Fishing From A Boat

[andrew_rigsby]

I have been fishing from the shore my entire life, whether its bass or in the ocean but yesterday I bought a nice little 12 foot fishing kayak. I am going to southern part of Lake Keowee in South Carolina next weekend and I realize I have a problem. I dont know how to fish for bass from a boat. All I am used to is fishing what structure I can see or get to from shore. So what is the difference between fishing on land and in a boat and how should I go about fishing from my kayak? Thanks in advanced guys!

[roadwarrior]

You now have more options and can cover more water. One option is to continue fishing

shallow along the bank, but now you can move out if you like. I suggest starting your deeper

water quest fishing main points and secondary points.

[RoachDad]

_{One thing is that you are going to keep alot more lures!  Now if you get hung up you can get to the problem and putt it off the back of that stick or laydown or rock.}

[Christian M]

The biggest and most ironic difference you'll notice is that when you're fishing a lake from the bank, you try to cast as far from the bank as possible, but when you're fishing a lake from a boat, you start casting as close to the bank as possible lol! Having a Kayak is going to open a whole new world for you. Good Luck!

[slonezp]

The biggest and most ironic difference you'll notice is that when you're fishing a lake from the bank, you try to cast as far from the bank as possible, but when you're fishing a lake from a boat, you start casting as close to the bank as possible lol!

Ain't that the truth

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Fish around any island whether they are solid land or grass islands.  It's the same as shore but often with deep water nearby.

 

Also look for anything floating or creating shade.  Swim platforms, anchored or moored boats, etc, these shaded areas hold baitfish

[Crestliner2008]

Most important tool you can add to your kayak would be a portable sonar. Then you can really start to learn what the structure looks like that you are targeting. I'd recommend you seriously consider one. They are not that expensive these days. You do not need anything fancy. A simple black & white LCR can be purchased new for around $100.00. Cheaper if you look for a used unit on Craigs List. Just a thought.

[BuckMaxx]

Congrates on the new ride! Next is a bass boat! You will learn a lot of skills in your kayak that you will appreciate once to get into a fishing boat. Like boat position relating to cover and where the fish will likely be on the structure. One thing I might add in your part of the country you may have cottonmouths. They LOVE to come chase canoes and kayaks in the spring, trying to defend their nests. I would encourage you to carry a lil .22 revolver with 22 bird shot in it. I have tried to beat them with a paddle and scare them. But, when they climb in your boat. It's a whole different ballgame. You discover how fast of a swimmer you are.

[VABassin'14]

I would stick to what you are already comfortable with to start, which is fishing visible cover near the shoreline. The one major advantage you now have is that you can pick the angle of which you want to hit the cover you are fishing. You can fish the cover from all sides and pick apart every inch of the cover you want to fish now. Boat positioning is what I believe you should focus on learning for now. I just bought a 12 ft jon boat a few years back and I am still trying to practice my boat positioning to better my approach to the cover I am fishing. I have noticed that the better I have gotten at it, I get snagged much less and have caught many more fish. 

 

Good luck and enjoy!

[loudcherokee]

Congrates on the new ride! Next is a bass boat! You will learn a lot of skills in your kayak that you will appreciate once to get into a fishing boat. Like boat position relating to cover and where the fish will likely be on the structure. One thing I might add in your part of the country you may have cottonmouths. They LOVE to come chase canoes and kayaks in the spring, trying to defend their nests. I would encourage you to carry a lil .22 revolver with 22 bird shot in it. I have tried to beat them with a paddle and scare them. But, when they climb in your boat. It's a whole different ballgame. You discover how fast of a swimmer you are.

I second the suggestion to watch for cottonmouths. One of the meanest, most aggressive snakes out there.

LC

[moguy1973]

One thing about fishing from a boat compared to bank fishing is that you'll be pulling your baits away from the bank. This means when you use a crank bait it will follow the contour of the bottom of the lake as you pull it back instead of dragging it up the bank as it nears the shore. Also when jig fishing the jig will bounce down the contour instead of dragging it up.

A boat does make it easier to position yourself to be able to cast parallel to the bank too so you can stay fish more effectively.

[Sodus Bay Scooter]

Congrats on the kayak. I love kayak bass fishing! The main thing about a boat is now you can fish deeper water.

Try to learn more about fishing different depths in the bassresource articles. There will always be fish near the banks but you'll find that there are more and bigger fish hiding in that 10-20 foot range during the summer months.

Good luck and enjoy!

[rockchalk06]

Congrates on the new ride! Next is a bass boat! You will learn a lot of skills in your kayak that you will appreciate once to get into a fishing boat. Like boat position relating to cover and where the fish will likely be on the structure. One thing I might add in your part of the country you may have cottonmouths. They LOVE to come chase canoes and kayaks in the spring, trying to defend their nests. I would encourage you to carry a lil .22 revolver with 22 bird shot in it. I have tried to beat them with a paddle and scare them. But, when they climb in your boat. It's a whole different ballgame. You discover how fast of a swimmer you are.

You have officially given me nightmares for the rest of my life.

[andrew_rigsby]

Well this wealth of info is awesome. Im taking her out on Friday so Ill keep everything you guys have mentioned in mind. Now im gonna go to bed and have nightmares about cotton mouths lol

[NWBasslover]

Well this wealth of info is awesome. Im taking her out on Friday so Ill keep everything you guys have mentioned in mind. Now im gonna go to bed and have nightmares about cotton mouths lol

 

That's because they're scary.

[Mr_Scrogg]

I could be wrong,  but if I was you I wouldn't worry about Water Moccasins too much on Keowee.  In 20 years of living in Westminster, I've never been bothered by one.  Even on Keowee.  Heck, I don't even remember seeing on on Keowee.  One thing you will have to remember is wind, and situational awareness.  If I was you, I would take that yak and launch from Newry Beach.  There is some pretty good fishing spots around there.  The Riprap along Hwy 130 would be good.  I remember scuba diving right next to the hwy.  There is a pump or something that is on a small rig on the south side of the riprap. Not far from shore.  There is a sunken boat just north of that rig, and long that riprap was plenty of bream beds.  Should be some good fishing along there. 

 

Or, back toward Seneca off 130 is a Marina, can't remember the name of it.  Lots of docks around there.  It's in a cove so should be protected from the wind. 

[loudcherokee]

Well this wealth of info is awesome. Im taking her out on Friday so Ill keep everything you guys have mentioned in mind. Now im gonna go to bed and have nightmares about cotton mouths lol

if you haven't already, take some time to get familiar with snake identification. Don't wanna see you jumping ship and swimming for shore over a simple brown water snake, lol.

LC

[andrew_rigsby]

Haha the snake advice keeps coming in, I love it! I will be launching from an area with alot of condos on the south side of Keowee. There are tons of docks all around the area. Im considering picking up a topographic map before I go, that way I can identify some faults and breaks in my area. 

[ToddP]

You have officially given me nightmares for the rest of my life.

LOL, I thought the samething! 

[Grey Ghost]

Grey GhostThis reminds me of the time I ran into a Biologist from Rutgers on the Van Camps Brook in Worthington State forest, sneaking up on the pool crawling along" there she was " standing like a pole, holding one of those dish receivers and glaring at me and me ticked and confused,wondering about the whole weird thing ,she looks at me and asks if I come here often,   [how bizarre]  So ok, I'm in this..I answer, "yes"!  She then muttered something like "maybe I shouldn't say any more,but then says "come follow me over here back where I had just crawled on the path. Looking at me weirdly she points down and says,"do you see the snake"? And there by jimmy was a big Timber Rattler, bright colored just molted , and that boys cured me forever of crawling up on pools.

[Khong]

Grey GhostThis reminds me of the time I ran into a Biologist from Rutgers on the Van Camps Brook in Worthington State forest, sneaking up on the pool crawling along" there she was " standing like a pole, holding one of those dish receivers and glaring at me and me ticked and confused,wondering about the whole weird thing ,she looks at me and asks if I come here often,   [how bizarre]  So ok, I'm in this..I answer, "yes"!  She then muttered something like "maybe I shouldn't say any more,but then says "come follow me over here back where I had just crawled on the path. Looking at me weirdly she points down and says,"do you see the snake"? And there by jimmy was a big Timber Rattler, bright colored just molted , and that boys cured me forever of crawling up on pools.

 

I'm not afraid of Rattler,  I'm afraid of Wasp nest that hang themself over dead standing timber over the trees.  Even more afraid of Brown Recluse that you can't hardly notice after they bite you.  

 

Had a friend that had his leg got bit by a Recluse and he had a hole in his leg as a scar forever.

 

I hit a standing tree that had a wasp nest once and I had to jump in the water for safety.  My boat had an I-Pilot so I was able to remote it back to me.  LOL!

[Robdog]

I'm not afraid of Rattler,  I'm afraid of Wasp nest that hang themself over dead standing timber over the trees.   LOL!

X2 on the wasps