Anyone here into Kayak fishing?

[Bsj425]

Well? Lets see your rigs. I just picked up an Ascend FS10 and have had it out twice locally and had a blast. I have lots of experience in a canoe but this is my first kayak. I have it setup with a Garmin Striker 4 sonar/GPS, a few extra rod holders, a small cooler and 5 gallon bucket w/ aerator that runs off of the battery for the FF to either hold bait or double as a live well.

 

[FishnHunt]

I got into it around 2012ish for about a year or so. Still have the yak but haven't been out in a couple years (I am not a talented fisherman) but I did enjoy it. Pretty decent group of guys from around the state doing it now, check out Indiana Kayak Anglers if you're on Facebook.

 

[Old Dog]

"Anyone here into Kayak fishing?"

I haven't ever caught any, what do grilled Kayaks taste like?

 

[Bsj425]

"Anyone here into Kayak fishing?"

I haven't ever caught any, what do grilled Kayaks taste like?

melted plastic I believe. Probably better steamed than grilled.

 

[bwframe]

I'm a wannabe, we'll see soon enough. I've caught a few fish from my yak, but the harvest comes from the canoe. Hopefully putting a better fishing yak on the water this year.

The cold water kinda scares me. How do you deal with it?

 

[Bsj425]

I'm a wannabe, we'll see soon enough. I've caught a few fish from my yak, but the harvest comes from the canoe. Hopefully putting a better fishing yak on the water this year.

The cold water kinda scares me. How do you deal with it?

The water around here really isn't that cold, for comparison I spent the last 12 years in Alaska, the water there will kill you here if you take a dip you will be uncomfortable at worst, provided you're actually wearing a PFD and proper clothing. When its warm out practice re-entry if you take a dip, same with a canoe.

FWIW many of the SOT kayaks that I demo'd felt more stable than my canoe. They have nice wide bottoms and are designed for standing and fishing. You have to REALLY mess up to turn one over.

 

[dekeshooter]

I bought an Ascend H12 last year and am really impressed with its capabilities. It is stable, reasonably quick, tracks straight and has plenty of room for gear. I mostly fished rivers and occasionally a small lake or pond. I bought this particular boat because I felt it would also serve as a solid duck hunting boat on smaller waters. Timing and weather last season did not allow me to try hunting from this boat, but hopefully next year will be better.

 

[Cameramonkey]

melted plastic I believe. Probably better steamed than grilled.

But make sure you steam it a REALLY long time. They are REALLY tough and chewy otherwise.

 

[seedubs1]

Solo canoe fishing FTW. Just a little 12 foot Old Town Disco 119. Love this thing. Got rid of the kayak years ago.

 

[Dirty Steve]

Nice rig.

Fishing no, yaking for exercise, YES. My wife and I got in over 115 miles last summer and hope to substantially improve upon that this summer. We absolutely love kayaking. I canoed a lot starting at age 18 and continued for the next 30 years. We rented kayaks on a whim down in Florida two winters ago and kayaked the bay and up and down the coast in the Gulf at Siesta Key. We loved it. I started researching kayaks the minute we got back , bought them in the spring and have not had the canoe in the water in the last 2 years. I'll take a yak over a canoe any day now.

Most unique trip last summer was kayaking the Chicago River at night through downtown. We may do that again this summer.


Dirty Steve

 

[bwframe]

I see the OP uses what looks like a way cool Garmin GPS sonar. Wonder what others use for electronics?

I have a years old Cabelas branded Lowrance self contained sonar unit and rarely used smart phone for GPS. The screen on the Lowrance is very nice, but I wonder what I'd gain with more modern electronics?

The inexpensive price tag on that Garmin is intriguing.

 

[Bsj425]

I see the OP uses what looks like a way cool Garmin GPS sonar. Wonder what others use for electronics?

I have a years old Cabelas branded Lowrance self contained sonar unit and rarely used smart phone for GPS. The screen on the Lowrance is very nice, but I wonder what I'd gain with more modern electronics?

The inexpensive price tag on that Garmin is intriguing.

yep its a garmin striker 4, for the price it is packed full of features, it has GPS with waypoint capability, CHIRP and dual frequency scanning.

 

[Zoub]

I have not found electronics needed in my kayak. Even on larger lakes, I tend to hug the 15' contour or shallower. A jig or crank bait can tell me what I don't know. I keep one rod rigged with a jig so I can "search" quickly. More open the water, the more wind, so I avoid deeper water. I love the stuff in my boats, just don't need it in the yaks. I also think less distractions are better suited to kayak fishing. For me it's the opposite of run and gun, I spend 80% of my yak time focused on 20% of the water I cover.

Most of my time is in rivers, so the odds of dumping, smashing or losing are higher too. If I get out, and my nuts hit cold water, it's too deep!

Then after a day fishing, if I have to drag or portage much, it's less weight and trips. If want buckets, batteries and lots of stuff on skinny water, a 12' V hull or canoe comes out.

 

[Zoub]

My opinion is Berkley Gulp minnows are priceless and don't add 35-50lbs of buckets and water to my rig. No bait wasted at the end of the day.

As for keeping fish, I have a specific stringer that works great and a stringer full of fish is a nice drag in wind LOL. The only time a stringer is a bit too much is if it's loaded with Pike and I'm looking at a 1 hour paddle upstream to get home. Then I toss the fish in back, still on the stringer.

 

[saintnick81]

Picked this up yesterday as an early father's day present. Nothing fancy but it should serve it's purpose. Excited to get it out on the water. Probably go without fishing gear the first time just to be safe. I've only kayaked once before. Any recommendations on a good, but not terribly expensive, paddling pfd?

 

[saintnick81]

Also, I know I have to have a life jacket and a launch sticker for state properties. Anything else? I can't seem to find Indiana canoe/kayak regulations anywhere.

 

[Dirty Steve]

Life jacket and a launch sticker is all that you need on State owned or managed waters. May I suggest Patoka.......that is our favorite lake kayaking location. Put in east of the causeway and you will literally have the place to yourself. The farther east you paddle, the more water you will have to yourself. Down to the old quarry on Patoka and back is a nice paddle as well and the quarry is a cool place to poke around.

Dirty Steve

 

[saintnick81]

Life jacket and a launch sticker is all that you need on State owned or managed waters. May I suggest Patoka.......that is our favorite lake kayaking location. Put in east of the causeway and you will literally have the place to yourself. The farther east you paddle, the more water you will have to yourself. Down to the old quarry on Patoka and back is a nice paddle as well and the quarry is a cool place to poke around.

Dirty Steve

Thanks! We used to canoe at patoka a lot when i was a younger. King's Bridge and Painter Creek mostly. Also planning on hitting spring mill to try to get some trout. I really enjoy Tucker as well. I like how quiet it is there.

 

[PoormansMachinegun]

I have a Future Beach Trophy 126 I usually take wildlife photos from, but I do pack a light weight rod and open face reel in the boat as well.

 

[DanO]

Old Town Pack canoe. 33 Lbs and 12' of fun. I just got back from Ontario with it.