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Frustrating fishing out of a kayak #10991484 07/21/15 07:08 PM
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bFROG5 Offline OP
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Im new to kayak fishing and have fished out of boat a lot, so its very diff to me. I have predator 13 and its a nice yak but I find myself getting frustrated when fishing bc im constantly having to reposition my yak before i reel in especially if im fishing slow or throwing topwater.
Even when I stand up my yak feels shakey like its going to tip, so ive lost a couple bc of not setting the hook like I usually would. I dont want a trolling motor and unless im in a extremely calm creek my yak is taking me away from where I want to be.
Do yall have any advice or is this just the nature of the game?


Matthew 4:19
Re: Frustrating fishing out of a kayak [Re: bFROG5] #10991600 07/21/15 07:41 PM
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christian myrick Offline
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Try a drift sock and an anchor trolley. That will slow you down and also allow you to position your yak a little better. Just a thought...I dont fish for bass but its how I follow a creek bed or any other structure.


Re: Frustrating fishing out of a kayak [Re: bFROG5] #10991627 07/21/15 07:52 PM
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Jimbo Offline
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It takes a little time for you to adapt to the kayak. It's night and day compared to a boat, but I can tell you I've fished from a boat all my life and the kayak is the most enjoyable type of fishing I've ever done.
As mentioned above the anchor trolley is a kayakers best friend. The wind is a kayakers worst enemy. They kayak you have sits high in the water and will naturally catch more wind than some of the others but like I said, you just need to get used to it and learn what you can and can't do.
Relax and give it a chance, and you will find it a lot more rewarding than fishing from that boat.


Just one more cast!

Re: Frustrating fishing out of a kayak [Re: bFROG5] #10991636 07/21/15 07:55 PM
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stewage Offline
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I agree with Christian. You can get a cheap drift sock from Academy. These socks are made for bigger boats, so they work pretty well on kayaks.

http://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/marine-raider-30-drift-anchor
http://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/marine-raider-36-drift-anchor
Most stores I've been to carry them in store, so you should be able to find out.

The anchor trolley is a must though, being able to position it so you turn in the direction you want to really helps. But they're easy and cheap to make yourself.

There are a bunch of youtube videos on installing an anchor trolley as well as using a drift sock.

If you want to stay really still, a cheap claw anchor is generally sufficient to keep you in place, but then you're talking about winding up 50+ feet every time you want to move, so not a great option if you plan on moving a lot.

Either way, you're still at the mercy of the wind and waves.

Re: Frustrating fishing out of a kayak [Re: bFROG5] #10991652 07/21/15 08:00 PM
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Jimbo Offline
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Also since you are bass fishing you probably are working a shoreline in fairly shallow water so a drift sock isn't going to help you there since you want to stay on a spot.
You can use a stake out pole that you drive into the mud and clip onto it using your anchor trolley.
It will hold you secure in one area until you decide to move on down the bank.
You can make one cheap and easy with an eight foot piece of PVC pipe.
Cut one end at 45* angle and the other place a T on the end.
Also a brush clamp that you can fasten to some dead trees and stickups with a 3' length of rope clipped to the anchor trolley as well.

Last edited by Jimbo; 07/21/15 08:05 PM.

Just one more cast!

Re: Frustrating fishing out of a kayak [Re: bFROG5] #10991834 07/21/15 09:06 PM
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Brad R Offline
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For my canoe, I have them all: an anchor trolley, a brush clip and a stake-out pole. I guess I need to try the drift sock! Anyway, a canoe is like a leaf blowing across the lake in even a fairly mild wind: a microscopic keel, no rudder, lots of profile for the wind to catch. They are great for some circumstances but open water and wind is not one of them.

Some tips I have already put to work:

1) If you see a nice thick bed of vegetation, you can pull right on top of it and work or drift to a spot where you can make your desired casts. Vegetation to the top of the water column arrests wave action and you will sit there until you decide to leave.

2) Around islands, there is a windy side and then a leeward side. You can often position yourself in sort of a dead current spot where it divides (on the windy side) to pass around the island; and, there is that little vacuum on the leeward side of dead water where you can drop and anchor off the stern and let some anchor line out and stay pretty stable casting away from the island.

3) Dams often give some relief if you hug up against them or work along their lengths where the wind then whistles more or less over head.

4) Brush clips work well back in woody coves, super easy to deploy.

5) stake-out poles work well when fishing shallows, certainly in the pre-spawn and spawning periods when fish are up in shallow water.

6) When fish are in deep water, just try a controlled float. That is sort of saying "go with the flow."

These are things that I have tried, had some success with, some failures, too.

So, what did I do a couple of hours ago?

I literally just got back to the house from visiting Rick up at Angler's off Rufe Snow where I bought a Native Slayer Propel 10 with the recumbent peddles capable of reverse peddling. It is actually for my wife and grandkids, too, but if I find it holds positions as well as some of the videos suggest, I'll buy another either 10 or 13 and move over to that kayak fishing platform.

What I hope I don't give up? I can stand all day in just about any wind conditions in my Sportspal and I love to stand and fish, sit at other times for a bit, too. I am hoping I can at least stand with decent stability with the Propel under close to the same breadth of circumstances.

Brad

Re: Frustrating fishing out of a kayak [Re: bFROG5] #10991887 07/21/15 09:21 PM
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bert Offline
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Only thing I do not see mentioned here is a drag anchor, works similar to a drift sock in that it just slows you down. Put a 2.5-3 foot piece of galvanized chain on the end of a line tied to the middle link and it will drag the bottom and slow you down even more than just the drift sock by itself.


Bert

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"Beware the lolipop of mediocrity, one lick and you could suck forever" - unknown author
Re: Frustrating fishing out of a kayak [Re: bert] #10991925 07/21/15 09:33 PM
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bFROG5 Offline OP
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are the drag anchors universal for kayaks?


Matthew 4:19
Re: Frustrating fishing out of a kayak [Re: Jimbo] #10991929 07/21/15 09:35 PM
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bFROG5 Offline OP
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Originally Posted By: Jimbo
Also since you are bass fishing you probably are working a shoreline in fairly shallow water so a drift sock isn't going to help you there since you want to stay on a spot.
You can use a stake out pole that you drive into the mud and clip onto it using your anchor trolley.
It will hold you secure in one area until you decide to move on down the bank.
You can make one cheap and easy with an eight foot piece of PVC pipe.
Cut one end at 45* angle and the other place a T on the end.
Also a brush clamp that you can fasten to some dead trees and stickups with a 3' length of rope clipped to the anchor trolley as well.
how do you clamp the sake to the anchor trolley?


Matthew 4:19
Re: Frustrating fishing out of a kayak [Re: bFROG5] #10991930 07/21/15 09:36 PM
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bFROG5 Offline OP
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What about rudder kits? do they help ?


Matthew 4:19
Re: Frustrating fishing out of a kayak [Re: bFROG5] #10991943 07/21/15 09:42 PM
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bert Offline
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I use the drag anchor everywhere and the drift sock, I put my stake out pole through the anchor trolley ring. The rudder will help with drifting both with control and speed.


Bert

"Ipsa scientia potestas est"-Knowledge in itself is power - Sir Francis Bacon

"Beware the lolipop of mediocrity, one lick and you could suck forever" - unknown author
Re: Frustrating fishing out of a kayak [Re: bFROG5] #10992108 07/21/15 10:52 PM
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upchurch_k Offline
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Definitely make a stake out pole, I think I made mine for less than $20, I also use my anchor a lot even when I'm fishing a shallow bank. When I'm ready to move I just pull up the line and let the anchor hang in the water as I'm usually only moving down the bank a few yards then I just drop it back in the water.


Kevin Upchurch

Re: Frustrating fishing out of a kayak [Re: bFROG5] #10992129 07/21/15 11:03 PM
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Jimbo Offline
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Originally Posted By: bFROG5
I'm new to kayak fishing and have fished out of boat a lot, so its very diff to me. I have predator 13 and its a nice yak but I find myself getting frustrated when fishing bc im constantly having to reposition my yak before i reel in especially if im fishing slow or throwing topwater.
Even when I stand up my yak feels shakey like its going to tip, so ive lost a couple bc of not setting the hook like I usually would. I dont want a trolling motor and unless im in a extremely calm creek my yak is taking me away from where I want to be.
Do yall have any advice or is this just the nature of the game?


As you can see from the replies it just takes a little experience on the water to find out what works and what doesn't.
It's good that you asked the question you did as it just saved you a lot of trial and error that we all had to go through.
Good luck with your new addiction! thumb


Just one more cast!

Re: Frustrating fishing out of a kayak [Re: bFROG5] #10992147 07/21/15 11:11 PM
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I felt the same way, takes a while to get used to. I just got flipped over last weekend on a lake, lost a bunch of equipment. You really live and learn tho, I would definitely recommend a stake out pole like the others have mentioned. Put that stake out pole in the ring of your anchor trolley if you have one. Just don't loose you're patience with it because its a really fun way to fish. I don't regret ever buying one.

Re: Frustrating fishing out of a kayak [Re: Justin25141] #10992179 07/21/15 11:26 PM
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I also have a Predator 13 and discovered like you it is very difficult to control your drift in the wind unless you get help. In my case I am currently using an anchor trolley and attach to it either a 3.5 pound anchor or a drift sock. Word of advice on the drift sock; go LARGE. I got the small one and with the wind blowing a good clip it barely slowed me down. I am considering also making a drag chain to see if that will work a little easier when trying to drift fish.

Couple of other suggestions.

1. If using a grappling anchor make sure you use Zip Ties on the anchor so that you can release the anchor if it get stuck on the bottom/in the weeds. Also remember to put a float on the anchor in case you detach the rudder (either on purpose or by accident) from the kayak.

2. Put anchor trollies on both sides of the kayak so that you can fish the way you want to regardless of the wind. I plan on putting another anchor trolley on mine so that I can use either side depending on where I want to be casting to.

The rudder does not help that much while drifting as the kayak will go sideways for the most part. The rudder does make it 100% easier when paddling with wind; especially if you are trying to go diagonal to the wind.

The more time you spend on the water with the kayak will enable you to see what works for you.

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