Kayak fishing

[Gary Boysen]

I need to get off the banks and get out where the fish are. I've been looking at kayaks. Does anyone have any good advice or opinions about kayak fishing? I'd love some feedback. Thanks.

[Gary Boysen]

I'm finding out that the kayak trailer is almost a thousand dollars! Boy, that throws a monkey wrench into the mix. I'm looking on line for alternatives...even a small flatbed utility trailer that I could modify. I tried Ebay and Amazon but nothing there os inexpensive. No luck at Home Depot or Lowes. Any suggestions?

[Tony Livingston]

Before I would buy a canoe or yak, I would buy another one of these. Very stable, even with two anglers aboard, lightweight (I can load and unload from the bed of a pickup by myself), no trailer necessary, supportive of both trolling and outboard motors, very shallow draft, ability to stand and fish, more space than a canoe or yak, and MUCH CHEAPER.

[Allen Morgan]

Looks like you're on your way.

I don't know about a permit for a kayak trailer.  Check with your local DMV.  Find yourself a trailer.  Flatbed trailers (like those used for lawn & gardern, hauling firewood, etc.) will work, but some will a small johnboat or jet ski trailer.  Just strip those down to the frame, then build a framework that will support your kayak, and allow you to securely strap it down.

[Gary Boysen]

With much appreciated help here, and considerable online searches, it looks like I'm leaning toward the Nucanoe Frontier 12 with the Tandem Bass Angler Package. My local kayak dealer has it on special sale for $1,350. He said it is a discontinued color for next years models. He also said it is easy to put on top of an SUV. I lifted the bow and I'm not so sure about that. I think a trailer is in my future. Is a permit necessary for a kayak trailer hitched to a car? I'm all new to this and there are so many things to consider. But...I am excited about the prospects for getting out on the water!! 

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

Allen mirrors a point I mentioned at the outset - maximizing the limited gear you carry.
Now, most people don't like the idea of limiting their options, and fishermen are no different. But a kayak, as versatile as it is, is essentially a floating seat.
It gets cramped and restricting after a while. Imagine a marginally comfortable stadium seat - that you can't get out of. Now, place all the items you need for fishing within reach and you get the idea.

Obviously, the things you use must be at arms length reach or they may as well stay home.

Now, most yaks have some small storage fittings molded into the hull. Some few offer one between your legs and you can cram some bits in there - if you don't mind them getting wet with whatever water ends up inside the double hull.
Almost always there is a large one mounted forward, also not guaranteed be bone dry.
But you have to beach and get out to access it.

Picture you squirming out of your seat, then crawling around in a kayak to get into the bow locker. That's a pretty sure way to test your PFD flotation. Such storage is more for lunch, small camping items and that kinda thing.
I rarely ever used mine.

I suggested you look into milk crates already, so I'll only remind you of two things when using them:

1. Your vessel must have a molded-in gear well behind the seat where the milk crate will reside. Almost all SOT angling yaks do, and experienced users take it for granted. Make sure.
2. Anything stored there is, by default, BEHIND you.
This means you have to turn around at least 90° to really work in and out of it. The word "contortionist" comes to mind.
If you get a yak with really good secondary stability (flat bottom, tunnel hull, SOT) and a seat that is free standing off the hull, you can work your way around to sit sideways. This helps a lot.

Thus, the prime goals of a successful kayak angler are threefold:

1. Have a fishing plan for each outing. Know what you're after, where to find it, how to go about catching it, etc.,
2. Sort and organize the items needed to fulfill your plan. I use Plano boxes, milk crates, and a soft-sided travel tote and can switch up among two or three of the likeliest fishing methods,
3. Have the essentials for ONE method within reach, from the waist forward to your knees. Most yaks have molded-in trays and pockets that help with this. Also, I highly recommend a neck lanyard and fishing vest; you can tote all your key essentials between the two, right at hand AND out of the way:

Knives
Forceps/pliers
Fish grips
Signal mirror/whistle
Small lures, hooks, etc.
Suncreen
Sun glasses

[Allen Morgan]

Yeah, and once you do decide on which kayak to buy, then you have to rig it.  Sonar, crate, rod holders, anchor trolley, etc.  I've seen guys with $3K kayaks and a $4K sonar on it.  Sheesh!  For that kind of money you might as well just buy a nice john boat!  I spent $700 on my kayak, and $80 on the sonar.

The biggest thing is learning how to downsize your fishing gear selection.  Folks that fish in big boats that go to a kayak are the ones that have the hardest time for this.  They're used to carrying 2 - 4 big tackle boxes filled with lures and tackle.  I have a standard milk crate for my kayak, and I can comfortably carry 3 Plano boxes in that.  At the current time, that's more than enough if I want to go chase some LMB.  I typically only carry two rods; one rigged for trolling, the other rigged for casting lures.  That's bass fishing.  For panfish, I would take the rod that I rig for trolling, and rig it over for throwing bait or micro jigs under a float.  If I'm fly-fishing, it's usually one fly rod, and a couple fly boxes either in the pockets of my PFD or in my crate.  If I'm after catfish, I would take my catfish plano box, and two of my catfish rods.  They are identical, except that one if usually rigged with a float, and the other is rigged for bottom fishing.  Sometimes, when I was after cats, I would also bring some pool-noodle juglines, as I could fit 6 of those and a plano box into my crate.  Drop the jugs off, then fish with a pole in the area.  Other times, I would have both poles rigged for drifting the bottom, go to the upwind side of the BOW, throw my drift sock over, then throw out both lines, and let the wind push me, dragging some bait along the bottom.

[Gary Boysen]

Whew...a ton of great information, guys. Thank you. My work is just beginning I see. So much to take in and consider. Looks like my next step is to get to a store and get hands on. Tackle and Field, Wanaque, New Jersey here I come!!

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

My favorite way to deal with cramped seating is to get out.
I stop fishing after a few hours and take a break. Go ashore, take a leak, have a nosh.
It's very refreshing.

Some good points brought up here.
Tha is Ken and Allen.

[Slip Sinker]

Allen brings up a great point that concerns kayaks and fishermen. The seats are sometimes very uncomfortable in certain models… one seat does not fit all… including my current model kayak and consequently effects my time out on the water. I knew that going into the purchase of the Ascend D10T by reading reviews the seat was sometimes an issue.

 

One of the great features is the seating of the Nucanoe frontier is solely up to you. The endless variety of seats in today’s market are your choices. They all fit on the frontier and its totally up to you and your comfort level!  Seat bases are designed to accept standard fishing seat mounting.

 

The thing is I did a huge amount of research on the Nucanoe Frontier and am pretty excited about my selection and upcoming maiden voyage this spring. I will give reviews on the model once it gets into my possession.

[Allen Morgan]

Sorry, Gary, I just now saw this thread!

I'm a kayaker.  I have a Perception Search 13.  It's a good lake boat.  The seat is a little uncomfortable.  I've found that an inflatable football stadium pad, or a foam pad for gardening, works wonders if I'm going to be in my yak for several hours.

I car-top my kayak.  I'm currently driving a Chevy Traverse.  I used to drive a Ford Windstar that I also car-topped on.  I built a PVC frame that I slip between the luggage rack and the roof of the vehicle.  There are two arms that go back, away from the vehicle, along with a padded cross-piece.  I just lift the stern up, and put it into a corner of the PVC "auto-loader".  It holds the stern up nicely.  Then I just lift up the bow, straighten the yak out to line it up with the long axis of my vehicle, and push/slide/walk it onto the luggage rack bars.  I'll use two racheting straps to strap it down.  If I drive more than an hour to my fishing spot, I'll stop to check the straps, as they usually stretch a bit and loosen up a hair.  I recently moved cross-country, and my wife drove 950 miles with that kayak strapped to the roof while I drove a U-Haul behind her.  It never budged.

The biggest piece of advice I can give you, is TRY BEFORE YOU BUY!  Had I tested my kayak before I bought it, I might have gone with a different brand/model.  There are some newer models out that are much more comfortable.  Try to find a kayak dealer near you that does a demo-days type event, where they have 20 - 30 different brands/models for people to try out.  Your next best bet is to find a dealer that rents several different brands/models.  Often times they will apply the rental fee as a down payment on a kayak if you want to buy one.  If you have any friends with kayaks, ask if they will let you try it.  Also, talk to a dealer about what you plan on doing with it, where you will use it, rigging options, etc.

"Lake boats", like the one I have, are longer, with a narrower beam.  They're built for easy paddling of distance.  "Stream boats", are usually shorter, with a wider beam.  They are more maneuverable, and are easier to paddle around obstructions/bends in moving water.

Case in point:  A few years ago, some of my buddies and I did a float down a scenic river in Oklahoma.  Most of these folks had river boats, and had a good trip.  My boat, being a lake boat, has a keeled bow and stern.  This makes for better tracking, but making tight turns is a witch.  Not to mention one rather tricky riffle that I had to do some rather technical back-paddling to keep from getting pushed onto the bank and capsized by the rushing current.  The keeled stern caught the current as I was coming out of the turn and caused me to turn about 60 degrees further to the right than I wanted.  Guys in the river boats were making that bend easily.  I probably should have walked by boat through.