7 Reasons to Try Kayak Fishing
5-minute read
Have you considered abandoning the traditional boat-and-motor fishing life to opt-in to fishing from a kayak? If you have, you’re in good company.
(Photo courtesy of Juan Gomez)
There are many reasons why an angler may choose to transition from a motorboat to a kayak for fishing. And others want to learn to fish and decide to go the fishing kayak route over a motorized boat or shore fishing from Day 1.
We’ll take a look at seven reasons to try kayak fishing this year:
1. Kayak Fishing is Economical
While a top-of-the-line fishing kayak can run a few thousand dollars, that’s nothing compared to even a middle-of-the-line motorboat. $4,000 vs tens of thousands of dollars? No contest.
But you don’t have to start with a $4K kayak, of course.
You can find used or entry-level fishing kayaks for just a few hundred dollars. There’s no motor to maintain, no fuel expenses, no high insurance premiums to pay and no trailer to buy.
Even the most expensive kayak fishing set-up—like with a pedal boat, electric motor and all the fixings—is thousands less than a motorboat. For many anglers, that can be the difference between fishing and not fishing.
2. Kayaks are Easier to Haul and Store than Motorboats
Motorboats require a trailer to sit on and a vehicle large enough to tow it—and then a yard or garage large enough to store it. While it’s nice to be able to tow large fishing kayaks on a trailer (especially if you take more than one boat), they can easily be transported on a vehicle roof rack instead.
Their smaller size makes them easier to store when not in use, as they take up much less space than a motorboat. A kayak or two can be hung from your garage ceiling with a homemade system or along the wall on a rack system. Either gets them out of the way and allows that space to be used for other things, too.
3. Easy Entry and Exit on the Water
With kayaks, it’s easy to drive to the launch, unload your boat and place it next to the water with your gear, go park your vehicle, and get back to your kayak alone. While that’s possible with a motorboat, depending on how busy the launch is, it’s easier with kayaks.
(Photo courtesy of Rob Wright)
And you can launch a fishing kayak at any recreational kayak/canoe launch. You don’t need a paved boat launch like you do with a bigger boat. This means you have more options to access the waterways you want to fish and even waters that motorboats can’t reach.
4. Kayaks Can Get to Places Motorboats Can’t
Once you’re on the water, you have more fishing options as well. When you fish from a kayak, you can get to places a motorboat won’t fit—the nooks and crannies along the shore and much shallower water.
You can fish shallow rivers and marshy areas with lots of aquatic vegetation. You can go under and around fallen trees and other obstacles where big boats can’t fit. But you can still fish bigger and deeper water when you want to do that.
(Photo courtesy of Anna Taylor)
5. Closer to the Water and the Fish
One of the lures of kayaking in general is getting to sit so close to the water. There’s something about it that draws you in and makes you feel more connected to this unique environment.
Sitting that low on the water gives you a different perspective, a different angle to fish. But you can stand up, too. Most fishing kayaks are designed to be stable enough to stand on while you cast and reel.
6. Enjoyment of Nature and Its Serenity
The Outdoor Foundation’s 2023 Special Report on Fishing studied peoples’ top reasons for fishing. Surprisingly, catching fish came in at #3 on the Best Things About Fishing list.
More anglers say (#1) enjoying nature and (#2) getting away from life’s demands are their favorite part of the sport. Catching fish, the social aspect, the solitude and the rest of the list are more benefits (scroll down to page 50 in the report linked above to see the chart).
For kayak anglers, enjoying nature is a huge part of the experience. Instead of whizzing past everything to get to your spot, you can paddle there. Rather than hearing a loud motor, you listen to the sounds of nature around you. Instead of smelling gasoline, you inhale the smells of nature.
7. Kayak Fishing is Healthy
Research shows that being in nature boosts our health. And we all know that being physically active also boosts our health. Combine the two into this activity of kayak fishing, and it's like getting a double dose of goodness.
Spending time outdoors has known health benefits for our physical body, our mental health and our emotions. It can lower both blood pressure and depression. It can help us think through problems and generate creativity. Increase contentment and bone strength and immune system function.
And kayak fishing, specifically, is great exercise when you choose a paddle as your main means of propulsion. Your entire upper body gets to work—arms, shoulders, back and core—as you move your kayak from one spot to another.
Your lower body gets a workout, too, if you stand to fish. Your muscles are tuned to maintain your balance while standing on a kayak that’s sitting on water that’s constantly in motion.
(Photo courtesy of Robert Brown)
So what’s stopping you from trying kayak fishing? We hope this helps you “take the plunge” and check it out!
What paddling questions can our friendly Customer Service team help you with? Contact us at 715-755-3405 or [email protected]
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