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July, 2006
Choosing a Fishing
Kayak
As I have shared with you before, I have been
fishing out of various types of self-propelled watercraft for most
of my life. All of my experiences have led me to the conclusion
that the kayak is the most versatile of them all. One could
potentially go from catching Bluegill or Trout in a pond to fishing
offshore for big game fish in the same kayak. In addition to its
versatility, two more attractive attributes of the kayak are its low
profile and its low center of gravity. The former makes the kayak
easier and faster to paddle in windy conditions with the added
benefit of stealth, and the latter makes the kayak more stable.
Getting Started
Longer Lengths Help You Get There Faster
When choosing your fishing kayak, there are
many factors to take into consideration. You should identify what
fish species you will target and how far you will have to paddle to
get to the location where you plan to fish. The waterline length of
the kayak could be a determining factor. The waterline length
influences the speed of the kayak. Simply stated – with a properly
designed hull, the longer the waterline, the faster your kayak
should go. With all things being equal, a 16-foot kayak will be
faster than a 12-foot kayak. Therefore, if you have to paddle long
distances to your fishing locations, you would be better off with a
longer kayak. A longer kayak also tends to tract better, which means
that it stays on course better.
Short Length
Makes for Ease, All the Way Around
If you
transport your kayak by vehicle or on a larger boat to the proximity
that you plan to fish and will not have to paddle very far, a
shorter kayak with more width would better suit your needs. A
shorter kayak is not only easier to manage when loading or unloading
on your vehicle or your powerboat, but it is also more easily
portaged, more maneuverable when fighting a fish, fishing in the
mangroves, among obstructions, narrow winding creeks, and stretches
of whitewater.
A kayak with
more width is just easier to fish out of. A wider kayak of the same
length will be more stable. It will have a greater area of wetted
surface, which creates more friction on the water and thus more
drag, so it will be slower. It gives you a more stable platform to
work from when casting or fighting a fish and it gives you better
access to your gear and tackle because you can move around easier.
Some designs will even allow you to stand up and pole giving you a
better vantage point to sight fish in shallow water.
A narrow beam
and longer waterline that can make a kayak faster may also reduce
initial stability (how wobbly you feel or not, when you’re just
sitting in it without moving) and maneuverability, so you have to
give up one advantage to achieve another. If you like narrow beam
boats, look for one with good secondary stability: this is
felt when you lean to the side a bit and the boat feels like
someone’s holding it from tipping over. This fine line is why a
properly designed kayak is so important
Color
Color can be an
important decision depending on the area that you are fishing and
the species. Color can be a safety issue. If you are paddling in an
area with high-speed powerboat traffic or areas where you need to be
visible you should have a brightly colored kayak (mango or yellow).
If you are paddling in backcountry shallow water areas you might
prefer to blend into your surroundings with a more earth tone color
such as khaki or Green.
Sit In
vs. Sit On Top
Another
decision that you will have to make is the choice of a (sit on top)
kayak or a (sit inside) kayak. The major difference in the two is
very simple. In a sit inside you actually do sit inside the cockpit
of the kayak with your legs under the deck of the kayak. In a sit
on top kayak you would sit on top in a cockpit that is molded into
the kayak with your legs and body exposed.
A sit inside
kayak designed for fishing is shorter and wider making it more
stable and maneuverable than a touring kayak designed for traveling
long distance. In a sit inside kayak, your seat is low thus making
your center of gravity lower and making you feel very stable. A sit
inside kayak can be fitted with a spray skirt to keep the water out
and keep you dry and warm. Many models are designed with larger
cockpits openings to give you ample room to move, enter or exit. If
the hull fills with water, you would have to pump or bail it out. If
you are near shore you could turn the kayak over on shore and dump
the water out.
A sit on top
kayak has a self-bailing cockpit with scupper drain holes
designed to drain water, so if you take on water it drains out of
the scupper holes. This is a huge attribute if you are launching
through the surf or paddling in rough water. Another nice benefit of
the self- bailing feature is the fact that rainwater does not
accumulate. Sit on top kayaks are very easy to get in and out of
and move around in. They allow easy access to your gear or tackle
while afloat and you can sit with your legs hanging over the side
and in some models even stand up and pole them with a push pole.
When choosing a
kayak for fishing, remember that one of the biggest advantages of
fishing from a kayak is stealth and being able to blend in with your
surroundings. To be accepted by fish, birds and other wildlife as
non-obtrusive, it is important to have a kayak that is quiet with no
hull slap or anything that looks, feels or sounds unnatural. After a
day on the water, try to leave things as you found them - hopefully
undisturbed.
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