Does Kayak drift contribute to...

[PUTitinYOURmouthFISH]

This is something I've considered for quite some time and haven't had the time to gather considerable data myself. @Darth-Baiter inspired me to post it as I saw him mention it elsewhere as well. 

 

Do you factor kayak wind drift/fish pull when fighting a bass and how you choose your power/action for tackle? I feel like it must contribute some to the system fighting the fish, but how much? Too slow/light of a rod lose enough hook setting power to warrant a step up in either? Only adjust drag to make up the difference?

 

Pitching/fipping from a kayak - even worth it? I've been pulled forward hook setting and fighting very average sized fish, and especially if there are even a few lilies in the way I can reel myself right to a fish in the pads haha.

 

I often find myself reeling quicker and moving my rod to avoid slack in more open water and the yak starts being pulled/drifting. Faster reel for kayaks?

[Zcoker]

I mainly fish the everglades a night around all kinds of crazy cover, which makes things even more subliminal. I go heavy with tackle and line. I've often thought of 'kayak convergence', stuff like that but when it comes down to it, I don't consider the mechanics of much of anything related to drift and so forth, I'd probably loose the fish if I was thinking about all that kind of stuff. If I were to offer up anything useful, I'd say ANGLE makes more of difference in a kayak, imho. Being at the right angle that anticipates an outcome readies me for what may happen if a nice fish hits. Seems to work because I always seem to land the big girls with least issues.

[Bankc]

I don't factor that stuff in.  It doesn't matter to me.  Bass don't pull like a swordfish or tarpon, so you can usually land them easy enough.  I've even caught some pretty big catfish that will outpull a bass, and haven't had issues.  Sure, they'll pull my kayak a bit off where it was, but it's not like I wind up miles away from where I started.  A few feet this way or that doesn't matter.  Even if they pull you into something like a tree, it's not a high-speed collision, so you just take the bump and keep on reeling.  

 

Same with rod power.  I don't worry about it.  Sure the kayak gives a tiny amount when setting the hook, but you can compensate for that easily.  Besides, sharp hooks cure all.  You get used to fishing out a kayak after a while, and any adjustments you have to make vs. normal fishing become second nature. 

 

Pitching and flipping from a kayak is most definitely worth it!  Again, you get used to it with experience.  You learn to position your hips and legs so that you can get a good hookset and not throw yourself out of balance.  Fishing while standing in a kayak is harder than a bass boat, for sure.  But once you figure out how to use control the kayak with your weight, it's all second nature.  The kayak becomes a part of your body.  Just keep your knees and hips loose and flexed.  My kayak is pretty tippy, and I don't even think about it when I'm standing while fishing unless I get hit by an unexpected wind gust, wave, or stump.  And even then, it's just a microsecond scare before I regain control.  

[Fishing_Rod]

Good Day and Seasons Greeting!
My tackle and rig don't change when I'm angling from the kayak. I will say my tactics get modified a lot when in the yak.

 

It really depends on the type of angling I'm doing when in the yak. Most of the time I'm pretty much just drifting along and pitching to areas of opportunities along the bank or particular structure. So with that dynamic aspect a bit of movement is expected and tolerated. Usually if the yak is moving a bit a simple lift or sweep of the rod can also take up slack if you're not wanting to reel up quicker.

 

There are those times when I'm anchored and movement is when the wind changes direction pivoting me about the anchor rope. So there can be a bit of shifting about to compensate. Alternative is to simply make a swipe with the paddle to change the yak's attitude. Usually not a big deal.

 

Of course I would never want to restrict or inhibit someone from procuring equipment as a solutions after all isn't that what marketing is all about? I have found over the years I prefer simple elegant solutions that help me catch fish. Besides I do what I can not to have to carry too much "stuff" as I'm there to recreate. I'm not wanting to deal with a logistical burden.

 

Enjoy all the Holidays! Be well! Cheers!

 

[Darth-Baiter]

i loosen my drags universaly when i am in my friends bassboat.  usually reminded to do so on the first fish.  

 

in my kayak, i am in it for the ride.  i have taken a 6lb bass, and more recently a big stiper that had it's way with me.  it dragged me to the weeds.  fun.   it is quite honestly one of the charms of kayak fishing.  even a smaller fish will move my kayak some. 

 

i think i fuss with my drag more often.  my boat friend has commented before.  i think it is a habit (bad?) to mess with the drag when i am in my kayak.  i dont adjust like Blanchard..he is always messing with it on his videos. 

[Darnold335]

Before my boat I fished out of a canoe with a trolling motor. Now it was a tiller not a pedal so I didn’t have to paddle but did not have constant control. I didn’t change anything just let it ride out. For the swinging around the anchor rope issue a drift sock may help with that. I know some catfish guys who only drop one anchor in the bow and use a drift sock to keep them straight. I have never personally tried it though. It may only work with a consistent wind or current. 

[PUTitinYOURmouthFISH]

1 hour ago, Darth-Baiter said:

i loosen my drags universaly when i am in my friends bassboat.  usually reminded to do so on the first fish.  

 

in my kayak, i am in it for the ride.  i have taken a 6lb bass, and more recently a big stiper that had it's way with me.  it dragged me to the weeds.  fun.   it is quite honestly one of the charms of kayak fishing.  even a smaller fish will move my kayak some. 

 

i think i fuss with my drag more often.  my boat friend has commented before.  i think it is a habit (bad?) to mess with the drag when i am in my kayak.  i dont adjust like Blanchard..he is always messing with it on his videos. 

You mean Greg?

 

And I definitely set my casting drag pretty tight in the yak, or anywhere else haha - and maybe drop it a bit if if I feel like I need a little give. Yeah, the ride can be fun sometimes, but too much fun can lead to a loose hook.

[Darth-Baiter]

11 minutes ago, PUTitinYOURmouthFISH said:

You mean Greg?

 

And I definitely set my casting drag pretty tight in the yak, or anywhere else haha - and maybe drop it a bit if if I feel like I need a little give. Yeah, the ride can be fun sometimes, but too much fun can lead to a loose hook.

Yup. Greg messes with his drag constantly. Funny almost 

[casts_by_fly]

I don't even consider the rod power or anything differently when I'm in a kayak.  The instant of a hookset isn't moving the boat that much compared to the slow pull of the fight, especially if you're setting the hook up and down more than side to side.  A fish will pull the boat as you're bringing it in (heck, sometimes I work down a bank by letting the lure resistance move me along).  If I'm pitching to specific cover then that's annoying and I'll hit spot lock.  If the fish is out front and pulling me towards it is where I was going anyway then I don't bother.

[Koz]

Answer: Pedal kayak

 

I'm at the point where everything is no instinctive in maneuvering my kayak with jogging the pedals and bumping the rudder to position the craft, even when bringing in a fish.

 

The biggest fish I have caught was a 25 pound flathead, but it didn't run. It just sat on the bottom. So in that case I had to work the rod and use the pedals to slow my move to where it had hunkered down. I didn't want the line to slack.

 

What I am hoping for is to hook into a 25 pound striper in open water and have it take me for a ride!

[flyfisher]

nope.  Same rods and techniques i use not in a kayak I use in a kayak.  I have no need to try and solve a problem I don't have....I have caught some large smallies in current, largemouths in lakes and a 25+lb class carp in my kayak and it was all a lot of fun.

[Scott804]

Not even a bit. And the whole "shorter rods for kayaks" is kinda BS in my opinion too. If a fish is pulling my kayak, I am probably already unconsciously pedaling against it. 

[stratos4me]

If your rod action is too fast you will have a big problem keeping the rod loaded while fighting fish. The light yak just gets dragged towards the fish too much and leads to lost fish.

 

Flippin'

I flipped hundreds of fish from my kayak. I used a very wide Nucanoe Frontier with a standing bar. The only thing I was unable to do well in the kayak was bed fishing. Precise control is definately a challenge.

 

Good luck!!