The Kayak Fishing Advantage

The Kayak Fishing Advantage

In a recent article in a major fishing magazine the author started by explaining the disadvantages of the kayaker because of limited range. The same person went to great lengths to explain if the fish weren’t biting in that area it was just “tough luck.” My smile widened as I thought about all the success my Jackson kayaks had brought me over the last 12 years. Thousands of fish, year-round access to places that no other water craft (except maybe a canoe) could enter and the “hidden” benefits to the occupant of those “little plastic” boats.
Yep, no doubt about it in a race the big, glitter rocket boats win, from a safety standpoint the larger craft can get the edge on busy, wind blown,choppy lakes, if the goal is speeding to the next of a half dozen spots, okay you win. Beyond those examples here’s a few favorable fishing factors; As mentioned previously getting into hard to reach (or impossible) places a kayak can draft in literally inches of water. In some places and when necessary you can drag your “yak” over a gravel bar to get to the holes that are the home to fish that rarely see a bait. If you’re a crappie angler, you can enter into the middle of the brush pile and or the partially submerged trees that they frequent. One of the biggest bass I landed last year came as I hovered above a massive tangle of a log jam in the river headwaters of out home lake. Eight pounds of largemouth bass sitting in enough wood to build a house hit a jig vertically worked in a place that no big boat could fit into.
Thick mats of aquatic vegetation, no problem. Paddle right trough and into some of the most exciting fishing available. Just such a place produced a 9 ½ largemouth bass for me of a surface frog! Pedals? Lift and enter. Trolling motor? Raise and glide in with paddle power. Big boat? Sit and watch. My wife Debbie and I discovered a river “off the beaten path” slough. With a little muscle you can slip through a narrow channel that opens up to some excellent fishing. Downed trees, submerged stumps, moss and shoreline cover holds good numbers of bass, crappie and bluegill completely unavailable larger craft.

Among the bonus benefits of the kayak style is the stealthy approach of the small boat using a glide and tiny paddle corrections to get up close unnoticed by big bass. Along with the quiet entry I suggest using the quietest lures first as to maintain the sneaky advantage of the kayak. Plastic worm or jig, spinnerbait, crankbait and then on to the buzzbait has proven to be a formula for trophy fish catches. While I prefer the paddle approach, I can still cover a fair amount of water. One tactic I utilize against my biggest nemesis, the wind, is paddle into the wind, turn and let the wind propel me back into my favorite casting targets. Again, this requires a minimum of paddle activity, is super silent and saves energy.
Take the time to check out Caney Fork Outdoors in Silver Point Tennessee for a complete selection of Jackson Kayaks and kayaking accessories.

With a little research and or Goggle earth study you can find several launch ramps or places again only accessible by kayak. In our case our home lake has at least six all weather launching sites. There are a few more that require a little more work but reward us with good action.
One other key aspect to my approach of kayak fishing is the amount of water I try to cover. Surprisingly I believe in learning an area intimately. My game plan is to launch and learn. I pick a section of the lake / river and try to pinpoint likely areas and then make mental notes of success that lead to my target, BIG bass. If I’m fun fishing for crappie or bluegill it’s about numbers, with bass I’m looking for five bites and yes, “size matters.” Hitting targets repeatedly that have given up trophy size fish makes sense (at least to me). These spots typically serve all the needs of superior size bass. Oxygen, food, cover and a deep water escape route are all they need to set up house. Trial and error while noting bottom changes, points, structure, shoreline irregularities and features that draw and hold food sources will all unlock the secrets to success.

You’ll eventually learn the lake. If you’re launching onto new water look for similar characteristics as to what has been rewarding in the past. Fish are creatures of habit in their comfort zones, feeding habits, seasonal movements, reactions to external stimulus (big boat motors) extreme weather occurrences and more. As a side note I know of many big boat owners and dedicated tournament anglers who have added kayaks to their personal fleet. There’s room for everybody and there’s no best way to fish or boat but kayaking advantages definitely do exist.
For more information on kayak and kayak fishing for trophy bass check out my newest book Strictly BIG Bass, available on Amazon.