I am considering a kayak and am wondering what is a reasonable round trip distance for a day of fishing in a kayak. I am 50 and in reasonable shape, looking at at a map of my local lake (Hubbard) I am guessing a day of fishing may be 5-6 miles round trip. I am ata loss as to how strenuous this wouldd be on me.

5 miles would be a pretty good day but you could manage it fairly easy.

This depends on exactly what we are fishing for. Striper, easy 15+ miles, cats, 3-6 miles, offshore (saltwater) 20+

I'm a little older than you and also in decent shape. I don't track my distance and usually don't go that far but 5 miles round trip over a day sounds do-able. You'll have to consider some things:

Different kayaks will demand different levels of effort. Five miles in one kayak might be a pleasure but it could be a beating in another model.

Time of year is important to me and how far I travel. In the heat of the summer, I'm not fishing past noon because it becomes a lot less fun for me. You also need to save some energy for loading up the kayak. You'll want to and be able to travel further in the Spring and Fall.

Weather plays a role in how far I go. Wind direction and rain forecasts are two factors that drive where I'll end up fishing.

My longest trips usually involve several smaller legs where I go a distance, stop and fish, and then move on. At least the outbound trip won't be as taxing.

Find a launch spot that's as close to where you want to fish as possible. Like I said earlier, I usually check the weather and that determines where I'll launch and where I can fish.

3-6 depends on how they are biting and grouped up.

I'm older than 50 (maybe considerably older in old-man years) and paddle a garden-variety 80-lb, tri-hull fishing kayak. From the times I've been out with a GPS in calm water, a rhythmic kind of stroke without too much effort gets me to about 2 mph. So maybe you are looking at 3 hours of earnest paddling to get to your hole and back. But it is not anything like work-plenty of distractions to take your mind off the paddling requirement.

2 MPH at an easy pace sounds about right. You can double the effort and break through 3 MPH for short distances if you need to. Very important to learn proper paddling technique, which involves your legs and torso as much as your arms, and you can last a lot longer. On the lakes I fish I can put in within a mile of the spots I intend to concentrate on. On river trips I am more limited on put-in spots (usually at bridge crossings) and I may need to paddle 2-4 miles to get to the fishy spots.

Wind and current play a factor. In good conditions for the most part with the proper paddling technique it's not much if any, harder than walking.

I am just over a month shy of 65 and my typical day out is around 3 miles. I find pedaling slightly easier than paddling but not really much difference.

For me? It isn't the paddling or pedaling; it is the sun that sort of wears me out by the end of a long day. For many of us as kids, it was that way after a long day on the beach or swimming at a pool. Go home, shower, cool down under an a/c . . . and sleep like a baby.

Pedaling most modern SOT kayaks is almost effortless at 2.5 mph or thereabouts. I have never felt it at all in my legs. And, I bought a Werner paddle, a really good one, and it is so light that it, too, creates an easy speed with minimal effort.

Anyway, come on down to Lake Athens for a 3 mile day. When fall comes, temps break a bit and a nice day sets up, I want to run the length of the lake from up near the NW corner where I live . . . all the way to the dam.

One last "hint" for older guys going out, really anyone: Going out into the wind and fishing is great, unless the wind shifts . . . as you can just drift easily with the wind to your back.

Brad

I'm 72, good shape, on a round trip, probably 5-6 miles, but I also watch the winds and if I know they are going to start increasing a lot, I fish my way back to more protected water. I went Friday to West Bay Galveston, and did really well against the increasing winds. I just took it easy and didn't over exert myself.

At 70 I agree with the older kayakers here!....Don't worry about covering miles and miles of water, but fish smarter and fish more, less paddling.
Fished my local lake Saturday morning, and anchored out in 26 ft. of water about 300 yards from the launch.

Paddle vs foot pedal should also be discussed. I've only ever used a paddle and 5 or 6 miles is about all I want to do. Not only does it get tiring but it takes time. I don't fish further than 2 miles from my launch site.

Wind, current (may not be an issue on a lake), waves, kayak, paddle, heat, conditioning, how you fish, there are a lot of variables to juggle. Full on summer heat will definitely cut into endurance. 5-6 miles is usually about all I want to do to stay in a comfortable mode on any typically coastal summer morning. I'm 54 and have a Commander 140. I also fish, maneuver and position while standing and do a lot of casting with a fly rod which requires some considerable effort on its own. Fishing at anchor or while staked out and not casting a whole bunch I count as mostly resting and won't really tax you on endurance. But even at rest, the sun will beat you up some if there is no shade.

Cooler times of the year are less strenuous and tough on this body. My heat tolerance has dropped some with getting older. My maximum days might be around 13-15 miles round trip in cool weather, but I still typically keep trips at 5-7 miles or less. I have a lot of places I fish that its a mile or less round trip.

I think the more you paddle, the more muscle you build along with endurance. I make a point to spend a part of every trip to paddle at 80 percent of capacity or more just to maintain or build some strength and endurance. I've noticed going out with people that aren't regular kayakers that they don't have the endurance or strength of seasoned kayakers. Injury can cut into paddling power. How you are built adds or subtracts to the number. I've always had good shoulders and that is helpful paddling. Some folks do much better with pedal kayaks. Those cause me considerable knee pain. My arms, shoulders, and core are in much better shape than my legs and lower spine. The older you get, back and hip issues can creep in with kayaking especially if you sit for long periods without relief.

If you are 50 and never really kayaked you might take stock of your condition and overall health. Longer thinner kayaks will let you cover more water with less effort and if you have no intention to stand then that might be the way to go. If your legs are strong but your upper body not so much think about a pedal option kayak. My good friend and classmate couldn't paddle very long without a lot of neck and shoulder pain. He's been happy in a pedal drive Hobie.

Not sure if it's been mentioned but hydration is a necessity to anyone but even moreso with age.
With the hot weather it's best to start drinking water the night before and the morning before you plan to launch your kayak.
Carry a jug of ice water in the kayak as well and drink before you get thirsty.
I usually carry an empty container along for obvious reasons as well.
I've had bouts with skin cancer and at 70 I did a lot of foolish things in my youth to earn my stripes so I now wear a buff, gloves and long sleeve shirt as well as long pants so that also cuts into my time on the water in the heat of the dog days we are approaching.
As I mentioned earlier, you have to be smart, and know your limitations before you try to set any distance records.
It will not be good if you get out a few miles from the launch and decide to head back in and start feeling light headed....A paddle or peddle won't help you then!

Definitely true. I have started using a product called Hydralite to improve my hydration. You drop 2 tablets (about the size of Alka Seltzers) in your water. They dissolve and also make the water slightly carbonated. It's not like a sports drink - it's much closer to what you would get in an IV. So far, so good - I don't feel beat when I'm done but the real test will be when the weather turns really hot.