Fishing rod and fishing reel are one of the most important parts of kayak fishing. It needs to be perfect to catch good sized fish and also not too light so that it is over run by a big fish. Here we are discussing the two in brief.

Fishing rod for kayak fishing

There are many varieties of fishing rods available on the market suitable for kayak fishing. To choose one you need to first consider where you are going to store the rod – in craft or in a case, while you are traveling to your launch point and back.

It is seen many enthusiasts of kayak fishing go for a telescopic rod, which is about 12 inches in length. It is not tough to store in a back pack and also same when it is stowed in the deck’s hatch.

These days with the advancement of technology all the good rods are equipped with rugged materials to provide it flexibility while catching big sized fish. Some truly good fishing rods are being manufactured these days for kayak fishing gear.

Fishing reel for kayak fishing gear

This part may be a bit tricky if you are budget sensitive. In general fishing reel for kayak fishing gear comes at high price, but remember there are lots of options available and none, to my knowledge, is specifically designed for canoes or small boats. You can though get several fishing reels designed for light lines and small rods. Also, take note that reels made for fishing from a pier or a bank may not be fit as kayak fishing gear because of their fragile nature as well as exterior moving parts.

Personally I have seen those fishing reels which are known as “egg beaters” or spinning reels having spool at the front end can be easily damaged if used in kayak fishing as its bail is easily bentable and the distance of it from the rod make it a bit difficult to place on the deck.

I prefer bait caster models fishing reels. Though it is a bit expensive but is robust. Oh yes, a land practice of some sort is recommended before using this in kayak fishing because it can easily over run.