ought to invest in some tires that are made to roll over the sand.
For now I opted to drag the kayak the rest of the way to the water, through the sand and rock, which according to Matt from Sturgis Boatworks is no problem at all for the Hobie (special thanks again to the crew at Sturgis Boatworks for letting me demo this kayak at no cost!).
I was all set and ready to go just before sunup.
Aside from a couple of seagulls I had the entire ocean all to myself.
I got the pedal drive all setup and functioning properly in no time at all.
Using the switch on the left side of the kayak I began experimenting with turning the rudder left and right, easily maneuvering the kayak through the water.
The learning curve was 5 minutes. I was happily surprised at how easy this all was!
I headed west down the beach in 15 feet of water. Since this was my first time ever fishing from a Hobie kayak I really had no idea what to expect. If I found some fish then great, and if I got skunked, well that would be OK too.
A Feeding Frenzy On The Horizon
For now I was content, moving at a decent clip through the ocean, with no engine noise to disrupt the moment. All I heard was the gentle lapping of water against the side of the kayak. This was a refreshing change of pace.
Up ahead on the horizon I caught glimpse of the orange morning sunlight reflecting off the wing of a bird. I looked closer and could definitely see a few terns and gulls hovering above the water some 500 or so yards away.
I picked up the pace, pedaling with much more vigor, now that I could see life in the distance. Could there be bass and bluefish feeding beneath these birds?
Sure enough there were fish breaking all over the place. The birds simply could not keep up. Fish were splashing all around me as I eased the kayak quietly into the blitz.
I do not think the fish even knew I was there!
The fish were smashing bait just a few yards away from me. I was at their level and felt like I could reach out and grab one of them.
I cast my offering out into the mess and instantly got hit. This was my first ever fishing trip in a Hobie kayak and it was turning out to be a morning to remember!
