The School Of Hard Rocks: A Kayak Angler Tries Whitewater

There I was, a fishing fanatic strapped into a cramped, six-foot-long whitewater kayak staring down a rocky river of boiling whitewater. As a coastal kayak angler, I’ve paddled bluewater and green water, even brown and red water, but never whitewater. Bobbing next to me in his kayak, Rapid Media publisher Scott MacGregor, a former river guide and my boss, assured me that the cauldron of rocks and foam was “nothing,” adding, “I took my mother-in-law down this backwards.”

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The School of Hard Rocks: A Kayak Angler Tries Whitewater

A few minutes before, Scott gave me a crash course on kayak control. He showed me how to enter the current by first paddling upstream, then leaning downstream to turn and launch into the rapids. I tested the small boat’s handling and learned how to shoot across the current and carve into an eddy. We played around in some riffles to try out my new moves before facing the gauntlet.

“Just ferry into the current, then go right, left and right,” Scott yelled over the roar. I tightened the strap on my helmet and entered the raging river.

A few days later, I’m back at home on Chesapeake Bay, paddling my 12-foot sit-on-top through the tightly packed pilings of the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel. The tide is flooding at three knots and the wind is blowing 15. As the water rushes past my kayak, I lean hard downriver, ferry across the current and land in an eddy behind one of the pilings—the trick I learned from my whitewater experience. Not only does the move save time and energy, but it feels cool to let the water do the work.

Always Something New to Learn

One of the things I love most about kayak fishing is the endless opportunities to learn something new. Whether it’s tying a new knot, targeting a new species of fish, exploring a new body of water or learning a new move in my kayak, every trip is a chance to improve my game and increase my advantage over the fish.

Too often, I get tunnel vision when I focus my efforts on one species. Bull red drum make me myopic each spring. And big striped bass control my brain all winter. But this year, I resolve to learn how to fish for largemouth bass, cast a fly rod and surf on a standup paddleboard. While I don’t plan to become an expert in any of these fields, the skill and tricks I pick up will certainly have value when I head out to chase my favorite targets.

Kayak Angler magazine is dedicated to dispensing the best kayak fishing skills, latest news and freshest trends in this growing sport. While this magazine contains plenty of material that speaks to any reader, there is also value in learning about unfamiliar disciplines and exploring virgin waters.

In the never-ending race to outthink a fish, the best lessons are often learned from outside your comfort zone.

The kayak fishing editor in whitewater, WAY outside his comfort zone. | Feature photo: Scott MacGregor