Fishing kayaks can be purchased inexpensively and have little maintenance cost. Due to their small size and reduced weights, it is easy to store kayaks in small spaces and launch them quickly. The market is full of kayak wheels and trailers that can be acquired at a low cost to help transport the kayak and other fishing equipment to the shore. The quiet nature of the kayak greatly enhances the angler’s chances of catching fish, something I learned a great deal of from this book.

Stealth is an important component when fishing for hard to catch fish such as red fish and snook, and the kayak makes it possible to paddle right up to them without spooking them away.

Kayak Fishing Tips

One of the most common problems faced by many kayak fishermen is that they know a lot about fishing, but very little about kayaking. The key to successful and enjoyable kayak angling is to ensure that your kayak is outfitted with the right equipment to achieve a good balance between comfort and functionality. The key to outfitting your kayak for fishing is to keep everything as simple as possible. Get out a few times with the bare necessities to decide what you really need. You’ll soon find that a net, a knife, a rod, pliers and a couple of tackle boxes are often more than enough to take on a normal kayak fishing expedition.

You can also get a rigged fishing kayak (check them out the top rated ones here) that comes with all the essentials right out of box, or get really fancy and get yourself a quality portable fish finder for kayaks.

When fishing in a river or doing anything other than trolling, it may be wise to take a 3 pound claw anchor with you. Most specialized fishing kayaks have a prowler equipped with a cleat on either side of the seat. Thigh straps are absolutely essential when fishing from a sit on top kayak as they help you turn the kayak effectively as well as keep you in control in the surf. Without thigh straps, you might as well paddle out into the lake on a log.

It is also important to keep a net handy, but out of the way and well secured onto the kayak, ideal on the back deck under the bungee.

The four basic rules to follow when angling from a kayak

Dress to swim – always dress with the expectation of swimming. This not only means wearing your PFD, but also clothes that’ll do their job without getting in your way when they are wet. Rig to flip – ensure that everything is secured onto the kayak and it will float. Everything that shouldn’t get wet should be secured in a plastic bag. You body follows where your head goes – try to keep upright at all times with your head centered over the kayak. Once you must this trick, you will stay comfortably on to of your kayak no matter how mush it rolls. I’ve seen people fall in the water simply because they leaned out of the kayak to look around. Always give yourself a rod’s length of line – Winding in too much line only gives you more to do when you hook a fish or have to remove weeds from your line. Giving yourself a rod’s length of line means that you can grab your lure or fish, and work with a slack line, regardless if its braided or monofilament.

Bonus: Make sure you head to your trip with some easy camping meals. Good food should be in your bag regardless of your catch. if you need some tips and recipe ideas check out what these pros have to say when making their favorite meals.

Many anglers also use sea kayaks for their week long fishing expedition. Sea kayaks are geared for week long trips and are ideal when you want to go dipper into the ocean. The cost of sea kayaks run a little bit higher in price but you can find a few at a decent price with a good set of features at our sea kayak reviews page available here.

The kayak and its close relative the canoe, have been used as a means of transportation and recreation first and just more recently, as a means of stealthily approaching easily spooked fish such as flounder and cobia. From a historical perspective, kayaks have been used for fishing for several millennia. Over the past few decades, kayak fishing has gained a lot of popularity in both salty and freshwater due to its broad appeal and low cost of entry. The Florida Fish and Wildlife commission has many more freshwater fishing tips if that is your thing. So keep those kayak fishing tips in mind when you go out on your next fishing trip and good luck!

Kayak Bass Fishing & Lures Tips

There are a huge variety of game fish species that you can fish for, but bass is one of the most commonly fished species out there and getting quit popular with a kayak. So it is no wonder that more and more beginner anglers are looking for bass fishing tips to take their skills to the next level.

Bass fishing from a kayak is a very common activity, enjoyed by people of all ages and from all levels of experience. Bass breed quickly, are not endangered, and are commonly found throughout the United States – plus, they’re quite tasty! (See our expert roundup recipes page for some delicious camping meal ideas) So, it’s no surprise that they are such a sought out breed amongst many anglers.

Whether you’re a seasoned fisherman or you’re just getting your feet wet, it’s important to have the right gear for the job if you want to actually catch anything! There are many subspecies within the bass family, and each has different preferences when it comes to choosing the best bass lures & bait. In other words, a lure and bait set up that might work great for striped bass might not work well for largemouth bass.

The most important thing to keep in mind when selecting a lure is why bass will bite an artificial lure. Basically, bass will hit a lure because either:

a.) They think it looks tasty, or

They think it looks tasty, or b.) They are annoyed by it and want to eliminate it from their environment.

Different subspecies prefer different lures, but more importantly, different situations call for the use of different lures. This guide is extremely useful and in-depth, check it out!

Lastly choosing the right rod and reel combo can also make a difference, so make sure you first rent a few to test which fit’s you best before splurging on more gear.

And if you are looking for kayak fishing gear tips, definitely check out our accessories page for information on the types of gear you should rig your ‘yak with before your next trip.

As the saying goes, there are many fish in the sea (and the lake, and the river!), and with the right techniques you can be a pro too.

What are words without a video? Learn more fishing techniques on a kayak from this short video: