Trolling for Barracuda in the S4

By Captain Larry Jarboe

Florida Fishing Kayaks

One of my least favorite fishing techniques is trolling.

Putting a rod and reel in a rod holder and waiting for what seems like hours for a bite can be borderline boring. Then, dragging a fish against the movement of a slow moving boat as we do fishing for stripers or bluefish in the Chesapeake Bay diminishes the tug and pull of the fish. Imagine cranking in a 5 gallon bucket of water. Welcome to the successful outcome of a trolling expedition.

However, trolling from a Wavewalk S4 is a completely different experience. After good success with my kayak spinning rigs trolling custom fabricated lures in mangrove creeks and channels, I set off to find the perfect rig for trolling in the clear inshore waters of South Florida.

I finally settled on a Shimano TR200-G graphite reel loaded with 20 lb. test mono line on a 4′ kayak Ricky Rod made in Miami.

With this rig in hand and the outboard tiller in the other, a kayak trolling fisherman (or woman) can smoothly ease out line and control the action of the lure or rigged bait while steering the S4. Unlike leaving the rig in the holder, with the rod in hand, bites are easily felt and the hook set. Now, we are fishing and catching and really enjoying the battle.

In less than an hour, I caught 4 barracuda no more than a 1/2 mile from my house using this technique. All were released. But, I had to gently tow the last one back to the dock to safely release from the dive platform of my big boat. It was just too big and toothy to bring aboard.

My next project is to build a long distance de-hooker.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Larry offers guided fishing and diving trips in the Key Largo and the areas that surround it »

More fishing adventures with Capn’ Larry »

My Wavewalk S4

By Mike Silva

Massachusetts

 

I’ve had many fishing boats, including a center console catamaran, a 17 ft [pedal drive fishing kayak], and even a W300. I still use my center console boat, but I fish mainly out of my S4 now. The 17 ft [pedal kayak] was stable but just too big and heavy, and I could hardly move it on land and in the water, even with my father helping me. The W300 was too small and it didn’t work for me.
I wanted to see the S4 before buying, but once I saw it I knew that was it.
I love my S4! This boat is so stable that I stood in one of its hulls as soon as I put in in the water for the first time, like you [Yoav] did in that video. This is not a kayak, it’s a boat.

I used it once with a 2 HP motor together with a fishing buddy, but it was under powered, so I bought a 6 HP Suzuki long shaft, and it’s perfect. It goes fast!

I took two of my friends in the boat, with the new motor, and we went fishing in a pond. Each one of us weighs about two hundred pounds. Two of us stood in the boat and fished, and the third guy stood on the front deck. I told him to get down from there, because I was afraid he’d capsize the boat, but he said that he feels okay, and he stayed there. We ended up standing, all three if us, and fishing. I couldn’t believe it. This boat is unbelievable.

I’m planning to take it to North Carolina, and fish the shallow water next to the intercoastal. It will work better there than my big boat.
I’m working on a cart for it.

three anglers fishing standing in the most stable fishing kayak, the Wavewalk S4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More fishing with Mike »

Two Wavewalk S4 skiffs motorizing in the ocean and in the mangroves

By Captain Larry Jarboe

Florida Fishing Kayaks

Yesterday, I did a delightful “Wavewalk Wednesday” motorized demo w/ 2 super nice people from Georgia, John and Peni.

Two boats, with two people in each one, each boat had a 3.5 hp outboard, operating through extremely tight creeks and choppy open ocean, and no concern with tipping.

We plunged through the mangrove forest, stopped at the only natural sand beach on the Atlantic in Key Largo, circumnavigated Rattlesnake Key and, both boats ran out of fuel on the way home.

But, I had more on board.

We had a great afternoon.

 

 

 

 

 

Larry offers guided fishing and diving trips in the Key Largo and the areas that surround it »

More fishing adventures with Capn’ Larry »

Three Wavewalk S4, six divers, paddlers and anglers, and plenty of fish!

By Captain Larry Jarboe

Florida Fishing Kayaks

Three Wavewalk S4 attached together to form a super stable drive & dive platform, and each paddled separately by three tandem crews of mangrove anglers.

 

 

Larry offers guided fishing and diving trips in the Key Largo and the areas that surround it »

More fishing adventures with Capn’ Larry »

S4 wheel cart to carry on board

Wavewalk’s motto Launch, Go, Fish and Beach Anywhere is a reality for many Wavewalk owners.

Carrying a Wavewalk 500 or 700 just by dragging it on the ground anywhere is easy, and it’s feasible even with a 6 HP outboard motor attached to the kayak, as we demonstrated in this movie »

However, the S4 being heavier than the W500 and W700, we thought it would be nice to have a wheel cart for it, for when we have the 59 lbs 6 HP outboard motor attached to it, and we want to launch and beach in difficult spots, namely beaches that require carrying the boat over asphalt or on difficult terrain, especially steep and rocky slopes. The heavier the fishing, diving or camping gear carried on board the S4 skiff kayak, the more justified is the use of a wheel cart to carry it.

While most 38″ wide canoe trolleys would have fit this requirement, we wanted a wheel cart that we could store on board, inside one of the hulls, so we designed one –

 

Wheel cart stored on board the S4, in the bow

 

We outfitted the wheel cart with a folding leg that assures that the cart will be in the right angle to receive the boat.

 

The wheel cart is positioned to receive the S4

 

S4 wheel cart with its leg deployed, ready to have the kayak loaded onto it

 

Underside of the wheel cart, with the positioning leg folded in

 

Loading the boat is done simply by pulling it onto the wheel cart. The user can decide where they prefer to have the wheel cart located relatively to the boat. A boat with a heavy motor attached to it would require the wheel cart to be located further towards the stern.

It’s possible to upload the boat on this wheel cart from the bow or from the stern, depending on circumstances. Uploading from the stern makes it easier to place the close to the stern, which puts the boat in a good position for mounting the motor on it, as well as for carrying it with the motor attached to it.

 

S4 kayak loaded on the wheel cart and secured with two straps

 

When stored on board, this wheel cart protrudes into the front part of the cockpit, and this could restrict the space available for a second passenger. In such case, this wheel cart can be attached on top of the front deck, and stored under it if one of the passengers wants to stand on the deck and use it as a casting platform.

This wheel cart is not a product that we offer for sale

 

Some tech specs –

The 38″ long and 6″ wide horizontal main board is made from 3/4″ plywood, and so is the narrow reinforcement beam under it.
All wooden parts are coated with urethane.
We covered with Goop all the screws in the L brackets that could come in contact with the underside of the hulls.
The vertical side boards are made from 1/2″ plywood.
The wheels are 7″ in diameter.
The axles are made from a standard 3 ft long 1/2″ diameter steel tube cut in two.

 

Modifications

1.   Front lower corners cut away to enable better performance over rugged terrain, such as rocks, roots, etc.