The Evolution of a Kayak Angler

[Mark]

2021 marks my 10th year kayak angling. A lot has changed for me in that time. I’ve owned five fishing kayaks -- two pedal boats and three paddle boats. I presently have three fishing kayaks. I’ve written two kayak fishing books, and there is a noticeable evolution in my fishing tactics and preferences and prowess between those two books.

I started out just happy to catch fish. Most of the time I would troll with my 2012 Revo in the Severn and Whitehall Bay. It was easy then to rack up big numbers of stripers. I remember one spring day when my buddy and I combined to catch over 100 stripers trolling 13 miles back and forth between Greenbury Point and Hackett Point. I was so tired at the end of that outing that I actually pedaled through breaking fish to head back to the ramp. I had had enough. My friend shouted at me, “You’re leaving fish behind!” I hollered back, “I don’t care!”

I have never used cut or live bait in my kayaks. I have always fished lures or flies. The easiest and most effective lure I have used is a jig and paddletail. If I was stranded on an island and needed to catch fish for food, a jig and paddletail would be my lure of choice. No other lure I have used is as effective in catching a variety of species. On occasion you have to finesse a jig and paddletail by changing speeds or bouncing it off of the bottom to catch fish. But most of the time, a steady retrieve or merely dragging it behind your kayak will catch fish. It’s hard to not catch fish with a jig and paddletail.

However, like many anglers, my preference in catching fish is with topwater. Conventional poppers or fly rod poppers are my favorite artificials to use. Of course, fish have to be willing to come up to attack those offerings. And as many know, that is usually dependent on certain times of year, certain times of day and certain conditions on the water itself. Then there is the matter of setting the hook. It takes some patience to wait for the precise time to strike back after a surface hit. Fish are more apt to spit a popper back at you than a jig and paddletail. So, you may indeed miss strikes on top. It’s part of the game.

Another evolution during my decade of kayak fishing is that I carry far less gear onboard. I’ve seen other kayak anglers do the same in time. Now I carry fewer lures and flies and I change lures and flies infrequently. I’ve learned that prowess in fishing a particular lure or fly is more important than the actual offering I cast. My point is that if fish are present and willing, it’s relatively easy to get them to strike if your presentation is good. That means a well-placed cast and imparting the proper action to the lure or fly is much more important than retying constantly to find the “hot lure/fly” of the day. For trollers that means trolling where the fish are at the proper depth and speed.

Also, I no longer use a fish finder. I used to. But I found that dealing with the finicky intricacies of my Lowrance unit was more trouble than the value it provided in the shallow water, structure-oriented fishing I prefer. Additionally, going back to my early flyfishing river-wading days, I learned to find fish visually by reading the water. I prefer to do that now in my kayak. I never feel that I am fishing blind no matter where I fish or how often I have visited a particular body of water. Certain truisms hold about locations where fish are likely to be in both tidal and freshwater. I can usually spot them. Am I leaving fish behind by eschewing electronics? Perhaps. But for me, how I catch fish is more important than how many I catch. Besides, I can still catch big numbers if the fish are willing. Even if they're not agreeable, I still enjoy the outing.

A final change for me in my 10 years of kayak fishing is that my preferences have moved from big tidal water to creeks and ponds. I think some of that is due to my age. I no longer want to be dodging motorboats and big waves in my kayak a mile or more from shore. I prefer calmer waters. Also, I believe freshwater fish in general provide more of a challenge to catch than hyper-aggressive tidal fish. Case in point, I’ve had stripers and white perch and tidal pickerel strike a lure or fly that was merely dangling the in the water over the gunwale of my kayak. I’ve never had a largemouth bass or a pond pickerel do that. It just seems to me that freshwater fish are often fish harder earned. I like that.

So, I’ve rambled on here this morning because first, I wonder if others on this board with my length of experience find themselves in a similar position with their kayak fishing preferences changing. Secondly, we’ve recently had several posters new to the hobby and the forum -- a very good thing. They’re rightly inquisitive and excited about kayak fishing. (I remain that way too, believe it not.) I just want these new hobbyists to know that kayak fishing may change for them over time. What they find difficult now will become easier. What they find interesting in kayak fishing now may not intrigue them in the future. But if they’re fortunate, they will evolve with the hobby so that it holds a place of interest in their lives. It's a terrific pursuit.

[DanMarino]

Great observations Mark. My kayak fishing has changed over the years. Partly because of less available time and partly because of fish populations. The Upper Potomac River used to be full of smallmouth bass. Now the smallie population is way down due to many years of poor spawns. So now I mostly fish reservoirs and lakes, or a different river. I'm much too lazy to drive down to Mattawoman Creek these days too. It's a beautiful place with lots of fish and wildlife, but I just don't have the time or desire to drive far to fish. The exception is the Upper Potomac River. I love that river and the flowing water. I just wish the smallmouth bass populations would rebound.

I too have simplified my fishing gear. I only bring one tiny chest pack or small fishing bag with me now. Typically I will fish 2 or 3 flies/lures and that's it. I now want to catch fish using a specific method. Yes, top water is #1. I'm also now mostly a Tenkara fly fisherman. So Tenkara requires very little gear. It limits my fishing methods, casting distance, and is a great challenge.

I'm at the point now where I need to get a cheap, used, pickup truck to simplify my fishing even more. I have been using a utility trailer to haul my kayaks and that adds a level of complexity and difficulty that should be eliminated. I'll get a pickup truck someday.

[Mark]

I'm at the point now where I need to get a cheap, used, pickup truck to simplify my fishing even more. I have been using a utility trailer to haul my kayaks and that adds a level of complexity and difficulty that should be eliminated. I'll get a pickup truck someday.

Thank you Tom.

You highlighted another point in my kayak fishing evolution that I neglected to mention. After 8 years of cartopping my kayaks, I bought a Tacoma pickup in July of 2020. I call it my kayak cart. That has made transporting my boats infinitely easier.

[DanMarino]

Awesome! Congratulations on the Tacoma pickup truck! I'm super cheap and also open to the idea of an old cargo van that would be large enough to haul a kayak or two.

[Red_Beard]

I have been kayak fishing for 5 years now, having gotten my first kayak in 2017. That was a 10' Pescador Pro paddle kayak. Last fall I upgraded to my Hobie Compass, and it has upgraded my kayak fishing in every way. At this point, the only thing I still prefer the Pescador for is float trips, and maybe fishing really small ponds that require dragging the kayak for a ways to access them. I've found the amount of tackle I carry has actually increased of late, but that's mostly because I can comfortably carry more weight in my Compass without getting fatigued as easily. That and it is allowing me to explore bigger bodies of water where I am still trying out new techniques. As I get to know a fishery, and which techniques work best at different times of year, I start to cut down on the number of tackle boxes and rods I bring along.

Most of my kayak fishing trips so far can be lumped into three major categories: 1) tidal river/creek fishing for striped bass, white perch, and pickerel (with occasional trips to waters where trout and red drum are added to the mix); 2) lake and pond fishing for largemouth bass, pike, and panfish; and 3) non-tidal river fishing for smallmouth bass and panfish. For those tidal river trips, I will always have three rods with a topwater/jerkbait, paddletail jig, and a bettlespin rigged up. Probably 95% or more of my striped bass come on those paddletail jigs, with a handful on topwaters. I'll switch the topwater out for a suspending jerkbait when I start to focus on pickerel in the colder months, as that is my top producer of them.

On those largemouth bass trips, I will have at least four rods on hand. One baitcaster with either a spinnerbait, chatterbait, crankbait, or topwater. A second, heavier baitcaster outfit with a jig or texas-rigged worm or creature bait. The other two rods will be spinning outfits with either a shacky-head worm, wacky rigged senko, a grub/paddletail jig, or a soft plastic fluke. Which just depends on the time of year, how deep I am fishing, and the kind of cover in the lake/pond.

For those smallmouth trips, I'll have a few spinning rods rigged up. One with a topwater or small crankbait, one with a grub/paddletail jig, and one with an inline spinner, usually a Mepps or Roostertail. I've gotten more smallies on a Roostertail than any other bait I throw, although a Rebel Wee Craw can do wonders in the right places. If conditions are right, I'll take my flyrod with a popper out as well. I still struggle with fishing a flyrod from a kayak, but I improved those skills a LOT during the Brood X carp fishing bonanza this spring.

Unlike yourself, I am finding my depthfinder more and more useful as I gain experience. I find I am fishing in deeper water more and more, and the depthfinder can be invaluable for that to find bait and underwater ledges where fish congregate. My depthfinder was key for finding those bass I caught on our recent trip to Triadelphia when we were all struggling to get a bite, and its helped me to find productive water for striped bass and perch on recent outings. It doesn't help as much when I'm fishing shallow water more in the spring, but even then it has helped me to understand why some spots are better by revealing spots where the bottom starts to drop off a few more feet, a submerged brush pile I couldn't see, or revealing an underwater channel that passes through a shallower flat.

My only regret around kayak fishing was that I waited so many years to buy my first kayak. I remember taking a pass on a $200 Redfish sit-on-top kayak 15 years ago because I was living in an apartment and didn't think I had anywhere good to keep it. Oh the years of trips I could have made if I'd bought that kayak!! As one saleman old me when I told him I couldn't afford the Hobie he was trying to sell me, "Hey man, just buy whatever you can afford, and get out there. You won't regret it." He was right, and I've been loving this sport ever since!

[Mark]

My only regret around kayak fishing was that I waited so many years to buy my first kayak. I remember taking a pass on a $200 Redfish sit-on-top kayak 15 years ago because I was living in an apartment and didn't think I had anywhere good to keep it. Oh the years of trips I could have made if I'd bought that kayak!! As one saleman old me when I told him I couldn't afford the Hobie he was trying to sell me, "Hey man, just buy whatever you can afford, and get out there. You won't regret it." He was right, and I've been loving this sport ever since!

Thank you Cliff.

I really like how you closed your post. I've said often that I wished I had been introduced to kayak fishing much earlier than I was. But I'm beyond grateful for the years I've been able to do it.

And yes, carp on the fly from a kayak during this year's cicada hatch was a blast. Too bad those noisy ugly bugs are not on a shorter life cycle. I may not be paddling in 2038!

[Red_Beard]

Thanks, Mark. Kayak fishing has been one of the most enjoyable thing in my life these last 5 years.

One quick question, you mention fishing Whitehall Bay in your original post. Do you just launch from Jonas Green to fish there, or do you have a closer launch you would recommend?

[Mark]

Cliff,

I have visited Whitehall Bay launching from Jonas Green. Technically Whitehall Bay starts north of Greenbury Point which is 2 miles from Jonas.

However, there is another launch from nearby Mill Creek which puts you deeper into Whitehall. That venue is a marina operated for the USNA. There are signs that imply it is for the use of "authorized personnel only". However, I have never been checked or questioned when launching there numerous times over several years. Mind you I have been there only one time in 2021, early this summer, so I do not know if the policies have changed. I was not questioned then.

I am retired from the DoD and I carry an ID card which authorizes me to enter the USNA and to use its recreational facilities. So I would show that card if questioned. But again, that has never happened.

[scorchy]

Thanks for the great post, Mark. I just checked my profile and couldn't believe that I actually joined this site 10 years ago after running into some members near the Assateague Bridge. On the spur of the moment, I had bought a used WS Tarpon 120 and brought it with me on a family trip. Back then, I was mainly driving down to OC once or twice a year and bottom fishing or tossing freshwater lures in the Patapsco above Daniels near my house. Neither was providing much in the way of joy.

From there, I typically fished on a yearly trip to OBX in a 14.5 ft Native Manta Ray, and that's pretty much it. We always went with a group of friends where everyone loved the beach - except me. So I would spend as many days as possible on the kayak. A couple of years ago, I decided that I really should do this more back home and am now all in.

The biggest difference makers for me have been buying a Hullavator to help load the boat, downsizing to a smaller kayak, and always keeping the gear in the car. Moreover, unless it's blazing hot or crazy windy, I usually leave the kayak strapped in so I can just jump in the car and go when the notion strikes me.

Finally, like you, I try to be all about simplicity. My job requires a lot of "thinking" and I tend to get OCD about house stuff as well, so fishing is a way for me to clear my brain and chill. I know a fishfinder could be a big benefit but I'm concerned about the annoyances if and when it gets glitchy. I bring two or three pre-rigged rods and rarely change lures. I have a friend that always trying to sell me on a pedal kayak - it's great for him but for now I just love the work of paddling. My wife got me a go pro for my birthday last year and though I appreciated it, I asked her to return it - just one more thing to worry about.

I'm sure that in a few years, as my son goes off to college and retirement looms on the horizon, I'll continue to evolve and may shake my head at the way I fish now. But at the moment, I'm getting so much enjoyment using my Keep It Simple outlook that I can't imagine changing up too much. And I'm just appreciative of this board for all the insight and advice, but also that it's a place that welcomes all kinds of fishermen and women.

[Mark]

Thank you for your reply scorchy.

I started on the "dark side" as it was referred to then on this forum. My first kayak was a Hobie Revo. I still have a Revo, a newer model with the raised seat and 180 Mirage Drive. But a funny thing happened. I discovered that I like paddling more than pedaling. My Revo has largely become a museum piece stored on my kayak rack in my garage. My paddle kayaks get far more use. So I admire your stance on paddling. To me, it's the essence of kayaking.

Another thing we have in common. The last Christmas present my dad chose for me was a Go-Pro. (I lost him in 2019. He was 97.) When he gave it to me I thanked him of course, but I asked him to take it back. I just didn't want another electronic device to fuss with on the water. My phone and VHF radio are enough electronics for me. And I didn't want him to waste his money on something I wouldn't use. So he returned the Go-Pro and he took me to Bass Pro instead for a shopping spree. That was a very good Christmas present.

Finally, the weight of our fishing kayaks is indeed a big consideration. Hullavators or other lift devices are a necessity for many. I thought by now the kayak makers would get the point and respond by making lighter boats. Largely they haven't. Most still make heavy rotomolded SOT boats. Eddyline produces a lightweight 14 foot fishing SOT that I've considered but they have been very scarce during the pandemic.

So again, thank you for your reply. Finally, you'll find that kayak fishing is even better during retirement.

[summersoff]

Great post!!

I am somewhat amazed how fast this sport has evolved. The industry has gone from a few brave souls in skinny little river yaks trying not to tip on every cast, to aircraft carrier yaks that are linked to NASA. It just felt like yesterday casting from my sit-in 9’ Performance Acadia on the Potomac for smallmouths - never had any success, I’m just terrible at bass fishing.

But I think I started with crabbing. I remember sitting on the dock in Chincoteague throwing chicken necks with a bunch of people on either side of me doing the same thing. I kept thinking if I was just a little further out or a little away from the other chicken-neckers, I could fill the bushel. The next day I threw my tugboat tandem sit-in Dagger in the back of my Bronco (removed the top) using only rope. That thing must have stuck out ten feet. Luckily I was only going a mile or two to the launch. I put in and set off down the channel and sure enough, filled half a bushel in no time, not to mention grabbed a dozen of so oysters while I was at it. Funny thing is, now that I remember, I didn’t bring a bushel, I would just net the crabs and and throw them in the yak. It was a tandem and I was solo, so they would scurry to the bow. I remember having to tip the yak back and forth to get them out. Well, Eventually, I brought a rod to cast while I was waiting to pull in the crab lines. Well, after a few trips, and a number of fluke, the crabbing slowdown and the fishing picked up. And like all of us, I chashed that kayak down a rabbit hole.
I unfortunately have swung back to complex. For a while, I lost the fish finder, going native, putting ear to the sand and sticking my finger in the water and tasting it to see if there was a hint of fish slime. But getting into fluking killed that. You need to know the drops. There is no distinction on the surface, so real clues where to cast, so I went to the dark-side and picked up me of “THOSE”. it’s invaluable for fluking.
However, casting for stripers, reds, or trout in the back bay, a definite yes, simple works. Looking for tides, rips, current or eddies can easily put you on productive water. A couple rods and box of lures is all you need for a fun day of fishing.

[ski357]

Definitely agree with the other posters, excellent post. I've had a FF for the last two years, never got around to installing it. Have done many an installation of other's kayaks, have kept mine basically stock. I do have turbo fins and did add a crate this season. This sport has rapidly evolved, so much on the market now, so many new manufacturers and options.

[Mark]

Thank you for your replies Jay and ski357.

Jay -- It's a good thing those crabs headed north in your two seater. You're a brave soul. Please don't tell me you crabbed in bare feet too. I'm a lifelong Marylander and I have never been crabbing. I've eaten quite a few though and once I caught one on a Rat-L-Trap.

ski357 -- Hope you get that FF hooked up soon. At the very least, it will confirm why and where you've been catching fish without it.

[ronaultmtd]

Like you Mark I have a few more months than a decade under my belt...February of 2011 was my introduction into Kayaking...Much has changed since then...my evolution has really changed the way I fish...it wasn't that I was not an experience salt water fisherman, but I was a total novice in kayak fishing...to me boats were a necessary evil to fish...expensive, complicated, high maintenance and requires tow vehicle, launch services, etc. I owned boats and enjoyed offshore big game fishing for some 30 odd years in the Tidewater region before relocating to the Washington, DC area for work. The differences between powerboat fishing and kayak fishing are like the difference between a helicopter and a 747 airliner...you could write a volume of books on it...my metamorphosis is complete...the last four years the Lady Luck setup remains unchanged. I use a 7 inch Hook2-7 TS fishfinder and personally find it extremely helpful in the way I fish shallow water flats and river systems. I would not voluntarily give it up. My main changes have been to light spinning tackle over low profile casting reels. 2500 series reels with 10 & 12# test braid on 7' medium spinning rods handle all my artifical lure fishing...when I bait fish for big blue catfish, the Revo NACL winch with 30# braid gets the nod...like Mark, I have cut the amount of stuff I carry to a minimum. I usually pre-rig four rods with the lures I plan on fishing before I ever pull out of my yard. I have a small waterproof Plano box with spare lures inside my rectangular hatch should I need to replace a lure or get broken off...otherwise my rear tank area is complete bare. One recent addition to my arsenal is a BPS Offshore Angler wade landing net after losing a big legal keeper flounder...and I confess it has saved a couple of fish I would have lost without the net. Love the rubber net material as it saves the fish injuries from scaling. You can teach old dogs new tricks...i have become a complete convert to the elasticity of the plastic used in the ZMan lures. I credit them with increasing my success rates, especially with Speckled Trout and Redfish.

[Mark]

Ron,

Thank you for your contribution to this thread.

Your transition to kayak fishing was much greater than mine. I had only one deep-sea fishing experience prior to kayaking. In my mid-20s I went on a salmon fishing trip in the Pacific Ocean from the town of Westport, Washington. It was the first time in my life I had been in a boat that traveled beyond the sight of land. It was also my first and only experience with seasickness. The captain saw my condition and admonished me to not throw up in the sink in the cabin -- which indeed I was planning to do. He chased me to the rail where I thought I would go over in the big swells we encountered. I held on tight, completed my involuntary chumming and I even managed to catch a salmon afterward. I had it smoked and brought it back to MD where I shared it with my family and coworkers. But that trip ended my deep-sea fishing desires.

After that my fishing experiences were confined to smaller boats in smaller waters here in the Bay, local reservoirs and wading rivers in MD, VA and PA. Those experiences transferred nicely to kayak fishing.

However, one commonality we share with others on this forum is finding our niche in kayak fishing. We've discovered the gear, locations we like and we've perfected our approaches to catching fish the way we prefer.

As to the utility of nets in a kayak, I could not agree with you more. That has been a recent addition to my arsenal, reminding me that it's never too late to change approaches. In addition to the rubber mesh preserving the protective skin slime on fish, it repels the hooks of lures. I've noticed that especially with pickerels. They frequently toss the hook when I net them because the tension in the line is released by the act of netting. My lure or fly is easily retrieved from the rubber mesh and I can return the fish to the water without touching it unless I want to measure it on my Hawg Trough.