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Kayak Fishing

When it comes to kayak fishing, there are quite a few benefits, but when most people ask me to name just three, I have to say, that by far, stealth is on top of the list. After the stealth of the kayak has been considered, the next two things that come to mind are the cost of fishing from a kayak, as well as the camaraderie that the kayak fishing community offers. Kayak anglers are a tight knit bunch of people, but you can rest assured, that once you have been accepted in, you are going to be making life long friendships.

The stealth of a fishing kayak is amazing. Until you have been out on the water, and had fish rolling right next to the bow of your boat, or having dolphins swimming next to you, you really don’t understand how quiet these boats are. You are truly able to paddle over the top of schooling fish, and begin ripping lips, without ever disturbing a soul. When it comes to chasing fish that love shallow water, kayaks will get you back into places, stealthily, where big boats just cannot make it. This is by far one of the greatest reasons to get into kayak fishing.

The cost of fishing on a kayak is also another huge benefit. Large stinkpots cost upwards of $30,000 for the conveniently equipped, shallow running boats, whereas, a fishing kayak, that is pedal powered, or even trolling motor powered will run you around $2,000. There are even boats being built that allow you to stand and fish, such as Native Watercraft, and the classic Gheenoe. While the Gheenoe isn’t considered much of a kayak, kayak anglers rave about the boat when they are looking for an alternative to their fishing kayaks. If you had been on the fence, consider these few benefits, and then decide whether or not you think kayak fishing is right for you.

Fishing Kayaks

When you are thinking about fishing kayaks as your vessel of choice on the water, you are going to have to keep a few things in mind, about exactly what you require from the boat, to ensure that you are going to be both happy with the purchase, and look forward to using the fishing kayak on a regular basis. As long as you take these two things into consideration before you make the purchase, you won’t ever realize the problems that most anglers have, by getting over excited and jumping into the first boat that they come across.

First, make sure that you have the necessary rigging in line, on the boat before you buy it, or that you have the budget required to rig the boat with the necessary kayak accessories, once you have made the purchase. Having an ill rigged fishing kayak can mean the difference between you dreading your time on the water, or enjoying every minute of it. Most anglers consider leashes, a crate, a seat, rod holders, and an area for your coolers as required accessories, so you should begin looking for boats that already have these installed, to save yourself some money.

Next, you will want to think about your size, and the comfort of the kayak. By having adequate storage hatches, or the necessary flat space required to properly stow your gear, you will be able to move around much easier. Thinking about the size of your prospective kayak, compared to how well you are going to fit in it, and be able to move about, will save you a lot of frustration on the water. It will also make your job of rigging the boat much easier, if the fishing kayak you purchase doesn’t already have the required accessories.

Fishing Kayak

More and more people are choosing to use a fishing kayak as their primary means of reaching the water, and they are quickly learning that there are a lot of benefits to using fishing kayaks over stinkpots, or larger gas motor powered boats. There are a lot of advantages to using fishing kayaks over large boats, mainly because of the ability to stealthily move into shallow water to creep up on unsuspecting fish. Above all, kayaks are a very cost efficient way to get onto the water, and you can often find a fishing kayak for sale near you for very cheap.

If you are someone that is going to need to go out and purchase the best new shiny kayak to fulfill your needs then you are probably going to want to consider reading some fishing kayak reviews to ensure that you are getting everything that you need from the boat. Manufacturers tend to do a very good job at providing anglers with what they are looking for, but sometimes they throw a boat together with accessories mounted in random locations. These are almost a waste of money because you are going to buy them brand new, and turn around to sell them when you find out that they are uncomfortable.

For those of you that want to save some money, but still get on the water you are going to be able to find used fishing kayaks that have been scratched and dented, but are still floating. Often times you are going to be able to find someone that, like mentioned in the previous paragraph, have dropped large sums of money to rig out their shiny new kayak, only to find out it isn’t right for them. When they turn around and tell the boat is your best chance at getting a super deal, and getting into the sport for less than a few hundred dollars.

trolling lb
photo credit: rappensuncle

As stated, there are tons of fishing kayak accessories that can help you get more from your fishing trips, coming in the forms of rod holders, paddle leashes, comfortable seats, fishing crates, trailer setups, and even trolling motors mounted to the rear of the boat. While these types of motors don’t give you the speed that you would expect, they still produce 3-4mph and a lot of fun while you are bouncing around fishing, saving your energy.

Just make sure that you have spent the time figuring out exactly how you think you want your boat setup, so if you do end up purchasing brand new you will still get the fishing kayak that you are looking for. If you are attempting to buy used fishing kayaks, you won’t get to be a choosy about which kayak you buy, but they often come pre-rigged with kayak fishing accessories, and are ready to put in the water.