Ever flip your kayak?

Learned early on, tie down anything you don't want to lose... Anything.. fished the salt many many times over the years, jumped off the yak and swam for the bottom a couple times when I was scared I was going to get run over, had a couple hammerheads chew up the plastic, flipped in the surf a couple times too... Dropped a rod over the side once or twice, never lost a rod I leashed up. Get a couple leashes and use them... Otherwise just use gear you can afford to lose.

 

First time I set the hook on a frog fish I came close, did the splits to keep from going over . I hurt , I'm not good at doing the splits.

 

Intentionally, in my pool, for practice - yes. As mentioned, leashes or pole floats and everything secured. I haven't been kayak fishing long so we'll see how it goes. Appreciate the insight here.

 

Keep your head above the hull. Once it goes over, your body will follow. Ask me how I know.

 

Yes. Twice. Ugh. My best advice to anyone... ALWAYS wear a PFD and always keep your combos leashed.

 

I was checking out the leopards swimming around the launch at LJ. Took a closer look than I intended.

Also make sure to mind the gaff when self rescuing.

 

Yep, similar story as yours except I was doing something unusual--I was on my knees, trying to take a whizz off the side of a crappy sit-in yak. Lost my dad's custom built spinning rod as well as my own new curado.
Can't agree enough with leashing everything you're not prepared to lose

 

I cannot get to places very fast, but I have never come close to flipping my tube!

 

Underwater camera might help if you know exactly where you dumped it. I know of someone who retrieved a set up that way.

 

Yes

 

I flipped my malibu at El Cap in the winter. Leaned to far to one side and dunk. Lost everything that didn't have a leash. I had my pfd so it was all good. Only problem was trying to get back on the kayak. It kept on rolling on me. I had been kayaking for 2 years without flipping it. Held on to yak and just kicked it back to shore. I almost quit kayaking that day, but caught a blue cat on a ika! I now have a hobie passport 10.5 that i need to flip.