why do you kayak fish ?

[phoenixkeith]

i got a 2010 20 foot bassboat with a 225 evinrude etec that has been sitting winterized since last fall . im in two bass clubs and until i got the kayak bug this past year i was on that boat 2-3 times a week . bassboats and tournament bass fishing has been my life for the last 25 years . then i saw a kayak kevin video and thought hmmmm that looks interesting . at this point im all in . kayak fishing and kayaks have beacome my passion . i dont plan on selling the bassboat just yet but have giving serious thought to going all kayak . i was wondering why you kayak ? do you choose a kayak over a motor boat ? do you multi-task and do both ? if you dont have a motor boat but could, would you still choose a kayak instead ? have you sold a motor boat and went all kayak ?

[Cowpokey]

I've never owned a power boat. Dad always had one when I was growing up, and we fished a lot, but I just haven't gotten the bug to buy one. I've been kayak fishing for over a dozen years, it's just what I like. Originally I bought a kayak because I was fishing Tridelphia and Rocky Gorge and you couldn't have a gas motor there, and I didn't have any place to put a boat trailer anyway.

I was leery of fishing the bay from my first SinK, but with a decent SOT there's nothing to it. Add in pedal power and it's my favorite place to fish.

[lovett88]

I started fishing from the bank like most anglers but it was never enough, I always kept thinking about the rest of the lake I was missing out on. So I went and got an inflatiable boat with a trolling motor (something cheap to get me away from the bank) I only used it a few times before selling it and looking for something with less weight. To me I like to keep it simple less weight the better, as most of my fishing trips are quick trips after work. After watching many youtube videos I also came accross Kayak Kevins videos and its was like a light switch was turned on, BINGO this I have to try. After buying my first kayak Ive been hooked and havent been happer with the way I can now get on the water.

[Pc4sun]

A couple of years ago I got the fishing bug and bought a 15 foot Boston Whaler with a 60 hp moter to get me out in the water and fish. Then BAM, I saw a video by Maurice of him fishing from a kayak at the Bay Bridge. That let to more videos by Kayak Kevin and a fella out in Texas. I was hooked. So I bought a Slayer Propel and became serious about fishing. Unfortunately the boat has sat since then. Not ready to sell it yet, but feel if I did I would not feel the loss. What I like about kayak fishing? Can get to places where I can't with my boat. When on the boat I don't get to fish much anyway, because the people on the boat fish and I move the boat around ��. The kayak is so natural on the water. And I like the closeness I feel to the water wih No noise. It is peaceful and less stress. In the boat I fear about hitting a sandbar and catapulting my guests into the water. In the kayak if I hit a sandbar I simply push myself off. I love the exercise I get in the peddle kayak. I like the comradery with other kayak fishermen and women.

[sega]

Simply put its the most bad ass way to fish. Hardcore boaters will ever understand the feeling of accomplishment after bringing a huge slimy fish up onto your kayak and in your lap. Just like hardcore rifle hunters don't understand why some of us bowhunt :-)

[Mark]

Kayak fishing:

1. Has introduced me to new friends
2. Gives me quick access to more water locally than I ever had before -- and I once owned a boat.
3. Is effective
4. Is fun
5. Is compatible with multiple forms of light tackle fishing -- casting, spinning, trolling and fly fishing.

Those are five quick things. There are probably more if I think about it.

[J.A. Veil]

I have owned a series of fishing boats for over 20 years. I have fished from a kayak for 14 years, but have gotten more serious about kayak fishing since about 2008 when I bought my second kayak (considerably more seaworthy and comfortable than my first one). The logistics of sliding a kayak into my minivan, driving 10-15 mins and launching quickly make me much more likely to choose a kayak over my center console - I probably make 3 to 5 kayak trips for each boat trip. I still like having my 16' center console for those days when I want to cover more ground and go across wide and open water bodies.

Kayak fishing allows me to sneak into shallow or remote spots where I could not go in the center console. Plus there is something extra fun about catching a fish while sitting at water level in a light weight plastic boat that I have propelled myself (either with a paddle or a foot drive). The low cost of operating a kayak is a real plus too.

[jet]

being from montgomery county, i grew up fishing sandy point, matapeake, and romancoke. i was fishing at sandy point in 2007, and i just got so fed up with everyone around me. the constant crossed lines, people swimming right in front of rods(there is a swimming area you know) , people actually touching my stuff, etc. i went home and googled boat trader to find a small powerboat. dont remember exactly what happened next, but i had a 2007 hobie delivered soon after.

my father in law has a center console that i take out a couple times a month in season, i much more prefer fishing from the kayak. a lot more. its just so much to deal with. i would consider fishing from a jetski though, lol, i guess it's the solo thing

[echo5oscar]

For me, I think it's the solo thing like Jet mentioned. I've also considered the jet ski option. Some pretty bad ass set ups out there.

[bignose]

First, you have to accept the fact that my kayak is actually an Old Town Canoe. (I'm not planning on turning in my membership card anytime soon!).
I started fishing and canoeing in my teens, quite a long time ago.
I went through various obsessive fishing phases: pond fishing, trout fishing, fly fishing, fly tying, rod building, ultra light, salt water. I got to know Joe Bruce, who started out with a little fly fishing shop in Catonsville, not far from where I was teaching at the time.
At the same time I became a Small Craft Safety Instructor Trainer for the Red Cross. Hardly an expert, just a natural aptitude, I was very much at home in a Canoe.

So I combined the two. I moved to Columbia in 1986, and found that the local ponds were full of fish, purchasing a canoe just seemed to fit the bill. I like the friendly confines of a smaller body of water: the Upper Potomac, Weems Creek, etc.
I retired after 33 years in the classroom in 2008.
I bought and quickly sold a Center Console after realizing I didn't like trailering the beast, and I wasn't fishing the intimate little areas that I prefer.
I know some folks think that the Bay Bridge is an intimate piece of water, but I'll leave that to Kimbro (lol).
I added an electric motor as I got a little older…..y'know how that goes, or you soon will……..
I still help out a couple of times a week on a Charter Boat, which is more like work than recreation. But it's fun teaching people how to fish, and helping those who already know how.

[BalmerBrian]

I kayaked first, when I was 10, my neighbor had two Folboats. He took his son and I to yhe beach and let us go out and use the the tandem one. Combining it with fishing seemed the logical next step as I grew older. Most of my efforts being rivers, reserviors, and bays.

[phoenixkeith]

i agree with everything said especially the intimate aspect of kayak fishing . my boat does 75 mph and i can fish the potomac from D.C. to aquia in a day but i blow by all the sights and sounds without even noticing them . on my kayak i found myself yesterday watching a spider descend from a branch to land on leaf that was floating on the water . i love the connection you get with your surroundings being in a kayak . plus i like to paddle for some freaking reason , i use to think thats to much work but paddling has become fun to me . another great thing i have realized is the versatility in a kayak . streams to oceans you can do it all from one boat and be safe doing so .

[Mark]

My only negative about kayak fishing is that I wish I had learned about it sooner.

It is popular now but that has not been the case for long. This is my third year fishing from a kayak. That means I lost a lot of good time on the water.

I’m retired and my kayak had been a great diversion – when the wind and weather and family obligations allow me to get out. (It’s not just employment that will limit your kayak trips.)

I know some of you younger folks envy us old guys when you read about our weekday outings. But you’ll have many more years on the water and you’ll see even more advances in kayak fishing. Lighter and more comfortable boats, improved propulsion systems and better tackle to enhance your fishing experiences.

We have discovered a terrific niche in fishing. Enjoy it now and for as long as you can!

[AbuMasgouf]

+1 on what everyone said as well. To add a little more flavor, I came across this video many moons ago and it also explains reasons why many of us kayak fish https://youtu.be/R1Z47xanhy0

[silasvirus82]

Personally I have no reason to buy a powerboat, and 90% of the time I prefer fishing from a kayak anyway. My dad has a 16' center console I can borrow whenever I want, and making friends with a powerboat owner in MD is not very hard to do. Why should I invest in a powerboat moneypit when I can let someone else take the hit on depreciation, maintenance costs, and all the time chasing electrical and engine problems. I'd rather be fishing.

Like others have mentioned, I also think there is a "cool" factor of fishing from a kayak, especially with larger fish. Nothing is better than landing a nice fish next to your powerboat buddies.