Learn to Kayak on the West Coast

Do you live on or near the West coast? Have you decided to try kayaking and feel you are in need of lessons? Or are you a veteran kayaker looking for a pulse racing adventure trip? Kayakers of all levels will want to check out Current Adventures Kayak School and Trips. Located in Lotus, California they kayak in Sacramento, San Francisco, Monterey and Sierra Nevada mountain areas. They lead kayak trips along the West coast and in other countries such as New Zeeland, Panama, and Costa Rica.
Do you prefer to kayak on rivers or at sea? Either way, Current Adventures Kayak School and Trips will meet your needs. The kayaking school covers river and sea kayaking plus kayaking certification programs. Within each type of kayaking they offer a bevy of different levels. For example, river kayaking lessons consist of three skill levels and a fast track. There are special clinics such as rapid descent, roll classes, safety, and kayak polo.
Do you want to earn kayaking certifications? Do you need to train for a specific kayaking event? They have ample training and certifications available which include: ACA Instructor training, safety/rescue, Eppies Great Race training, and Adventure Race training. The ACA Instructor training covers river and surf kayaking through instructor development workshops. Instructor certification takes two days and the instructor development workshop last three days. The Eppies Great Race training can be completed in either four or six sessions. The Adventure Racing training consists of a one day training session. After which, you will be certified for the paddling portion of the adventure race.
Kayaking is a great way to spend quality time with your children. They offer a family friendly environment specializing in kids kayaking lessons as well. Kayaking for kids is broken down by age group. They offer camps and other family/group activities. The entire family can take part in your kayaking adventure.
Kayaking trips through exotic locations are popular. They present a great list of locations to choose from. The trips can take place on rivers, lakes, and bays. You can pick from whitewater and calm water trips. Why not take a whitewater trip to Costa Rica? You will be able to enjoy the beautiful scenery and experience the vast rain forests. Vacation photographs from this trip will actually be a hit with your family and neighbors.
Whether you are a novice or skilled kayaker, Current Adventures Kayak School and Trips has a program that will benefit your kayaking skills. The clinics and trips are fun and add spice to your vacation. If you are considering kayaking on the West coast then be sure to check them out. Further information can be found at http://www.currentadventures.com/
Monica Marty is a kayaking fan and webmaster of http://kayakingisfun.com/ where you will find a Free directory and information on Kayaking
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A Hawaii Fishing Vacation

I really didn’t need a cup of coffee. Yet I find myself here, at Starbucks, across the University of Seattle, with coffee in hand wondering if there’s anything fun that can come out of today.
It seems ironic that we left the “high-eighties” in Hawaii thinking we were headed to the cooler, maybe even rainy, Pacific northwest! Instead we are greeted by temperatures that made what we left seem cool! With some time to kill while the students I accompanied here attend their workshops, it would seem a great opportunity to break away and enjoy the city. Seattle is a wonderful place and the quick drive into town from the airport last night reinforced my appreciation for the impressive architecture, the exciting waterfront, the greenery, and overall charm which I’ve admired on this and each of my two prior visits.
Today, I am in a different mood. It may be that the heat is intense enough to make any sightseeing pursuit more a feat of endurance than a pleasant pastime. Or perhaps I realize that anything that seems exciting…like the run out to Tillicum Village, or exploring the shores of Puget Sound or Lake Washington would only make we wish I had my fishing gear to really enjoy being here. But then, even if I did have my gear, I know neither where to go nor what to do to in these waters that are completely foreign to me!
So, I sit here in Starbucks, where the air-conditioned comfort seems more pleasant than anything else I can think of doing today. My thoughts drift back to my part of the world, Hawaii. I can’t help but wonder how many visitors to the islands are feeling this same, “it’s nice to be here but I’d really be just as happy fishing back at home!” I also wonder how many, like me, go through the tourist “must-dos” and bypass fishing altogether because Hawaii beaches, while great for tanning and swimming, seem just a bit too “foreign” to them!
For the fishing Mecca that Hawaii is, relatively few will do some serious fishing outside of the pricey options that grace the tourist publications that are literally everywhere you turn. Certainly, we’d all love to charter a sport fishing boat, but how many of us have the budget to do something like that more than once or twice? Most will agree that a day of fishing does not a vacation make. But a week or more spent doing our favorite activity in a new and promising environment could very well be the closest thing to heaven imaginable.
So how do you begin to prepare for a Hawaii fishing vacation? Read on, it might be simpler, more enjoyable, and less expensive than you think!
Get A Home Base
Looking at a condo or vacation rental home rather than a hotel room is a great start to setting yourself up for a serious island fishing. Aside from offering kitchen facilities and more space, condos or vacation rental homes come at a relatively lower cost than equivalent hotel rooms. And while the price of a rental might initially seem out of range, the actual number of people that can be accommodated in these units and the ability to prepare your own meals will result in an overall decrease in your daily expenses.
What’s more, condos and vacation rentals will allow you the full impact of your fishing vacation for you'll find, in Hawaii, the fishing experience goes far beyond the catch. If you’ve ever enjoyed the many and varied ways that fish is prepared in the islands, you’ll know that enjoying your catch at the table is as much a part of fishing as is the fight! The opportunity to experiment with different local recipes will enhance your vacation experience and the ability to wow your friends back home with some exotic (many quite simple, too!) dishes you've learned to prepare will probably be the most treasured souvenir of your entire vacation!
Try Some Local Fishing Techniques…
We could spend hours and not scratch the surface of fishing in Hawaii. But one or two days of purposeful (and genuinely interesting) investigation can get you ready for some serious fishing fun in Hawaii that is not only productive and exciting but quite inexpensive as well.
Pick up a book about Hawaii fishing and add to that a visit to the local fish markets and fishing supply stores to learn about the edible fish and which to expect in different types of waters.
Spearfishing
If you’ve developed some proficiency snorkeling or diving, visit any of a number of “mom & pop” fishing supply stores on the islands and ask them to show you a “Hawaiian sling,” a simple inexpensive spear with a rubber tube that’s probably the most popular piece of hardware for catching fish in Hawaii!
Many of us local enthusiasts started out with these simple spears and continue using them today!
Pole-fishing
If you prefer fishing from the shore, you’ll find Hawaii’s coastlines offer a range of different conditions for a variety of fishing techniques ranging from a simple hand-pole to the most sophisticated fly- and surf-casting! The small size of the islands make it possible to spend a day or two looking for possible fishing spots on one day, talking to fishing supply people and those you come across on the beaches… then going it on your own the next day! Before you realize it you’ve already enjoyed yourself touring the island… meeting island folks with whom you share a common love… and you haven’t blown a load of money trying to entertain yourself!
If you’re looking to cut the learning curve, there are a couple of shorefishing guides that can take you out for a day and provide you with a sufficient background in that time to enable you to go it on your own the rest of your vacation while feeling quite confident about what you’re doing.
Kayak Fishing
Fast becoming a sport unto itself, kayak fishing has become a venue for those with limited budgets and/or the desire to pursue an exhilarating form of fishing. Hawaii kayak fishermen are regularly boating such sport fish as amberjacks, tuna, dolphin-fish, wahoo, and more as well as smaller reef game fish that are equally enjoyable cooked up!
Of course it’ll take a bit more planning to set-up your equipment and plans for some serious kayak fishing but if it sounds appealing to you now, you might not want to do anything else during your entire stay. Everyone who’s done it will attest that landing a decent-sized fish on a kayak is an experience to which one can easily become addicted!
A Permanent Trophy
In the very possible event you land a fish worthy of permanent display, look into some of the local gyotaku artists. Here is a process where an imprint of your fish is made by applying a non-toxic paint to your fish then using the “painted” fish to imprint its image onto a piece of cloth. It’s an old Japanese method serving the same function as taxidermy which allows for the fish to be eaten. Yes, you can forever display your fish and eat it, too!
Just as it is fishing back at home, nothing can guarantee you’ll catch what you’re fishing for. But I’m confident that the time you spend planning for a Hawaii fishing vacation will be as enjoyable as any itinerary you've ever prepared and the subsequent trip might just be the paradise you were really looking for!
Yes... a Hawaii fishing vacation. Give it some thought because the possibilities are endless. I could go on forever but, perhaps, I can share more later. Right now, I think I’ll head down to the waterfront and find out what folks are catching on Puget Sound!
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The author, Richard Young, is the creator of Hawaiibeachcombers.com, a website about Hawaii beaches which includes Hawaii shore fishing, kayak fishing, snorkeling and diving, and freshwater fishing along with other ocean-related activities.
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Affordable Fishing Boats?

Many anglers would love to have a fishing boat but don't have tens of thousands of dollars to spend on such a thing. Most everyone knows that a fishing boat can cost a lot of money, and more than likely won't get used as often as one would like. There's always the option of purchasing a used fishing boat, which is much more affordable, but then there's the reliability problem. I bought an affordable fishing boats that was used about 10 years ago and that thing left my high and dry more than my ex-wife!
Purchasing and affordable fishing boat can be a challenge, to say the least. Although, about a year ago I came across a viable alternative for those of us who don't want to plunk down tens of thousands of dollars for a reliable fishing boat. That alternative is a quality inflatable fishing boat. I emphasize the word quality because quality is important. Quality means that your boat can withstand things like a dog's paws and/or rapids. Quality also means that the manufacturer offers free trial periods and/or package deals. I emphasize the word quality because quality is important. Quality means that your boat can withstand things like a dog's paws and/or rapids. Quality also means that the manufacturer offers free trial periods and/or package deals that include accessories and/or shipping and handling. Manufacturers that produce quality products stand behind their products with such offers, and that's what I'm referring to when I use the word 'quality'.
Inflatable fishing boats come in various styles from kayaks and canoes to pontoon boats. The fact that they are inflatable means that they are actually amazingly convenient. Imagine being able to take your boat with you to various fishing spots in the trunk of your car? Or imagine being able to float and fish down the entire length of your favorite river from the comfort of your own personal Foldcat pontoon boat?
The bottom line is that if you're looking for an affordable fishing boat, and inflatable may be the way to go. They cost a fraction of a traditional boat, and they're convenience will amaze you. Affordable fishing boats might as well mean the same thing as inflatable fishing boats. Take a look for yourself, and see what you think.
Trevor Kugler is Co-founder of JRWfishing.com Trevor has more than 20 years of fishing experience as well as 15 years of business experience. He currently raises his three year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country....Montana.
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