I‘m a man of obsessions. Among kayak fishing and the many (many, many) others that fill my brain on a second-by-second basis, is motorcyces. I was reading a motorcycle blog article titled ”What Kind Of Bike Would Really Get You Into Riding?” The author was asking if it was the type of bike that was holding potential new riders back, maybe not finding anything that really inspired them to swing a leg over and give it a try (for the record, you should).
That got me thinking about our sport of kayak fishing. Is is the types of kayaks that are available that is holding potential new anglers back or is it something else? Is it a missing style of kayak, a missing piece of gear that hasn’t been invented yet, or is it simply because they’ve got the stigma of “tippy kayaks” stuck in their head and can’t let go?
The author of the motorcycle blog talked about the first bike that got him interested, really interested in riding. For me, the first kayak that I tried, the one that totally had me hooked on fishing from a little plastic boat, was an Ocean Kayak Trident 15 Angler. Sleek, fast and sexy as hell, the kayak was designed to be paddled far and had two flush mount rod holders in the back and a big tankwell for all my gear. It was perfect. The thing is, it wasn’t even my boat. I had been helping a buddy, one that worked at a local paddling shop, launch his new boat for the first time in a local bass pond. After watching him glide just two paddle strokes away, I said, “I need to get one.” I said it out loud like a crazy person, to myself. I needed a boat bad.
Within two weeks I had a kayak of my own, and we were fishing all the spots I’d always wanted to hit, but never could until launching my very own kayak. Does every angler need a friend with a kayak to show them how cool it is to fish from it? Not only is that impractical, but it’s also very unlikely to be the missing link to get everyone to try fishing from a kayak.
The problem is, for those anglers that don’t have a friend to hold their hand and show them the right boat to try, many try kayak fishing in the wrong boat, freak out and never try it again. My uncle-in-law (is that a thing?) tried kayak fishing for the first time last year and after one or two attempts, he’d already sworn it off. “It feels super tippy, there’s no room for my rods or tackle boxes, I have no room to put my paddle, I barely fit and I can’t stand up in the thing.” Now he’s in the market for a 20ft bay boat. The fact that he was trying to fish in Florida’s inshore waters in a cheapo sporting good store kayak shouldn’t surprise anyone.
I’m not saying you need a fancy boat. Not at all. Many of those department store specials will work fine as a first kayak, or even your go-to boat, but not if it doesn’t fit you or have the features that you want. Because he’s given up on kayak fishing (wait till I get him next summer) I know I can say this: my uncle-in-law is a big dude. Not overweight, just heavy, tall and wide. This guy should not be fishing in a small ten foot boat designed for someone half his size. If I had tried kayak fishing for the first time in a boat half my size, I wouldn’t be writing this right now. I’d probably be fishing from a bay boat too, not that I could afford one.
I hear the same story again and again. At trade shows, fishing expos, on the water, at the boat ramp, anglers from all over talk about that one time they tried kayak fishing and almost flipped, or did flip, and hated it. My next step is to invite them, trying not to beg, to come out with me in a kayak that’s designed for an angler their size, with plenty of stability and rigging and gear storage that they’d expect from a bass boat. I’ve had many interested strangers, a few quizzical looks, and no takers. (My friends have tried it, but they don’t count, they have to go with me).
If there’s anyone reading this that hasn’t tried fishing from a kayak, or have and they’ve been scared away by bad design or a poorly fittng kayak, I’m extending a personal invite to try it again. If you’re in my area (New England, basically) and want to try kayak fishing again, I will bring a boat and everything you need to try it. If you’re not near me or if I can’t make it (honestly, I travel a lot) I’ll find a friend or a guide that can get you on the water. Seriously, just give it a try. Get into a kayak that’s actually designed to fish out of it and you’re sure to have a lot more fun than the first time from that other kayak. Just one sleigh ride is all I ask.
I don’t know what the answer is to get more anglers to try kayak fishing. Many think it’s bigger kayaks, motor options, more and more storage, more electronics or just more marketing. My goal this year, among many other things, is to get more anglers to try kayak fishing for the first time. In Season 2 of Kayak Angler’s web series Hook, Line & Paddle, I’m even going to drag a B.A.S.S. pro, a guy used to fishing from a big bass boat, and get him into a kayak. I’m not even worried about him not enjoying himself and not catching fish. All it takes is one good day of kayak fishing, in the right boat, and more anglers will start fishing from kayaks.
