Getting back in the Game

[justeric]

Hi Kayak Fishermen of Maryland,

I'm looking at getting back into Kayak fishing? I live in Maryland and did most of my kayak fishing in the Potomac and a little in the Bay around Kent Narrows. I sold my kayak since my trips relied on a second person to drive a pickup/drop off car. I would drop off in Harpers Ferry and pick up in Brunswick. I had a bunch of epic fishing trips, catching many small moth bass.

I would like to find out approximately how much it would cost to get back into the Kayak fishing game. I think I would prefer a pedal powered kayak for open waters. I would like to make moving the kayak easier than putting it on my roof. I have a jeep with a trailer hitch so I'm thinking a utility trailer or a purpose built kayak trailer might be the solution.

I might need to get another kayak that I can drive down the rocky parts of the Potomac river but that is outside my question.

I see that a lot of kayaks have electronic fish finders and the like. I'm not sure if that is necessary but would like to hear your opinion.

Please give me some suggestions on kayaks and trailers.

My end goal is to be able to go fishing whenever I want without worrying about anyone else being available. I would like to fish in the bay, in the ocean, in big pools in the Potomac...

Please let me know if you have any suggestions and cost estimates,
Thanks! Eric

[M_Duong60]

I have a fish finder on my kayak but the only thing I really use it for is water depth, some people are really good at using them and Im not one of them. I feel like nowadays there's so much on the market now that it's hard figuring out what you need and what you don't, ultimately while it can help you catch more fish IMO all you really need a little research on your target species and a line in the water to catch fish.

As for the debate between paddle and peddle kayaks the cost obviously gets higher when looking at pedal models. On the flipside there are a lot of great paddle kayaks geared towards fishermen so I'd do some looking online for ones with features that you like.

For me simple is better and I like to spend as little time at the boat launch as possible setting up and with peddle kayaks I find there's too much to worry about with rudder cables and drive chains or whatever that I'd rather not think about it. The Trident 13 does a great job at that for me. Because Im still young I don't really have and trouble throwing my kayak over my shoulders and topping it on my RAV4. Here's another method that seems pretty easy for cartopping your kayak. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_75VKNDnTI No need to shell out all that money on trailers and whatnot.

Sure the older guys will be able to tell you a lot more than what I did. Good luck and hope to see you out there.

[ronaultmtd]

I turn 73 in March, so I am an old fart...I started in a paddle yak, still own my Ocean paddle kayak and I used it once last year in thick spadderdock weeds and lily pads at Mattawoman looking for snakeheads...in 2010 I didn’t know how to get into or out of a kayak...Bill, Kevin and Moc took me on my first kayak trip...left my pfd on the dock and Moc brought it to me..fished out of a paddle yak for a year, but I was convinced to abandon the paddle after one of our meet and greets at PLO...we were going out to the 26 FOW line in Cornfield Harbor for croakers...we all left together...by the time I arrived on scene, most of the Hobie drivers had a stringer of fish...the tide changed, the wind got up, and we decided it was time to head in...by the time I got in all the Hobie drivers were all loaded up, cleaned up and shooting the breeze with the guys...I was beat from fighting the wind and outgoing tide...and got help loading my kayak...the over the water speed in choppy water going against current is the forte of the Mirage Drive Hobies over paddle yaks...the added power of your legs versus arms is undisputed...yeah, they are more expensive, but in my opinion they are the ultimate open water fishing kayak...hands free fishing cannot be over stated..holding position in current, getting back in after a long day on water..all add up for me...and using the tools of electronics does not make you less of a fisherman any more than using high dollar, high quality rods and reels vs. Kast King reels on Ugly sticks makes you any better or worse...my Father told me a long time ago to buy the best fishing gear I can afford, that in the long run it is the least expensive...I have consistently upgraded my kayak and enjoyed the results on the bending rods... I give the Outback kayak credit for making it easier for me to fish and my confidence in its seaworthness in choppy, rough water I find myself in more often than I like...and the company of great friends I have made on this forum is solid gold...I understand folks on a tight fishing budget cannot justify the price of an Outback (or Compass) and the economy is not kind to wage earners and working families...some of our Snaggedline forum guys upgrade and sell their perfectly good Hobie Mirage Drive Kayaks that have significant upgrades included for an unbelievable great price...so all that said- I am glad that you are enjoying your kayak fishing experiences using your equipment to its max capabilities...so am I...as far as prices, I saw one Hobie sold here on our forum last year for less than $900...I used to cartop my Outback on top of a Ford Focus...got a Ford Ranger pickup and built a cradle system that is the bomb...loads and unloads in a snap...takes just a few minutes to undo the tiedowns and slide the kayak out of the truck, roll it down into the water, turn on my Fishfinder and be gone...fast as it can be...many of my buddies trailer theirs...all work...

[Oldbayrunner]

To add to Ron's excellent post, I'm almost 71 years old and car top my 90lb, without accessories, 13'.5' kayak. Although it would be a tad easier to trailer it I wont go that route for a couple of reasons. One being car topped I don't have to pay ramp fees at many of the places I launch whereas with a trailer I would ( barring the State parks with my Golden Age Pass) and with exception the Queen Anne Co annual pass, which is a require for anyone launching there. The second reason is I don't need to be concerned with having a place to park a trailer. My knees are shot so a peddle system doesn't work for me so I have the addition of an electric motor on my kayak. I love my electronics because I am the type of fisherman that like to study areas before I go out and see if my research from what I plot indeed produces more often then not it does. Of course having and going with friends on here that know their areas sure helps too....lol.

[DanMarino]

For fishing from Harpers Ferry to Brunswick, a paddle driven sit on top is the way to go. Don't think a pedal powered kayak will work well with the rocks and ledges. Plus, they cost so much, I wouldn't tear one up.

I think a Native Manta Ray, Wilderness Tarpon, Jackson Cruise, or some basic sit on top would work best. I have a Manta Ray 11 and Jackson Coosa and they both work great on the Upper Potomac. I don't use a fish finder when fishing the Upper Potomac. Most of the smallies I catch are in 8 feet of water or less. Both of my kayaks stink at paddling up river. If you plan to paddle up river then a longer kayak will work better and give you more glide.

I use a 5'x8' utility trailer to haul my kayaks. I made some cross bars and got some Malone Sea Wings to hold the kayaks and strap them down. Malone make a really nice kayak trailer that you might want to check out. Another alternative would be to get a cheap jet ski trailer off of craigslist and modify it yourself.

One day I'll get a pickup truck to haul my kayaks though. That seems the simplest method.

[Mark]

justeric,

You've come to the right place for advice and you've already received excellent guidance.

Kayaks -- I believe for a good fishing kayak, paddle boats included, you're looking at nearly $1000. That's new. There are plenty on the secondary market that cost much less. They're listed here often. A prime consideration for me has always been weight. I cartop -- more about that in a moment -- so I am very mindful of what I can lift. Also, it's no small task to get a fully loaded kayak to the water at some launch points. So my heaviest boat is 70 pounds and my lightest is 49 pounds. Even they are sometimes tough for me to lift after a long outing. So I may turn to a pickup truck in time. I think that's the best all around solution to heavy lifting and the trailer restrictions we face at some launches.

As you've already been advised, I would not take pedal kayak on the upper Potomac. The drives are too expensive and too susceptible to damage from rocks. Also, I have an unusual bias about river floats. I think they're fine when someone else is controlling the boat -- like on a guided trip. But I have no desire to control a boat and fish on a fast moving river. I think when we do that we are actually floating past plenty of fish because we're very concerned with keeping the boat upright and pointed in the right direction. My upper Potomac trips are strictly wading and I never want for catching fish. I can work an area slowly and thoroughly on foot without worrying about anchors, crashing into rocks, or speeding past riffles that likely hold fish. But again, that's my bias. I know others enjoy the routine of covering more water by floating than they can on foot. My thought however, is that there are more river smallies than we can possibly catch in a given area so it's wise to work it slowly.

Finally on kayaks, as you've noticed by the signature lines here, many of us have more than one kayak. There's a good reason for that. Kayaks are like fishing rods. They're merely tools that help us catch fish and like fishing rods, different kayaks have different attributes and are better suited for different kinds of waters. I reserve my pedal boat for larger tidal waters and my paddle boats for creeks and ponds. There is interchangeability and some days I just feel like paddling even in tidal water as opposed to pedaling, but for the most part I reserve pedaling for tidal waters. The point is that you can fish all waters with a paddle boat. Do not feel you need an expensive pedal boat to thoroughly enjoy the hobby. However, I would encourage you to learn the relationships between kayak length and speed. Also, that extra wide kayak that promises stability may require extensive energy to propel. Tradeoffs between length, width and ease of paddling abound in kayaking. Learn them before making your purchase.

Trailers -- They're great for ease of loading and unloading your boat. They're bad for many of the launches we use in Anne Arundel County that do not allow trailers to park. You say you're from Central MD. I don't know precisely where, but if it's near AA County you are foregoing many good launch sites by trailering.

Fish Finders -- I used to own one but I no longer do. I found it superfluous for the shallow waters I fish. It was fun to look at and interesting to know how far I went on an outing, but it really did very little to "find" fish for me. My contention is that if you have experience fishing rivers and lakes which I did, you already know how read currents and structure and you can often estimate depth just by the surrounding shoreline. That knowledge translates nicely into fishing Eastern Shore ponds and the Chesapeake's tidal waters from kayak. But I know some feel they are fishing blind without their electronics. I have merely chosen to simplify my kayak outings as much as possible. Not dealing with fish finders is one way I have done that. It's a personal decision.

Lastly, if you're interested, John Veil and I are teaching a course at Anne Arundel Community College on Saturday, March 9. Enrollment is still open. We cover each of your questions in depth (including the use and utility of fish finders) and also show students where and how to fish the kinds of waters you've mentioned.

Good luck and welcome (back) to the hobby.

[belairfishing]

I will echo what several guys have already said - if you want to fish rivers (Potomac, Susky, etc.) AND the bay/tidal rivers, you will need two kayaks. Like Ron, I attempted to fish at a meet & greet out of Lowes Wharf in a paddle. It's about 2 miles across the bay to Poplar Island, which is where the fish were that day! I made it, and I caught 7 or 8 stripers, but most of the pedal guys reported catching 20 - 25 fish. It was just a matter of time. The other benefit of a pedal kayak is that you can fish (troll) on your way to the destination much easier than you can with a paddle. The ability to maintain consistent trolling speed is a HUGE benefit. And being able to hold position in strong current or wind is important as well. When I fished in the

I keep my Wilderness Ride 115 for lakes/rivers/sightseeing tours with my wife, and my Hobie Revolution for the Bay and tidal rivers. I bought the Revo used, and I am very pleased with the purchase so far. I expect to use it for several years to come.

I cartop, so I can't speak to trailers, but I have seen the goal post attachments for trailer hitches that keep you kayak stable, and I think they are cheaper than a full trailer.

I don't have a fish finder (yet) and I don't know if I'll go down that road or not. This was my first year fishing for stripers in and around the bay, and I just fished where I knew there would likely be fish, or I fished with other guys that have fish finders!

If you budget conscious, I would suggest searching for a used Hobie pedal kayak. You can find several on Craigs List at any given time, depending on how far you are willing to travel.

Like Mark said, a decent paddle fishing kayak is going to be around $1,000.

[J.A. Veil]

If your schedule allows, try to get out to the HOW fishing flea market this Sat (Jan 19) at the Odenton fire hall. There will be many kayak anglers attending or selling gear at their tables. You can pick brains in a leisurely manner.

As you have already heard from others, you can get on the water and have fun for a modest price. If you want to move to a pedal-drive kayak and fully accessorize, you should be prepared to shell out big bucks. Generally you can get more for your dollar by buying a used kayak that may already have accessories added to it.

[mchottie]

I've taken my PA14 on the upper Potomac. Would not recommend. I should have kept my first kayak (12' SOT) but instead I sold it to finance the PA14. A 10-12ft SOT paddle driven is much more preferable to the shallows / below-surface rock formations of the Potomac.

PS That being said, most of my fishing is salt water, so the PA far better suits my main use.

PPS smallmouth pull hard, and i'm still considering picking up a shallow water yak this spring/summer.

[Oldbayrunner]

Food for thought, to my knowledge all of the pedal kayaks have drives that detach and can be lifted out, or tilted up out of the way when traversing shallow water with or without rocks. From what I've seen the advantage of the Hobie is one can feather the mirage drive fins to traverse shallow areas that a pedal prop or motorized couldn't still propel a kayak but one would certainly want to remove it for rocky areas. Personally although I do have 2 kayaks I only use 1 for fishing. I fish both deep tidal, the Susky river including the shallows, Furnace bay, the Flats etc. with my 13.5 transom motor kayak. For me its easy to tilt my motor up out of the way and paddle around rocks or when in shallow grassy areas, which for now works for me. As you can read there is a wealth of knowledge for you to draw on and base your decision on how to start.

[justeric]

HI M,

Thanks for your response. I liked the Kayak loading video. I have a newer Jeep Cherokee that has one of those antenna's on the back middle of the roof. I will check to see if it can be unscrewed so it does not interfere with a kayak on the roof. The loading technique looks easy enough though!

Have a great weekend,
Eric

[justeric]

I turn 73 in March, so I am an old fart...I started in a paddle yak, still own my Ocean paddle kayak and I used it once last year in thick spadderdock weeds and lily pads at Mattawoman looking for snakeheads...in 2010 I didn’t know how to get into or out of a kayak...Bill, Kevin and Moc took me on my first kayak trip...left my pfd on the dock and Moc brought it to me..fished out of a paddle yak for a year, but I was convinced to abandon the paddle after one of our meet and greets at PLO...we were going out to the 26 FOW line in Cornfield Harbor for croakers...we all left together...by the time I arrived on scene, most of the Hobie drivers had a stringer of fish...the tide changed, the wind got up, and we decided it was time to head in...by the time I got in all the Hobie drivers were all loaded up, cleaned up and shooting the breeze with the guys...I was beat from fighting the wind and outgoing tide...and got help loading my kayak...the over the water speed in choppy water going against current is the forte of the Mirage Drive Hobies over paddle yaks...the added power of your legs versus arms is undisputed...yeah, they are more expensive, but in my opinion they are the ultimate open water fishing kayak...hands free fishing cannot be over stated..holding position in current, getting back in after a long day on water..all add up for me...and using the tools of electronics does not make you less of a fisherman any more than using high dollar, high quality rods and reels vs. Kast King reels on Ugly sticks makes you any better or worse...my Father told me a long time ago to buy the best fishing gear I can afford, that in the long run it is the least expensive...I have consistently upgraded my kayak and enjoyed the results on the bending rods... I give the Outback kayak credit for making it easier for me to fish and my confidence in its seaworthness in choppy, rough water I find myself in more often than I like...and the company of great friends I have made on this forum is solid gold...I understand folks on a tight fishing budget cannot justify the price of an Outback (or Compass) and the economy is not kind to wage earners and working families...some of our Snaggedline forum guys upgrade and sell their perfectly good Hobie Mirage Drive Kayaks that have significant upgrades included for an unbelievable great price...so all that said- I am glad that you are enjoying your kayak fishing experiences using your equipment to its max capabilities...so am I...as far as prices, I saw one Hobie sold here on our forum last year for less than $900...I used to cartop my Outback on top of a Ford Focus...got a Ford Ranger pickup and built a cradle system that is the bomb...loads and unloads in a snap...takes just a few minutes to undo the tiedowns and slide the kayak out of the truck, roll it down into the water, turn on my Fishfinder and be gone...fast as it can be...many of my buddies trailer theirs...all work...

Hi Ron,

Thanks for your response. It is great to hear that kayaking is an activity that you can do into your 70's! It sounds like a pedal kayak is the ticket if you are going to be in open waters and traveling far. Your story reminded me of trips where I paddled only to get to a fishing spot tired and ready to take a nap. Picture paddling from Brunswick to the falls above it (all up stream). Now that I am in my mid 50's I think I deserve a less physically demanding way to have fun. The pedal kayak in the bay and it's tributaries sounds like a blast. I will look on Craigslist for some used Kayaks. With spring approaching (slowly) I suspect some owners will be looking at selling and moving up.

Have a great weekend,
Eric

[justeric]

To add to Ron's excellent post, I'm almost 71 years old and car top my 90lb, without accessories, 13'.5' kayak. Although it would be a tad easier to trailer it I wont go that route for a couple of reasons. One being car topped I don't have to pay ramp fees at many of the places I launch whereas with a trailer I would ( barring the State parks with my Golden Age Pass) and with exception the Queen Anne Co annual pass, which is a require for anyone launching there. The second reason is I don't need to be concerned with having a place to park a trailer. My knees are shot so a peddle system doesn't work for me so I have the addition of an electric motor on my kayak. I love my electronics because I am the type of fisherman that like to study areas before I go out and see if my research from what I plot indeed produces more often then not it does. Of course having and going with friends on here that know their areas sure helps too....lol.

Thanks for your response OBR,
It sounds like using a trailer does have it's drawbacks. Maybe my next car will be a pickup truck if I get heavy into kayaking. Using an electric motor sounds great in open waters. How far can you travel with a full charge? Do you take multiple batteries? How fast does it travel over the water? What size swells are to big for your kayak with an electric motor?

Have a great weekend,
Eric

[justeric]

For fishing from Harpers Ferry to Brunswick, a paddle driven sit on top is the way to go. Don't think a pedal powered kayak will work well with the rocks and ledges. Plus, they cost so much, I wouldn't tear one up.

I think a Native Manta Ray, Wilderness Tarpon, Jackson Cruise, or some basic sit on top would work best. I have a Manta Ray 11 and Jackson Coosa and they both work great on the Upper Potomac. I don't use a fish finder when fishing the Upper Potomac. Most of the smallies I catch are in 8 feet of water or less. Both of my kayaks stink at paddling up river. If you plan to paddle up river then a longer kayak will work better and give you more glide.

I use a 5'x8' utility trailer to haul my kayaks. I made some cross bars and got some Malone Sea Wings to hold the kayaks and strap them down. Malone make a really nice kayak trailer that you might want to check out. Another alternative would be to get a cheap jet ski trailer off of craigslist and modify it yourself.

One day I'll get a pickup truck to haul my kayaks though. That seems the simplest method.

I agree, fishing in the upper Potomac would not be a good idea with a pedal boat. Thanks for the suggestions on SOT yaks. If I decide to fish the upper Potomac with a yak I will look into them. I have been wading during the summer months and catch a bunch of fish. Not sure fishing the upper Potomac with a yak is imperative but it is a blast.
I will google Malone Sea Wings. Thanks for the tips.

Have a great weekend,
Eric

[justeric]

justeric,

You've come to the right place for advice and you've already received excellent guidance.

Kayaks -- I believe for a good fishing kayak, paddle boats included, you're looking at nearly $1000. That's new. There are plenty on the secondary market that cost much less. They're listed here often. A prime consideration for me has always been weight. I cartop -- more about that in a moment -- so I am very mindful of what I can lift. Also, it's no small task to get a fully loaded kayak to the water at some launch points. So my heaviest boat is 70 pounds and my lightest is 49 pounds. Even they are sometimes tough for me to lift after a long outing. So I may turn to a pickup truck in time. I think that's the best all around solution to heavy lifting and the trailer restrictions we face at some launches.

As you've already been advised, I would not take pedal kayak on the upper Potomac. The drives are too expensive and too susceptible to damage from rocks. Also, I have an unusual bias about river floats. I think they're fine when someone else is controlling the boat -- like on a guided trip. But I have no desire to control a boat and fish on a fast moving river. I think when we do that we are actually floating past plenty of fish because we're very concerned with keeping the boat upright and pointed in the right direction. My upper Potomac trips are strictly wading and I never want for catching fish. I can work an area slowly and thoroughly on foot without worrying about anchors, crashing into rocks, or speeding past riffles that likely hold fish. But again, that's my bias. I know others enjoy the routine of covering more water by floating than they can on foot. My thought however, is that there are more river smallies than we can possibly catch in a given area so it's wise to work it slowly.

Finally on kayaks, as you've noticed by the signature lines here, many of us have more than one kayak. There's a good reason for that. Kayaks are like fishing rods. They're merely tools that help us catch fish and like fishing rods, different kayaks have different attributes and are better suited for different kinds of waters. I reserve my pedal boat for larger tidal waters and my paddle boats for creeks and ponds. There is interchangeability and some days I just feel like paddling even in tidal water as opposed to pedaling, but for the most part I reserve pedaling for tidal waters. The point is that you can fish all waters with a paddle boat. Do not feel you need an expensive pedal boat to thoroughly enjoy the hobby. However, I would encourage you to learn the relationships between kayak length and speed. Also, that extra wide kayak that promises stability may require extensive energy to propel. Tradeoffs between length, width and ease of paddling abound in kayaking. Learn them before making your purchase.

Trailers -- They're great for ease of loading and unloading your boat. They're bad for many of the launches we use in Anne Arundel County that do not allow trailers to park. You say you're from Central MD. I don't know precisely where, but if it's near AA County you are foregoing many good launch sites by trailering.

Fish Finders -- I used to own one but I no longer do. I found it superfluous for the shallow waters I fish. It was fun to look at and interesting to know how far I went on an outing, but it really did very little to "find" fish for me. My contention is that if you have experience fishing rivers and lakes which I did, you already know how read currents and structure and you can often estimate depth just by the surrounding shoreline. That knowledge translates nicely into fishing Eastern Shore ponds and the Chesapeake's tidal waters from kayak. But I know some feel they are fishing blind without their electronics. I have merely chosen to simplify my kayak outings as much as possible. Not dealing with fish finders is one way I have done that. It's a personal decision.

Lastly, if you're interested, John Veil and I are teaching a course at Anne Arundel Community College on Saturday, March 9. Enrollment is still open. We cover each of your questions in depth (including the use and utility of fish finders) and also show students where and how to fish the kinds of waters you've mentioned.

Good luck and welcome (back) to the hobby.

Hi Mark,

I agree that having someone guide a boat on the upper Potomac would make it much easier. I spent a lot of time orienting my boat while fishing. I only tipped my Pungo one time but lost enough gear to keep my eye on what's down stream. I usually wade fish the upper Potomac now. Some great fishing up there for sure and I usually catch more than my fair share of Small Mouth Bass.

It seems to be a common theme that trailers will limit my fishing opportunities. I live in Howard County Maryland. We have some reservoirs close by. Trips to the Bay would take 45 minutes to an hour. I don't mind driving for fun fishing. I would like to fish the tidal waters more than reservoirs.

I learned to read the water on the upper Potomac River. I suspect knowing what is below you in the bay is a bit tougher. When I used to fish in the bay with an 18' runabout I had a fish finder but didn't use it much except to stay out of shallow water. I used to throw lures to stripers and bottom fish a bunch.

Your course at Anne Arundel Community College on March 9 sounds great. I have to check my schedule but if I am free I will attend. Where do we sign up?

Thanks and have a great weekend,
Eric