Too often in life we succumb to staring at and talking about the dumpster fires. It makes for good water cooler talk and it’s often a case of people stirring the pot just to stir. This letter won’t try to extinguish that. I wanted to tell you about something that doesn’t get near enough print ...

in our sport, the good things. This is why you will love kayak fishing and tell all your friends.

I started kayak fishing a little over 11 years ago. When I started I knew one other person with a kayak, my best friend Aaron. We went all over the place hauling those kayaks and fishing. Occasionally we would meet a canoeist or someone in an aluminum boat but there was no real community where we were. Fast forward to the last three years.

In almost every state there are kayakers. Not only that but kayakers that get together, boondoggle, have tournaments and just fun fish through open invites. Through internet forums, blogs, Facebook and YouTube people from across the world can look at rigging ideas, learn to install a fish finder or just talk about different kayaks.

The World Wide Web has enabled some wonderful things to happen and it doesn’t stop at sharing information. Sometimes in our life we go through tough times and need a support group. Not everyone has lots of family close by or tons of friends in their neighborhood. Often the community of kayakers is called upon for support. Sometimes it is a monetary donation, sometimes just prayers and other times maybe participation in a tournament but whatever the call to action, the brothers and sisters of the kayak fishing community show huge waves of support.

When new people venture into the sport or show an interest, their calls for help don’t fall on deaf ears. Garage rigging late at night happens quite often and the only charges are usually a beer and a few laughs. Beyond that, borrowing kayaks, trying out kayaks and asking tons of questions are met with great enthusiasm from those helping guide our newly curious kayakers.

Passion is not a shallow running river in the kayak fishing community. Sometimes it gets the better of a couple of folks and they get loud. And the talk gets deep. Don’t fret. We all love the same thing- kayak fishing. When we love something, we often try to mold it how we want it to look. Not everyone agrees so there are conversations that can get loud. It’s passion that drives these, rarely anger.

Life is stressful. Once you discover kayak fishing and the calming effect it has on your soul, the time you do get on the water will never be enough. It will always be enjoyed, just never enough.

If you have questions, don’t hesitate to ask. We’d love for you to join our community. Tell your friends. There are no applications, no interviews. Just tell us when you are in and we’ll go from there.

Your Kayaking Brother,

Chris