In the last decade, kayak fishing has become an incredibly popular pastime activity. That’s mainly because of its vast benefits over the conventional motor-mounted boats that negatively impact our ecosystem.
Whether you’re new to kayak fishing or have been doing this for a while now, the following tips will help you take your paddling and fishing game to the next level:
1- Know What’s Biting
Before you leave for kayak fishing, it is essential to act responsibly and check the local fishing reports to learn which fish to catch in the current season. Learning the ‘where’ and ‘why’ is not just an integral part of developing your fishing skills, but it is also an environmentally rational thing to do.
2- Consider the Weather
Checking the local weather reports is also necessary to spot the fast-forming systems that might hinder your fishing experience. For example, fog might not be inherently dangerous. Still, it can easily make you lose track of your position on the water, exposing you to situations you might not have prepared for otherwise.
On the other hand, strong winds can be far from an ideal situation when you’re out fishing. Moreover, catching yourself in rain or thunderstorms is more than just an annoyance as they can prove to be life-threatening, depending on the water conditions. In case you find yourself in such a situation, it is best to lay down your fishing rods flat on the kayak and paddle back to the shore, so they don’t act as lightning rods.
3- Be Aware of Other Watercrafts
Always stay aware of other vessels that might be crossing the waterways across from you. Your wrong estimation of incoming boats can put you in the way of danger, especially if it’s tanker ships or massive transport ships cruising towards the port.
If you encounter such boats on the rivers, you might even have to face the dagger of huge waves. However, it is considered best to paddle your kayak towards those waves with as much momentum as you can gather to adequately punch through them.
4- Learn Sight Fishing
Sight fishing means locating a school of fish in the water with your eyes. It is something that you should practice on your trips if you want to catch fish. You can bring along a pair of polarized glasses that make it incredibly easy to see through as far as the water visibility allows.
If your kayak is built for stand-up fishing, you can practice paddling along the bank and have your rod ready to cast while standing.
5- Use the Right Lures
It is crucial to understand what kinds of lure attract which fish if you want to attract their attention your way. You might often locate a group of feeding fish only to lose them because you had lined up inappropriate lures. It would help if you also practiced changing your lures efficiently before your kayak fishing trip, so you are fluent with your actions on the spot.
Keeping these invaluable tips in mind, you can become an expert in kayak fishing in no time at all!