Kayak Fishing: How To Get Started

By farmersalmanac.com

Kayak fishing is one of the fastest growing sports in America—and for good reason. It is an affordable, adaptable, and at times a straight-up sublime way to spend time on the water. The best part: getting started is easy! For your first kayak, you don’t need anything fancy
Woman Kayaking Guillaume Bonastre, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Woman Kayaking Guillaume Bonastre, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Choosing A Fishing Kayak

Do some internet searching or ask your local dealers for advice. Popular brands include Old Town, Hobie, Jackson, Vibe, and Wilderness Systems. I personally fish from two Old Town kayaks: a BigWater 132 PDL pedal drive, and an AutoPilot 120 motorized kayak. Other than a kayak, you just need a personal floatation device (PFD), a rod, and some lures!

Kayaks Simon_sees from Australia, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Kayaks Simon_sees from Australia, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Rods And Reels

For rods and reels, use what you have: there’s generally nothing special about kayak combos!

Purchasing a new rod? Freshwater anglers should consider a smaller spinning reel with 8-10lb test line (consider Berkley brand), while saltwater anglers should look more at a 3000-4000 size reel (Daiwa and Shimano make good products) and line in the 15-20lb test range.

I prefer Daiwa line and leader for all of my saltwater fishing. Fishing flea markets, often advertised at local tackle shops and in online fishing groups, are excellent places to purchase used gear, and as a bonus you can hold and inspect the gear prior to purchase, unlike an online marketplace.

Lures

When shopping for lures, start simple. For freshwater, soft plastic worms, a couple spinnerbaits or crankbaits, and a topwater popper will get you catching! For saltwater, consider a simple cast-and-retrieve plug, a topwater popper, and some pre-rigged soft plastic paddle tails. And don’t forget: your local tackle shop is an invaluable source of information, so use their knowledge too!

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