I’ve been getting a lot of newbie kayak fishermen and women so, I wanted to write this to try and help those of you getting into the sport. When you are first getting into kayaking it can be a little overwhelming to figure out what you might need on an everyday basis. The first thing to think about is what your primary goal is for the kayak, whether it be touring, racing, fishing, etc. I mostly use my kayaks for fishing, so I am going to give you a few tips geared towards kayak fishing…
1) The first and most important items to have would be a PFD (Personal Flotation Device) and signaling device (whistle). Not only is it required by the law but most importantly it can save your life in the event of an emergency. I know they might seem like a pain in the neck sometimes but, there are many different styles available so that you can be safe and comfortable at the same time.
2) Next I would have to go with picking out the right anchor for your needs. Without an anchor you have no way of putting the brakes on your kayak. For shallow water I generally go with a Yak Stick mud anchor. Then when it comes to deeper waters I go with a grapnel, Bruce, or mushroom anchor depending on the speed of the current and bottom that I’m trying to stay anchored to. All of these anchors will help you stay in one place when needed.
3) Rod holders are a huge necessity to kayak fishing. If you are like me, you can never have enough rod holders! There are many types but, my favorite style would have to be the Railblaza Rod holder 2! It is extremely versatile and will hold just about every style of fishing rod from spinning rods, to bait casters, to fly rods. It has an easy to open locking mechanism that will help ensure that your rod doesn’t come out unless intended to. It also turns 360 degrees so that it is easy to turn in any direction that you prefer. For attaching them, they have all different types of mounts for any surface area on your yak.
4) Being organized is huge when it comes to kayak fishing. A crate is perfect for not only helping you keep all of your belongings (tackle, anchors, etc) in order but you can also attach rod holders, leashes, and other gear to it! Kayaks can be all different shapes and sizes so there are many different crates to fit your needs.
5) Last but definitely not least would be leashes to attach to valuable items like rods and paddles to keep them with you if they fall out of your yak. I learned this the hard way! I was out fishing and I dragged a big fish over the side of my kayak which knocked my paddle off of its taco clip. While I was unhooking and getting pics of my fish, my paddle drifted away never to be found. I was very far away from where I launched and literally up the creek without a paddle! So now I ALWAYS use leashes.
Hope this helps you guys with the first steps to kayak fishing. Once you get all the necessities in order, you will be on your way to having a successful kayak fishing trip! Good luck and tight lines out there! Tight lines and Tight knots to everyone!