New to the kayak fishing game. Need advice!

[xm41907]

I came across this website while searching for a small inflatable kayak. I current have been using a Intex Challenger K2 as a basic kayak for exploring the waterways around Baltimore. It's been decent, but I've wanted something a bit smaller and sturdier. Anyway, stumbling upon this forum brought back memories of growing up and fishing with my dad on small trolling boats in Oklahoma. I've not fished in over 20 years. Now I've got the itch to get a fishing license and some basic gear and hitting the water. I need some advice.

First off, I'm considering getting the Seyvlor Hot Fish K5 kayak (http://www.walmart.com/ip/Sevylor-K5...Kayak/34761230). It appears to be a fishing version of the Quikpak K5, but I've not had much luck finding info on it. I even contacted Sevylor and their customer service didn't have much. I'm curious if someone has tried it out before.

Second, basic fishing gear. I will likely be fishing around the Chesapeake Bay and other lakes around the Baltimore/Annapolis/DC area. I don't have a ton of money, and want to get the best bang for the buck. I was thinking just a simple rod and reel from Bass Pro Shops, with a small tackle box and a handful of lures. Not sure what else I'd need. When fishing from a kayak, where do you place your caught fish??

Lastly, I'm looking for good locations to kayak. Mostly, I've dropped my yak in Roland Lake just north of Baltimore, Centennial Park in Columbia, and hit the bay from the Smithsonian's Environmental Research Center south of Annapolis. I'm more interested in scenic and interesting locations vs good fishing hotspots. The fishing, for now, would be complimentary to my recreational kayaking and photo taking.

Thanks for the input!

[mweber02]

Welcome to the site!

You have quite a bitter sweet situation. Gearing up with a bunch of new toys can be really fun, but everything adds up very quickly as well.

This week is actually a perfect time to get a rod and reel at Bass Pro. A coworker turned me onto the BPS Graphite Series rods this year. They are usually $40 but on sale for $30 again this week. They are surprisingly nice rods for the cost when compared to the $80-100+ big name rods. A 6.5'-7' medium weight with a fast action tip will work well for most fishing.

For a reel, I have heard that the Okuma Avenger series are great budget reels but have not tried them myself. The reels I use regularly are both Shimano, the Sahara and the less expensive Sonora. I like the 2500 size for the lighter weight and they still have plenty of line capacity and appropriate drag levels for the 12lb mono I use.

Lures will vary greatly depending on what you would like to target, where, and when. I try to budget my lure purchases but have been trying to accept the costs associated with lures that work. I have bought quite a few super cheap lures that have never caught a fish. I can't justify $20 for a lure but $5-8 definitely seems to be a better investment than $2.

If BPS is your starting point there will be plenty of helpful staff there to point you in the right direction.

[xm41907]

Thanks Mike. It's been so long since I fished that I consider myself a total novice now. I barely remember details about reel types and best lures for what. Really, I'm just looking to get a few basics for some fun right now. Trying to add to my outdoor adventures. It seems most people on this forum are in the MD area, so it's a perfect fit for me to learn more about kayaking around here too.