New to Kayaking

I took the plunge and bought a kayak 2 weeks ago but have not taken it out yet. I was wondering where should I start with equipment? I bought the necessities PFD and Paddle but unsure where to go from here? Also does the community here post when people are going out as a group? I want to get out there and get used to my boat but the gentleman at the kayak shop stressed I should try and get out with other seasoned kayakers and no go out alone especially being new to the sport. All help is appreciated!

I suggest that you install a relatively inexpensive fish finder (to avoid the frustration of "guessing" at water depth, contour, etc) and fish a season. You will determine what you need over time.

The Garmin Striker 4 is a really good inexpensive fish finder... I used this for several seasons and was very pleased with it.

For me, other than my fishing gear, I only have a good fish finder and landing gear installed. Otherwise, my kayak is "stock". However, in fairness, my Kayak has a lot of standard features integrated into the design.

Others have their Kayak way more decked-out to fit their style, preference, and base model kayak features.

It all comes down to what is included in your base Kayak and your preferred style of fishing.

Practice paddling, manuvers, balance, plus dump and self rescue in water that is shallow enough to stand up, and where the shoreline is only a few feet away. A small shallow pond or calm water creek for example. Additional purchases can be things that don't get damaged by immersion, and can be easily located in shallow water if lost overboard in a flip or if dropped, until you're proficient. Fishing rods / reels, tackle/ bait boxes that are kept closed after access, tethers, comfort seating, etc.

Hope this helps.

its actually pretty easy
just get after it

Keep it simple at first... one rod and a few baits.. Get used to paddling and what you can do and can't do. Learn to sit side saddle ... you may not ever fish this way but crawling around on your kayak will give you a lot more confidence.



I don't recommend starting out with feathering paddle blade but different strokes for different folks.

The paddle you choose is very important. I started with a metric paddle but found my standard American hands needed a paddle measured in inches rather than centimeters. The seat cushion is the next most important thing. Make sure your day isn’t cut short because your bottom hurts, get a good seat cushion. If you choose to get a fish finder, make sure you route the wiring so it stays out of the way when fishing. If there is something that can get tangled in a line, it will get tangled in a line, typically at the farthest away point in the kayak. I also recommend using lures with single hooks until you get the hang of it, especially if you are fishing by yourself. Nothing sucks worse than trying to paddle with a rattle trap stuck in you hand. Coat the tops of you legs, all the way up past the edge of your shorts with good sun protection. Going to work with sunburned thighs isn’t any fun. Lastly, just because you can stand up in a kayak, doesn’t mean you should stand up, especially after a few beers.

Wisdom.

I would add make sure to keep the beer on ice and someplace that you can reach it without having to turn your whole body around. Turning around is sketchy in a kayak esp if your an XL sized man.

Agree with Iconn keep it simple. Most of us go out and start buying stuff we end up not using one time. A rod holder is handy and Mike's recommendation on a ff is good. Spend some time on the yak before you buy a bunch of stuff you won't use.