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It's not a Canoe, It's not a Kayak, It's a NuCanoe
Kayak Fishing - El Revolution
BY Capt. Jason Sine
Take a look around. I know you've had to notice the mass of colorful, plastic boats strapped to the tops of cars around your favorite launch site. Please do not be intimidated, but know the ball is rolling and won't be stopped. With the present state of our economy and unstable fuel costs, it seems the "Plastic Armada" may really be on to something... something big and exciting.
The freedom that one feels from driving down the road with a fishing kayak strapped to your roof, seeing a potential fishing spot and being on the water fishing within minutes, is a feeling that is pretty difficult to explain. The word is out and more people are making the move to the "little plastic boats."
What usually starts as a simple alternative fishing platform, soon develops into a newfound appreciation and respect for the silent outdoors. Sometimes, your kayak or canoe will actually amplify shallow underwater sounds. Shrimp clicking; black drum drumming; oysters squishing. Oftentimes, the silence is deafening.Your perspective on predation changes dramatically, too. After seeing bottlenose dolphin crashing mullet along the beach beside you, or seeing a monster snook launching a topwater into the air three or four times, one has a tendency to question our placement in the food web. Remember, all of this is happening at eye level on the water.
Many factors are feeding this transition to paddle fishing. With our current financial challenges, cost is probably the biggest advantage to most readers. No matter what paddle-craft you opt to begin with, you are looking at a one-time investment with very little, if any, maintenance and upkeep costs. Fuel and launch fees become a problem of the past, as well as the constant and costly outboard repair and service charges. We have already started to hear the horror stories of E-10 (ethanol) and the damage it is causing to fuel systems.
A new, top-of-the-line, fully rigged, fishing kayak should only set you back about $1000 to $1300. However, any used kayak, as long as it floats, is just fine and can save you a lot of the initial costs. If you look hard enough, you'll probably find one sitting in a neighbor's yard collecting dust. Rigging the kayak is a personal thing and I've seen a lot of money thrown into gizmos and gadgets. I've also seen some ingenious home-built devices created by kayak anglers.
Transportability is probably the second biggest benefit of kayak fishing and paddling in general. Think about the time you got a few miles from the house, skiff in tow, just to hear the trailer bearings start to whine. Most boaters, who trailer their boat, also have a story of "the man" waiting at the ramp, passing out tickets for trailer lights that only seem to fail when the ticket book is out. He never seems to believe everything was in working order just a few minutes ago.
Your tow vehicle is a big factor in the costs of boating, as well. The wife's 4-cylinder Toyota Camry doesn't quite tow that flats boat as well as the big, beefy truck most people are still paying for.
I know from experience I can get three rigged fishing kayaks on the top of my wife's Camry. One person can easily load most kayaks, with a bit of practice. There is an array of different rack systems and styles to choose from, if you decide to go that route. Some of these systems make loading or unloading even easier. As with anything, they can get as pricy and fancy as you wish.
If you decide to go with the rack system, keep in mind very few can go from one vehicle to another without new parts for the second car. Tried and true, is the good ol' foam blocks, right on the top of the car with a couple of cam straps, or even a rope. This method should cost no more than 50-bucks, or so. Remember, you should always use a bow and stern line if you plan to get on the highway or are driving long distances.
Now that you've found a boat and figured out how to get it to the water, let's take a look at getting that nice redfish or snook to the kayak. You should expect to learn something new on every trip. Anchoring, controlling drift and landing fish, are techniques that will require time to get used to. Hiring a professional kayak guide can significantly shorten the learning curve. There are a growing number of seasoned, kayak fishing guides, who have learned a lot of the lessons of kayak fishing the hard way. Many times, just watching the pro actually fish, is as valuable as any advice they can offer.
When you're with your guide, notice how they set up their kayak. Where are the rod holders? How do they store their tackle and gear? What type of anchoring system do they prefer? Usually, when introducing an angler to the kayak-fishing world, they are learning as much about the sport on the shore, as they are on the water.
Fishing tackle is an area of passionate debate with pretty much all anglers. However, in a flats boat, it takes a major slip-up to dunk a rod, so a several-hundred-dollar rod and reel combo is relatively safe from the elements. Before taking that high-end setup on the kayak, you need to realize rule one in Murphy's law of kayak fishing: It will get wet and eventually dunk, no matter how good you are.
My recommendation is to start with one or two of your cheaper combos to ease the pain while learning. Lashing or tethering to your boat, anything you don't want to lose in the drink, is a good idea as well. It's tough watching your new gripper tool disappear into the murky depths. If it's not tied down, it will eventually go overboard.
With time on the water and a rod in your hand, these lessons will become ingrained into your daily fishing regime. Don't let the thought of trying something new deter you from getting out and joining the Revolution. The fish will come and the fight will be on. After hearing the drag scream and feeling your kayak being towed, I guarantee you will be a convert.
Till next time we'll still be paddling.
Tight lines and good times.
Website by Pat Weston
St. Louis MO