An empty town predator kayak washed near Narragansett, Rhode Island, leading to the rescue of two kayakers.

Kayakers Rescued After Clinging To Rock (Video)

Two brothers were rescued after being stranded on a rock on the Atlantic when their kayaks both capsized. With one lifejacket salvaged between them,...
Image of YakOff winner Jake Suvak

Jake Suvak Officially Has The Coolest Rig In Kayak Fishing

After 15 weeks of intense competition, the first-ever YakOff Awards have concluded with Jake Suvak of Greer, South Carolina, being crowned champion, emerging the...

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Editor with the new Old Town Sportsman PDL 120 Pro.

Old Town Releases New Flagship Kayak Updated For Modern Fishing

To meet the needs of the next generation of kayak anglers, Old Town redesigned their fiver-year-running Sportsman line with the latest features to support...
Marty Hughes and Kayak Angler's own Keith Stevenson chat with Aggressively Average Anglers.

Extreme Wind Delays Bassmaster Kayak Series Championship Lake Fork (Video)

With day one of the Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series Championship cancelled due to high winds, the championship turned into a one day 11-hour...
Image of smallmouth bass.

$500K Fine For Releasing Bass Leaves Anglers Concerned

A new catch-and-kill mandate in Nova Scotia to curtail the spread of invasive smallmouth bass and chain pickerel has been implemented and expanded, with...
Isac Ochoa stands next to his fishing kayak on Lake Havasu.

Isac Ochoa Wants You To Know Indigenous Anglers Are Still Here

In January 2025, kayak angler Isac Ochoa and founder of Indigenous Anglers found himself tournament fishing the lake he grew up fishing. Here at...
Chad Hoover and Robert English talk smack in Round One of the YakOff Awards.

Round One Of The YakOff Awards Heats Up (Video)

As round one of the inaugural YakOff awards approaches its halfway point, things are heating up as contestants go head-to-head to determine who has...
A massive shark examines a kayak in New Zealand.

Kayak Angler Hunted By Shark Speaks Out On Behalf Of Shark

On February 9, 2025 Matt Wells of Nomadic Kayak Fishing shared a video on YouTube of a dramatic encounter with a shark from his...
Split Shot Rig

How To Rig And Fish The Split Shot Rig

Every year it seems like we are introduced to new bass fishing rigs featuring highly specialized tackle, from ultra-specific hooks to different single-purpose weights....
overhead view of kayaks among floating sea plants

Spring Fever: What’s Biting Near You Now?

Spring is a time of renewal embraced by kayak anglers, for whom the season means a return to fantastic fishing. Southern anglers realize a...
Yellow bullhead catfish.

How To Identify Different Types Of Catfish

When one mentions a group of fish targeted by millions across the country, renowned for their fighting abilities, and a source of meat so...
Angler holding brook trout.

A Guide To Identifying Types Of Trout

I’ve been around trout from coast to coast, through research, conservation work, and fly fishing, for most of my life. Uncovering the intricacies of...
Man crappie fishing.

Crappie Fishing—A Comprehensive Guide

Henry David Thoreau once wrote, “Many people go fishing all their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after.” In my...

Reader Favorites

Column Spotlight

When not teaching outdoor education at Algonquin College, he spends his time guiding, fly fishing, building mountain bike trails and conducting risk management research.
bearded man standing and casting while fly fishing from a kayak

Master Caster: Why Fly Fishing Isn’t Really About Catching

Perfectly casting a fly rod is immensely satisfying. The carefully timed pause, patiently loading the backcast, the effortless loop silently flowing forward with tight...
a person fishing from a red kayak while following the rules

Who Writes The Rules For Kayak Fishing?

I marvel at the rules anglers impose on themselves. Really, other than regulations on fishing seasons and catch limits, kayak fishing is totally open to...
man stands and fishes in river with an inflatable kayak parked nearby

Adventure Found: 7 Steps To Seek Out Extraordinary Fishing

The reason I go fishing changes from day to day. Sometimes I fish to practice my craft, other times I fish to learn something...
angler holds a yellow fish underwater with a lure in its mouth

Open Your Eyes To The Underwater World Of Fish

I’m embarrassed to admit, but for 15 years working as a river guide, I had no clue about fish and their whole universe going...
angler looks out over the water after not catching fish

Are You Still An Angler When You’re Not Catching Fish?

Getting skunked sucks. Go fishing; no fish. When I started out kayak fishing, there would be long days of waving a rod over my...

Editor's Angle

Zen And The Art Of Motorized Kayaks

It started with anglers attaching rod holders to recreational kayaks. To store our tackle and gear, we added milk crates and PVC rod holders....
hands holding two bait finesse systems reels in front of a lawn of green grass

The Inside Line On A New Generation Of BFS Rods & Reels

The story starts in Japan with lockjaw largemouth bass. Japan has a lot of fanatical bass anglers, but the country doesn’t have a lot...
person trout fishing from a kayak in the fall somewhere in America

Good Reads: Trout Fishing In America By Richard Brautigan

A fishing book with four million copies sold and you have probably never heard of it. These sales numbers likely put the book in...
woman practices paddling her fishing kayak across current in small rapids

Wrecked Education: Why It Pays To Learn The Hard Way

Even 40 years later, I vividly remember the day my daddy took the training wheels off my bike. A brief run on flat ground...
illustration of a man looking in a hand mirror while casting over his shoulder to some excited fish

When All Else Fails? Try An Unconventional Generator Of Hits

Iam a fisheries scientist so I’m not superstitious. I am also a kayak angler, so I believe a banana isn’t tasty enough to risk...
a pair of sunglasses sit on the beach in front of surf

8 Things You Didn’t Know About Sunglasses

You got your hair slicked back and those Wayfarers on and I wear my sunglasses at night, just don’t get caught without a pair...
man presses a button on a Garmin fish finder while kayak fishing

Best Kayak Fish Finders For 2025

Kayak anglers want to have our cake and eat it, too. We want the convenience of a small, plastic boat and the fishing capability...
Hi-Catch Diamond fishing line

Best Fishing Lines For 2025

With all the excitement about new fishing rods, reels and lures, it’s easy to forget about the most important connection between angler and fish—the...
overhead photo of a kayak angler sitting in boat on greenish water with a cell phone with fishing app held in his gloved hands

The 8 Best Fishing Apps

I’ve been using fishing apps since the first weather and navigation apps became available. Nowadays, fishing apps are just as valuable as my fishing...
man fishes from a kayak with a spinning reel

Baitcasting Vs. Spinning Reels

The debate about fishing with a baitcasting reel versus a spinning reel isn’t really much of a debate. Today’s tackle and tactics are rod...
man carries Norsk batteries and fishing rods to his kayak

Best Kayak Batteries For 2024

Battery power is the only limit to how far you can rig a fishing kayak with electric motors, fish finders, GPS, lights and cameras....
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Congrats to our inaugural YakOff Champion Jake Suvak
fishing kayak sits on the banks of the Chesapeake Bay during John Hostalka's birthday tour

Chesapeake Bay Birthday: Angler Celebrates With Trip Of A Lifetime

At 4 a.m., I am jolted awake by the sound of waves crashing close to my head. The tent fly is flapping against the...
Chad Hoover stands and paddles while passing trees on the shore

8 Best Lakes For Kayak Fishing In North Alabama

Throw a line in North Alabama and it’s destined to land in one of the world’s finest bass lakes. The rivers of North Alabama...
three kayak anglers fishing in a clear Texas river flanked by gnarled trees

Road Trip: Kayak Fishing Across Texas From North To South

Dustin Doskocil is a native Texan. Five years ago, the pro photographer moved out of the state. But, each year he returns to explore...
two kayak anglers fishing for bass on Kentucky Lake

Kentucky Lake Bass Fishing: Big Water, Big Challenge

Eric Siddiqi is a pro kayak angler from Cincinnati, Ohio. He’s won events in the Hobie Bass Open Series (BOS), Kayak Bass Fishing (KBF)...
Chris Funk pedals his fishing kayak on the waters of Panama during his fishing trip of a lifetime at Los Buzos in Cambutal

Bass Angler Broadens Horizons For Fishing Trip Of A Lifetime

A few years ago, I was invited on a dream fishing trip to Panama. My first response was, no thanks: I don’t like being away...