Kayak Reviews, Kayak Information, Kayak Accessories

Kayak Fishing– A Few Important Tips

By Ryan Calkins

It seems as though nothing can beat getting up early on a brisk morning, having a hearty breakfast, and then packing up your rod and tackle to glide across still water to a favorite fishing spot. There is something special about wrangling in a large mouth bass, salmon, or rainbow trout when in a kayak. I know from experience that when a fish is on the line, being in a kayak makes things a little more interesting. You can hook into a little perch and reeling it in is still enjoyable. There are several ways you can make the experience even more enjoyable when it comes to kayak fishing. Here are a few things I’ve found through my own experience:

1. It helps to have paddle clips. Paddle clips will allow you to stick your paddle in one spot while dealing with tackle, fishing knots, or reeling in a fish, and you won’t have to worry about your paddling dropping into the water out of your reach. Don’t worry about installation of the clips either…most just take a screwdriver, but you might need a hand drill to pre-drill the holes for the screws to go into. Either way, installation is very simple and quick. I recommend mounting the clips so that the paddle is parallel with the kayak. This will leave plenty of room to get fish into the kayak.

2. Only bring a small amount of tackle or bait. It’s simple but true, kayak cockpits don’t have a terrible amount of space to move around or work in, so having a big tangled mess of lures, hooks, and fishing line could frustrate you. Ruining your relaxing day on the water over your bait is just not worth it.

3. Get a fish pole holder, it’s just another luxury when kayak fishing. If you want to move your spot you can just plop your pole down into the holder, and grab your paddle out of your paddle clips. This keeps things simple and efficient throughout the day. Or, if you are using a worm and bobber setup, it will keep your hands free to eat, read a book, or do whatever while you’re waiting for the fish to bite.

4. Bring along something for your comfort level. Food, ice, pillow, large brimmed hat, comfortable sweater…sitting for a long time in one place can drag your mood down, so bring something along that will keep the morale up.

5. Consider your surrounding elements and adapt. Always make sure you can go about your fishing without hassle from your surroundings. When you are in a kayak even the slightest wind can spin you around and leave you facing the wrong direction from where you want to be casting, so prop yourself up against a stump or downed tree, or rig up some sort of simple anchor to keep you in place. It gets real old fast having to reposition yourself after every cast.

6. Make sure your bait has some weight. Unlike fishing in a boat, when you are in a kayak you can’t use your legs to help throw a cast out forty or fifty feet. In a kayak you only have your upper body to place your casts, so make sure you have a heavier lure, or a way to add a little weight to your line so you will be able to cast the distance you would like to cast.