Fav pole setup on yak

[Bayvalley1]

What is your favorite Rod set for Bass or Snakehead on the Yak? I want to upgrade my poles and want to to opinions for brands, power, action and length. I read that the power can be reduced on a yak for Striper fishing in the Bay since the yak itself adds drag but does this apply to inland fishing? Length is another quandary for me, do I go longer for more casting distance or shorter for more control and ease of use on the yak? I just picked up a FR 704c Dobyns Fury to add to my 6' medium fast action Powell Inferno baitcast rod. Now I am considering adding a St Croix Premier spinning rod. Need suggestions. Thx

[mchottie]

The thread title had my thinking of push-pole or pole-anchor.

Typically we refer to that as the Rod & Reel, which creates the fishing pole. I think you're asking about the Rod, on a yak or even boat per se, you can get away with much shorter Rod becuase you are typically trolling. If you are fishing from shore, or from a bass boat or yak (i.e. freshwater) for LMB you would also lean towards longer casting rods to get your lure to an exact placement when casting.

Most here have several setups to use for multiple different fishing scenarios.

- I take my 10', 11', 12' and 15' surf rods when i'm fishing from the beach at Assateague.

- I use a 9' (much longer than most will recommend on here) medium rod on my yak

- I use a 6', 6'6, or 7' med/heavy on the boat

With the Surf Rods & Yak Rods are spinning reels, the boat rods are conventional reel type

[Mark]

If you search for longer rods (6.5 to 7.0 feet) which I prefer in a kayak for extra line control and playing fish, be mindful of the length of the handle. One of my 7 foot commercial spinning rods had a longer than normal handle from the reel seat to the butt. It was so long the butt of the handle would hit my PFD within the confines of a kayak during casting and while working the lure. It would have been fine in most other applications. But not while I was seated in a kayak. I didn't think of that when I picked it off of the rack in the store. I had a rod repairer shorten the handle by 4 inches. Now it's my favorite striper rod even though its length is a nonstandard 6 feet 8 inches.

[Bayvalley1]

The thread title had my thinking of push-pole or pole-anchor.

Typically we refer to that as the Rod & Reel, which creates the fishing pole. I think you're asking about the Rod, on a yak or even boat per se, you can get away with much shorter Rod becuase you are typically trolling. If you are fishing from shore, or from a bass boat or yak (i.e. freshwater) for LMB you would also lean towards longer casting rods to get your lure to an exact placement when casting.

Most here have several setups to use for multiple different fishing scenarios.

- I take my 10', 11', 12' and 15' surf rods when i'm fishing from the beach at Assateague.

- I use a 9' (much longer than most will recommend on here) medium rod on my yak

- I use a 6', 6'6, or 7' med/heavy on the boat

With the Surf Rods & Yak Rods are spinning reels, the boat rods are conventional reel type

You are absolutely right I should have written rod not pole. Thanks for answering I believe I'm learning that a longer pole on a yak is better. Originally I thought I shorter rod would be more desirable because it would be easier to handle but I realize the greater casting t distance from a longer rod is a big advantage

[Mark]

...Originally I thought I shorter rod would be more desirable because it would be easier to handle but I realize the greater casting t distance from a longer rod is a big advantage

The other advantage of a longer rod is to shift a hooked fish from one side of your kayak to the other across the bow. Sometimes a hooked fish will swim fast right toward the boat. I prefer to unhook fish on the left side of my boat. A longer rod lets me to lead those that run directly toward me on the right side of my kayak to the left side by reaching the rod tip over and in front of the bow.

[mchottie]

Mark thats a good point. I also prefer the left boat-side becuase I have the monster FF on a Ram Mount at the right side.

[J.A. Veil]

I offer a different perspective on rod length. I have used 7' and 7'6" rods on a kayak and did not like them. All of my kayak rods are 6' or 6'6" rods. Admittedly, I am taller than most guys and have long arms such that I can lean forward to guide a fish around the bow of the kayak with those rods. For me, the extra length in a 7' rod makes it harder to grab the lure to change it out, clean it, or unhook a fish.

Regarding longer casts, I suspect that a longer rod would provide a small increase in casting distance. One of the advantages of fishing from a kayak is that we can quietly sneak up on fish and don't necessarily have to have super-long casts to put our lures into position.

There is no right or wrong rod length, reel style, or brand of equipment. You can get opinions from other anglers (and you have received a range of replies already), then make up your own mind.

[ronaultmtd]

Depends on what I am fishing for and what technique...bait fishing for blue cats, I like low profile baitcaster on 6’6” medium heavy rod...for trolling big crankbaits/big swimbaits in the late fall and spring trophy season...same low profile baitcaster on 7’10” heavy action rod...after trophy season and all summer long I use 2500 spinning tackle on 7’ Mojo Inshore and SE Inshore medium light and medium rods...

[Slough Sleigher]

Lot's of good bits of information being shared here. Great to have such a wealth of knowledge and experience! My kayak fishing is more inshore coastal and for me, trolling is just something I do between hot spots for prospecting. By far, I prefer jigging or casting top water. For what it's worth, my rod needs to have a medium fast action and medium heavy action. Lengths are 6-6&1/2 which are plenty long enough for me to walk a fish around the bow of my 135 kayak without too much fuss. Stiffer boat rods are a disadvantage because unlike standing up in the cockpit of a boat where you can fight and absorb a fish's energy using your whole body, a seated kayaker has only limited motion from some hips, back, shoulder arms and wrists to absorb the fight of the fish. A softer rod offers that dampening action but is no bueno for jigging. The coastal fish I encounter are usually heavier, faster and have more endurance than here on the Chesapeake and that is why with the faster and heavier rods I prefer to combine with a really fast reel. The combination I have been favoring is a 6'6" Shimano Trevala Jigging Rod with a braid rating of (I'm almost embarrassed to say) 50 to 100lbs. It has a 13 Fish Concept A3 8.1:1 left hand retrieve spooled with 50# braid. I like the low profile bait casters. I am right handed and jig the rod and land the fish on the right side of the boat with that hand because my depth finder is on the left. I like the finesse of my right hand to feel the fish and the reel hand just cranks the handle - besides, I get really tired of having to swap the rod between hands on every hook up when using a right handed bait casting reel. My spinning rods all have their handles on the left side so the drill is always the same. Also, my rudder control lever is on the left side. Now, here is why that combination works well for me: The combo is reasonably light. I can palm the right side of the reel with my right hand comfortably for hours with the butt supported under my forearm and the butt end terminating an inch or so before my elbow avoiding the hassles snagging the butt on my vest or clothing. In landing a fish I now have the option of high sticking it straight up and into the kayak should I need or want to without worrying about breaking the rod. The speed of the reel complements keeping the line tight but the main feature for catching more fish when jigging is that sensitivity remains intact. For top water plugging I still like my 17# light spinning rods with a medium to fast action. For trolling, a 6'6" to 7" medium action rod that can absorb strike impacts but still hook a fish when the rod is unattended in the rod holder. That there is my usual complement of three rod I take out with me most places I go. I hope I have added a few more variable to consider when making a rod choice. One other thought that I have about rod length is that I have not been personally comfortable with the leverage a fish can put on a kayak when connected to a long fishing rod. Some of the hairiest situations have been in reaching around to grab a bent rod with a heavy fish attached to a 7+ft rod in a rolling sea.

[Bayvalley1]

Thanks to everyone for replying. A lot of good points I hadn't considered has given me more to think about in rod selection. Tightlines!

[Mark]

Bayvalley1,

You have received some great advice.

One more point I'd like to make concerns weight. Most rods now are graphite which is a lightweight material. The guides, handle and reel seat are the components that have a major impact on the finished rod's weight and its durability. Generally, the higher the cost of a rod of a given size/action, the lighter those key components are without sacrificing durability. So, I value the weight of a rod during my selection process.

Many kayaker anglers here troll which means their rods are usually secured in a holder, not their hand during most of their outings. In their case, the difference of ounces or less in a rod may not matter. However, a long session of casting in a kayak will bring home the value of a lighter rod.

[Bayvalley1]

Bayvalley1,

You have received some great advice.

One more point I'd like to make concerns weight. Most rods now are graphite which is a lightweight material. The guides, handle and reel seat are the components that have a major impact on the finished rod's weight and its durability. Generally, the higher the cost of a rod of a given size/action, the lighter those key components are without sacrificing durability. So, I value the weight of a rod during my selection process.

Many kayaker anglers here troll which means their rods are usually secured in a holder, not their hand during most of their outings. In their case, the difference of ounces or less in a rod may not matter. However, a long session of casting in a kayak will bring home the value of a lighter rod.

Absolutely there is great advice, Thx for all the advice.