Fishing- kayakers fishing and fishermen kayaking

[ronaultmtd]

All you really need to catch fish is a cane pole, mono line, a hook and bobber...or even a simple handline to catch fish...but as you get more into fishing (like any hobby or more appropriately an "obsession") your equipment gets more sophisticated- it isn't what the minimum required, but what you are prepared to spend to get what you want or think you need- will a St. Croix premium rod catch more fish than an inexpensive Shakespeare Ugly Stick? No, it is the person holding the rod that catches fish not the rod, but the quest for better and higher quality gear to further your hobby is as natural as breathing- the more you are into fishing, the more you place importance on the gear used to fish- within your budget constraints...I can't justify the cost of a Stella reel compared to other high quality reels...would I like to have one? Oh yeah! Just like there are folks who would like to have a Mirage Drive Hobie kayak, but just can't justify the expense or they feel paddling is more to their liking- I am not a kayaker nor a boater- I consider myself a more of a fisherman- it is simply a tool to help me fish- therefore I have sought out what I think is the most fishable kayak- same with my fishing gear- it is the best gear I can afford...I work to become proficient in my kayak so I can catch fish- but without the fishing, I would not have a kayak...

[Fishinfool]

Assuming someone has tackle with the bare minimum specs; the old axiom; "It ain't the arrows, it's the Indians" applies, just like it does with golf equipment, guitars and so forth.

What catches fish is the knowledge and skill needed to present the right lure or bait at the right time, with the right current, and in the right place. The tackle, boat, etc are subordinate to the knowledge and skill.

[ronaultmtd]

Agree- the thought here is that old hands with a garage full of decades of equipment have pursued their hobby a long time while novices just starting out will get there if they stay with it- we need to encourage new anglers by gently steering them instead of expressing strong opinions- patience and tolerance goes a long way to nudging folks in the right direction so they can become skilled, experienced anglers- helping them has the added benefit of passing on the idea that they should offer a helping hand to less experienced anglers when they are the "old salts"

[Memory Maker]

Agree- the thought here is that old hands with a garage full of decades of equipment have pursued their hobby a long time while novices just starting out will get there if they stay with it- we need to encourage new anglers by gently steering them instead of expressing strong opinions- patience and tolerance goes a long way to nudging folks in the right direction so they can become skilled, experienced anglers- helping them has the added benefit of passing on the idea that they should offer a helping hand to less experienced anglers when they are the "old salts"

Absolutely perfectly stated ........ Big thumbs up. I even posted it on another site ( engraving website) that isn't very noobie friendly

[Mark]

This forum dispenses invaluable kayak angling advice. Better yet it leads to personal contacts so that you can join others on outings and actually learn by doing. Experience is the best teacher.

Regarding fishing equipment, in my opinion there has been a quantum leap in equipment quality over the years without a corresponding increase in price. In the 1980s name brand graphite flyrods could cost $500 or $600. You can indeed spend a like amount or even more today. But you can also get very serviceable graphite fly rods for $200 or less. I know because I’ve added $200 fly rods to my expensive 1980s arsenal and they work just fine. The same can be said for conventional rods. They’re lighter and the hardware on them is better than it used to be, again without excessive cost. Conventional reels are also much better now than they were when I started fishing. They weigh less, are stronger and smoother and you don’t have to spend a fortune to get a dependable one.

I try to match my equipment to my needs. Foremost is dependability. I don’t want reels jamming or guides falling off of rods during trips. I want everything to work and work well. I have found that you don’t have to spend a fortune to obtain that. And of course experience helps to gauge what your true needs are so that you don’t overbuy or under-buy.

Lastly, as a case in point, some folks clearly have more money than sense. Years ago, my buddy and I were wading the Upper Potomac for smallmouth bass. We were fly fishing. My friend and I wore regular shorts and tee shirts and we each had broom sticks for wading staffs tied to our belts with clothesline cord. I did have an honest to goodness fly fishing vest, while my friend carried a small knapsack over his shoulder. We were having a typical mid-summer smallmouth day on the Potomac. Lots of action.

At that time the term “Yuppie” was in vogue. (Young Urban Professional.) Two guys nearby on the water, geared to the hilt were not doing as well. They couldn’t cast worth a darn and of course their fish count showed it. Finally, they walked over to us in mid river and started asking questions. They were fly fishing dandies. They were Yuppies. They looked like they had stepped from the pages of an Orvis catalog.

They had every fly fishing utensil you could imagine hanging from their vests which covered their expensive waders. They each carried high end rods. Clipped to their belts were folding wading sticks. One guy had a tippet dispenser on his vest. But he didn’t know how to tie tippet onto to his leader which had been cropped down to the point of uselessness.

I dug a small spool of mono from my vest pocket (not from a tippet dispenser) and showed him how to extend his leader with a simple surgeons knot. I showed him that the small trout flies he was using would likely not interest the smallmouth and suggested that he use some hopper patterns that he was carrying in his expensive store-bought collection of flies. I also gave him some small homemade cork poppers of my own and told him they would work even better. My buddy then proceeded to give them a casting lesson.

Both of these guys had bought more stuff than they needed and at a quality that their skill level could not justify. I hope by now they are seasoned fly anglers with bonefish trips to Belize or salmon trips to Alaska under their belts. I also hope they remember the free lessons they got from two ragtag fly anglers on the Potomac. I’m still fishing local waters in my shorts, only now I sit on plastic. So maybe they are having the last laugh. But still my point remains. Buy only what you can reasonably use and move up (or down) when your experience indicates that is warranted.

[Fishinfool]

A friend has a Parker 25, and he's an experienced fisherman. We were just talking about boat fishing vs kayak fishing. The thing with a good bay boat like that is that it expands the territory you can cover exponentially. For me, that's overwhelming since I am so used to working within a 2-3 mile radius from where I launch, and usually working near the shore line. Circumscribing the territory covered makes it a lot easier, a least for me.

I really wouldn't know how to approach suddenly having access to all that water. I suppose I could learn of course, but I am having too much fun getting in close inside marsh cuts, near jetties, and in the shallows, especially this time of year when the fish come in close to feed. And doing it all on basically a shoe string is a real bonus.

[Nikon]

I'm one of the "newish" anglers you speak of. I grew up fishing for sunnies and small panfish with my dad using worms and a bobber. In the last year or so I've come to learn how to bass fish with lures and just this past summer picked up a fishing kayak. I haven't always been lucky with the kayak but I do love being on the water. I'm still learning the ropes and I'm prepared for the long haul and really love talking to more experienced anglers. I'm looking forward to spending more time on the water with you all and learning what I can.

[AbuMasgouf]

Great thread and great insight gents! This is the attitude that can make a community even stronger

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[baitball]

+1 to what Mustafa said.

There are a great bunch of guys (and ladies) on this forum that are unselfish about teaching others. We are truly blessed; let's hope this tradition continues.

[Fishinfool]

+1 to what Mustafa said.

There are a great bunch of guys (and ladies) on this forum that are unselfish about teaching others. We are truly blessed; let's hope this tradition continues.

I've been on this forum four years and have learned not just a lot of new fishing techniques, but ways to operate while fishing on a kayak.

One of the more basic things I had to learn was really about ergonomics; what to bring on board, how to function inside the cockpit in such a tight space, etc. Fabricating rod holders from a simple milk crate and 1.5 inch pvc pipe made all the difference! I then could troll and paddle at the same time without worrying about the rod(s). It sounds obvious now, but not when you've never done it.

Other little things like using a soft cooler that collapses with thin flat "Igloo Ice" instead of a rigid cooker with real ice helps too. That way, I can conserve space by keeping watertight tackle compartments in the cooler until I need it for fish; all the little things add up.

Safety and compliance with state regs is also important. It's all here!