Kayak fishing for redfish is an awesome way of spending the day, and nobody is about to argue against the effectiveness of casting for reds from a kayak. That said, there are a number of differences from fishing from a boat which many people don’t pick up on. The next time you set out to fish from one of these one-man angling machines, keep these key difference in mind.
- Be prepared for close encounters. As we see in the picture above, redfish will sometimes seem to appear out of nowhere just a few feet from the kayak. Always keep a sharp eye out, wear polarized sunglasses, and keep a second rod at the ready so if a fish suddenly shows up right after you’ve made a long cast you don’t have to reel all the way back in before flipping it a lure.
- Downsize your lure weight. On a boat you need more weight to make longer casts, but on a kayak you can creep in close and make shorter casts. That means you can swap that half-ounce head for an eighth of an ounce. And in doing so, you can make much more subtle, slower presentations.
- Limit your focus. When fishing on a boat you might bring some bait and rods appropriate for sheepshead, because you know they’re in the area. But on a kayak – where space is exceptionally limited – to do so you’ll have to give up a redfish rod, and/or some tackle space. Instead stay laser-focused on one type of fishing for one species of fish, and you’ll have a much better chance of success.
The bottom line? Approach fishing from a kayak differently than you’d approach fishing from a boat – because it is in fact different – and the net result will be more fish in the cooler.