I want to begin by saying that I love my kayak, fishing has become so much more enjoyable since getting one and I have spent a lot more time out on the water enjoying life. With that being said, due to my lack of peddle system or trolling motor, I find myself spinning so much off my spot while trying to reach for my rods.

 

An example could be this: I paddle to a perfect distance away from my spot, a gentle wind is blowing parallel to the bank and I am able to effectively "troll" past the area. I make a preliminary cast around the area but I see some commotion right up against the bank. I put the rod in my hand away since it's a huge swimbait and I switch to something more finesse, I grab the rod and prepare to cast and... now I'm backwards facing the lake and I have completely passed the spot. This happens numerous times during an extended trip, and while I have an anchor with a trolley system, sometimes I just want to cast, man! It's not a huge deal but I have definitely spent some time paddling back to my spots while cursing under my breath. 

 

Does anyone else have their pet peeves about smaller boat fishing that they would like to share? It could be anything from the boats itself or even the behaviors of people that use the small boats. 

Related.  I fished from a kayak for many years until recently.   It got to where I hated fishing backwards.   I rarely cast behind the boat now just because I got so frustrated fishing backwards for years.

  Another peeve is simply age.  Loved kayak fishing, but it got to be enough like work that I almost never use it anymore. 

1 hour ago, AverageAngler said:

I want to begin by saying that I love my kayak, fishing has become so much more enjoyable since getting one and I have spent a lot more time out on the water enjoying life. With that being said, due to my lack of peddle system or trolling motor, I find myself spinning so much off my spot while trying to reach for my rods.

 

An example could be this: I paddle to a perfect distance away from my spot, a gentle wind is blowing parallel to the bank and I am able to effectively "troll" past the area. I make a preliminary cast around the area but I see some commotion right up against the bank. I put the rod in my hand away since it's a huge swimbait and I switch to something more finesse, I grab the rod and prepare to cast and... now I'm backwards facing the lake and I have completely passed the spot. This happens numerous times during an extended trip, and while I have an anchor with a trolley system, sometimes I just want to cast, man! It's not a huge deal but I have definitely spent some time paddling back to my spots while cursing under my breath. 

 

Does anyone else have their pet peeves about smaller boat fishing that they would like to share? It could be anything from the boats itself or even the behaviors of people that use the small boats. 

I have been fishing from a canoe for over a decade and continue to do so whenever the mood strikes me.  And I catch fish.

I use an anchor—sometimes two.

Using one definitely adds 'more' to my fishing.

Besides the physical and time-consuming aspects,

Anchor use improves my catch rate dramatically.

I look at it like this:

Before I make a single presentation or cast, my boat position plays a crucial role in determining the effectiveness of my fishing and the likelihood of a strike.

One perfect cast will always trump 25 that stand no chance of ever getting a bite because they are off target, coming from the wrong angle, or because I'm moving all over the place, and I don't realize I'm getting bit.

So it's my choice.

Drift all over the lake, making a billion bad casts,

or learn to use an anchor effectively and do what I came there to do.

BTW - I use shallow water anchors (Talons) on my other rig).

Good luck.

A-Jay

https://youtu.be/02fPoZHOri8?feature=shared&t=1151

 

Learn to paddle one handed.  It will help immensely. Wind has always been an issue on yaks without a drive.  It's the same for me.  But I have figured it out pretty well and can manage in the wind pretty good.

No.  My kayak doesn't like to spin and is actually hard to turn in a circle.  It's like paddling a barge.  I think the fin like protrusion in the front is what keeps it tracking sideways in the wind 

I fish from a yak.

 

No motor, not feet propelled, no anchor, no electronics. Just me, a big chunk of plastic, and a paddle.

 

Probably what I hate the most is that my rods are vertical.

 

If you get snagged in somewhat open water, it's not a big deal.

 

But when you get snagged near the shore with grown trees hanging over the water, it can be a major PITA.

 

There are a bunch of other minor things that make things challenging but that's my biggest beef.

 

Of course, even with these problems, it beats fishing from shore by 1,000%.

 

I probably won't find a boat this year, but I'm getting one next year.

 

I'll still keep the yak for outings on small water. But I can't wait for a boat.

4 hours ago, Rockhopper said:

Learn to paddle one handed.  It will help immensely. Wind has always been an issue on yaks without a drive.  It's the same for me.  But I have figured it out pretty well and can manage in the wind pretty good.

A technique that allows one handed or one armed corrections is, in my opinion, an incredibly valuable skill for effectively fishing in current or wind…especially current.   Not having to put down the rod to maintain, or even regain, position has resulted in a number of fish that I’m pretty certain would have otherwise been missed.  I will admit that I do find it a little more difficult to accomplish in my sit-on, or what I like to call my kayhack, than I do in one of my sit-ins.

Get to a position current and wind will push you to in order to fire off a cast. 

 

 
 

 

If I didn’t use an anchor, and yes sometimes 2, I wouldn’t fish. I use shot filled pvc to avoid getting one snagged. Of course I’m in a canoe so I have room for such.

Never did the Kayaks so can't help you one bit there but I have spent A LOT of hours in a 17' canoe.  In that, when by myself I fished sitting backwards in it.  I sat in the front seat facing the back of the canoe.  That does much better at distributing the weight so you only need a TM battery or some other weight to keep it from wanting to turn around on you.   

Also as mentioned, learn to paddle with one hand, and from one side of the boat.

21 hours ago, Choporoz said:

Related.  I fished from a kayak for many years until recently.   It got to where I hated fishing backwards.   I rarely cast behind the boat now just because I got so frustrated fishing backwards for years.

  Another peeve is simply age.  Loved kayak fishing, but it got to be enough like work that I almost never use it anymore. 

I hope you found a good alternative to kayak fishing, age really catches up to everyone  

21 hours ago, A-Jay said:

I have been fishing from a canoe for over a decade and continue to do so whenever the mood strikes me.  And I catch fish.

I use an anchor—sometimes two.

Using one definitely adds 'more' to my fishing.

Besides the physical and time-consuming aspects,

Anchor use improves my catch rate dramatically.

I look at it like this:

Before I make a single presentation or cast, my boat position plays a crucial role in determining the effectiveness of my fishing and the likelihood of a strike.

One perfect cast will always trump 25 that stand no chance of ever getting a bite because they are off target, coming from the wrong angle, or because I'm moving all over the place, and I don't realize I'm getting bit.

So it's my choice.

Drift all over the lake, making a billion bad casts,

or learn to use an anchor effectively and do what I came there to do.

BTW - I use shallow water anchors (Talons) on my other rig).

Good luck.

A-Jay

https://youtu.be/02fPoZHOri8?feature=shared&t=1151

 

Mayhaps a second anchor will fix the problems I face, time to upgrade the rig!

17 hours ago, HawkeyeSmallie said:

I fish from a yak.

 

No motor, not feet propelled, no anchor, no electronics. Just me, a big chunk of plastic, and a paddle.

 

Probably what I hate the most is that my rods are vertical.

 

If you get snagged in somewhat open water, it's not a big deal.

 

But when you get snagged near the shore with grown trees hanging over the water, it can be a major PITA.

 

There are a bunch of other minor things that make things challenging but that's my biggest beef.

 

Of course, even with these problems, it beats fishing from shore by 1,000%.

 

I probably won't find a boat this year, but I'm getting one next year.

 

I'll still keep the yak for outings on small water. But I can't wait for a boat.

The rods up in the air is so TRUE. Two months ago I stuck a good fish in a submerged tree, but the rest of the trees around were still above the water and I almost broke two rods when she dragged me in.

 

14 hours ago, OldManLure said:

A technique that allows one handed or one armed corrections is, in my opinion, an incredibly valuable skill for effectively fishing in current or wind…especially current.   Not having to put down the rod to maintain, or even regain, position has resulted in a number of fish that I’m pretty certain would have otherwise been missed.  I will admit that I do find it a little more difficult to accomplish in my sit-on, or what I like to call my kayhack, than I do in one of my sit-ins.

I will say one handed paddling is an incredible skill, something I have yet to master, but I  have spent a lot of time doing.

You just have to start off facing in the other direction. I can't believe no one else suggested this. 😁

 

Of course, I'm kidding. My first experience kayak fishing was in a paddle kayak and I HATED it. Like you, I found it frustrating. I spent more time orienting the kayak than actually fishing.

 

But I tool a leap of faith and purchased an affordable pedal kayak and I loved it. I could jog the pedals and bump the rudder and maintain position. Within two years I set that aside and bought an AP120. And now I'm looking at replacing that with another motorized kayak.

 

Honestly, I don't see a really good solution other than moving to a pedal kayak. You don't need to spend $5k on a Hobie to get a really good pedal kayak.

I don’t fish lakes in my kayak, but mostly float a small river. I don’t have much kayak experience, but I’m very physically capable and bodied @43 to handle this type of thing no problem. I prefer paddling quietly back up and into position versus gliding down and doing the same. I have an anchor, but the weeds are too much right now.
 

I typically beach and bank bust, hang myself up in shoreline reeds, slop piled shallow flats or use my brush grabber. I’ve thought about other stuff, but honestly I’m a simple man and my kayak wasn’t bought to deck out like a boat; buy a boat for that. Kayaks are made for simplicity and that’s how I’m using mine. I’ve found maneuvering pretty easy; you can quietly do a tiny circle to swing back and position better. I watch others fish and they’re way louder, more clunky and make way more commotion. I’m naturally a predator as God intended, and I fish like one…

wind sucks on every boat unless you have spot lock or power poles.  and even then it's not 100% effective.  as others have said one handed paddling is key, I use a bent shaft paddle that makes it easier to paddle with one hand.  A big advantage of kayak fishing is stealth and you are more likely to spend more time fishing an area vs making a cast and moving along with your trolling motor.  I also only use my kayak in small lakes and rivers that I cant get a power boat into.  I use my Lund for bigger bodies of water.  

THE DRAMA. I swear kayak bass anglers are the most dramatic of all fisherman. To be clear, I'm not saying anyone on this forum is like that, but as a whole, that community complains more than any other. I'm saying this as someone who got into bass fishing from the kayak side and spent 3 years fishing numerous state trails and some national stuff. It's not just the national toxicity of groups like KBN, even the local stuff became too exhausting with the drama from both other anglers and TDs.

 

Beyond that, there's the obvious things like lack of speed, inability to fish and steer/move at the same time, decreased space, etc. I didn't really notice the pain these things caused until I got a boat. Using a foot controlled trolling motor is the biggest game changer from my kayak, even a significant improvement over the Xi3 I had on the yak. 

Upfront confession…..I don’t fish from a kayak.  I “have” fished from a kayak but do not own or regularly fish from one.  From a virtual outsiders opinion, my problem is this…..Kayaks were originally popular because they offered a more affordable way to fish.  No tow vehicle or trailer (truck bed or car top), no maintenance, no gas, good exercise, access to places a boat can’t go, and a few other positives.  Now take a look at what it’s become…they look like miniature battle cruisers with multiple electronics, trolling motor, power poles, and some even have electric outboards.  The “fully outfitted” now require a trailer and the cost of one fully rigged with all the latest and greatest including trailer has got to be in the same range as an entry tin or fiberglass rig.  Am I wrong or has the market taken the kayak to a place where it’s no different than a bass boat? 

2 hours ago, TOXIC said:

Upfront confession…..I don’t fish from a kayak.  I “have” fished from a kayak but do not own or regularly fish from one.  From a virtual outsiders opinion, my problem is this…..Kayaks were originally popular because they offered a more affordable way to fish.  No tow vehicle or trailer (truck bed or car top), no maintenance, no gas, good exercise, access to places a boat can’t go, and a few other positives.  Now take a look at what it’s become…they look like miniature battle cruisers with multiple electronics, trolling motor, power poles, and some even have electric outboards.  The “fully outfitted” now require a trailer and the cost of one fully rigged with all the latest and greatest including trailer has got to be in the same range as an entry tin or fiberglass rig.  Am I wrong or has the market taken the kayak to a place where it’s no different than a bass boat? 

My son has decided that he wants a kayak. He found this one the other day for “only” $4900. After I got done laughing myself into hysterics, I asked what was wrong with a $500 Pond Prowler…..still waiting for an answer out of him.

 

10 minutes ago, ElGuapo928 said:

My son has decided that he wants a kayak. He found this one the other day for “only” $4900.

That's not a kayak - that's a one-person pontoon boat.

 

Let us know when you stop laughing....I'm chuckling here myself.

2 hours ago, TOXIC said:

Upfront confession…..I don’t fish from a kayak.  I “have” fished from a kayak but do not own or regularly fish from one.  From a virtual outsiders opinion, my problem is this…..Kayaks were originally popular because they offered a more affordable way to fish.  No tow vehicle or trailer (truck bed or car top), no maintenance, no gas, good exercise, access to places a boat can’t go, and a few other positives.  Now take a look at what it’s become…they look like miniature battle cruisers with multiple electronics, trolling motor, power poles, and some even have electric outboards.  The “fully outfitted” now require a trailer and the cost of one fully rigged with all the latest and greatest including trailer has got to be in the same range as an entry tin or fiberglass rig.  Am I wrong or has the market taken the kayak to a place where it’s no different than a bass boat? 

That’s why I call them kayhacks.  If they lack a cockpit, have scuppers, need batteries to move or fish, light up like a party boat and require a trailer and ramp to get to water, I believe it is an insult to call them a kayak.

17 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

That's not a kayak - that's a one-person pontoon boat.

 

Let us know when you stop laughing....I'm chuckling here myself.

It could take weeks - I was thinking $400-$500 would be a good guess, then he went straight for that thing🤣

I would agree with @TOXIC but to each their own. My first kayak was $400  used and a sit-in. I loved that thing. My second and third were Nucanoes around $1500. My boat was just over $5k and is just an aluminum with a 20 hp mercury. For me the kayaks were about functional minimalism but we’ve left that deep in the rear view. It is cool how some of these yaks are kitted out but the amount of gear and confinement in a small slow space just doesn’t appeal to me. TETO and YMMV

NOW GET OFF MY LAWN!!!😀

Never fished a kayak...but fished a canoe many times. Pretty similar. Biggest pet peeves were:

1. Storing and transporting -- Didn't have many resources back then...stored at a friends house, and transported on top of my buddys Crown Victoria. 
2. Getting to the fishing spots -- took time, and manual effort. But we were young, and strong
3. Lack of storage -- never seemed to have enough room for rods, tackle, coolers/drinks, etc. in the canoe.
4. Positioning -- one of us was always paddling, moving the canoe, or trying to keep us from floating / drifting in the wind. 
5. Comfort -- always sitting. Never able to stand...although we did try a few times. That was funny!

 

My approach isn't Andy's. I don't fish with anchors. Plus, I fish a lightweight (32 pounds), long (15' 6"), high-riding boat that is moved by every breeze. So, when I paddle, I think about Isaac Newton:

 

"An object set it motion will remain in motion unless acted upon by another force."

 

As I approach a casting spot, I hit the brakes with my paddle. I don't want any movement. If there is, my canoe will keep moving and invariably it will move in the least convenient direction. Take a couple secs to set your boat in place. Sure, once you hook a bass, aka "another force," your kayak/canoe will start moving again, but I get a kick out of being pulled by fish.

 

@DaubsNU1 is so right about the failings of a canoe. Everything he wrote is true. However, that upper-twenties-bag I landed last fall couldn't have even been reached by one of the "miniature battle cruiser" kayaks because I had to launch by going down boulders and a mud-slickened slope in the dark. Maybe a strong man could have dragged a battle cruiser down that slope, but good luck dragging it up the slope. Heck, I struggled with my 32-pound canoe. 

 

Every craft has pluses and minuses. I used to write a column for Canoe and Kayak magazine where I interviewed paddlers about their favorite boat and I always asked about what it didn't do well. Before buying a boat, everyone should ask that same question. If a seller says that a watercraft does everything well, you've met a liar or an ignoramus.  

22 hours ago, TOXIC said:

Upfront confession…..I don’t fish from a kayak.  I “have” fished from a kayak but do not own or regularly fish from one.  From a virtual outsiders opinion, my problem is this…..Kayaks were originally popular because they offered a more affordable way to fish.  No tow vehicle or trailer (truck bed or car top), no maintenance, no gas, good exercise, access to places a boat can’t go, and a few other positives.  Now take a look at what it’s become…they look like miniature battle cruisers with multiple electronics, trolling motor, power poles, and some even have electric outboards.  The “fully outfitted” now require a trailer and the cost of one fully rigged with all the latest and greatest including trailer has got to be in the same range as an entry tin or fiberglass rig.  Am I wrong or has the market taken the kayak to a place where it’s no different than a bass boat? 

You're correct, a fully loaded kayak is similar to a bass boat. And yes, it can be an investment. Between the kayak, trailer, electronics, batteries, and modifications I probably have $18-$20k invested in my kayak.

 

I have fished out of both a boat and a kayak and I like both. I could go out and buy a boat at any time, but at this point in my life I don't want one.

 

For me, kayak fishing is my quiet place. I feel really connected to the water and nature when I'm out there. I can disconnect and relax. I never got that same feeling of peace and tranquility out of a boat. Most of my life is fast paced with work and travel. But I can slow it all down on a kayak.

 

Both kayaks and boats are great and they both have their plusses and minuses. But for my, the kayak helps me balance my life, I only wish I had more free time to spend on it.