You should check out the light system I made. I've since upgraded it to be below the seam instead of above in my video. It's on my channel. Thanks for replying. Keep up the good work.
fun relaxing free kayakfishing has it all, im hooked, bought my first last year and cant wait for warmer weather here in sweden, never going back to fish from boat.
@@kentgallstedt1394 just wait until the mod bug gets you. I've built lights, anchor trolley, and outriggers. I'm presently looking into a trolling motor and making it infinite variable speed and RC steering.
My favorite advantage is that I have been able to literally coast up on schools of fish, no trolling motor to make them scatter. Not to mention how much nature seems to not mind kayaks being around them. I've been able to come up on all sorts of wildlife, from birds, deer, otters, turtles, to even a bear! It's awesome to just enjoy the nature aspect of the fishing for me.
I went from bass boat to kayak and I absolutely love it. The biggest advantage for me is the ease of transport. I have a lighter kayak so I throw it in the back of my truck. I can haul it and launch it anywhere with ease. No trailering and no boat ramp needed.
I've been kayak fishing for about a year, now. Thus far, my favorite aspect of kayak fishing is that I can get to spots on the water I could never previously reach from the shoreline. I can now reach spots otherwise inaccessible to bank fishermen.
I am extremely excited! For over 20 years I’ve fished out of an Old Town Otter. Today’s equivalent I believe is the Heron. For those that don’t know this is a 9 1/2 foot sit in kayak with literally no keel line. I’ve had some amazing experiences and caught many nice fish from this little kayak. But as the years pass getting in and out of it gets more challenging. So, tomorrow morning I’m going to pick up my new Perception Pescador Pro 12! I can’t wait to get out on the water on it and start fishing!
I have a Brooklyn RA220. It's 11.5' SOT. So many reasons I love mine. Here are a few. It i only 68 lbs empty. I'm 73 so that makes a difference. It's 34" wide another plus because water is my arch-enemy due to my disability. Very stable boat. I have a hole in my neck so if I fall in I will drown. I don't have to sit and wait for the boat ramp. Anyplace there's water I can get in and out with minimal difficulty. My kayak allows me to go where the fish are and away from where the people are. At my age, I can still handle my kayak in and out of my truck alone. Big plus. It also gives me a reason to watch your videos. What more could I want.
Jim... This is my favorite comment of the day. Thanks for sharing and I pray that at 73 I'm still Yakkin. Thank for watching... and you're right. What else could I want! :)
Great video!! My biggest nemesis is the wind. I own a paddle kayak in which I can stand and sit in. When the wind picks up, I feel that my efficiency starts to go down as I constantly have to set my pole down to pick up my paddle to correct my positioning. My advice to someone looking to buy a fishing kayak is, spend the extra money on a peddle drive kayak. I feel it will give a better hands free experience to keep you in the targeted area longer and will make you more efficient when needing to cover more water.
@@OvertheShoulderFishing 3lb grapple Anchor, with a 4 to 6 foot galvanized steel chain connected, and some rope... that's the setup I use and I have fished in some insane winds and currents and I hold up no problem at all. Having the length of steel chain attached to the anchor is super important for getting it to grab good.
I absolutely fell in love with kayaking and kayak fishing after I got my first kayak. It’s so nice to get to secluded areas and paddle around on a nice day!
Best advantage of kayak fishing for me is that I do not need a boat ramp to launch I can literally launch for just about any shore line. I also love how close you are to the water to either net or grab the fish. You are not yanking them onto a boat or dragging them onto the shore.
Right on.. I like your comments on the grabbing the fish out of the water vs dragging them on shore or yanking them into the boat. There's nothing like lipping a hog out of and pulling it out of the water.
Great video and lots of great points. The thing I love the most about my kayak is that it is only for one person. It's a great way to spend a quiet day fishing on some smaller hidden away honey holes.
Very good video with info for all kayak fishermen to consider. I’ve fished from a sit inside kayak for 10 years and recently got an inflatable kayak. Portability, access and stealth are great advantages of kayak fishing. The biggest lake I’ve fished is about 300 acres, definitely have to pay attention to boat traffic and wind conditions but haven’t had problems to date. Catching a smallmouth close to 5 pounds from an inflatable fishing kayak is a hoot!
I love that I can get out on the water in areas I can't reach by shore fishing. I love being so close to the water, I love hearing the water sounds and trees etc. I have caught way more fish in about a year and a half of kayak fishing than I did the 3 years I owned an aluminum boat or 15+ years shore fishing combined!
Im 29 and have been fishing out of the same 8 foot old town otter since I was 13. I have scotty rod holders and a cheap garmin 101 fish finder on it. I've caught so many fish on that thing in fresh and saltwater, i love it! Salmon, trout, bass, pike, Stripers you name it!! I use to even throw it in the trunk of my Chevy caprice, and VW passat before I bought my truck
I love my fishing kayak. I’ve caught fish I never thought I would catch. Being able to get to certain flats where boats would have a harder time getting to. The stability, the comfort, and the ability to just launch my kayak from the shoreline without having to look for a boat ramp is another reason why I like kayak fishing. I could go on and on about kayak fishing lol 😂….great video man
I love kayak fishing. It's so peaceful and relaxing. It can be a good day even when the fish aren't biting. Biggest advantage is that I can access water that otherwise is inaccessible. For example one of the lakes I like to fish is a half mile walk through the woods. With the kayak I'm accessing water that never gets pressured
Just bought my first fishing kayak a few weeks ago and I’ve loved it the few times I’ve used it so far. Paddle powered means I’m in for a good workout at the same time but already looking forward to trying a peddle powered. Thanks for your content.
OMG...I love how you have the kayak wheel mover on before loading on the trailer and then haul it with it on.....I am soooo going to do this. Thank you for the idea! Great video
I have had my 11'6" Ocean Kayak Caper in NE Florida for a little over a year now. I agree with everything you said in this video, then you asked, "What do you like best about fishing in a kayak?" This could easily be a "Top 10" list, but last Tuesday's session chasing belly-crawling reds is an example of a reason that vies for #1: I can fish places that few people, even those on larger yaks, can not go. One of my favorite bass fishing spots is on a busy creek where there's a wide lily pad field that the anglers on motor boats can't cross with their boat or casts. I get up on the inside of the pads and find the fish along the bank. A close second would have to be "stealth." I've lost track of the number of fish I've caught (or spooked) when they first show themselves 5' from my bow. Largemouth, redfish...I had a 30# tarpon nose up to the oyster bar where I had stopped to retie a leader, so close I literally could have slapped his back with my paddle.
Wendell, best advantage. Park my truck, set up my kayak, and launch between 2 trees 6ft' apart. All with a line of boats at the ramp, while I enjoy my thermos of coffee, cruising with the Bixpy. A-1 on the topics. I'm 5-7" 152. Love my 120 Predetor pdl. I Love to cover water, and explore new lakes. But the 1st two seasons, really sore in places I didn't know existed. Alway's been in shape, but now really toned up! Took 2 seasons to set up my boat, install electronics, and add-on's, and was a mess doing so. Thank God for you-tube. I'm finally comfortable, and relaxed now, on any body of water. It's all from all you guy's, and your true, honesty, helping us that start out researching kayaks, baits, gear, rod's and reels, accessories, and all of the important thing's to have a fun, safe day on the water. Stay safe safe my friend..🙏 😎 🎣
@@wendellfishing Wendell always love your content. You really cover everything. Safety, fishing, kayak gear, and Diy tips. You're also an awsome angler. 😎 🙏 🎣
I started kayak fishing with a sit in LL Bean (Perception) 12 foot yak with a couple of rod holders. I loved the concept but as I get older getting in and out and the overall stability were becoming an issue. Two years ago I bought and Old Town Sportsman PDL 106 and yak fishing took on a whole new life. The stability, room and and as you not, the ability to use the pedals to hold position is a key feature. With PDL i can also troll and not having to paddle means I can keep my line in the water for much longer periods of time. I fish small to medium size fresh water. I love the solitude and quiet when fishing early in the AM before the skiers, tubers and showoffs arrive. You make a lot of excellent points in this video.
I feel like kayak fishing has strengthened my mentality! The reward is so much sweeter because of the work that put into it. A lot of challenges that I’ve had to figure out!
Living in Minnesota, I appreciate that I don’t have to pay for winter storage for my kayak like I did for my fishing boat. I also don’t have to deal with engine maintenance and winterization.
I own a "Cheap" Lifetime Tamarack kayak and absolutely Love it! I have it modded out with a stadium seat, outriggers, a Lowrance Hook 7 FF and a manual power pole. I live in N.E. Ohio and I have found a few small public lakes (electric only) without many anglers visiting them and have caught some Monsters! The lakes I have found allow me to get on the water and sometimes have the entire lake to myself. Other times there will be other kayakers but maybe only 1 other person fishing besides me? There was definitely a learning curve and well worth it! great video
I love the more one with nature vibe you get from fishing a kayak, no noise from a motor you’re down close to the water, stealthy, and I can go places the bigger boats can’t go, and like you mentioned you get a nice workout in the process.
I love the fact that I have to narrow down what I load into my Yak. In my bass boat I can carry 3k lbs of plastics (exaggeration) lol. With that much plastic its easy to get overwhelmed and spin out of control. I found that more homework fits the bill nicely. I am subbing as we speak.
Agree with all your points. It's a very efficient and fun way to fish. Adding to your point about fishing areas you would have zoomed past on your boat: This is so true, kayak fishing forces you to study your local waters instead of running and gunning to places that you heard a report from and wasting gas.
I was anti-kayak for 20+ years after flipping a rented kayak in the middle of Narragansett Bay. I don’t know what got into me to check a new one out, but I bought a cheap Pelican recreational kayak. One of the best decisions I’ve made in my life. That Pelican had 2 rod holders, so I gave fishing a chance with it. After that 1st little bass I was hooked on fishing in general, but especially kayak fishing. I outgrew that Pelican within a month and bought a fishing kayak that is now a personalized fishing machine.
Almost everything you pointed out was what I hated when I bought my first kayak, but now that I bought a better kayak and gained some experience in the sport, I love getting out on the water every weekend.
I fish off my paddle board so a lot of the things that you mentioned do apply. I do use an anchor system and being with the paddle board is only 26 lb It is easy to transport. Some fishing buddies are ticked off that I never want to bank fish anymore.
I believe that fishing in a kayak lets you fish a spot more thoroughly and you have the tendency to fish more slowly, not just run and gun as in a bass boat.
True! I feel the same way. Same when I walk trails in the fall bird hunting. I see so many more birds because I am moving slow, guys in their trucks and ATVs fly by most of the game 🤷♂️
Kayak fishing has opened up the whole lake to me. I have a pedal kayak, Inflatable kayak and a stand up paddleboard I use as a kayak. Gotta make a anchor trolley do deal with wind.
My take on the whole kayak fishing experience is that I've never fished off of the bank and it's very exciting to finally get a little further out in to water
Thanks for your videos! Love ‘em! To answer your question, here in Colorado, there’s a lot of mountain lakes that you can’t bring in trailered boats. So having a kayak, you can go to a lot of really beautiful locations. I just got a Vibe kayak a couple of weeks ago and I’m still rigging it up for fishing. Made my crate last night. It’s so nice to be able to get off the shore and away from people.
I love your comparisons. You really gave honest insights. For example, the being forced to fish areas you'd normally blow past...it tells something about us as people. However, I think you missed three big reasons people don't like kayak fishing: (1) too much to consider (2) economics/cost and (3) safety I've been looking at kayaks to upgrade to. As you noted, there's about 14 different hull designs alone. Most people do not have the ability to try out all the features. Moreover, no company affords you to build a kayak to your specifications. It is overwhelming. With overwhelming varieties comes an overwhelming cost. One pedal kayak can easily run over $1500 with the drive and shifters easily running about the same. Then, when you consider all of the leashes, lights, outriggers, etc. to modify you quickly realize you could buy a used bass boat and trailer cheaper. And, at least here where I live, buying used kayaks is almost as expensive as buying new...so there isn't a cheap option like buying used vs new bass boats. The whole economy of it all makes one second guess why they should expend that level of money to have less space, less fishing time available, less space, etc. Then, there is a safety issue. Where I live is extremely dangerous to kayak. Bays have 6' waves come up out of nowhere. Boats are jetting to and fro. It is nothing to run up on giant territorial alligators, aggressive bull sharks, and curious water moccasins. Even in smaller bass boats, these can be stressing safety issues. For me, kayaks equate into individual liberty paired with almost a forced philosophical introspection. A fishing trip with a buddy on a bass boat takes planning and money. Gassing up a bass boat, filling ice chests up, charging the batteries, etc. is an orchestrated event requiring massive expenditures of time and money. And, as it almost always happens, something will break and the boat is in the shop with you hemorrhaging even more money and time. Kayaks rarely break. My buddy can say, "Let's go fishing 'X' location." and I can grab my rod, tackle, etc. and be on my way in a matter of minutes. If it is fishing pilings out in the bay, I know I won't be going miles away in a matter of minutes but rather spending hours to get to a location that is relatively "close" while most likely fishing and catching my way to said location. Morover, if my buddy wants to try a spot, and I don't, we can both fish like we wish without compromise since we each are the captains of our own vessels. And, through it all, there is this weird dichotomy of vulnerability and awareness you get knowing things can go wrong all too quickly.
Kayak fishing is something I just kinda came across by accident, but I am so glad I pulled the trigger. It really wasn't even something that crossed my mind until I was at Tractor Supply one day for garden stuff and saw a few Lifetime something or others sitting upright outside on display and the prices were way more reasonable than I thought they'd be. I did a Google/YT deep dive and settled on a Lifetime Teton Angler 100 from Dick's. I love it and take it out on my local lake probably three times a week at least. I've DIY customized mine quite a bit including outriggers and even built a little 4 wheeled trailer/cart out of two golf bag carts, some aluminum square tube, shelving brackets, 5" bolts, and pool noodles. I work from home, so after work I just unhoist my kayak from the pulleys in my garage it hangs from, carry it to my cart, add my fishing stuff, and wheel it 1/4 mile down to the lake and I'm in the water quicker than it'd take someone to fill their bass boat with gas. I fish on a lake with a lot of psycho boaters and I had a lot of close calls with wakes when I first started without outriggers, especially being exactly where two wakes converge, but now with outriggers I don't even flinch. I even stand up in mine all the time once I anchor, wakes and all.
New to fishing but I am experienced kayaker. One thing I noticed is a lot of the “cons” you’re mentioning is mostly due to inexperience with kayaking. I’ve been on the fence on kayak vs Jon boat and seeing this video is definitely leaning towards a fishing kayak now.
Great Video. Advantages here in Australia is not paying for a boat registration fee insurance etc and a trailer registration fee if you don't roof top Also the little creeks that are narrow. For topwater fishing the shallow bottom allows you to get further into the shallower parts of the lake pond etc. Like you said the fitness side is great but more importantly for me is the mental health aspect of getting on the water and exploring and experiencing nature in a more purest form.
Love Yak fishing, you can get into some of those tight streams and rapids that are super shallow. Sometimes drag your kayak over some rocks in the stream to get to the pool just behind the rapids. I use paddles and a motor which helps when it gets windy . great video and keep up the great content in the future
I'm 53 years old and never was ever interested in kayak fishing until I tried a buddy of mine fishing kayak, and of course it was a hobie pa 12 and fell in love with it, but I couldn't justify the cost of a pa 12, so I did a bunch of research, and I decided to go with a big fish 120 and really enjoyed it , but eventually I upgraded my big fish with a bixpy j2 pod mount, and what a game changer that was, and I have simply fell in love with kayak fishing, but it does take some time to get use to and to know what you can and can't do but I feel its important to get it setup for your individual needs, for on the water and also have it setup off the water, having it user friendly off the water is as important as being on the water, cause if it's a pain in the butt loading and unloading and getting it to the water's edge then a person wont use it, I set mine up to be user friendly on land first, then the rest was really easy, I had a long time kayak fisherman tell me that, and he was absolutely right
My dad and I bought a pair of Ascend FS10 sit-in kayaks a few years ago for the sole purpose of being able to go out on ponds that don't have boat access, and/or horsepower restrictions, or are electric motors only. We absolutely love them. No trailering, no outboard to gas up... we simply load them into the bed of the truck. We take them out just about every weekend in the spring and summer. I'm not into fly fishing, but given they're the sit-in type, they're probably too low to the water for fly casting.
Caught more big fish out of a kayak than bass boat. Get to fish less pressured fish and got tired of large lakes covered with bass boats. The pedal drive was a game changer. Still like to get out the 10 foot paddle yak and hit a couple lakes where I’m all alone because there are no ramps and you have to portage a little. Just got back from smallmouth river trip . Kayak is a must
Loading and unloading is a big deal, but I still like it. My favorite advantage is getting into all the places that shore, and motorboat anglers can't get to. Not needing a launch ramp is a great advantage too.👍 Cool video, thanks!
I have a bass boat and am thinking about selling it to get back in my kayak more. 1. The boat makes me feel like I NEED to be using it to justify the payment. 2. There is always something to worry about with the boat. 3. Turns out, the 10HP lakes around me may be better fishing, anyway, and it's a lot easier to kayak those lakes than deal with wake boaters, etc. 4. I could have a fleet of kayaks for all different ways I want to fish (paddle, pedal, powered, long, short) for the amount of money I'm spending on the boat. 5. Kayak makes you feel closer to nature. 6. Kayak is a much more relaxing way to be on the water, imo. 7. Like you said, your gear is limited. Makes you actually think about what you want to take with you.
Wendell I’m on my 3rd kayak this year I upgraded to a Seastream 120pd and LOVE IT let’s see stealth, fish shallow water, launch anywhere, fish small ponds or reservoirs makes fishing more intimate. Just fun no gas, no battery, no real upkeep, cost, things like that.
Great points made! Fishing shallow standing timber is my favorite part of owning a kayak, you can get into tight spaces that you would not have a chance to navigate on a boat.
I love the efficiency and convenience of it I can load it up and in no time Im on the road to go fish. I can drop it in anywhere, no special launch needed. I can get into places a full size boat can't. Not too much for regular maintenance or winter storing. Costs nothing to go out. Charge a battery for a fish finder or trolling motor if you have it otherwise just the gas to get to your destination. The solitude of being by myself in my 1-person kayak. But you can also join a group of other yakkers if you like.
I am about to but another kayak. It is 17.5 feet long and 24 inches wide. It is a paddle only boat, weighs 45 lbs and easily goes 6 to 10 mph. That being said it is crazy skinny and will be wild in the ocean. My current kayak is 28 inches wide and 15 feet long. It is very stable but it is not fast enough. At 65 lbs it feels heavy. I look at the guys like you with peddle boats, and the heavy weight, and the extreme width (34 to 42 inches) and I just cannot do that. Also, I really prefer a V hull and instability because the cathedral hulls and the catamaran hulls get thrashed in the ocean. Instability in the ocean is a must and keeps you sane. The ability to pick an angle is so necessary. Lean into a wave or swell. Lean the boat straight up in chop and wind. Anyone who takes a peddle boat in the ocean usually stresses out fast as the hull forces the kayak to bounce and bob everywhere as the kayak tries to stabilize in an unstable environment..... I have to admit though..... Standing up and easily moving around and sitting in one of those reclining lazy boy frame chairs is a day dream of mine.... It must be nice, especially after a few hours...... I sit at water level or lower on the frame and have only a cushion......
As a HARD kayak angler myself, I gotta say that I completely agree with your points in this video but there’s so many pros as well. Parking and the ability to park in places where boaters with trailers is a huge plus honestly where I’m at in North Carolina. Being able to go shallow where boats can’t go also is another awesome pro. They’re also way more stealthy which comes in handy especially if you like to catch bass or in my case, redfish since I’m a saltwater guy. It also makes it super easy in a lot of cases to stay in one spot to structure fish spots like jetties, bridges, docks, etc. I fish for sheepshead a lot which actually makes it way easier to maneuver the fish most of the time. I own a hobie outback. Great video my man. Kayak angler till I die!
Favorite advantage has to be the ability to fish smaller bodies of water and so small river floats. Plus it’s just more fun to catch fish on a smaller boat. And when you do catch a big fish on that smaller boat, it’s even better.
I bought a kayak summer 2020 and pieced it together to best fit my needs. I leave everything on it and have a trailer so I launch it like a boat. It has a Minnkota power box, trolling motor, dashboard with fishfinder and battery storage and 4 rod holders. I love it and can take it practically anywhere
@@wendellfishing well, I picked up a used kayak from a kayak rental shop. It's an off-brand v i k i n g, not the one made in New Zealand. But it's 10 ft 9 in 32 in wide has a rudder four rod holders and stadium seat which I plan to raise up. I figured it's a good starter who knows I might fall in love with it and be really good at it , and upgrade. Or I might hate it and all I've lost is a few hundred dollars. I'm stoked, and have been watching your videos on upgrades and plan to implement them ASAP 🤙. Your videos and tutorials are well done and you have a great vibe carry on 😎🎣
My favorite part is when I skip the gas station! I head out a few miles off the coast of Maine and watch these guys with dual engines bump gears all day long sitting right next to me. They easily spend 300 to sit next to me, I can’t help but laugh!
Low maintenance, great fuel economy. I learned the hard way, I purchased a kayak (pedal) I didn’t want but I got it because of the price and when I put it in the water and fished it I really didn’t want it so ended up buying the one I wanted it cost me twice what the first one did but I couldn’t be happier. Moral of the story, don’t settle for the “inexpensive” kayaks if you don’t have the means to get what you want, save up you will definitely be glad you did.
Subscribed. I have yet to meet anyone who hates kayak fishing. I went in full guns ablaze with a blind fold. Bought an old town autopilot 136 in the second 1/4 2021 At first its a pain getting a routine down for transport/load/unload/cleaning(I hose the salt water off my yak and gear). To me a bad day on the water is still a good day. Im usually so tuned in on the fishing 8 hours flies by(stay hydrated its hot). I go once a week, I find it much more enjoyable than fishing from a dock or a pier, you can move when there is no bite, you can follow the fish. Forces you to bring JUST WHAT YOU NEED. I bring 2 rods, cooler, tackle, bait, drinking water, and required pfd. To me it doesn’t get any better for fishing. The physical part never bothered me but maybe some people don’t wanna deal with it. Anyway, hope to see more of your vids.
Thank for the sub Chris... you are in good company with Kayak Fishing obsessed community members. I'm with ya... doesn't get any better than kayak fishing
I have two kayaks and the biggest plus is being able to fish in water that you can't put a trailered boat in . I can also hunt waterfowl in places like on the other side of Beaver dams you can't get a large boat over.
@@wendellfishing the pedal kayak in my opinion is the best way to relax and catch fish. I'm not a small guy but just thinking ahead allows u to think less and do more on the water in a kayak. Just pedal and relax then fish not much better
I think space is my biggest issue. The other day I casted and somehow caught the rod behind me and it made a huge mess. Its hard to work on tangles in a kayak. Also.. recently I reeled in my lure and it stuck to the rope handle at the tip of my kayak. With my design I had to goto land and get out to unhook it. I had wind issues too, but a heavy anchor fixed it.
I have a sit in trophy 125, it's a small kayak. I do plan on getting a bigger one, but love being able to pull over, throw my boat on my shoulder and launch from anywhere. Access to location is key.
I have a regular recreational kayak, I’ve had fun using it just for kayaking and I’ve also used it to fish banks in the river. It’s kind of a hassle, even with a pole mount, to move along and then drop anchor to try to keep myself stationary while I try fishing a spot. It is absolutely work to load and unload a kayak like you mentioned in this video and I found it’s easier for me to drive somewhere and rent a jon boat with a rutter. I wouldn’t mind having a trailer attached to my car to use a fishing kayak but right now, I’m tying my kayak to the racks on the roof of my car so it’s a ton of work and I haven’t gone kayak fishing since I learned how to downsize my tackle to fit in a backpack so I can move around the bank of lakes and ponds without having to carry a big tackle box.
Just started kayak fishing. Got a tandem boat from Brooklyn Kayak Company. Don’t have room, money, or desire for a powered boat and kayak fishing opens up so many more options. I just got back from paddling up a very shallow river to some spots totally inaccessible by a power boat.
Everything you said is soooo true ,and like you, I kayak fish (in Montana) and I gotta say, even with all the negs, its still so fulfilling and fun. Great video.
One big advantage that I love about owning a kayak is being able to get to the places out on the water the people from the bank can’t get to or even some of the boats I’ve seen on the water. It’s easy to access areas that others might not be able to.
I own a non-fishing kayak and still have fun even if I get skunked. It's not always about getting the biggest fish but living life and being out in nature.
I live close to the lake, but not on it and my neighbor graciously lets me launch from their shoreline. This allows me to keep my kayak in my garage on a cart and simply wheel it down to the lake and launch (I can be fishing in about 5 minutes or less). If I had a bass boat, this would be much more time consuming and my lake does not have a public ramp, so I could not fish it. I've also been able to get into areas that I never could in a boat. Also, like you mentioned, it slows down your fishing so you spend more time in a particular spot. This has allowed me to see and hear a lot more than if i were in a boat just passing through with a trolling motor. I've also recovered many lost lures that I find hung up in trees and such, an added bonus. I love catching fish on these "free" lures.
I kayak fish the Gulf of Mexico and the surrounding bays in northwest Florida and I love how easy it is to pop in on the beach or bank wherever I feel like. Takes me 5-10 minutes to unload the kayak and get all my gear into it. Once you’re comfortable with the pedals and the rudder you can really get into some tight spots where a lot of boats won’t go and I’ve had a lot of luck fishing those little nooks.
Right on I was Kayak fishing back in 1980. Nowadays I fish a 8' Walker Bay. I can fish 9 hour's and catch the biggest trout in the lake up to 10lbs and win Derby's. I troll witch is easier in a Walker Bay. One thing I like about both is Plastic hulls are very quiet.
In saltwater you can fish the back marshes in 1' of water where so many redfish roam and I never knew that. I have the Hobie Lynx 45lbs and just as stable as Hobie PA. I'm starting to feel like you can sneak up on them just as much as wading and you can cover areas you can't even wade in! Lastly I just started mothershipping with my kayak which is going to open up new areas hopefully that almost no one has gone too!
I paddle an Old Town Predator MX and am an avid fisherman. Fishing Kayaks allow me to run the rivers and streams here in Missouri where boats can't go and sometimes where fish have never seen a hook. I tend to go alone, so I paddle upstream to start my day pinpointing structure on my way up, then fishing the structure as I float downstream to my vehicle. This allows me to read the river, enjoy nature, and get a little bit of a workout all while chasing kittys. It amazes me how big catfish can get in a small river or stream, especially Flatheads. I can pack my gear and camp out along the way, fishing from a bank or sandbar that is only accessible from a kayak. I also fish lakes and ponds, again, where motorized boats are not allowed or able to go. A fishing kayak allows me to go on adventures! I do bank fish and fish from a boat on occasion, but Kayak fishing is by far my favorite.
I love lure trees they grow a lot of fruit in the summer I’ve gotten 10 dollar fruit off of them a lot of people can’t reach the fruit but when I’m at my kayak I can reach the fruit over the water and those are some of the best or they are rotten
I also love that I can get away from over fished spots and I can’t go to anywhere that are small and peace full the only ones like that are private ponds lols so I fish lots of big lakes
I have to say my favorite thing about a kayak is that i can get in a lot of places a bigger boat cant get into ive found a place that isn’t accessible by big boats and i have caught a lot of fish in those places
I love kayaking more than I do bass boating. For #1. I don't have to worry about registering the boat & paying boat ramp fees or trying to find a boat ramp. & #2. Trying to find storage to park the boat can be a big problem but not for kayaks. My wife , me , my 6 boys , my granddaughter , daughter-in-law we all have paddle kayak & we all love them too. We love the fact that with The Kayaks we can take them anywhere & you don't need a boat ramp. We love the fact that we can fish and kayak camp at the same time cuz we do a lot of kayak camping.
When my Bass Boat got stolen (and never recovered-no insurance!), I went tout that afternoon and bought my first kayak. Since then, I've gotten 3 more 'Yaks and never looked back...! (My truck has at least 2 'Yaks in the back at all times). My main Fishing 'Yak is a Titan peddle kayak, as I can carry at least 6 rods ready to fish with, 7 or 8 Plano Boxes of lures, a Spinner-bait box and a plastic "creature-bait" box. I thought about getting a trolling motor for mine, but that "defeats" the purpose of getting exercise (even though I'm only 76 yo, and 6'4" tall, I need to keep myself around 210 pounds). I try to get at least 5 to 8 miles of 'Yak fishing in 4 or 5 times a week, unless it's just too damn COLD...!
Nice vid. Hobie Outback owner. It let's me get in the weeds where other boats can't go. It is heavy though so I'm now into SUP board fishing where distance from truck to water is more than I can take the Outback.
I love the challenge fishing out of a kayak less rods less lures!! The only problem I have is getting a good hook set.. but I’m not giving up just yet!!
I drive a small car that doesn't have a trailer hitch. Which means I either top load a kayak or I have to fish from the banks. I originally tried fishing in a cheap sit-inside "fishing" kayak and to be honest, it was not fun for me at all. The wind blows you out of where you want to be unless you have an anchor, if you have a fish on the line you can't really reposition and you might get dragged into areas you don't want to be, and paddling all day tires you out a lot if you aren't used to it, especially if you have a cheaper paddle. Recently I invested in a new, more expensive, sit-on-top pedal fishing kayak and it's a complete game changer. I love kayak fishing now!
@@wendellfishing I got the new Feelfree Moken 10 PDL. So far its really nice. The pedal system and seat can be removed in just a few seconds for travel!
Getting into those back water locations, squeezing in between trees to hit those untouchable pockets. You feel more at one with nature for sure. And it always funny when a bass boat cruises by looking upset that you are sitting where they were going to toss a lure. 😁
Love my AP136. Complete fishing machine, love the peacefulness of being out in places others can't really get to (In boats) love that I can stand easy and fish and have tons of storage to where I can pretty much take anything I need with me.
The ability to store it was a big factor. I don’t have room for a trailer of ANY size at my house. My Hobie Compass, however, fit through the side gate just barely. Store it on the side of my house. Also, the ability to launch virtually anywhere is huge for me.
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Getting away from the power boats, and into out of the way places, is exactly why I WANT a fishing kayak.
Sounds like you will be coming to the dark side soon
As someone who was a bank fisherman, a kayak has been a game changer. Best thing I ever bought for fishing.
Heck yeah Tom!
You should check out the light system I made. I've since upgraded it to be below the seam instead of above in my video. It's on my channel. Thanks for replying. Keep up the good work.
fun relaxing free kayakfishing has it all, im hooked, bought my first last year and cant wait for warmer weather here in sweden, never going back to fish from boat.
@@kentgallstedt1394 just wait until the mod bug gets you. I've built lights, anchor trolley, and outriggers. I'm presently looking into a trolling motor and making it infinite variable speed and RC steering.
My favorite advantage is that I have been able to literally coast up on schools of fish, no trolling motor to make them scatter. Not to mention how much nature seems to not mind kayaks being around them. I've been able to come up on all sorts of wildlife, from birds, deer, otters, turtles, to even a bear! It's awesome to just enjoy the nature aspect of the fishing for me.
Solid add Frag... You are right.. I have racoons, otters, deer, beavers, not minding that I'm 20 ft from them.
I went from bass boat to kayak and I absolutely love it. The biggest advantage for me is the ease of transport. I have a lighter kayak so I throw it in the back of my truck. I can haul it and launch it anywhere with ease. No trailering and no boat ramp needed.
Boom! Welcome back to the darkside!
I love the peace and quiet of paddling around secluded spots that you could never get to in a bass boat
I hear ya there brother... God's classroom
I've been kayak fishing for about a year, now. Thus far, my favorite aspect of kayak fishing is that I can get to spots on the water I could never previously reach from the shoreline. I can now reach spots otherwise inaccessible to bank fishermen.
Big facts there Iowa Panfishing... caught some of my biggest where others cant reach
I am extremely excited! For over 20 years I’ve fished out of an Old Town Otter. Today’s equivalent I believe is the Heron. For those that don’t know this is a 9 1/2 foot sit in kayak with literally no keel line. I’ve had some amazing experiences and caught many nice fish from this little kayak. But as the years pass getting in and out of it gets more challenging. So, tomorrow morning I’m going to pick up my new Perception Pescador Pro 12! I can’t wait to get out on the water on it and start fishing!
I have a Brooklyn RA220. It's 11.5' SOT. So many reasons I love mine. Here are a few. It i only 68 lbs empty. I'm 73 so that makes a difference. It's 34" wide another plus because water is my arch-enemy due to my disability. Very stable boat. I have a hole in my neck so if I fall in I will drown. I don't have to sit and wait for the boat ramp. Anyplace there's water I can get in and out with minimal difficulty. My kayak allows me to go where the fish are and away from where the people are. At my age, I can still handle my kayak in and out of my truck alone. Big plus. It also gives me a reason to watch your videos. What more could I want.
Jim... This is my favorite comment of the day. Thanks for sharing and I pray that at 73 I'm still Yakkin. Thank for watching... and you're right. What else could I want! :)
Great video!! My biggest nemesis is the wind. I own a paddle kayak in which I can stand and sit in. When the wind picks up, I feel that my efficiency starts to go down as I constantly have to set my pole down to pick up my paddle to correct my positioning. My advice to someone looking to buy a fishing kayak is, spend the extra money on a peddle drive kayak. I feel it will give a better hands free experience to keep you in the targeted area longer and will make you more efficient when needing to cover more water.
Solid advice J.. thanks brother!
Dude, you need to learn how to anchor if the wind is blowing you all around.
@@crx122 i know how to anchor...i also use stake out poles...regardless, the wind is still an issue
@@OvertheShoulderFishing 3lb grapple Anchor, with a 4 to 6 foot galvanized steel chain connected, and some rope... that's the setup I use and I have fished in some insane winds and currents and I hold up no problem at all. Having the length of steel chain attached to the anchor is super important for getting it to grab good.
I absolutely fell in love with kayaking and kayak fishing after I got my first kayak. It’s so nice to get to secluded areas and paddle around on a nice day!
Big Facts MK!
Best advantage of kayak fishing for me is that I do not need a boat ramp to launch I can literally launch for just about any shore line. I also love how close you are to the water to either net or grab the fish. You are not yanking them onto a boat or dragging them onto the shore.
Right on.. I like your comments on the grabbing the fish out of the water vs dragging them on shore or yanking them into the boat. There's nothing like lipping a hog out of and pulling it out of the water.
Great video and lots of great points. The thing I love the most about my kayak is that it is only for one person. It's a great way to spend a quiet day fishing on some smaller hidden away honey holes.
I hear ya there Michel.
Hey Daren I just got my first fishing kayak and your videos have really helped
Right on Colin. Happy to help and reach out anytime if I can answer any questions for ya.
Very good video with info for all kayak fishermen to consider. I’ve fished from a sit inside kayak for 10 years and recently got an inflatable kayak. Portability, access and stealth are great advantages of kayak fishing. The biggest lake I’ve fished is about 300 acres, definitely have to pay attention to boat traffic and wind conditions but haven’t had problems to date. Catching a smallmouth close to 5 pounds from an inflatable fishing kayak is a hoot!
5lb smallies must be quite the fight! What a sleigh ride!
Getting unhung from low and shallow spots is a game changer especially fishing not weedless rigs and they don’t take up as much room as a boat
Big Facts there SlyFox
I love that I can get out on the water in areas I can't reach by shore fishing. I love being so close to the water, I love hearing the water sounds and trees etc. I have caught way more fish in about a year and a half of kayak fishing than I did the 3 years I owned an aluminum boat or 15+ years shore fishing combined!
Big facts there Ray.... So true.
Im 29 and have been fishing out of the same 8 foot old town otter since I was 13. I have scotty rod holders and a cheap garmin 101 fish finder on it. I've caught so many fish on that thing in fresh and saltwater, i love it! Salmon, trout, bass, pike, Stripers you name it!! I use to even throw it in the trunk of my Chevy caprice, and VW passat before I bought my truck
That’s awesome! Sounds like you got it dialed in!
I love my fishing kayak. I’ve caught fish I never thought I would catch. Being able to get to certain flats where boats would have a harder time getting to. The stability, the comfort, and the ability to just launch my kayak from the shoreline without having to look for a boat ramp is another reason why I like kayak fishing. I could go on and on about kayak fishing lol 😂….great video man
Thanks Yak Runnerz.... and please.. go on and on about Kayak fishing.. noone who lives around me wants to talk about it like I do :)
I love kayak fishing. It's so peaceful and relaxing. It can be a good day even when the fish aren't biting. Biggest advantage is that I can access water that otherwise is inaccessible. For example one of the lakes I like to fish is a half mile walk through the woods. With the kayak I'm accessing water that never gets pressured
Big facts there Kurtis!
Just bought my first fishing kayak a few weeks ago and I’ve loved it the few times I’ve used it so far. Paddle powered means I’m in for a good workout at the same time but already looking forward to trying a peddle powered. Thanks for your content.
Right on.. thanks Brian
OMG...I love how you have the kayak wheel mover on before loading on the trailer and then haul it with it on.....I am soooo going to do this. Thank you for the idea! Great video
Right on Crystal! Happy to help
I have had my 11'6" Ocean Kayak Caper in NE Florida for a little over a year now. I agree with everything you said in this video, then you asked, "What do you like best about fishing in a kayak?" This could easily be a "Top 10" list, but last Tuesday's session chasing belly-crawling reds is an example of a reason that vies for #1: I can fish places that few people, even those on larger yaks, can not go. One of my favorite bass fishing spots is on a busy creek where there's a wide lily pad field that the anglers on motor boats can't cross with their boat or casts. I get up on the inside of the pads and find the fish along the bank. A close second would have to be "stealth." I've lost track of the number of fish I've caught (or spooked) when they first show themselves 5' from my bow. Largemouth, redfish...I had a 30# tarpon nose up to the oyster bar where I had stopped to retie a leader, so close I literally could have slapped his back with my paddle.
Solid Comment.. right on!
Wendell, best advantage. Park my truck, set up my kayak, and launch between 2 trees 6ft' apart. All with a line of boats at the ramp, while I enjoy my thermos of coffee, cruising with the Bixpy. A-1 on the topics. I'm 5-7" 152. Love my 120 Predetor pdl. I Love to cover water, and explore new lakes. But the 1st two seasons, really sore in places I didn't know existed. Alway's been in shape, but now really toned up! Took 2 seasons to set up my boat, install electronics, and add-on's, and was a mess doing so. Thank God for you-tube. I'm finally comfortable, and relaxed now, on any body of water. It's all from all you guy's, and your true, honesty, helping us that start out researching kayaks, baits, gear, rod's and reels, accessories, and all of the important thing's to have a fun, safe day on the water. Stay safe safe my friend..🙏 😎 🎣
Ah man... your comment rocks and it's obvious that you love the sport. Thanks for the shoutout brother. Appreciate it.
@@wendellfishing Wendell always love your content. You really cover everything. Safety, fishing, kayak gear, and Diy tips. You're also an awsome angler. 😎 🙏 🎣
I started kayak fishing with a sit in LL Bean (Perception) 12 foot yak with a couple of rod holders. I loved the concept but as I get older getting in and out and the overall stability were becoming an issue. Two years ago I bought and Old Town Sportsman PDL 106 and yak fishing took on a whole new life. The stability, room and and as you not, the ability to use the pedals to hold position is a key feature. With PDL i can also troll and not having to paddle means I can keep my line in the water for much longer periods of time. I fish small to medium size fresh water. I love the solitude and quiet when fishing early in the AM before the skiers, tubers and showoffs arrive. You make a lot of excellent points in this video.
Jim... I'm a HUGE PDL fan.. you are in the right place brother. We fish a lot of the same size waters.
I feel like kayak fishing has strengthened my mentality! The reward is so much sweeter because of the work that put into it. A lot of challenges that I’ve had to figure out!
Marcus.. I can hear ya on that
Living in Minnesota, I appreciate that I don’t have to pay for winter storage for my kayak like I did for my fishing boat. I also don’t have to deal with engine maintenance and winterization.
Favorite thing about Kayak fishing is being able to access all different types of water, from creeks and ponds to lakes and inshore bays.
I hear ya there Vector.
I own a "Cheap" Lifetime Tamarack kayak and absolutely Love it! I have it modded out with a stadium seat, outriggers, a Lowrance Hook 7 FF and a manual power pole. I live in N.E. Ohio and I have found a few small public lakes (electric only) without many anglers visiting them and have caught some Monsters! The lakes I have found allow me to get on the water and sometimes have the entire lake to myself. Other times there will be other kayakers but maybe only 1 other person fishing besides me? There was definitely a learning curve and well worth it! great video
Hey Frank.... I hear good things (and continue to) about the Lifetime Tamarack..... In NE eh.. where at? That's where I live
@@wendellfishing I'm in Medina
I love the more one with nature vibe you get from fishing a kayak, no noise from a motor you’re down close to the water, stealthy, and I can go places the bigger boats can’t go, and like you mentioned you get a nice workout in the process.
Right on Moses...I've caught some of my biggest in the hard to reach places
I love the fact that I have to narrow down what I load into my Yak. In my bass boat I can carry 3k lbs of plastics (exaggeration) lol. With that much plastic its easy to get overwhelmed and spin out of control. I found that more homework fits the bill nicely. I am subbing as we speak.
Essential.. I agree with you there.. Forces you to be a more prepared angler
I plan on owning a fishing kayak within the next 6 months, this video just made that an absolute.
Heck Yeah! Get Ready for the time of your life!
Agree with all your points. It's a very efficient and fun way to fish. Adding to your point about fishing areas you would have zoomed past on your boat: This is so true, kayak fishing forces you to study your local waters instead of running and gunning to places that you heard a report from and wasting gas.
I hear ya there.. I've caught some of my biggest fish at places I would have burned over in a motor boat.
Great video.... My favorite advantage from using a kayak while fishing is being able to sneak up on the bass by far the best advantage for me.
Right on Mark..... I hear ya there
I was anti-kayak for 20+ years after flipping a rented kayak in the middle of Narragansett Bay. I don’t know what got into me to check a new one out, but I bought a cheap Pelican recreational kayak. One of the best decisions I’ve made in my life. That Pelican had 2 rod holders, so I gave fishing a chance with it. After that 1st little bass I was hooked on fishing in general, but especially kayak fishing. I outgrew that Pelican within a month and bought a fishing kayak that is now a personalized fishing machine.
Oh heck yeah! You were one of the ones I was referring to when it comes to a bad experience! Glad you are back. What Yak do you have now?
@@wendellfishing I have the Vibe SeaGhost 110 now. I have a walk-through video of what I did to it.
Almost everything you pointed out was what I hated when I bought my first kayak, but now that I bought a better kayak and gained some experience in the sport, I love getting out on the water every weekend.
Right on CeratedLion... Good luck out there!
I fish off my paddle board so a lot of the things that you mentioned do apply. I do use an anchor system and being with the paddle board is only 26 lb It is easy to transport. Some fishing buddies are ticked off that I never want to bank fish anymore.
Once you get on a vessel... its hard to bank fish again!
I believe that fishing in a kayak lets you fish a spot more thoroughly and you have the tendency to fish more slowly, not just run and gun as in a bass boat.
Right on Gary
True! I feel the same way. Same when I walk trails in the fall bird hunting. I see so many more birds because I am moving slow, guys in their trucks and ATVs fly by most of the game 🤷♂️
Kayak fishing has opened up the whole lake to me. I have a pedal kayak, Inflatable kayak and a stand up paddleboard I use as a kayak. Gotta make a anchor trolley do deal with wind.
Let me know what trolley you end up with...I've never used one before
My take on the whole kayak fishing experience is that I've never fished off of the bank and it's very exciting to finally get a little further out in to water
Right on Ricardo!
Being able to launch pretty much anywere. I live in northern illinois a ton of private lakes here and a yak is just perfect
Boom.. gotta love those under pressured spots
Thanks for your videos! Love ‘em! To answer your question, here in Colorado, there’s a lot of mountain lakes that you can’t bring in trailered boats. So having a kayak, you can go to a lot of really beautiful locations. I just got a Vibe kayak a couple of weeks ago and I’m still rigging it up for fishing. Made my crate last night. It’s so nice to be able to get off the shore and away from people.
Mountain lakes… those sound amazing. A bit jelly
Setting up the kayak, loading and unloading.
It’s heavy but it’s a reason why I work out now.
Right on Dan... I hear ya there
I love your comparisons. You really gave honest insights. For example, the being forced to fish areas you'd normally blow past...it tells something about us as people.
However, I think you missed three big reasons people don't like kayak fishing: (1) too much to consider (2) economics/cost and (3) safety
I've been looking at kayaks to upgrade to. As you noted, there's about 14 different hull designs alone. Most people do not have the ability to try out all the features. Moreover, no company affords you to build a kayak to your specifications. It is overwhelming.
With overwhelming varieties comes an overwhelming cost. One pedal kayak can easily run over $1500 with the drive and shifters easily running about the same. Then, when you consider all of the leashes, lights, outriggers, etc. to modify you quickly realize you could buy a used bass boat and trailer cheaper. And, at least here where I live, buying used kayaks is almost as expensive as buying new...so there isn't a cheap option like buying used vs new bass boats. The whole economy of it all makes one second guess why they should expend that level of money to have less space, less fishing time available, less space, etc.
Then, there is a safety issue. Where I live is extremely dangerous to kayak. Bays have 6' waves come up out of nowhere. Boats are jetting to and fro. It is nothing to run up on giant territorial alligators, aggressive bull sharks, and curious water moccasins. Even in smaller bass boats, these can be stressing safety issues.
For me, kayaks equate into individual liberty paired with almost a forced philosophical introspection. A fishing trip with a buddy on a bass boat takes planning and money. Gassing up a bass boat, filling ice chests up, charging the batteries, etc. is an orchestrated event requiring massive expenditures of time and money. And, as it almost always happens, something will break and the boat is in the shop with you hemorrhaging even more money and time. Kayaks rarely break. My buddy can say, "Let's go fishing 'X' location." and I can grab my rod, tackle, etc. and be on my way in a matter of minutes. If it is fishing pilings out in the bay, I know I won't be going miles away in a matter of minutes but rather spending hours to get to a location that is relatively "close" while most likely fishing and catching my way to said location. Morover, if my buddy wants to try a spot, and I don't, we can both fish like we wish without compromise since we each are the captains of our own vessels. And, through it all, there is this weird dichotomy of vulnerability and awareness you get knowing things can go wrong all too quickly.
Right on 4C... I'm already scripting video #2... and some of your suggestions might make it into the next video.. thanks!
Kayak fishing is something I just kinda came across by accident, but I am so glad I pulled the trigger. It really wasn't even something that crossed my mind until I was at Tractor Supply one day for garden stuff and saw a few Lifetime something or others sitting upright outside on display and the prices were way more reasonable than I thought they'd be. I did a Google/YT deep dive and settled on a Lifetime Teton Angler 100 from Dick's. I love it and take it out on my local lake probably three times a week at least. I've DIY customized mine quite a bit including outriggers and even built a little 4 wheeled trailer/cart out of two golf bag carts, some aluminum square tube, shelving brackets, 5" bolts, and pool noodles. I work from home, so after work I just unhoist my kayak from the pulleys in my garage it hangs from, carry it to my cart, add my fishing stuff, and wheel it 1/4 mile down to the lake and I'm in the water quicker than it'd take someone to fill their bass boat with gas. I fish on a lake with a lot of psycho boaters and I had a lot of close calls with wakes when I first started without outriggers, especially being exactly where two wakes converge, but now with outriggers I don't even flinch. I even stand up in mine all the time once I anchor, wakes and all.
Right on Zach... gotta love the time saved. I also have a hoist system. Easy as a Sunday morning.
New to fishing but I am experienced kayaker. One thing I noticed is a lot of the “cons” you’re mentioning is mostly due to inexperience with kayaking. I’ve been on the fence on kayak vs Jon boat and seeing this video is definitely leaning towards a fishing kayak now.
Right on.. come on over to the dark side!!... and bring your wallet!
Great Video. Advantages here in Australia is not paying for a boat registration fee insurance etc and a trailer registration fee if you don't roof top Also the little creeks that are narrow. For topwater fishing the shallow bottom allows you to get further into the shallower parts of the lake pond etc.
Like you said the fitness side is great but more importantly for me is the mental health aspect of getting on the water and exploring and experiencing nature in a more purest form.
Right on Geekoffaleash... Thanks for the add!
I've been considering getting one, I'm in WA but not really sure how safe it is out in the ocean.
Love Yak fishing, you can get into some of those tight streams and rapids that are super shallow. Sometimes drag your kayak over some rocks in the stream to get to the pool just behind the rapids. I use paddles and a motor which helps when it gets windy .
great video and keep up the great content in the future
Thanks Paul... Appreciate it.
I'm 53 years old and never was ever interested in kayak fishing until I tried a buddy of mine fishing kayak, and of course it was a hobie pa 12 and fell in love with it, but I couldn't justify the cost of a pa 12, so I did a bunch of research, and I decided to go with a big fish 120 and really enjoyed it , but eventually I upgraded my big fish with a bixpy j2 pod mount, and what a game changer that was, and I have simply fell in love with kayak fishing, but it does take some time to get use to and to know what you can and can't do but I feel its important to get it setup for your individual needs, for on the water and also have it setup off the water, having it user friendly off the water is as important as being on the water, cause if it's a pain in the butt loading and unloading and getting it to the water's edge then a person wont use it, I set mine up to be user friendly on land first, then the rest was really easy, I had a long time kayak fisherman tell me that, and he was absolutely right
Yeah.. those Hobie's are $$$. I have yet to venture into that land... above my budget.
My dad and I bought a pair of Ascend FS10 sit-in kayaks a few years ago for the sole purpose of being able to go out on ponds that don't have boat access, and/or horsepower restrictions, or are electric motors only. We absolutely love them. No trailering, no outboard to gas up... we simply load them into the bed of the truck. We take them out just about every weekend in the spring and summer. I'm not into fly fishing, but given they're the sit-in type, they're probably too low to the water for fly casting.
YAAAAAS! What I'm talking about Josh. Awesome
Caught more big fish out of a kayak than bass boat. Get to fish less pressured fish and got tired of large lakes covered with bass boats. The pedal drive was a game changer. Still like to get out the 10 foot paddle yak and hit a couple lakes where I’m all alone because there are no ramps and you have to portage a little. Just got back from smallmouth river trip . Kayak is a must
Right on JT... Preach it
Loading and unloading is a big deal, but I still like it. My favorite advantage is getting into all the places that shore, and motorboat anglers can't get to. Not needing a launch ramp is a great advantage too.👍 Cool video, thanks!
Thanks JWest..... Not needing a ramp is a HUGE advantage
I have a bass boat and am thinking about selling it to get back in my kayak more.
1. The boat makes me feel like I NEED to be using it to justify the payment.
2. There is always something to worry about with the boat.
3. Turns out, the 10HP lakes around me may be better fishing, anyway, and it's a lot easier to kayak those lakes than deal with wake boaters, etc.
4. I could have a fleet of kayaks for all different ways I want to fish (paddle, pedal, powered, long, short) for the amount of money I'm spending on the boat.
5. Kayak makes you feel closer to nature.
6. Kayak is a much more relaxing way to be on the water, imo.
7. Like you said, your gear is limited. Makes you actually think about what you want to take with you.
Welcome back to the Darkside Colby.. love this add. thanks!
Wendell I’m on my 3rd kayak this year I upgraded to a Seastream 120pd and LOVE IT let’s see stealth, fish shallow water, launch anywhere, fish small ponds or reservoirs makes fishing more intimate. Just fun no gas, no battery, no real upkeep, cost, things like that.
Ahh... not having to pay for gas right now is the best. There's nothing like a PD.. Glad you love yours.
Great points made! Fishing shallow standing timber is my favorite part of owning a kayak, you can get into tight spaces that you would not have a chance to navigate on a boat.
Thanks Eloy! I always find submerged standing timber the second I decide to stand up and fish :)
I'm just getting into this, but the concept I'm going to go for is that the kayak is just a means to access spots I otherwise can't land based.
Right on... welcome to the yak family!
I love the efficiency and convenience of it I can load it up and in no time Im on the road to go fish. I can drop it in anywhere, no special launch needed. I can get into places a full size boat can't. Not too much for regular maintenance or winter storing. Costs nothing to go out. Charge a battery for a fish finder or trolling motor if you have it otherwise just the gas to get to your destination. The solitude of being by myself in my 1-person kayak. But you can also join a group of other yakkers if you like.
Heck yeah brother! Nothing like it!
I am about to but another kayak. It is 17.5 feet long and 24 inches wide. It is a paddle only boat, weighs 45 lbs and easily goes 6 to 10 mph. That being said it is crazy skinny and will be wild in the ocean. My current kayak is 28 inches wide and 15 feet long. It is very stable but it is not fast enough. At 65 lbs it feels heavy.
I look at the guys like you with peddle boats, and the heavy weight, and the extreme width (34 to 42 inches) and I just cannot do that. Also, I really prefer a V hull and instability because the cathedral hulls and the catamaran hulls get thrashed in the ocean. Instability in the ocean is a must and keeps you sane. The ability to pick an angle is so necessary. Lean into a wave or swell. Lean the boat straight up in chop and wind. Anyone who takes a peddle boat in the ocean usually stresses out fast as the hull forces the kayak to bounce and bob everywhere as the kayak tries to stabilize in an unstable environment.....
I have to admit though..... Standing up and easily moving around and sitting in one of those reclining lazy boy frame chairs is a day dream of mine.... It must be nice, especially after a few hours...... I sit at water level or lower on the frame and have only a cushion......
Jeff.. I actually just finished editing a video that touches on some of your points. I hear ya man...
As a HARD kayak angler myself, I gotta say that I completely agree with your points in this video but there’s so many pros as well. Parking and the ability to park in places where boaters with trailers is a huge plus honestly where I’m at in North Carolina. Being able to go shallow where boats can’t go also is another awesome pro. They’re also way more stealthy which comes in handy especially if you like to catch bass or in my case, redfish since I’m a saltwater guy. It also makes it super easy in a lot of cases to stay in one spot to structure fish spots like jetties, bridges, docks, etc. I fish for sheepshead a lot which actually makes it way easier to maneuver the fish most of the time. I own a hobie outback. Great video my man. Kayak angler till I die!
Kayak Angler Until We Die! Sounds like a FB group I should be a part of.
Favorite advantage has to be the ability to fish smaller bodies of water and so small river floats. Plus it’s just more fun to catch fish on a smaller boat. And when you do catch a big fish on that smaller boat, it’s even better.
True Story there
I bought a kayak summer 2020 and pieced it together to best fit my needs. I leave everything on it and have a trailer so I launch it like a boat. It has a Minnkota power box, trolling motor, dashboard with fishfinder and battery storage and 4 rod holders. I love it and can take it practically anywhere
Sounds like a sweet rig Janet!
@@wendellfishing Yes thank you. I have been told my many that is is "legit" lol and when I take it out people are always taking pictures of it
Newbie here, getting a kayak today. Been banking it for years. Really enjoying your tutorial videos and get a lot out of them. Wish me luck. Cheers!
Right on Mark! What yak did you grab?
@@wendellfishing well, I picked up a used kayak from a kayak rental shop. It's an off-brand v i k i n g, not the one made in New Zealand. But it's 10 ft 9 in 32 in wide has a rudder four rod holders and stadium seat which I plan to raise up. I figured it's a good starter who knows I might fall in love with it and be really good at it , and upgrade. Or I might hate it and all I've lost is a few hundred dollars. I'm stoked, and have been watching your videos on upgrades and plan to implement them ASAP 🤙. Your videos and tutorials are well done and you have a great vibe carry on 😎🎣
@@markphilippsjr Sounds like you got a good plan boss. Carry on and let me know how it turns out or if I can help!
Hey Darren, kayak fishing is affordable. I just purchased two, one for myself and one for my wife. Thanks for your videos they are a big help.
My favorite part is when I skip the gas station! I head out a few miles off the coast of Maine and watch these guys with dual engines bump gears all day long sitting right next to me. They easily spend 300 to sit next to me, I can’t help but laugh!
PMK... happy to help. What did you end up with?
lol..
Pmk what did you buy ? I’m about to do the same and was looking at the ascend 133 for myself.
@@wendellfishing I bought two Hobie Pro Angler 14s; been up to Lake Arthur , next door in Pennsylvania, a few times getting my sea legs....
Low maintenance, great fuel economy. I learned the hard way, I purchased a kayak (pedal) I didn’t want but I got it because of the price and when I put it in the water and fished it I really didn’t want it so ended up buying the one I wanted it cost me twice what the first one did but I couldn’t be happier. Moral of the story, don’t settle for the “inexpensive” kayaks if you don’t have the means to get what you want, save up you will definitely be glad you did.
Yes the gas mileage 100% I just said the same thing on another comment. Don’t cost me 300$ to go out for the day!
Due South... I hear ya there.. Sometimes you need the "only cry once" kayak and get what you like.
Subscribed. I have yet to meet anyone who hates kayak fishing. I went in full guns ablaze with a blind fold. Bought an old town autopilot 136 in the second 1/4 2021 At first its a pain getting a routine down for transport/load/unload/cleaning(I hose the salt water off my yak and gear). To me a bad day on the water is still a good day. Im usually so tuned in on the fishing 8 hours flies by(stay hydrated its hot). I go once a week, I find it much more enjoyable than fishing from a dock or a pier, you can move when there is no bite, you can follow the fish. Forces you to bring JUST WHAT YOU NEED. I bring 2 rods, cooler, tackle, bait, drinking water, and required pfd. To me it doesn’t get any better for fishing. The physical part never bothered me but maybe some people don’t wanna deal with it. Anyway, hope to see more of your vids.
Thank for the sub Chris... you are in good company with Kayak Fishing obsessed community members. I'm with ya... doesn't get any better than kayak fishing
Love fishing from my kayak, it's more peaceful
You got that right!
I have two kayaks and the biggest plus is being able to fish in water that you can't put a trailered boat in .
I can also hunt waterfowl in places like on the other side of Beaver dams you can't get a large boat over.
Big facts there Jeff
We are very grateful for your words of wisdom and actions.
Thanks boss!
Sound or the lack of the motor sound. It is actually relaxing.
True story... it also sounds like "money saved" :)
@@wendellfishing the pedal kayak in my opinion is the best way to relax and catch fish. I'm not a small guy but just thinking ahead allows u to think less and do more on the water in a kayak. Just pedal and relax then fish not much better
I think space is my biggest issue. The other day I casted and somehow caught the rod behind me and it made a huge mess. Its hard to work on tangles in a kayak. Also.. recently I reeled in my lure and it stuck to the rope handle at the tip of my kayak. With my design I had to goto land and get out to unhook it.
I had wind issues too, but a heavy anchor fixed it.
I've been three MTNXFreeride....
I have been going back and forth, Kayak vs jon boat. I am going with a Kayak. Thanks for the video.
Good choice!
I have a sit in trophy 125, it's a small kayak. I do plan on getting a bigger one, but love being able to pull over, throw my boat on my shoulder and launch from anywhere. Access to location is key.
Heck yeah Vincent!
I have a regular recreational kayak, I’ve had fun using it just for kayaking and I’ve also used it to fish banks in the river. It’s kind of a hassle, even with a pole mount, to move along and then drop anchor to try to keep myself stationary while I try fishing a spot. It is absolutely work to load and unload a kayak like you mentioned in this video and I found it’s easier for me to drive somewhere and rent a jon boat with a rutter. I wouldn’t mind having a trailer attached to my car to use a fishing kayak but right now, I’m tying my kayak to the racks on the roof of my car so it’s a ton of work and I haven’t gone kayak fishing since I learned how to downsize my tackle to fit in a backpack so I can move around the bank of lakes and ponds without having to carry a big tackle box.
It's definitely more work.. I hear ya there.
My favorite advantage is being able to get into that skinny water, heavy cover and those tight pockets that boats can't get into.
It's the #1 reason I love Kayak Fishing
Just started kayak fishing. Got a tandem boat from Brooklyn Kayak Company. Don’t have room, money, or desire for a powered boat and kayak fishing opens up so many more options. I just got back from paddling up a very shallow river to some spots totally inaccessible by a power boat.
Right on Backdrop... pick any up in those underpressured holes?
Everything you said is soooo true ,and like you, I kayak fish (in Montana) and I gotta say, even with all the negs, its still so fulfilling and fun. Great video.
Thanks Mark... appreciate it.
One big advantage that I love about owning a kayak is being able to get to the places out on the water the people from the bank can’t get to or even some of the boats I’ve seen on the water. It’s easy to access areas that others might not be able to.
Amen to that!
I own a non-fishing kayak and still have fun even if I get skunked. It's not always about getting the biggest fish but living life and being out in nature.
Right on Derek… as people used to say on the Appalachian Trail… “hike your own hike”
I live close to the lake, but not on it and my neighbor graciously lets me launch from their shoreline. This allows me to keep my kayak in my garage on a cart and simply wheel it down to the lake and launch (I can be fishing in about 5 minutes or less). If I had a bass boat, this would be much more time consuming and my lake does not have a public ramp, so I could not fish it. I've also been able to get into areas that I never could in a boat. Also, like you mentioned, it slows down your fishing so you spend more time in a particular spot. This has allowed me to see and hear a lot more than if i were in a boat just passing through with a trolling motor. I've also recovered many lost lures that I find hung up in trees and such, an added bonus. I love catching fish on these "free" lures.
Free Lures are the best Mike... ps.. you have a great neighbor!
I kayak fish the Gulf of Mexico and the surrounding bays in northwest Florida and I love how easy it is to pop in on the beach or bank wherever I feel like. Takes me 5-10 minutes to unload the kayak and get all my gear into it. Once you’re comfortable with the pedals and the rudder you can really get into some tight spots where a lot of boats won’t go and I’ve had a lot of luck fishing those little nooks.
True story there Cody... I've caught some of my biggest in the places boats can't reach
Love the stability of the Hobie Lynx and the ability to go forward and reverse.
Right on Harry..... I need to get myself into a Hobie.
Right on I was Kayak fishing back in 1980. Nowadays I fish a 8' Walker Bay. I can fish 9 hour's and catch the biggest trout in the lake up to 10lbs and win Derby's. I troll witch is easier in a Walker Bay. One thing I like about both is Plastic hulls are very quiet.
Bob.. you are like the Godfather of Kayak Fishing.. you were doing it before I was born
kayak fishing is awesome and i feel everyone should try it at the very least new and experienced anglers
Big facts there David!
In saltwater you can fish the back marshes in 1' of water where so many redfish roam and I never knew that. I have the Hobie Lynx 45lbs and just as stable as Hobie PA. I'm starting to feel like you can sneak up on them just as much as wading and you can cover areas you can't even wade in! Lastly I just started mothershipping with my kayak which is going to open up new areas hopefully that almost no one has gone too!
Love it! BRING ON THE MOTHERSHIP!
Before I got my kayak, I was a bank fisherman. Best advantage is not being limited to fishing locations.
Heck yeah Sean! Welcome to the dark side!
I paddle an Old Town Predator MX and am an avid fisherman. Fishing Kayaks allow me to run the rivers and streams here in Missouri where boats can't go and sometimes where fish have never seen a hook. I tend to go alone, so I paddle upstream to start my day pinpointing structure on my way up, then fishing the structure as I float downstream to my vehicle. This allows me to read the river, enjoy nature, and get a little bit of a workout all while chasing kittys. It amazes me how big catfish can get in a small river or stream, especially Flatheads. I can pack my gear and camp out along the way, fishing from a bank or sandbar that is only accessible from a kayak. I also fish lakes and ponds, again, where motorized boats are not allowed or able to go. A fishing kayak allows me to go on adventures! I do bank fish and fish from a boat on occasion, but Kayak fishing is by far my favorite.
Heck yeah YaknFishN! Love the strategy.. I also love going for sleigh rides when I pick up a nice size kitty
I love lure trees they grow a lot of fruit in the summer I’ve gotten 10 dollar fruit off of them a lot of people can’t reach the fruit but when I’m at my kayak I can reach the fruit over the water and those are some of the best or they are rotten
I also love that I can get away from over fished spots and I can’t go to anywhere that are small and peace full the only ones like that are private ponds lols so I fish lots of big lakes
caught some of my biggest in the underpressured places only kayaks can fit. Keep on keepin on
I have to say my favorite thing about a kayak is that i can get in a lot of places a bigger boat cant get into ive found a place that isn’t accessible by big boats and i have caught a lot of fish in those places
I would say that this is the number 1 advantage of a kayak
People generally hate anything they can’t do. I’m a life long sailor. Power boaters hate me😬 The smaller the boat, the bigger the fish 🐟.
Right on Eddie!
I like how quiet you can be in a kayak. Really allows you to be able to come to a hole and not spook away the fish.
100%
I love kayaking more than I do bass boating. For #1. I don't have to worry about registering the boat & paying boat ramp fees or trying to find a boat ramp. & #2. Trying to find storage to park the boat can be a big problem but not for kayaks. My wife , me , my 6 boys , my granddaughter , daughter-in-law we all have paddle kayak & we all love them too. We love the fact that with The Kayaks we can take them anywhere & you don't need a boat ramp. We love the fact that we can fish and kayak camp at the same time cuz we do a lot of kayak camping.
Well said Mack... love it. You are a kayaking family! What I hope to be someday!
When my Bass Boat got stolen (and never recovered-no insurance!), I went tout that afternoon and bought my first kayak. Since then, I've gotten 3 more 'Yaks and never looked back...! (My truck has at least 2 'Yaks in the back at all times).
My main Fishing 'Yak is a Titan peddle kayak, as I can carry at least 6 rods ready to fish with, 7 or 8 Plano Boxes of lures, a Spinner-bait box and a plastic "creature-bait" box.
I thought about getting a trolling motor for mine, but that "defeats" the purpose of getting exercise (even though I'm only 76 yo, and 6'4" tall, I need to keep myself around 210 pounds). I try to get at least 5 to 8 miles of 'Yak fishing in 4 or 5 times a week, unless it's just too damn COLD...!
Right on M Smith! Sorry about the boat.. but it turned out for the best!
Nice vid. Hobie Outback owner. It let's me get in the weeds where other boats can't go. It is heavy though so I'm now into SUP board fishing where distance from truck to water is more than I can take the Outback.
Right on Ken....I need to get myself into a Hobie some day
Definitely battling the wind and repositioning boat location/ angle are my 2 biggest issues.
Some of the hardest to dial in for sure.
I’ve been paddleboard fishing for a about a year now and I’m selling my boat today and rolling those funds into a new kayak. Very excited
AHHHH YEAH... welcome to the darkside Richard!
I love the challenge fishing out of a kayak less rods less lures!! The only problem I have is getting a good hook set.. but I’m not giving up just yet!!
Right on Shannon... I actually have a video on hooksets coming out in a couple of weeks.
@@wendellfishing I look forward to watching it!!
I drive a small car that doesn't have a trailer hitch. Which means I either top load a kayak or I have to fish from the banks. I originally tried fishing in a cheap sit-inside "fishing" kayak and to be honest, it was not fun for me at all. The wind blows you out of where you want to be unless you have an anchor, if you have a fish on the line you can't really reposition and you might get dragged into areas you don't want to be, and paddling all day tires you out a lot if you aren't used to it, especially if you have a cheaper paddle. Recently I invested in a new, more expensive, sit-on-top pedal fishing kayak and it's a complete game changer. I love kayak fishing now!
Amen to that! What yak did you get?
@@wendellfishing I got the new Feelfree Moken 10 PDL. So far its really nice. The pedal system and seat can be removed in just a few seconds for travel!
@@Serxen Noiiiiice!
Getting into those back water locations, squeezing in between trees to hit those untouchable pockets. You feel more at one with nature for sure. And it always funny when a bass boat cruises by looking upset that you are sitting where they were going to toss a lure. 😁
The real reason bass boats hate kayakers... :)
Love my AP136. Complete fishing machine, love the peacefulness of being out in places others can't really get to (In boats) love that I can stand easy and fish and have tons of storage to where I can pretty much take anything I need with me.
Right on Peter…. FISH SLAYING MACHINE!
The ability to store it was a big factor. I don’t have room for a trailer of ANY size at my house. My Hobie Compass, however, fit through the side gate just barely. Store it on the side of my house. Also, the ability to launch virtually anywhere is huge for me.
Big facts there ADV