Since I always struggle with a shallow water bite in the summer I've tried fishing more "offshore" this summer in my yak. Main lake points, humps, brush piles, etc.

Anyone else have success doing this in a kayak? I'm thinking of getting a spotlock trolling motor so I don't have to reposition every other cast.

I have always caught my bigger fish on main lake points and humps surrounded by deep water. Deep stumps and roadbeds too.

I fish deep from time to time (not my preferred method, but it's productive at times). In fact, my largest bass last year was pulled out of a brush pile off a steep main-lake point in about18 feet of water. It was "only" about 6.2 pounds, but it did not want to be caught and was a fun fight.

I have a Hobie and can hold myself into the wind fairly easily. If you are in a paddler, you can use the wind to "drift" over deep cover or use an anchor.

I find it very helpful to use a marker buoy... this keeps me from staring at my graph the entire time. I throw the buoy about 10' away from my mark... which keeps me out of the line when casting.

https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/bass-pro-shops-tournament-buoy?rrec=true

I don't like to fish deep in a kayak... not much to see when things are slow and don't like anchoring.


Not much to see in the ocean either.. 7 miles out looking for the edge of the gulf stream.. the current can come within a couple of miles of the beach in some areas of south florida. Ran into a boat and was told it was 3 more miles out that day and I turned around. All the black on my face was cigarette ashes that stuck to sunscreen I kept rubbing on. Didn't realize it until I looked at picture that night.

smoking seems to have kept you young

Also don’t like anchoring in a kayak on big water.

If there are deep trees on good contours/channel swings/ledges/humps/saddles you can tie up on, that is a good option.

Bridges are nice in the summer (shade) /all year and tying up to them (run rope through a tennis ball with slits on both sides silicone adhesive to plug up slits where rope went, then carabiner). Whip tennis ball and carabiner around bridge piling and clip carabiner onto proximal rope. Tie rope to kayak.

Drifting with a crig or biffle head.

If you have a pedal kayak, I’d have no shame trolling a deep diving crankbait.

I've had a lot of good luck anchoring in deep water up to 25 deep over structure.
I usually fish straight down. I'll have one rod out on each side of the kayak, and another I may cast out a ways in different directions with a larger bait.
When the bite is constant I'll just go with one rod.

I've had a lot of good luck anchoring in deep water up to 25 deep over structure.
I usually fish straight down. I'll have one rod out on each side of the kayak, and another I may cast out a ways in different directions with a larger bait.
When the bite is constant I'll just go with one rod.

In the winter I'm in the deepest holes I can find.

Went to Fork the other day.. had reminder from facebook that on July 27, 2014 I had my best day there fishing standing timber in 20 feet of water. Biggest five that day went over 110 inches.. Thought they might be in the same place so off I went.. Biggest skunk I've had in a while. Not a bite and thought I was going to have a heat stroke. Should have stayed longer as I had packed enough stuff to stay until after dark if the fishing was good. Had a half sack of ice in my lap to keep cool. Water temp was 99 degrees in 20 feet of water, air temp when I made it back to my car said 106. I cooled off for a while, was going to give it another try from 6:30 pm to dark... then decided, nope I'd rather have a skunk than put up with these temps. Giving the fishing a break until I'm in a better frame of mind.





This is golfing weather.