IAN PICKERING
OCEAN KAYAK FISHING TEAM
My kayak fishing adventure started way back in 2005 when I was stood on a rock spinning; I wanted to find a way to get myself just that little bit further out, and a kayak seemed the obvious solution.
I live just about as far away from the sea as you can get in the country. The closest bit of coastline is probably Skegness, but there’s not much on offer there and, time-wise, it’s a similar journey to the stunning coast that is Flamborough Head in Yorkshire. Apart from the awesome scenery here, the fishing is fantastic, with excellent cod, pollack, bass, wrasse and thornbacks the target species.
The majority of my kayak fishing used to be for the table, and for years I had my cod and pollack blinkers on. The last couple of years, however, I’ve targeted other species for sport and had a great time practising catch and release.
There are now a number of sea competitions in the UK each year. The northern ones are usually biggest fish, while the southern are normally species hunts. I’ve entered most over the years and absolutely love them. I’ve learnt so much from other anglers, and the social side is legendary.
I currently fish from an Ocean Kayak Ultra 4.3, which, for me, is the best compromise between speed, stability and comfort. It handles the strong tides and big swells of the North Sea beautifully and has plenty of storage. Whether I’m jigging a shad for a cod, or bait fishing with a size 6 hook with some ragworms, I fish all year round off the kayak and love every moment and every fish.
I’ve recently started freshwater fishing for pike and perch, which, bearing in mind where I live, has certainly increased the amount of launches I make each year.