How to Fish in a Kayak

Fisherman are rapidly turning away from power boats in favor of kayaks. There are many reasons behind this trend such as cost of operation, exercise and the ability to target areas that larger boats cannot reach. Fishing from a kayak, however, is quite different from fishing off of a larger vessel, though, and specific gear and different tactics are required to do it successfully.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

Kayak outfitted for fishing
Bait bucket
Net and/or gaff
Fishing rods
Paddle
Anchor
Tackle
Bait
Fishing license

Step 1

Set your kayak up on the shore with all of the gear that you will need for the trip. Secure rods into the rod holders and stow any other gear either in storage compartments or simply tied down to the kayak with bungee cords.

Step 2

Make a second check for everything that you need. This will prevent you from needing an item you do not have.

Step 3

Launch from the shore and paddle to your desired fishing location. On a kayak, docks and other structure are easily accessible.

Step 4

Set your anchor if you are fishing in one area. This will prevent the kayak drifting out of range of your targeted structure. Alternatively, if you are trolling, you will not want to set the anchor.

Step 5

Bait and cast. Work as many areas as possible until you locate your targeted species of fish.

Tips & Warnings

Fishing in a kayak is very much like fishing from the shore or a boat, aside from a few specialized items.

A milk crate bungee-corded to the rear of the kayak makes an excellent place for storage of small items like small tackle boxes, drinks and anything else that will fit.

Safety is always to be at the forefront of any fishing trip, so be sure to have all required safety gear on board your vessel.

Article Written By Justin Otto

Justin K. Otto is a freelance writer & editor from Pensacola, Florida. He has been writing for 9 years and professionally for just over 2 for several publications such as The Pensacola News Journal, a Gannett Publication, the PJC Corsair and Kayak Angler Magazine. He is currently pursuing a Bachelors Degree in journalism.

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