Fishing from a kayak gives a singular expertise, permitting for a better reference to nature and entry to much less pressured waters. There aren’t any gasoline station stops or the loud revving of engines.
And infrequently, kayaks are allowed on lakes and waterways that motorized boats are usually not, giving kayak anglers extra variation in the place and the way they’ll fish. Kayak fishing is a extra lively, hands-on expertise, as anglers paddle — or pedal — to entry potential honey holes and produce a distinct sense of journey to fishing.
For all the advantages of kayak fishing, there are additionally downfalls that may diminish the expertise. During the last couple of years of kayak fishing, I’ve discovered a number of key gadgets which have enhanced my time on the water and stored me from feeling the necessity to have a fishing boat … principally.
A kayak is a improbable device for anglers to entry and discover smaller water and hard-to-access areas, but it surely sometimes lacks the normal comforts and instruments of a fishing boat. However with just a few additions, you may make your kayak right into a fishing juggernaut with out breaking the financial institution.
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Easy methods to Improve Your Fishing Kayak
Let’s be clear right here — there’s a time and place for all the pieces. Irrespective of how kitted your kayak is, you’re not going to be in a great place paddling out onto the center of an unlimited physique of water like Mille Lacs Lake on a super-windy day. And there are again bays and untouched ponds that you simply’ll by no means be capable of attain in your $100,000 bass boat.
For many who don’t need to drop the coin on a fishing boat, don’t have the storage, or simply need the simplicity a kayak has to supply, there are many choices to get your self on the water and discover fish. A kayak, paddle, fishing rod, and a few fundamental sort out can get the job finished.
However should you’re in search of methods to enhance the expertise of chasing fish in your kayak, you’re coated right here. Pedal drives, graphs, electronics, sort out group, rod storage, and different upgrades go a good distance in bettering your time on the water and serving to you catch extra fish.
Pedal to the Plastic: Get a Pedal Drive Kayak
If in case you have the choice to buy a pedal drive kayak or a kayak with the choice so as to add a pedal drive, it’s a game-changer.
I’ve fished from many various types and value level kayaks, and there may be nothing that modifications the expertise greater than having the ability to pedal.
My most important fishing kayak is an Previous City Sportsman PDL 106, and it’s phenomenal. Extremely secure, modular, simple to move — the checklist goes on. Essentially the most very important a part of the bundle is the pedal drive. It takes kayak fishing to a complete new degree.
Gliding throughout huge water or navigating riverways turns into exponentially simpler with the pedal drive. Whenever you’re pushing into the wind, you may mix pedaling with paddling and actually cowl floor rapidly with out turning into overly drained.
It may possibly’t be understated how handy it’s to be hands-free whereas fishing, both. You may cowl floor whereas trolling lures, pedal towards a brand new spot whereas rigging up, preserve your self in your spot within the wind whereas fishing, and usually expend much less vitality whereas exploring extra water.
A pedal drive is a type of issues that spoil you — when you expertise it, you don’t understand how you ever went with out earlier than.
Sonar Imaging: Humminbird Helix10 + MEGA Reside
Humminbird’s Helix 10 + MEGA Reside modified the best way I fish from my kayak. Earlier than utilizing the Helix 10, I might follow pedaling shorelines, fishing factors, or hitting topwater on the perimeters of weed patches or lilies. I might additionally follow just some lakes that I knew nicely.
Sometimes, I might attempt to use cellphone apps like Navionics to seek out little cabinets or irregularities to fish. I discovered that fairly irritating and inconsistent. The Helix10 with MEGA Reside modified all of that.
Discovering Honey Holes
With Humminbird’s electronics, I modified how I method fishing our bodies of water. I spend time navigating new areas of every lake, in search of constructions underwater which may be ignored by different anglers. I get a dwell view of what’s going on beneath the floor of the water and may find little humps, fallen timber and logs, rocks, brush piles, cabinets, and extra.
With an enormous, full-color 10-inch display, the unit is simple to see each sitting and standing however is out of the best way when I’m pedaling or paddling. And I actually love its split-screen choices. You may preset completely different cut up screens to no matter views and data you need.
For me, that is often rolling with one-half displaying a graph of the lake and my route whereas the opposite half reveals me the MEGA Reside imaging. I can monitor the place I need to be on the lake whereas nonetheless looking ahead to any sudden constructions or suspended fish whereas I’m on the transfer.
Exploring new lakes is not intimidating and has turn into rather more profitable, as I can discover goal areas with ease.
MEGA Reside Imaging
There’s nothing fairly like figuring out fish are round you once you’re out within the kayak. Utilizing Humminbird’s MEGA Reside imaging, you get to see the construction and fish conduct in real-time beneath, out entrance, and throughout you.
As you’re shifting throughout the lake, you may look ahead to marks on the Helix 10 and see fish at anyplace within the water column. You may rapidly get a bead for the place fish are and the way they’re behaving. This makes it far simpler to choose the appropriate bait and fishing model to usher in extra fish. You could find an space with a pod of fish sitting suspended at 8 ft and throw a crankbait constructed to run at a 6-8-foot depth.
Watching Lure Motion
What’s extra, you may see your lure shifting by way of the water and see how fish react to it. It’s a rush to run a swimbait by way of a bunch of huge marks and see one slowly draw back from the group and observe your bait till they strike. Alternatively, you may see if fish are usually not reacting — or worse but — shifting away out of your bait.
Making knowledgeable selections on bait alternative is priceless. You spend much less time guessing and extra time studying and adjusting. You may discover the lake in search of fish on the Helix 10 utilizing MEGA Reside and wait to begin fishing till you discover marks. Then, you may select a lure that matches the state of affairs and really rapidly determine if the fish are reacting positively or to not what you throw.
The pairing of the Helix 10 with MEGA Reside on the kayak is tough to beat. Construction is simple to find, fish could be discovered and monitored in real-time, and you’ll method new water with confidence. It ought to go with out saying, although, that this type of improve comes at a hefty value.
A Phrase of Warning
It’s value noting that I had assist from a buddy who’s skilled with rigging boats and kayaks to get this arrange. I used to be intimidated working energy from a battery to a unit on one thing that goes within the water and needed to make certain I had all the pieces finished accurately.
Your mileage could range, however I selected to err on the aspect of warning and lean on my buddy’s experience for the setup.
Energy: Norsk Lithium Battery
I did a good bit of analysis earlier than pulling the set off on a battery and leaned on pals who use sonar for recommendation. I went with the Norsk 32AH Lithium battery. Whereas not low-cost, it’ll simply run the Helix 10 with MEGA Reside for six+ hours with none points, and it comes with a charger and a 2-year guarantee.
It’s also very small and light-weight relative to batteries for the ability that it packs. It hardly takes up any area in my kayak storage space behind the seat and is simple to carry inside to cost and retailer.
Group: YakAttack BlackPak Professional Fishing Crate
Area comes at a premium on a kayak, and group is vital. The BlackPak Professional fishing crate provides useable, protected storage in your kayak whereas protecting its content material available.
Rod holders hooked up to the outside of the crate give anglers the choice to carry extra setups with out laying them underneath their ft and getting issues all tousled. I’ve finished this dance far too many occasions. The frustration that comes with selecting up a rod with a tangled line is way an excessive amount of. Even with the rods within the rod holders, you may nonetheless snap open the BlackPak Professional and get to your gear.
The BlackPak Professional is designed to suit 3600-size sort out trays. It has loads of room for a bunch of different gear. I pack bulkier gadgets in right here — rain bibs and jacket, further hoodie, smaller meals storage, further batteries, and so on. The peace of thoughts figuring out that I’ll all the time have the “necessities” with me on each fishing tour is nice.
I additionally love that I can carry it inside and pack it there earlier than attaching it to the kayak. I wish to pack forward of time, and this enables me to suppose by way of what I would like for the day, pack it, and overlook about it. When I’m able to go fishing later that day or later that week, I simply take the BlackPak Professional exterior, connect to my kayak, and away we go.
ShortStak Improve
YakAttack lately added the “ShortStak” improve equipment for the BlackPak Professional, including much more storage and safety for gear. With a restricted footprint on a kayak, using what you may have is important. The ShortStak gives the identical nice options because the BlackPak Professional and provides one other area to maintain necessities secure however nonetheless simply accessible.
I preserve go-to equipment inside that I need to get at with a fast attain — instruments, small snacks, and so on. Now, I can use the BlackPak Professional to carry gadgets that I would like much less available, like my rain gear, greater meals gadgets, further layers, and greater sort out trays.
Security: High quality Life Vest
This may not straight enhance your fishing, however your life is fairly necessary, and security is sensible. Carrying a life vest, or on the very least, having one accessible to you is paramount. I bounce between the Previous City Lure Angler II and the Rapala AM24.
If I’m going to be fly fishing from my kayak or plan to take a seat and fish, I’ll use the Lure Angler II. It has a excessive again that matches nicely with the kayak seat, a Velcro patch for fly storage, stretchy mesh pockets that match tippet spools, and different small fly fishing instruments.
If I’m going to be sport fishing and doing a variety of standing and casting, I’ll rock the Rapala AM24. It’s low-profile and stays out of the best way. It additionally shops very well within the kayak when not in use. No matter what life jacket you utilize, don’t skimp in your security on the market.
Rod Mounts & Cellphone Holder
As a lot as I don’t wish to admit it, I preserve my cellphone near me always — together with on the water. The Rotogrip Cellphone Holder Professional retains my cellphone inside attain always. The design permits for fast one-handed operation and has two adjustable rubber wheels to make changes to suit virtually any trendy cellphone. There’s an optionally available rubber harness you should utilize for added security as nicely.
My favourite half about this cellphone mount is how easy it’s to regulate on the fly. When I’m sitting down and pedaling or paddling, it’s simple to maneuver it out of the best way or tip so I can see the display. The identical goes for after I get located and transfer to standing and fishing — a fast adjustment, and my cellphone display could be dealing with up so I can see it.
YakAttack’s Omega Professional Rold Holder is easy so as to add to the monitor on the kayak and is definitely adjustable relying on what different attachments you may have in your kayak rail. This places one rod up within the cockpit with me always and makes trolling simple once you’re on the transfer.
Small Objects, Huge Upgrades
You already know what they are saying, it’s the little issues in life. Properly, that certainty rings true within the context of kayak upgrades.
You Can By no means Have Sufficient Cup Holders
I’ve added YakAttack’s Cup Holder, which inserts mainly wherever you may have area in your kayak monitoring. It’s sufficiently big for all the pieces from 12-ounce cans to stainless-steel tumblers and Nalgenes. I’ve used mine for holding instruments at occasions, too.
My Previous City has a built-in cup holder, however I’ve discovered that having the additional area is nice. I can preserve a water bottle in a single and an insulated vessel within the different.
Transport Instruments
I take advantage of an Previous City Trailer Flag to move my kayak, and I take advantage of a Malone Mattress Extender to place it within the mattress of my midsize truck with a brief mattress. It hangs out fairly far, so the additional visibility is a pleasant contact, particularly when driving by way of the instant metro the place I dwell.
Netting Like a Professional
You want a great fishing internet. In my expertise, boat-flipping a giant fish in a kayak doesn’t finish nicely in any respect. And I don’t belief myself lipping one subsequent to the kayak. So, I’ve leaned on a high quality fishing internet that I preserve shut at hand. I take advantage of the Fishpond Nomad because it doubles nicely for me as a fly fishing internet.
The online bag itself is rubber, so hooks don’t get caught up in it as simply, and it’s “mid-length,” so I’ve some leeway to internet my fish with out taking over an excessive amount of area. I like that it has a leash and carabiner for attaching to the kayak as nicely. You already know, simply in case.
Conserving Life Organized
Lastly, high quality bait and lure group goes a good distance in a kayak. You don’t have the area to simply throw lures off to the aspect — all the pieces must be comparatively calculated. I take advantage of just a few completely different RapStack Deal with Trays from Rapala to maintain issues organized and simply accessible.
Different Concerns
There are many additions that may be placed on a kayak, and this text solely touches on just a few. You possibly can spend hours digging by way of the entire little add-ons to buy, DIY updates, and boards on every kind of upgrades you may make relying in your state of affairs.
I’m eager to determine an anchor system. Previous City makes an Anchor Package, and there are alternatives accessible on Amazon. Boards are stuffed with DIY choices, too. Finding a high quality fishing gap or piece of construction and anchoring could be useful.
A trolling motor isn’t one thing I’ve an curiosity in proper now, but it surely’s very talked-about with anglers right here within the Midwest. Should you’re masking greater water, need to troll extra persistently, or have a much less bodily demanding expertise, a trolling motor could possibly be a great improve alternative.
Last Ideas
Improved storage, electronics, and equipment can enhance your probabilities of catching fish and make your time on the water extra environment friendly and extra comfy. And there’s no scarcity of upgrades and choices to personalize your rig. However on the finish of the day, upgrades are simply upgrades and aren’t essential to take pleasure in a day chasing bites in your kayak.
There’s a simplicity that kayaking brings to fishing that makes you’re feeling extra in sync with nature and the whole lot of the expertise. Get on the market.
