10 Essential Kayak Fishing Tips

With the rising popularity in kayak fishing it seems so easy to just grab a kayak, few rods, and some lures and head out to the lake but here are ten essential kayak fishing tips I wish someone would have told me before my first trip.

Do Research And Make A Plan

When planning your trip there are some keys things to take into account:

• What way is the wind blowing?
• How strong is the wind?
• How far do I plan on going?
• What boat ramp or access points am I going to use?
• If the wind were to pick up, do I have anywhere I can get protection from it?

These are all things you want to take into account before you get out on the water and a couple free tools you could use are the Windy App, Navionics web app, google earth, and the farwide app.

Be Prepared To Go For A Swim

Always keep in mind what the weather will be like and dress appropriately for the conditions. In the colder weather try avoiding cotton fabrics. Not only will they weigh you down if you fall in but they will not dry fast either. Polyester will not hold the water as much and will keep you warmer during your trip. During warmer weather it is just as important to have the correct clothing, choosing a lightweight UV protection fabric is the best choice. Simms apparel is a great choice for both colder and warmer weather, it is what keeps me comfortable on the water and allows me to stay out all day.

Get Skinny

One of the biggest advantages of fishing from a kayak is that you can get to where boats can't so start looking for backwater areas, extremely shallow water, or anywhere else that you think a boat couldn’t get to. These places are normally overlooked and can hold some of the biggest fish in the lake.

Don't Become A Statistic

A life jacket is one of the most important things you will ever buy and can end up saving your life. When buying a PFD (Personal Floatation Device) it is essential to make sure you choose one that is comfortable and that you will always wear. The Onyx A/M24 is great for when the water and air temperatures are above 45 degrees and anything below that the NRS Chinook is the next best choice.

Landing Fish

Landing a fish from a kayak can be difficult even for some of the most experienced anglers so here are a few things to keep in mind;

• Keep at least a rod length of line out at all times.
• Don’t try to reach down and pull them in; this can cause your center of balance to be thrown off and can result in you flipping.
• A good net can be a major help when fishing from a kayak, the YakAttack Leverage Landing Net is a great option.

Simplify Your Tackle

When it comes to kayak fishing, you really have to think about how much tackle you can carry. Unlike bass boats, we are very limited on how many soft and hard baits we can bring. Keeping it simple can save you a lot of time and money. Try only carrying your favorite two color in soft baits and stick to shad and crawfish patterns on hard baits.

Learning Your Kayak

Anytime you get into a new kayak you're going to want to learn the limitations on it. So, when you’re learning how to kayak fish and get those nice summer days go out there and purposefully flip it. Not only is this going to give you confidence when it comes to the stability of your kayak but you can also practice recovering if you flip. Tipping is something that is possible when fishing from kayaks, and it’s smart to be prepared.

Rod Selection for Kayak Fishing

Depending on the kayak for fishing you have you're only going to be able to carry 6-12 rods comfortably, so finding rods that you can use for multiple techniques is key. Another thing to keep in mind is the rod length; you are going to want to make sure they are 1-2 inches longer than you would normally use. The  Cashion CK series of rods are the best that I have found for fishing from a kayak. Not only do they come in at a great price point but they were also designed for kayak fishing by kayak anglers.

Selecting the Right Kayak

Kayaks for fishing aren’t like your standard leisure kayaks, they are all designed specifically to have certain advantages. Not every fish kayak is going to work perfectly for everybody so depending on the type of waters you are going to be fishing here are a couple suggestions;

• Large lakes and rivers - Jackson Knarr
• Large/Small lakes and rivers - Bonafide SS127
• Small Lakes and Rivers - Jackson Coosa HD

All of these kayaks are extremely customizable and can be set up for a motor like the  Torqeedo Ultralight 1103 down the road but always make sure you demo before you buy.

On the Water Repair Kit

You never know when something is going to break on your kayak so it's always a good idea especially if you have a pedal or a motor on your kayak to keep a small little kit with screwdrivers, wrenches, or whatever else you would need to make a quick repair out on the water and get back to fishing.

If you have any questions about kayak fishing, the experts at FishUSA are always happy to help! I hope these tips help you on your next kayak fishing adventure and we’ll see you on the water!