NEW KAYAK Feature Catches First SALMON of 2018!

It has been a long time coming but I finally landed my first Salmon of 2018, and from the kayak! I added a new feature to my kayak for salmon fishing this year and it proved extremely useful. Hope you learned a think or two from watching this video and please let me know if you have any additional tips! If you have a kayak of your own, I highly recommend checking out the downrigger (amzn.to/2LM3pz1) which can be utilized in both saltwater and freshwater.
Links below to the gear I used to make this video!
Scotty Laketroller Manual Downrigger: amzn.to/2LM3pz1
Watermelon Apex: amzn.to/2NCDBpG
Follow me on Social Media to stay up to date on all the new content coming out on the channel: / die.hard.fishing
/ official.die.hard.fishing
Fishing Gear used:
Shimano Calcutta 400:
amzn.to/2LGb3v2
My G Loomis Rod is no longer available but any 9 foot medium action rod should do the trick! Here is a similar rod that is a little heavier:
amzn.to/2OaI0kE
Kayak Fish Stringer: amzn.to/2q8Bkcw
Kayak Gaff: amzn.to/2uSFJVK
Kayak Net: amzn.to/2LLKOmK
Fish Finder: amzn.to/2EnYOPi
Wetsuit: amzn.to/2GZs7gk
Camera Gear:
Gopro Session: amzn.to/2tCoqqK
Gopro hat clip: amzn.to/2ssQ6Ou
Gopro chest mount: amzn.to/2sdS8Og
Gopro tripod: amzn.to/2t4F9RN
Gopro light: amzn.to/2oTE5Op

[@ishwithfish]

6:20 great example of how weird salmon bites are. they stay at depth looking upwards for bait fish, and they hit swimming upwards for a bit before taking off. that's why a salmon rod will unload first and then bounce like crazy. exact opposite of how bottom fish hit. great vid man!

[@DieHardFishing]

Thanks for watching! Yeah the first slack is from the line popping off the downrigger. After that, its game on!

[@norcalliving6210]

what an awesome video man!! You looked like a pro out there netting that fish with no trouble at all.

[@DieHardFishing]

Thanks for the support and thanks for watching!

[@MrMonkeyGeorge]

One salmon is better than no salmon. Great video.

[@DieHardFishing]

Amen!

[@NorthernKayakAngler]

Awesome video! Thanks for sharing

[@DieHardFishing]

Thanks for watching!

[@doctoredable]

I really enjoyed this video. If you rig your downrigger with 150 pound braid line you will have better depth control. You can also run a flasher off the downrigger weight and then your leader a few feet above that for more fish attraction. There are many ways to bleed a fish. I learned one 27 years ago when I was a deckhand on a commercial salmon troll boat out of Sitka that eliminates more than 75% more blood. Hope to someday show you that.

[@DieHardFishing]

Thanks for watching! I actually am in the process of switching out the Downrigger cable for braid now. More details in my next kayak salmon vid!

[@mothersdog3442]

Geat vid man and nice setup

[@DieHardFishing]

Thanks for watching!

[@chrisjohnson1440]

Nice one bro you played that perfectly man if that's your first salmon seems like you've been doing that for a while good job dude

[@DieHardFishing]

Thanks! It definitely isn't my first salmon but it was my first this year!

[@BudoFishing]

Nicely done! Downrigger worked out well! 👍😁

[@DieHardFishing]

Thanks, worked like a charm!

[@500dollarjapanesetoaster8]

Yes, that seems like the best way to go. As I recall, my dad did rockfishing (like 40 yrs ago), they kept the weight ball on, just cranked away. It seems wasteful and irresponsible to dump lead into the ocean every time you get a bite. I'm more surprised that this is legal in Calif, where every other form of pollution is swatted.

That damn downrigger (doing 7 different things at once...) I just tested my beta version of a kayak portable ELECTRIC downrigger. Tested it yesterday, it's spooling up 2-3 ft per seconds. I'll keep working on it and someday release a video

[@fishthepacific4312]

Nice catch and gear! You certainly can’t blame the gear for not catching fish. Shimano Calcutta 400...oooh, watching your video is to getting me closer purchasing that baby.

[@DieHardFishing]

lol, yeah it worth the month in my opinion. I have caught everything from Halibut, salmon, striper, lingcod, yellowtail, and much more on that reel!

[@Outwestwithchris1]

Nice job and solid explanation of the down rigger!

[@DieHardFishing]

Thanks Chris!

[@achu717]

@@DieHardFishing what's the weight of cannon weight you are using on downrigger?

[@DieHardFishing]

it is a 4 pound weight

[@theyakuza4927]

Another great video. Have you seen any BIG SHARKS out there ? Sorry I missed you at the >F tournament, maybe next time. Hope you got the goodies I left for you. Tight Lines.

[@DieHardFishing]

I haven't seen any but I know they are out there. Jun showed me the pics of the stuff. I am going to get them from him the next time I see him.

[@bryanluperose1688]

Another great video bro

[@DieHardFishing]

Thanks for watching!

[@michaelhuynh5556]

Do you like that fish shaped weight for your down rigger?

[@ButeoLineatus]

You still like that fish downrigger weight shape or did you switch to canon alls

[@bankmaster5104]

Good fishing my fishing friend keep it... next I'm out in a rent a kayak

[@DieHardFishing]

lol, see you out there!

[@shotgunaaron]

Way to go!

[@DieHardFishing]

Thanks!

[@quinnsouthall6633]

Can you catch Salmon trolling in like 60-70 feet of water off the Capitola pier?

[@ocrun6765]

How did you mount your downrigger? Is it in a rod hole or drilled in to the wall?

[@FishingChanneltv]

6:35 feeding time for you and for fish lol need to try that, next fishing I will bring some cookies

[@DieHardFishing]

Works every time!

[@69UNDERARMOUR]

Great video!! Out of curiosity, do you measure to the fork of the tail? Or to the tip? Plz lmk!!

[@DieHardFishing]

To the tip!

[@omnizzle07]

Not sure if you're still using the steel cable that comes with the downrigger but if you switch to ~80-100 lbs braided spectra line you will get rid of the annoying hum that comes from tensioned steel cable!

[@DieHardFishing]

Someone else told me that same thing! I might give that a shot next time!

[@HazardousCliff]

Awesome chrome! Are you part of NCKA? Many have been slaying it there.

[@DieHardFishing]

Thanks, yes I am. Been seeing everyone catch them so it was time to get in on the action.

[@target.fishing1015]

Nice video, have you seen (Brad's cut plugs)? They're like an apex but you can put bait or scent inside, might be worth a troll.

[@DieHardFishing]

I have actually seen a few videos with those and was thinking about trying them out. Do you have any hot colors?

[@target.fishing1015]

Die Hard Fishing, the watermelon pattern you have been using seems pretty hot where your at, they have one with the same pattern, I was just wondering if you used that with the added bait scent if you would get better results?

[@fishingtimeletsgo598]

Awesome catch wish I had the guts to fish in the ocean on a kayak probably not going to happen I will just enjoy you busting those salmon

[@DieHardFishing]

lol, yeah it is definitely some work to get out there.

[@israelrivas134]

Awesome!

[@DieHardFishing]

Thanks!

[@MoreThanFishing]

Very nice catch! However it seem like a lot of work😓 so many thing going on at the same time, I got tired just watching it lol. Great job on landing it!

[@DieHardFishing]

I can't lie, it is a lot of work to get out there. Once the fish hits, it's game on!

[@wizzle89]

how deep can you fish with that down rigger?

[@Eli-dc1mf]

congrats!

[@DieHardFishing]

Thanks!

[@jpwills1]

I suggest using a mooching set up since your fishing fairly shallow depths.

[@DieHardFishing]

Thanks for the tip!

[@tamalpias]

Good work Adam! Did you see many other kayakers out there or was it just you and a few party boats?

[@DieHardFishing]

Yeah there were a few out there.

[@BayandBeyondFishing]

Nice!

[@DieHardFishing]

Thanks!

[@carlosfung5780]

Hey Adam, great job catching your first Salmon of 2018. How did you mounted the downrigger to your kayak, did you used your side rail tracks or bracketed it to the side plastic of your kayak. Also, although you mentioned it in another comment that you placed your rod in a rod holder in the back, and you were not worried about a fish pulling your rod and reel down it might be a good idea to either leash the rod or wrap it with a piece of pool noodle. I don’t want you to lose your nice stuff. Great video Acquaman, as always

[@carlosfung5780]

Also, forgot to ask you which reel do you like best, the Calcutta or your Torium. Do you prefer one over the other based on the type of fish you are targeting ? Thanks, always learning from your experience.

[@DieHardFishing]

Thanks for watching! I have a scotty mount bracketed down on the side of the kayak. I prefer the Calcutta when fishing with lighter tackle and prefer the torium when fishing with heavier stuff. For example, fishing 200 or more feet down for rockfish/lingcod I definitely prefer the torium because cranking the fish up is much easier.

[@josephsaeteurn9158]

Nice going! you should definitely do more kayak fishing, bigger and better potential fish you can catch. at the end of video, many birds at the surface.. did someone threw all their chovies away? the only thing i will add is that i did not see VHF handheld radio. that is a must for any one fishing out on the deep blue (boaters, kayakers) and i think they should make it a fishing regulation like a fishing licenses. i never go without one and i never go solo anymore.

[@DieHardFishing]

I will definitely be out on the kayak again soon! Thanks for the tips and for watching!

[@felixcontreras82]

Nice

[@DieHardFishing]

Thanks!

[@vaajrambo2053]

Nice, fish dont eat unless you start eating... that happens to me all the time. How long was you trolling before you got that guy?

[@DieHardFishing]

Works every time! I was about an hour and a half in to the troll

[@connorrust1260]

How much line do you let out before attaching the down rigger to the line

[@DieHardFishing]

About 20 feet

[@tomi1964]

Salmon!!!

[@DieHardFishing]

Yayyyyy!

[@johnchang8652]

man you are all over the place catching that salmon.

[@DieHardFishing]

hahahaha yeah it wasn't easy!

[@achu717]

Can a spinning salmon 8'6" rod do the job?

[@DieHardFishing]

I prefer the conventional setups for salmon in the ocean but the spinning setup can definitely get the job done!

[@rudycarreon3199]

asked that question before the end of the video. should have waited until the end.

[@SuperGonzalesj]

Where do you usually launch your yak when in the surf?

[@DieHardFishing]

Anywhere possible, lol. I have fished anywhere from Monterey bay all the way up to Pacifica in the kayak.

[@SuperGonzalesj]

Die Hard Fishing do you launch from a launch ramp usually or from the surf

[@DieHardFishing]

I do both but launching from a launch ramp is definitely easier!

[@camcam3087]

Great video and nice fish but you had me on edge with your rod sitting like that without a leash or anything. If you hook a thresher or sea lion bye bye expensive setup.

[@DieHardFishing]

appreciate your concern, haha. It shouldn't be going anywhere when it is in the rod holder though.

[@DGAF2000]

Wow that whale was crazy close

[@DieHardFishing]

Super close!!!!!

[@DGAF2000]

Die Hard Fishing yea man I’m in Los Angeles this year was crazy with the grey whales. I was about a mile out and had one breach about half a football field away and it spooked me.

[@DieHardFishing]

Yeah can be pretty scary, especially in the kayak!

[@WDB705]

What make of kayak are you using?

[@DieHardFishing]

It is a Hobie outback.

[@mtan1377]

Hi Adam, would you say it's productive to surf fish on cold days? It's been cold and foggy by Ocean beach these past few days.

[@DieHardFishing]

Yeah definitely! I prefer the overcast weather when fishing the surf.

[@achu717]

Can you film under water with the downrigger ball next time?

[@DieHardFishing]

I have seen some videos with that and they look sick. Hoping to give that a shot next season!

[@achu717]

See if you can get a GWS on the camera. :)

[@DieHardFishing]

I hope not, lol

[@achu717]

@@DieHardFishing there is one GWS. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gZ66fKN7hduLmZY

[@soupinhyperspace3179]

What kayak are you using?

[@DieHardFishing]

Hobie Outback

[@soupinhyperspace3179]

Die Hard Fishing thanks! Keep it up.

[@TheTrace977]

What kind of kayak do you have?

[@DieHardFishing]

It is a Hobie Outback.

[@TheTrace977]

How does it do if it starts getting a little rough? Do you still like to stay out during bad weather?

[@DieHardFishing]

Definitely not! I would never test bad weather in a kayak.

[@kennys223]

Where are you fishing out of?

[@DieHardFishing]

This was on the central coast!

[@SpringbokDesigns]

Were you North of Pigeon Point? Its closed below that which is what is considered Central Coast right?

[@DieHardFishing]

North of pigeon point. Thanks for pointing that out!

[@krisgnoix1383]

Awesome!

[@DieHardFishing]

Thanks!