Adventure

The hard part! Safe surf kayak landings – Surf’s up and the fish are biting. How to get out and back from Jim Sammons

Kayaking through the surf: how to make it fun!

Words and Photos By Paul Lebowitz

Ready for the hard part? Launching through surf is easy, just point and go, go, go. The worst crashes come on the dismount.

Fortunately we have big water kayak angler Jim Sammons to drop some knowledge on us on how to achieve a safe surf kayak landing. If you get nothing else, get this: deliberately surfing in is for suckers and the exceptionally salty. Sammons gets to shred by the end of the video. Scroll down for a sequence of photos showing Jim keeping it safe.

For more of Jim Sammons, catch The Kayak Fishing Show on WFN TV and the NBC Sports Network, and the KayakFishingTales YouTube channel.

Jim Sammons is a pro at getting in and out of the surf in a kayak. Watch the video and check out the following photos that show the safest approach
Jim Sammons is a pro at getting in and out of the surf in a kayak. Watch the video and check out the following photos that show the safest approach
The trick to landing is to AVOID the surf as much as possible, to protect your expensive fishing gear. Notice Jim is paddling in right behind a foamer.
The trick to landing is to AVOID the surf as much as possible, to protect your expensive fishing gear. Notice Jim is paddling in right behind a foamer.
As Sammons approaches the danger zone, he's sizing up the pattern.
As Sammons approaches the danger zone, he’s sizing up the pattern.
Sammons picks a wave to follow - hopefully the larger set wave - and lets it break right in front of him. Then it is off to the races.
Sammons picks a wave to follow – hopefully the larger set wave – and lets it break right in front of him. Then it is off to the races. Eddie Brady / Getty Images
He's past the impact zone, but on most beaches a broken wave will catch a kayak before dry land. Sammons reaches his paddle into the foam and leans on it, a trick known as the low brace.
He’s past the impact zone, but on most beaches a broken wave will catch a kayak before dry land. Sammons reaches his paddle into the foam and leans on it, a trick known as the low brace that’s critical for a safe surf kayak landing. Getty Images

The article was originally published on Kayak Fish

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