How to Stand Up to Fish in a Kayak
Many anglers love the option of being able to fish out of their kayak from either a sitting or standing position. If standing is new to you, ProStaffers Gene Jensen and Chad Hoover have some tips in these videos:
Gene’s top tips he covers in this video:
- Not every kayak is suitable for standing. It won’t work with a kayak that has a rounded floor. You want one that’s wide and stable.
- Ideally, work with a local retailer that will let you try out a few styles.
- When you’re first starting to stand in your kayak, do it when the air and water temps aren’t dangerously cold. If you fall in you don’t want to risk your life!
- Practice standing up without gear in your kayak. If you fall in and your kayak tips, you won’t lose anything valuable in the water.
- It’s easier to stand up from a seat that’s above your feet. Keep your feet wide, move your weight over your feet and stand up in one fluid motion.
- Keep your body perpendicular to the center line of your boat. If you try to move around on your feet while you stand, you’re asking for a swim.
Most good fishing kayak brands design their sit-on-top fishing kayaks for sitting or standing. Using one of these will help tremendously. Gene uses the Hobie PA 14 in this video.
Chad covers some reasons why, as a kayak angler, you want to consider standing up in the first place:
- Just as anglers have advantages when standing in a boat, those same advantages apply when fishing from a kayak.
- You have a higher vantage point to get your lure into the hole.
- You have more reach when casting.
- Standing gives you more leverage once you’ve set the hook.
- Overall you have better visibility from a standing position.
- Chad uses a stand assist strap that makes it easy to stand up and sit back down again. Here’s an example from Austin Kayak.
Before you head out to buy a fishing kayak, ask yourself if you’ll want to be able to stand up in it. Then choose one designed to make it easy for you.
Do you have more questions about canoe paddles? Get in touch with our friendly Customer Service team today: 715-755-3405 • [email protected]
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