Is the misery of kayak fishing worth it?

[GTN-NY]

22 hours ago, schplurg said:

I haven't decided yet. I will probably sell mine and do a jon boat. I need to be able to move around, and I want a trolling motor too.

 

IF IF a pedal yak comes at the right price I may consider that instead. Paddling is a problem with my tendinitis and I'd rather save my strength for actual fishing. Could be a game changer.

 

But probably going to do the boat and add a casting deck and seat. I don't like being stuck in the yak seat.

You just need the right kayak

[schplurg]

At that point I don't see the advantage over a jon boat. I'd launch that rig with a trailer, and I'd need to register the yak (trolling motor).

 

It's obviously personal, some people love to kayak. I mean the kid in me sees that setup and it's awesome. I love it! That's why I bought one.

 

But the reality of being in a kayak just doesn't work for me. It isn't comfortable for me and I have an awesome seat. It's just too restrictive. I don't like twisting 180 degrees for stuff. I don't change baits as often because it's a pain. I feel constricted.

 

But that's just my personality and opinion. Definitely try one first.

[CM-fisher]

For me, kayak fishing is not uncomfortable, but I'm only 16 so what do I know?

Its different than being able to target specific spots like you can on shore or in a boat, so I pick a general area and drift with the wind making long casts into fishy-looking spots.

I like how a kayak is affordable (I am a poor highschooler)

I never go kayaking on days that have bad weather in the forecast. I have more fun catching only a few fish on a nice day than going after fish in rough weather.

 

[Retiredguns]

Great replies thus far. Even though many times the kayak kicks my butt out there, I keep going because of the places I can fish and the quality of fish at these places. I have just had bad weather luck every time out this year. I am feeling better, but man was I sore and crampy all day yesterday and this morning. I have a sit on top with a couple rod holders and a bare bones seat. I am trying to figure out how to mount one of my stadium seats to it as I know it will be more comfy. Since I have a canoe, a tandem kayak and a Pro170, I am not looking to invest $1500+ into a really slick fishing kayak. I just think I'll be a little more picky on what days I decide to paddle. 

[RichF]

Def not worth it. You have to drop major coin to get something stable and comfortable. On top of that, more coin on all the accessories.  With what you'd spend, you could get a decent jon boat with a small outboard and trolling motor.  I dropped $1200+ last spring for a BigFish 105 and a bunch of accessories only to use it 4 times, uncomfortably.  They're fine for playing on the water but not for real bass fishin.

[GTN-NY]

47 minutes ago, schplurg said:

At that point I don't see the advantage over a jon boat. I'd launch that rig with a trailer, and I'd need to register the yak (trolling motor).

 

It's obviously personal, some people love to kayak. I mean the kid in me sees that setup and it's awesome. I love it! That's why I bought one.

 

But the reality of being in a kayak just doesn't work for me. It isn't comfortable for me and I have an awesome seat. It's just too restrictive. I don't like twisting 180 degrees for stuff. I don't change baits as often because it's a pain. I feel constricted.

 

But that's just my personality and opinion. Definitely try one first.

For those reasons I’d get a boat also

[Junk Fisherman]

I thought I was the outlier in not liking kayak fishing as much as others.  It took me a dozen or so trips to get to where I started feeling comfortable fishing out of my kayak.  I had to change my expectations and the way I fish.  Overall, it will never compare to fishing out of my boat but I do value it as an option to do something different and for those times when my boat is out of commission.  And like others, I get sore in my kayak after several hours and doing simple things like retying is much more difficult compared to fishing out of a boat.   When I look at some of these decked-out, high-end kayaks with trolling motors sitting on trailers, I wonder why they don't just get a 14'-16' jon boat and put a casting platform on it.  

[Bankc]

I fish in high winds all the time in my kayak. It can be frustrating, but if you plan right, you can still have a good time.  

 

Here are some things I've learned.  The wind will usually blow your kayak sideways.  Use that to your advantage.  Find banks that run parallel to the wind and use drift socks to slow you down.  Then, just cast to the bank while you drift along, facing the bank. Get a couple of drift socks of different sizes and play with the rope lengths so you can have better control.  If the waves are too high, then you don't want the waves hitting you on the side, or it can roll you.  So it's not always an option.  

 

I will often pitch from a seated position if the winds are up.  I do that by roll casting while keeping the lure about a foot off the water, and then killing it's momentum with my thumb right before it enters.   It's hard to do while standing, but not too difficult when your sitting level with the water.  I can actually pitch further this way than the regular way.

 

Set out into the wind, so the wind pushes you back to the launch as you fish.  That way you fight the wind when you have the most strength and let the wind take you home.

 

Use an anchor and anchor trolley, along with a drift socks to keep you better in position in high winds.  You can also use two anchors.  Just attach them at opposite ends of your kayak.  Be careful with anchors, especially two, however.  Too high of waves can wash over your kayak if your anchored.  And always anchor at the ends, not the middle of the kayak in current and waves.  

 

If you regularly fish in high winds, use a trolling motor.  I use a 30# model, and it has more thrust than I need.  There are times I've been out on the water where with a trolling motor, the wind is inconvenient, but without one it could be deadly.  It once took me two hours to travel about a quarter mile going against a 30mph wind.  I had to sprint at full speed with my paddle and drop anchor to catch my breath, before attempting another sprint.  With my trolling motor, I can zig zag so the waves hit me at an angle and relax and troll a spinnerbait in those same conditions.  A peddle kayak is a good too, but will still wear you out in really high winds.  

 

And of course finding areas protected from the wind really helps.  Remember, with a kayak you don't need a ramp to launch, so don't be afraid to launch, fish a small area, and then load up and find another spot to launch from to fish a new area.  

 

Know your limits.  Don't put yourself in a bad situation.  Always wear your PFD.  Keep your phone on your body and make sure it's waterproofed.  Get a weather app and check it often.  My plan is if I'm ever caught out in dangerous winds is to go with the wind, run the kayak aground and walk back to the car.  So I always keep an "escape route" in mind.  If I have to ditch the kayak and all my gear, so be it.  I won't risk my life to save it.  

[CountryboyinDC]

I guess I don't realize the misery of it, because most of my fishing has been for bass that live among the shoals of shallow rivers.  I used canoes from childhood up to about a decade and a half ago, everything from fiberglass tandems to whitewater OC1 banana boats.  Compared to canoes, kayaks are far easier to fish from - they are less susceptible to the wind, they have a layout that makes it easier to stay organized, and a double bladed paddle is far easier to make corrections with one hand than a canoe.  

 

I now have a pedal drive kayak for small reservoirs and deeper rivers, and both kayaks have a variety of anchoring options.  I have rod holders, places to secure Plano boxes, and even cup holders.  So unless the wind is howling or the river is way up, I don't get run off easily.

 

I like the exercise part of it too.  And one place that the shine has largely worn off of kayak fishing is the solitude it affords.  The places I fished were impractical for all motorboats, save a tunnel hull jet boat, and so you would rarely see anyone.  Now the electric-only reservoirs and rivers are full of kayaks, paddle boarders, and craft of every type.

 

I have had friends that fished from boats or the bank only, and their first few times convinced them that kayaks weren't their bag.  I don't think I would prefer anything else, so long as I can still paddle.

[Darth-Baiter]

Yes. I slipped in over a super shallow section and found deeper water just out of reach of the boats. They were yelling questions at us,  “what do you see?  How deep is it?  Wait, how big was that bass you just caught?”

 

it was fun.  I had to get out of my kayak and walk it over the shallow section.   Today was a good day. 

[MIbassyaker]

Yeah, it's not for everyone. If I could not be physically comfortable in a kayak for several hours at a time, that would be a deal-breaker for me too.  Most of the places I fish are small waters under a few hundred acres, max. A few have only carry-down access, with no ramp. I don't have any long runs to make, other than occasionally paddling-in 15-30min from a creek. Wind is problematic, but as mentioned above, it can be managed and harnessed for advantage with some preparation.  I have two kayaks, one of which is stable enough to stand on, but in practice I sit almost all the time. 

 

If I felt I needed a motor, less restrictive body positioning and movement, and more stability than I already have, I would get a small boat. But I don't.

[Michigander]

Motors and trailers are a hard pass for me on kayaks. I've got a real boat for all of that. But casually tossing my kayak in the back of the truck and just going to the lake is awesome. No fuel, no maintenance, and no major expenses is a joy for me.

[Bluebasser86]

I agree that you just need the right kayak. I jumped in and bought the first one I found a good deal on. The price was excellent ($450 for a normally $1,300 kayak that had only been used a handful of times), but I didn't like fishing out of it. It was a paddle kayak that got shoved around in any wind, wasn't stable enough to stand, and it had a horrible storage configuration that didn't hold much, but managed to consume a lot of space. 

 

I sold that kayak when everyone was scrambling to buy them last year for $300 more than I paid and bought my current kayak, an Old Town Sportsman 120 PDL. The difference is night and day. Being able to peddle and fish at the same time was a game changer for me. I can actually stand and fish without any issues. Wind is not a deal breaker anymore. I have storage for a ton of gear, and the seat is comfortable enough for me to fish all day. My boat doesn't move much anymore because I'd rather take my kayak since I fish by myself a majority of the time and I'd sell my johnboat if my boys didn't enjoy taking it out the creeks so much. 

[K1500]

I bought 3 cheap kayaks for me and the kids. They were/are fun for a few hours, but I am miserable for long duration trips. They were proof of concept for me to buy a 20 foot bay boat, which I absolutely love and can fish out of all day. I still use the kayaks infrequently for river and creek fishing, but the bay boat has been a major upgrade in my fishing comfort. If I didn’t have the means to afford a large boat, I would still be happy fishing out of a kayak, but I do believe a canoe would be better for my style of fishing. 

[Krux5506]

Always loved fishing out of my yak despite it being cheap and extremely uncomfortable...Crippling, actually. I have an Old Town Predator PDL on the way so hopefully that makes me like yak fishing even more.

 

It allows me to fish areas I'd never get to otherwise, and that includes waters where I guess you "could" dump a jon boat in but not nearly as practical as a kayak. It can be constrictive at times but I also like just beaching it and taking a breather or stretch on shore when necessary. 

[Bankc]

11 hours ago, Michigander said:

Motors and trailers are a hard pass for me on kayaks. I've got a real boat for all of that. But casually tossing my kayak in the back of the truck and just going to the lake is awesome. No fuel, no maintenance, and no major expenses is a joy for me.

Understandable.  It's hard to beat a bass boat on a lake big enough to accommodate one.  However, there are a few ponds, small lakes, and rivers near me where motorized boats aren't allowed (electric or gas).  And paddling a jon boat is a chore and a half.  So you're pretty much stuck with a kayak or canoe.  

 

It's like anything, where the right tool for the job makes the job easier.  If all of us had unlimited funds, we'd probably all own a bunch of different boats for different purposes and a few kayaks, a canoe, and a jon boat or two.  We'd probably have a submarine as well!  One does not replace the other, but one can often be used to make do in imperfect circumstances.  

[Allen Der]

14 hours ago, Junk Fisherman said:

 When I look at some of these decked-out, high-end kayaks with trolling motors sitting on trailers, I wonder why they don't just get a 14'-16' jon boat and put a casting platform on it.  

 

I think the main reason is tournaments.  I dont know of any major jon boat trails.  If you're into tournaments it's either a 100k bass boat or a 3k kayak.

[Junk Fisherman]

10 minutes ago, Allen Der said:

 

I think the main reason is tournaments.  I dont know of any major jon boat trails.  If you're into tournaments it's either a 100k bass boat or a 3k kayak.

That makes sense.  

[Bankc]

8 minutes ago, Allen Der said:

 

I think the main reason is tournaments.  I dont know of any major jon boat trails.  If you're into tournaments it's either a 100k bass boat or a 3k kayak.

That, and I can car top a kayak.  With a jon boat, I need a trailer hitch.  Back when I drove a 2 door coupe, car topping was my only option.  Also, like I said before, I can paddle my kayak easily, whereas a jon boat isn't a lot of fun to paddle in waters were motors aren't allowed.  And I don't need a ramp to launch it.  Plus I can store my kayak in the ceiling of my garage, so it doesn't take up any additional space.  A jon boat and trailer would have to sit in my back yard, which means it would ruin my lawn.  That also means it would be a lot more likely to get stolen.  And kayaks are more stealthy than jon boats.  

 

Though I would like a jon boat to have the option to take a buddy.  With a kayak, you have to convince your buddy to buy one of their own.  Plus jon boats give you more room to move about and carry stuff.  There are advantages and disadvantages to each.  It's not like either is a one size fit all solution.  You just have to figure out which makes more sense for you.  Or get one of each.  

[bulldog1935]

we always like the kayaking and company as priority, and fish are gravy.  

 

[Allen Der]

1 hour ago, Bankc said:

That, and I can car top a kayak.  With a jon boat, I need a trailer hitch.  Back when I drove a 2 door coupe, car topping was my only option.  Also, like I said before, I can paddle my kayak easily, whereas a jon boat isn't a lot of fun to paddle in waters were motors aren't allowed.  And I don't need a ramp to launch it.  Plus I can store my kayak in the ceiling of my garage, so it doesn't take up any additional space.  A jon boat and trailer would have to sit in my back yard, which means it would ruin my lawn.  That also means it would be a lot more likely to get stolen.  And kayaks are more stealthy than jon boats.  

 

Though I would like a jon boat to have the option to take a buddy.  With a kayak, you have to convince your buddy to buy one of their own.  Plus jon boats give you more room to move about and carry stuff.  There are advantages and disadvantages to each.  It's not like either is a one size fit all solution.  You just have to figure out which makes more sense for you.  Or get one of each.  

I cartop as well but I was specifically referring to the question of why you'd want a fully decked out kayak with bow mount motor than requires a trailer instead of a jon boat.  I used to cartop a 10ft coleman crawdad jon boat too

[schplurg]

Maybe I'll get the jon boat and keep the yak as well.

[Darth-Baiter]

on the flip side.  a bass boat has it's own misery.  FUEL!  I put $120 into my friends boat gas tank.  it moved the needle to 1/4 tank.  by my math, a full tank is over $400.  I am a simple man, with a simple job.  that would break my fun-bank, and suck some of the fun out of fishing for me.  I would have a stick with some string with my remaining  discretionary spending funds. 

 

add that to the truck towing the boat.  FUEL!  

 

brutal.  I have the green light to buy a PRIUS and a roof rack.  moving my kayak around with a smaller gas footprint is a possibility.  not sure I can stomach driving a Prius, but I have options.

this to me is for 100% fun.  blowing my retirement isn't fun.  

 

my kayak had a slightly painful, but relatively surmountable entry fee.  but I am done.  I am out on the water easy, under my own power, and catching the heck out of fish.  I have never ever in my entire life been such a successful fisherman, than when I embraced "the kayak life"

[Bluebasser86]

1 hour ago, Darth-Baiter said:

on the flip side.  a bass boat has it's own misery.  FUEL!  I put $120 into my friends boat gas tank.  it moved the needle to 1/4 tank.  by my math, a full tank is over $400.  I am a simple man, with a simple job.  that would break my fun-bank, and suck some of the fun out of fishing for me.  I would have a stick with some string with my remaining  discretionary spending funds. 

 

add that to the truck towing the boat.  FUEL!  

 

brutal.  I have the green light to buy a PRIUS and a roof rack.  moving my kayak around with a smaller gas footprint is a possibility.  not sure I can stomach driving a Prius, but I have options.

this to me is for 100% fun.  blowing my retirement isn't fun.  

 

my kayak had a slightly painful, but relatively surmountable entry fee.  but I am done.  I am out on the water easy, under my own power, and catching the heck out of fish.  I have never ever in my entire life been such a successful fisherman, than when I embraced "the kayak life"

Gas, oil, constantly worrying about what might break the next trip out, trailer tires, trailer bearings, trailer bunks, trailer lights, boat carpet, boat insurance, electrical issues, boat seats, boat covers, multiple batteries, it all adds up and is so crazy expensive and really does take some of the fun out of it. My boat just sits around unless the family wants to go or weather won't allow me to take my kayak anymore. Worse case with my kayak (other than losing or breaking the actual kayak), is I destroy my drive. A new one is $1,000, or about the starting cost of every boat repair I've ever had to do. Difference is, in that case, it's like getting a whole new motor put on the boat instead of just fixing a part of an already used motor. 

[HookInMouth]

I think comfort is a big thing. I can't imagine anyone being uncomfortable in a Bonafide SS127. Honestly, that seat might be more comfortable than anything I have in my living room. I think a high well made seat is paramount. 

 

Wind and anchoring I'm still trying to figure out three years in. Lakes are easy. Get an anchor wizard or something comparable. Rivers though, I worry about anchoring in current. And I spend most of my time in current. 

 

There's something about the simplicity of the venture that calls to me. There's also something about that small one-man vessel that does as well. Maybe it's something like the difference between driving a car and riding a motorcycle? I don't know. Love it though. And that's good since the shallow rivers I like to call home leave few other options.