Kayak Fishing Rod Selection

[DogBone_384]

If I had to pare it down to just two rods, it'd be a MH/F (1/4 - 1 oz) and a ML/F, spinning or bait casting, depending on my mood and wind conditions.  

 

I carry 3 rods in my Lure 11.5, 2 MH or M, and a ML/F.

[AEWblackeagle8]

Right on thanks guys for all the advice.

[Fin Stalker]

Awesome thanks guys, I've got a wilderness system atak and I love it so I do have room for more than two rods. I'm also 6'5 so my wing span is pretty big. I think I might try the slowly adding rods to my collection. I have a 7 M bait caster and a 7 M spinner. Would you guys just buy rods for specific baits and lures? I am new to bassresource but I really like it already.

Yes. The way I look at it is you match the rod to the bait not the bait to the rod. Example; Frogs- Most people will lean towards a 7'+ Hvy Power rod so they have plenty of backbone in the rod to horse fish out of heavy cover and give them a solid hook set when using hollow bodied frogs.

[J Francho]

Good arguments for short rods. Still isn't an issue for me, but maybe I'm not noticing the problem, but still working around it.

[AEWblackeagle8]

I like my atak because I can stand up and fish like I'm on any regular boat. I like

Yes. The way I look at it is you match the rod to the bait not the bait to the rod.

great statement sir. I need to broaden my set up it sounds like. Maybe go from 2 rods to atleast 4

[Fin Stalker]

I carry 4-6 rods with me most of the time all set up for different purposes but not so specialized that I can't use them for other baits than what I had them originally rigged for. The only rod(s) that stay task specific are my swimbait rods and my frog rod everything else is pretty much general purpose since I fish from a kayak and don't have the space to stow 15-20 rods. Everybody is going to tell you what works for them but in all reality you need to experiment for yourself to find what works for you. The only rod I would ever recommend to anyone as the basis for a line up is a 7' MED HVY Fast with a 6.3:1 or about reel. No brands mentioned because you need to decide for yourself what feels good in your hands.

[Kidflex]

make sure the rods you get are tough. Kayak fishing can be tough on tackle especially rods. I'm not saying get ugly sticks but I wouldn't bring my loomis rods on my yak. I usually end up taking my yak in some sketchy areas with a lot of brush, cattails and overhangs and sometimes the rods get banged up.

[AEWblackeagle8]

make sure the rods you get are tough. Kayak fishing can be tough on tackle especially rods. I'm not saying get ugly sticks but I wouldn't bring my loomis rods on my yak. I usually end up taking my yak in some sketchy areas with a lot of brush, cattails and overhangs and sometimes the rods get banged up.

That is the truth there. I can't tell you how many times I have almost broke a Rod because of stuff hanging over haha I would not like having a $150 dollar Rod broke because of a small tree

[J Francho]

I find more damage occurs in the bass boat than in the kayak.

[flyfisher]

I haven't had any issues with my rods in the kayak.  Sure there are a few things to consider but no worse than any other type of vessel.  There is a learning curve to kayak fishing but once you are comfortable in the kayak and get your gear where you want it, you probably won't have any issues.  You just need to prepare for the places yo pare fishing.  When i go fish smaller streams with lots of overhanging brush or trees i don't take as much gear and store my rods horizontally for the most part.

[Choporoz]

Long grip length BEHIND the reel seat is what makes it uncomfortable for me personally. A fly rod has little or no butt and works fine in a kayak. Sitting in a kayak while casting conventional gear forces you to use upper body only to cast, sometimes with 1+ oz. lures tied on. When you stand, your entire body is used, not just your arms.

Good answer. 

 

I much prefer shorter handles (behind the reel) when in my kayak.  The forced 'unnatural' action of holding my arm out farther away from my body (with longer handles while in kayak) causes fatigue and sometimes pain in my forearm and shoulder.  Seated position causes much of the difference, but the fact that I always wear PFD in the yak (and not generally while trolling in boat) means that the PFD floatation (even just 3/4" or so) makes a difference in how I hold the rod to cast with longer butts.

[J Francho]

I don't hold a rod any differently when I'm in a kayak.  I guess it depends on SOT/SINK, hybrid, stand/sit, and seat design.  Modern, raised seating seems to have helped, but it's really sounding to me that it's still an issue.

 

These are good things to hear about, and I can take them back to at least one company's designers.  Though, they have really worked hard on this aspect.  You should be able to use whatever rod you like in a kayak, with proper seating.

[2833-34497]

I carry 4 rods from 7' 3" to 8' in length and have no issues with them. I also have a Hobie Pro Angler so I lay 2 rods on both sides so trees, brush etc. isn't a problem. Only thing I do watch is the length of the butt. For example I have a Dobyns 806, but I didn't get the Dobyns 806 with the Mike Long handle due to being too long for me from a kayak. I've had friends and family tell me they didn't like fishing with the longer butt also so after I tried a friends I decided on the normal butt handles which depends on brand also. Best thing to do is if you have friends that you fish with ask if you can try their rods out and see what you like.

[Dye99]

I think the ONLY difference with the rod selection for me is I like micro guide rods over the standards.

 

That way I can store more of them in my ATAK!

 

Im not a fishing trip guy, I don't plan weekends and all that. I fish 2-3 days a week and I have a truck with my yak and gear already loaded in, so I just go when I feel like going.

Having 6 set ups stowed inside my kayak makes my life easy and fast.

I know whenever I get to the lake Ive got everything tied on that I use normally.

 

Drop the finder in the yak, put on my vest, and Im in the water.

[.ghoti.]

I take two rods out when I'm using my yak. it has two rod holders; one behind the seat and one between my legs. I use the front holder when I'm unhooking a fish or rigging a bait. The rod I'm not using rests in the holder behind me. I could add more rod holders,  but I like to keep it simple and down to a minimum when in the yak.

 

Terminal tackle is is a small plano box which will fit in a shirt pocket. Soft plastics, in ziplok bags, go in a small maxpedition pack about the size of a side by side CD wallet. I typically take four or five of each of four or five soft plastic baits. A couple of jigs and a couple of spinnerbaits, a tube of megastrike, and the bag is full. line nipper on a lanyard around my neck and pliers on a lanyard attached to the front rod holder. That's it; a quick load in and launch, and a quick get out of dodge end to the trip.

 

Which two combos and which baits are questions with day specific answers.

[faygo1979]

I find longer rods work better for me on a kayak But I do agree the longer buts causes some issues.

 

With shorter rods I find I get hung up more  and does not allow me to move fish around the boat as easily.  I have lost a couple good fish because they made runs under the boat and I was not able to get the tip around in front of the kayak.

 

I also sometimes get the line caught on the rudder and with a longer rod it is easier to untangle.

With skipping under docks I don’t really fins the rod length to matter  you already are right at the water level and have to throw sidearm  It just means you have to position the kayak a little differently.