its profound how buying a kayak really opened up fishing for me.

[Darth-Baiter]

I knew I was going to love it, but I had no clue HOW MUCH I was going to love it.  I did okay fishing from shore at local ponds, but nothing spectacular. buying the kayak really expanded the experience for me.  I can hit ANY lake I want in my area.  big reservoirs are fair game.  I crossed Lake Berryessa, and I have really explored Clearlake.  I have yet to cross Clearlake, because I haven't needed to.  the place is littered with boat ramps, and simply searching GoogleEarth can usually find me a ramp that is strategically close to the area I plan to target. 

 

I fish occasionally on a bass boat, and I am much more organized fishing on my kayak.  pure necessity to maintain my housekeeping duties while fishing off a kayak.  you simply cannot scatter stuff everywhere.  in addition, it was interesting to fine my favorite lake is a PIA to even get a bass boat to, and as a result we kayakers get to fish it really all to ourselves.  some adventurous boaters will brave the trek and get their boats there.  I am still breaking the lake down to manageable parts, but I have already taken some whoppers there - blind fishing.

 

this drought we are having.  a boat ramp that is too dry to launch a bass boat is coincidentally easier to launch a kayak.  it isn't busy anymore with boats, and the water is perfect to stepping into a dry kayak.  easy peasy.

 

I am having so much fun, and I am fishing more than I EVER have in my life.   during the "Covid-Lull" I was fishing 3-4x per week!!  I will tour the western states when time and life and pandemic allows.  I am blessed my wife is totally on board.  she loves to hear my fishing stories (or she fakes it well).

 

the one Achilles to my kayak life is WIND.  stupid wind.  I am a hobby weather man these days.  hahah..I watch NOAA like a hawk.  wind almost killed me on Lake Camanche.  lessoned learned.  watch the weather, and know what to expect. 

[Dens228]

Welcome to the addiction.   This morning I fished a small quarry that has virtually no shore fishing access, a tiny spot to get the kayak in, no boats can get in there except maybe a small jon boat. 

I had the place to myself and caught a couple dozen bass.  

[TcRoc]

The addiction is real. Love my Yak and am always tinkering with things on it  or things to get for it. 

[TnRiver46]

Sounds like you are in a perfect area for paddle craft. Where I’m at I need paddle craft as well as a gas engine and even a boat set up for running long distance up shallow water. There are some places it’s better to launch a kayak and other places or you would never be able to fish with a kayak because of limited access points and swift currents. 

[the reel ess]

After I got a kayak I found that I was never using my fish & ski. It was falling into disrepair so I sold it. I haven't missed it a bit. I catch more and bigger bass than I ever have going to places you can't easily get a bass boat into.

[Yakalong]

There is something about being at water level when you pull that bass up 

[Bluebasser86]

I have a bass boat and a john boat. I've used the johnboat once this year and my bass boat a handful of times since I got my kayak. I fish alone most of the time anyways, so that part of it made sense, but I enjoy the simplicity so much also. 

[DaubsNU1]

Nice work! 

 

I went from bank fishing, to belly-boat...to a canoe. Each step opened up more fishing possibilities. It was GREAT!

 

The downsides of a canoe (and Yak) were:

 

- Lugging it on the vehicle...and off

- Can't stand when fishing (some Yak's you can do that these days)

- Boat positioning was a pain...paddle a little...put down paddle, pick up rod...cast/retrieve...repeat (could get trolling motor on a Yak)

- Tough to tick when sitting down, or head to shore and do my business

- Limit to tackle / rods I could bring along

 

Twenty years ago I scored boat/motor/trailer for $600....added casting platform, seats, and trolling motor...and it again changed my possibilities.

 

 

I have recently upgraded electronics, added decking / storage...it's light and small enough to get in to most lakes in my area. Fishes two very comfortably. Drafts about 3-4 inches deep...and I don't care if I bang in to trees, rocks, etc.

 

Enjoy your kayak...and most of all, fish whenever you can!

[the reel ess]

14 hours ago, Yakalong said:

There is something about being at water level when you pull that bass up 

And when it hauls you around. It's more like close combat than fishing from a deck.

20 minutes ago, DaubsNU1 said:

Nice work! 

 

I went from bank fishing, to belly-boat...to a canoe. Each step opened up more fishing possibilities. It was GREAT!

 

The downsides of a canoe (and Yak) were:

 

- Lugging it on the vehicle...and off

- Can't stand when fishing (some Yak's you can do that these days)

- Boat positioning was a pain...paddle a little...put down paddle, pick up rod...cast/retrieve...repeat (could get trolling motor on a Yak)

- Tough to tick when sitting down, or head to shore and do my business

- Limit to tackle / rods I could bring along

 

Twenty years ago I scored boat/motor/trailer for $600....added casting platform, seats, and trolling motor...and it again changed my possibilities.

 

 

I have recently upgraded electronics, added decking / storage...it's light and small enough to get in to most lakes in my area. Fishes two very comfortably. Drafts about 3-4 inches deep...and I don't care if I bang in to trees, rocks, etc.

 

Enjoy your kayak...and most of all, fish whenever you can!

Nice ride.

 

To your point about lugging the kayak on and off a vehicle, that's pretty easy with a pickup. Mine weighs about 60 lbs. with the seat in. It's much easier to me than towing, unloading, loading and towing back a boat. I don't have space in my yard for a boat. And this feature of a kayak means you can put it in places you can't get most boats in. And for the rods I can take as many as 8 with the flush mount and a crate. But I rarely take more than 6. I just take the bags of plastics I might need and one or two boxes. No gas or oil, no batteries to charge or lug around, no motors to get fixed or replace.

 

All boats have their have pros and cons. I'd still like to own a jonboat.

[Krux5506]

I always knew I liked kayak fishing but my first kayak I had for years was a cheapo Field and Stream Talon, super uncomfortable and actually pretty much crippling. Just last week I received my Predator PDL and I've been out only once on it but I can now see how much more addicting it can be with an actually NICE kayak that allows for such easy rigging, tons of storage and comfort. Night and day difference from my first kayak. 

 

I still like my Lund but it lives at my family's cottage on a hoist - I do not travel much with it. I figure that's what the kayak is for. It'd be hard to sell my boat since my kids like it too but I just don't have the time to use it like I did before they were in the picture. Now I really just like the simplicity of throwing the yak in the back of the truck and going anywhere. 

[Bankc]

I love my kayak except when loading an unloading it, and during windy days.  I've learned how to deal with the wind pretty well, but it still takes a lot of the fun out and puts a lot more stress and frustration into the whole trip.  I'm looking to eventually get a trailer of some kind, because car topping is not fun nor quick.  

 

A lot of my local lakes are almost unfishable without a boat of some kind.  They usually have the docks locked up, so you can't fish from there.  The banks are covered in trees and thick brush, so they're near impossible to get to through, let alone whip a pole around.  And while there are usually a few fishing piers and a couple of sections of bank that you can access, they're usually crowded and not in good spots for fishing.  

[gim]

6 hours ago, the reel ess said:

All boats have their have pros and cons.

 

Completely agree.  Although I've never owned a kayak, I can see myself with one in the future at some point.  Right now I have a bass boat and I use it regularly, but I can foresee a time in my life when I may move on from that to a kayak.  The kayak tournaments fascinate me too.

[BrianMDTX]

I don’t have a yak; I have a Sea Eagle Packfish7 inflatable that I modified with a 7” pedestal and a folding swivel seat. I added two rod holders behind the seat as well. The two front rod holders are great...when paddling, but you can’t fish with one rod in a holder, let alone two. But I can store one rod one either side of the seat facing rearward so with two in the rear rod holders and one on each side of the seat, I can comfortably bring and fish with five rigs. 

 

Is it fast? No. Can I travel far on the water? No. Is it a pain in the butt in the wind? Yes. But it’s easy to transport inflated in the bed of my truck, not a struggle to carry, easy to board and disembark, and it gets me access to places I could only dream about fishing from the bank. And at only 7’ long inflated, it’s very easy to store. Even easier when deflated. 

[David 7]

Glad you’re enjoying it! We can’t cover as much water as the guys with a motor, but it sure beats bank fishing. Personally I wouldn’t even know how to maintain a bass boat and I don’t have a truck. Kayak fishing is the best option for me. I fish blind/ instinctively and really enjoy being at water level. It is very calming.

[the reel ess]

6 hours ago, Bankc said:

I love my kayak except when loading an unloading it, and during windy days.  I've learned how to deal with the wind pretty well, but it still takes a lot of the fun out and puts a lot more stress and frustration into the whole trip.  I'm looking to eventually get a trailer of some kind, because car topping is not fun nor quick.  

 

A lot of my local lakes are almost unfishable without a boat of some kind.  They usually have the docks locked up, so you can't fish from there.  The banks are covered in trees and thick brush, so they're near impossible to get to through, let alone whip a pole around.  And while there are usually a few fishing piers and a couple of sections of bank that you can access, they're usually crowded and not in good spots for fishing.  

I have a backup spot nearby for very windy days. It's a pond that's pretty much surrounded by hills and trees. I did have a pond I could walk as well, but my cousin sold his house and property.

[padon]

alot of it depends where you live, not alot of small sneaky spots around here. there are a few and i fish them with my kayak. my boat is indespensible for me on lakes around here.now on the river my kayak is the machine, when the water gets low in the summer i can fish all kinds of places others cant. unless you wanna invest 40k in a jet boat just for the river. for me it just depends on the time and place.

[Koz]

On 8/3/2021 at 8:32 AM, DaubsNU1 said:

- Boat positioning was a pain...paddle a little...put down paddle, pick up rod...cast/retrieve...repeat (could get trolling motor on a Yak)

 

This is the exact reason why I bought a pedal kayak. After a few outings it became second nature to bump the rudder and jog the pedals while fishing the entire time.

[Landis Carrier]

Look into a Anchor Wizard. They work great while fishing in the wind in a kayak. 

[Darth-Baiter]

I do not recall ever taking a picture of my rig. Here it is. 
 

I would be lying if I said I didn’t want to upgrade (to the pro angler in the back). But I’m addicted to how fast my kayak is. I’m faster than my friends 10 foot Nucanoe with a 30lb thrust motor. (I’m tired tho, he isn’t). 
 

I can stand and  cast. It’s fast.  It’s fun. 
 

 

[schplurg]

I took a quick trip to my Dad's to try my paddle yak one more time to make sure I want to upgrade to a pedal one (make sure I want to kayak at all really). Caught a 5 pounder pretty quickly and solved that problem!

 

Should be getting my Old Town Sportsman PDL 106 this week  

[Darth-Baiter]

^^daaaaaannnnngggg!

[schplurg]

20 hours ago, Darth-Baiter said:

^^daaaaaannnnngggg!

 

 

I'm tellin ya, the place is great! Caught her when it had just turned completely dark. About 15 minutes after I started.

 

Vid should start playing at the cast that catches her. I need more practice at handling fish in the dark, but she got released safely. I hold her up in the light a few times for a good look. Just shy of my PB.

 

 

[TnRiver46]

29 minutes ago, schplurg said:

 

 

I'm tellin ya, the place is great! Caught her when it had just turned completely dark. About 15 minutes after I started.

 

Vid should start playing at the cast that catches her. I need more practice at handling fish in the dark, but she got released safely. I hold her up in the light a few times for a good look. Just shy of my PB.

 

 

H*** yes dude!!!! That video cracked me up. The bug consumption and the denoggonized dink, hilarious 

[schplurg]

I know, that poor dink. Well I like to keep it honest and show at least some of my mistakes haha  That's what happens when you're the first fish caught after a 5 pounder!

 

The person I was talking to was my Dad's friend sitting on the dock. I could have caught it from the dock probably.

 

 

[Crow Horse]

I've been kayak fishing for 6 years. I bought an entry level yak and built/modified it to suit my needs. One of my fishing buddies has a Predator with a trolling motor and it's a beast. It's a really nice rig but way too heavy for my taste. I also prefer sit in yaks. I have a 10 footer and it's a little tight on space but it forces me to be organized.