What does the future look like for kayak fishing...Can we as kayak anglers get to 5,000,000 anglers or will it get bigger?...Tournament $100,000 First Place? Just trying to get conversation started...

One reason kayaking and fishing go together so well is a low cost entry point.. and at the heart of the sport is a hunger for adventure, camaraderie and even fish to eat. In some ways it is a step back to simpler times but just like many other endeavors technology will advance the equipment and maybe influence our social behavior and attitude towards nature for the better..

To answer the OP original question, no. I don't believe the media exposure or corporate sponsorships will be there, at least in the next 15 years or so.

The glitter boat industry has issues with television exposure, until this is changed, professional kayak business doesn't have a chance.

It is all about the advertising/sponsorship return on investment.

I don't see it getting as big as the big boat tournaments. A lot of people kayak fish to keep things cheap because having a boat is expensive. Raising the price on entries to the tournaments even with a big payout will discourage a lot of people from participating. $30-$50 is about all I can ever see paying to fish in a kayak bass tournament myself. Some would pay more but I'm an average joe at fishing and not a pro. So when I fish a tournament its mostly just for fun not for the big payout. I see that money getting to people's head in those big boat tournaments it gets too serious and no longer seems to be about the fishing so much as the winning. I'm never gonna take it that serious to me its the experience and like hook-line&sinker said the adventure.

I'll admit I love competition and see my self entry in more in 2017 and beyond

Youtube and other streaming services are a prime location for broadcasting these events. The problem with the big boat tournaments is that they are buried on cable networks that you have to pay extra to view.
I Love fishing shows but I haven't had traditional television/cable in years. But I watch a lot of fishing channels on Youtube.

If I were organizing it I would try and set up every kayak with a go pro and have it streamed back to a central location where the producers can then combine the streams for youtube. This would eliminate the need to run boats with cameramen on them in the hopes to video the biggest catches.

There are technological issues to overcome but I think the market is there.

I see government wanting some tax money. Already been conversations about registration.

We used to see this: "America's Fastest Growing Sport!" and it would be found on a box containing a Badminton set, or a cheap archery set, and sports like that. Sure, fastest growing if one means from 67 participants to 100 or something like that, nation wide. Ha!

No, even kayak fishing is still a pretty expensive sport, fishing in general is, and when you factor in tolls, ramp fees, maintenance, gas and wear and tear on your vehicle, the list is endless including very expensive tackle and gear and even plastic worms and on and on, my guess is fishing is likely near its peak saturation with the interest in kayak fishing about half developed.

So, some more expansion as the bass boat way is surely getting way up there for the average fisherman. More folks attracted to kayaks, for sure, but money will still be a limiting factor to its growth.

KATS and others are certainly doing a great job promoting kayak fishing.

Brad

The two TV shows I watched on kayaking were a joke. One did nothing but promote one brand of kayak and might have had 8 minutes of actual fishing. The other was about feuding kayaker's. Made us look bad IMO.

I think the sport has exploded the passed 10 years or so. For me its my version of Jeremiah johnson or the Eskimos. I love the do it yourself, depend on no one. I would love to see the sport grow more but also i hope it doesnt become over complicated. We already see all the trolling motors, pedals etc. Im just a fan of the old school.

Like mentioned above it is less expensive to get into a yak compared to a conventional bass boat but you still have all the other gear costs and travel expense to bare. It ain't free and if you practice C&R fishing exclusively than this is solely entertainment or in my case psycho-therapy

Tournament sport fishing is like the farmer selling one dollar bills for .50 cents because as he says "It beats farming" Not very many people make a good living in competitive sports without big name sponsors paying the bills.

I have no interest in turning my outdoor adventures or time into a business or a job nor do I plan to dump any more of my limited resourses into the sport of fishing.

In the year 2000 I made the $650 dollar "investment" in my Old Town Loon 111 kayak and I haven't spent another dime on the yak since. No mods, no repairs, just three new paddles and a PFD or two.. Now that is very economical for the 100's of hours of pure enjoyment for me but not the fish

I know several guys that will spend close to that $650 amount on just one trip to their favorite fishing hole no matter what the equipment is that they use.. And that's the reel difference between us all.. those that have the resources to pour into entertainment and those that won't, don't or can't... The popularity of a "sport" is directly tied to the availability of disposable income one might have to fund the endeavor.

I dont want to take away from the relaxation and fun of Kayak fishing but I also know tourneys are fun and competitive also...Takes all kinds to make a community....Remember there's kids out there who will never afford a boat but a kayak as their own boat now we're talking...