Kayak Fishing Tips

 By: Jerry Esten & Perry C.

Some kayak fishing tips or do's and don'ts. Over the course of the years I have participated in this great sport, I've learned a thing or two. Some the easy way, and some the hard way. Below is a list to help you learn the "easy way". Kayak fishing tips can help reduce the learning curve.

DO: See your doctor before starting any exercise program or sport that may require physical exertion. If you have any known or suspected health problems, this is a MUST DO. While this is a relaxing sport, it can be strenuous.
DON'T: Neglect to see your doctor only to find out you have health issues after you're on the water, possibly a significant distance from shore.

DO: Take basic kayaking lessons when starting this sport.
DON'T: Risk personal discomfort or injury while paddling because of an improper paddling stroke or misadjusted and/or improper equipment.

DO: Follow the saying of "Try before you buy" when looking to purchase a kayak.
DON'T: Purchase a kayak you haven't paddled because you got a "Good Price" on it. The wrong kayak is the wrong kayak even if it seemed like a bargain. One size definitely does not fit all.

DO: Think about your intended use before you buy. Know how the different models/sizes/styles handle in the conditions you expect to encounter.
DON'T: Buy used or online without first doing your homework and "test driving" several models. While various models/brands may look the same, you will find that the similarity will end there.

DO: For best visibility and safely, purchase a kayak this is bright in color. Yellows, oranges, and bright greens stand out well from the surrounding water. Try to stay away from kayaks that are blue or gray in color. They easily blend in to the surrounding water. Even white, in choppy or spraying waters is very hard to spot.
DON'T: Select the color as a fashion statement.

DO: Wear a personal floatation device (PFD) while paddling.
DON'T: Secure your personal flotation device to your kayak to carry it. Your kayak already floats by itself, you don't.

DO: Buy the best paddle you can afford. These are usually lighter than their entry-level cousins.
DON'T: Ignore the fact that the lighter weight material of these higher end paddles will reduce fatigue while paddling.

DO: Use a paddle leash or other secure device to retain your paddle to your kayak.
DON'T: Lose your paddle while on the water.

DO: You or at least someone in your party should have a bilge pump and extra paddle for emergency use.
DON'T: Fail to have a bilge pump or other efficient means to evacuate water from the hull of a kayak, and a paddle in case someone loses theirs on the water.

DO: Take proper signaling devices (typically flares for ease of visually locating you) and radios that use the same band as the local emergency response agencies do - recommended is a waterproof VHF radios for voice communications.
DON'T: Require assistance from an emergency response agency, and have no way to contact them.

DO: Remember safety is paramount while kayak fishing.
DON'T: Put yourself and others in a potentially dangerous situation because of your lack of experience or knowledge.

DO: Paddle with others while going offshore.
DON'T: Go offshore by yourself without the proper experience and equipment.

DO: Take a First-Aid kit with you on the water.
DON'T: Leave the launch without one.

DO: Cover your skin or at least use sunscreen to help protect yourself for the suns rays while on the water.
DON'T: Fail to protect your skin. Sunburns can happen in less than an hour while paddling.

DO: Be acutely aware of your surroundings while on the water. Other watercraft, structures and other obstacles can be dangerous.
DON'T: Become so involved in fishing that you fail to see potential hazards approaching.

DO: Remember that you are going to be the smallest and lightest vessel on the water and therefore the easiest to overlook.
DON'T: Let your ego overshadow common sense and your personal safety. Remember the other boats on the water don't have brakes. By the time they see you it may be too late for them to react. So don't play "chicken" with them.

DO: Dress for immersion, as kayak fishing can be a very wet sport. Take some extra clothing if needed in a dry bag.
DON'T: Get water soaked and give hypothermia a chance of setting in.

DO: Get accurate weather, wind and tide forecasts before going offshore. Try to plan your return paddle WITH the tide.
DON'T: Be offshore and realize the weather is working against your return to your landing location. Severe winds and current can be potentially dangerous to paddle against.

DO: Paddle with others when possible, as it can be more enjoyable. Plan the trip so the least experienced or weakest paddler can safely stay with the group and finish the trip.
DON'T: Plan the trip around the strongest paddler, and expect the others to stay up with them.

DO: Practice overturning and re-entering your kayak in a simulated flip over in a controlled setting.
DON'T: Have to learn this by necessity, while out on the water by yourself, only to find out you can't do it.

DO: Replace your hatch after accessing the hull of your kayak.
DON'T: Leave your hatch off and have a large opening for water to fill, and potentially fill your kayak. It will happen before you know it. At the very least, the extra weight of the water makes for a very slow and laborious paddle back to shore.

DO: Lash your equipment or put it below deck while doing a surf launch or landing.
DON'T: Leave your gear above deck or non-tethered to your kayak. If you have a mishap and turn over, you don't want to have a "yard sale", and lose your gear.

DO: Respect the ocean and it's inhabitants. Pick up a piece of trash when possible. Be a responsible steward of the water.
DON'T: Litter or throw anything thing in the water that did not originally grow in it.

DO: Be a good steward of the waters and be familiar with and follow all Fish and Game regulations.
DON'T: Think the rules only apply to others.

DO: When removing a fish from the water that you're planning to return back to the water, handle the fish as minimally as possible, and support it's body when it's out of the water.
DON'T: Use a rag to hold onto the fish thereby removing the protective coating on the fish, or hang the fish by its mouth without supporting the fishes body and internal organs.

DO: Use artificial lures when possible when planning on releasing the fish you catch. The fish will get hooked more in the mouth area and not internally as much.
DON'T: Use fishing methods that cause fish to get internally hooked if you're planning to practice Catch-N-Release.

DO: Have a set of needle nose pliers and dykes with you while fishing.
DON'T: Violently shake the fish off the hook. Keeping the fish in the water, use the needle nose pliers to remove the hook thereby releasing the fish.

DO: Verify a fish is of legal size to keep before using a gaff on it.
DON'T: Gaff a fish only to find out it's undersize afterwards, or you're not going to keep it. There is no Gaff-N-release.

DO: When trying to free a stuck lure, keep the angle of pull going AWAY from your body or other anglers. Keep thinking," If the lure were to become free right now, would it come towards me or away from me"?
DON'T: Pull on a stuck lure towards your body or other anglers. Dislodged lures with hooks can become dangerous projectiles.

DO: When using a Sabiki style bait-catching rig, be very careful of the hooks, as they are needle sharp.
DON'T: Be careless and get a Sabiki stuck in your hand or worse. TIP: I usually remove every other dropper line/hook on my bait catchers. The extra space between the hooks reduces the tendency of the bait wrapping itself in hooks when caught, and makes handling them much safer.

DO: Put all electronics and reels below deck on in dry bags before entering or exiting the surf zone.
DON'T: Risk expensive equipment damage to save a few minutes of time.

DO: Use rod leashes when on the water fishing, especially on your trolling rods.
DON'T: Lose expensive gear because of a turnover, or an equipment mishap causes your rod to get pulled out of the holder, or off the kayak.

DO: Use an anchor in clam water to maintain your position.
DON'T: Use an anchor in rough water, or where that may be rogue waves or swells. Using one in these conditions could possibly cause your kayak to get pulled under the water.

DO: Give other watercraft and party boats a wide berth (out of casting distance) when fishing around them.
DON'T: Paddle through a boats chum line, or too close to the stern while passengers on the boat are fishing.

DO: When fishing in an area where there is a chance to catch a large fish that are known to break the water when caught, keep extra space between anglers.
DON'T: Be too close to other anglers that a jumping fish can jump in the close proximity of your kayak. Jumping fish have the potential to be dangerous to all.

DO: When trolling in the proximity of fellow kayak anglers, keep a close watch on your line position with regards to other anglers and their lines.
DON'T: Be so close that your lines foul, or when one gets a fish it gets tangled up with the others lines and lures. This has the potential to become dangerous very quickly.

DO: Have enough rod setups and tackle to fish the water column from top to bottom.
DON'T: Limit yourself to fishing in any one part of the water column.

DO: Remember that fish will orient themselves and make use of available structure for ambushing forage fish.
DON'T: Fail to try around all structure no matter how small it may appear. This is where a fish finder can come in very handy.

DO: Most importantly - get out there and have a great time. This is a great solo and group sport.
DON'T: Get too busy, or think that it is a summer only sport. Use of wetsuit type bottoms on a Sit-On-Top Kayak, or use of a sit inside kayak makes this a pleasurable sport year round.

Source: All Kayak Fishing