Newbie, Southeastern Michigan
Michigan Fishing
Mar 4, 2024 03:25:17 #
haeinc
Loc: Clinton Township, Michigan
I'm in the process of buying a fishing kayak to fish the Clinton River and Metro Beach Black Creek. Hope to hear from someone in my area. Go Lions and Go Red Wings. Have a GREAT FISHING SEASON !!!
Mar 4, 2024 08:28:09 #
haeinc wrote:
I'm in the process of buying a fishing kayak to fish the Clinton River and Metro Beach Black Creek. Hope to hear from someone in my area. Go Lions and Go Red Wings. Have a GREAT FISHING SEASON !!!
Welcome to the stage haeinc!
Lots of Kayak fisherman on this site, with plenty of knowledge and experience.
We love to see results, so send pics!
What do you fish for?
Mar 4, 2024 09:24:00 #
haeinc
Loc: Clinton Township, Michigan
The Outcast wrote:
Welcome to the stage haeinc!
Lots of Kayak fisherman on this site, with plenty of knowledge and experience.
We love to see results, so send pics!
What do you fish for?
Lots of Kayak fisherman on this site, with plenty of knowledge and experience.
We love to see results, so send pics!
What do you fish for?
Perch, walleye, steelhead
Mar 4, 2024 09:27:41 #
Welcome to the Stage!
There is some good fishing to be had in both locations you mentioned, and I assume that you have been doing so from shore or possibly via a boat from time to time. Now you want to get stealthy and have fun from a kayak approach. Get ready to enter a world of excitement while fishing from a kayak!
There could be a lot of parameters to cover regarding some good kayak choices, so as opposed to writing a short novel, maybe I can throw out some ides for you to ponder....
1. Consider a used kayak for a first time purchase. That way your initial investment could be more modest as you grow into the routine and see how much you like it, and see if it fulfills your intentions as you had envisioned.
2. Depending on the distances you plan to travel from a launch point, "paddling" a kayak should suffice...as opposed to pedaling or using a small electric motor. That being said, "paddling" a wide styled fishing kayak is a bit more cumbersome than paddling a narrower styled touring kayak that you are still able to fish from. If you enjoy bicycling, then a pedal style kayak might be a better fit.
3. Dedicated "fishing" kayaks will already have been designed with thoughtful dimensions (length, width and draft), features and stability built in...so if your intentions are purely towards fishing...look in that direction instead of getting a generic kayak that would work for both fishing and simple recreational use. A 12' length is a nice target length, and just make sure that it has the weight payload capacity to safely carry both you and all intended gear will still leave you with plenty of unused weight. You do not want the gunnel line to be right at the water line like a submarine ready to submerge!
4. Make sure that you are easily able to load and handle the kayak by yourself without straining your physique. Pick up truck beds work out well, and car topping works too as long as you are able to get safe leverage without hurting your back and shoulders. A small trailer is a consideration too...depending on the weight of the kayak itself.
5. Most dedicated fishing kayak models are what they refer to as "sit on top" styles...whether in a low profile molded seat near the waterline...or in a small elevated chair. Scupper holes in the hull can be left open for easy drainage of water that slips in, or kept plugged to keep the ride a bit drier. Keep in mind that most fishing kayak hulls are designed to be "self bailing"...thus the scupper holes. If you do paddle with them plugged, be very sure that you are able to quickly "pull" them out in case you suddenly take on a big wave or some other form of water surge.
6. Look for a steerable rudder feature via your feet. That makes navigating much easier.
7. Don't get too hung up on brand names. There are a ton of models to choose from. Look for durability and reasonable construction quality and use of solid materials at mounting points (rod holders, etc.).
8. Your paddling destinations will have a very large number of boaters sharing the water with you. Be sure that you stay very visible to boaters, and always wear a PDF...don't just have it stashed on board under a bungee cord. When in a kayak, you create a very small profile, especially when being viewed from the front or behind.
If you are able to share more thoughts on your fishing style and past experiences then others may be able to hone in more specifically on responses back to you.
Good luck...Spring is just around the corner! If I lived closer it would be great to hook up and paddle together, but it's about a 5 hour dive for me to reach the Metro Beach region.
There is some good fishing to be had in both locations you mentioned, and I assume that you have been doing so from shore or possibly via a boat from time to time. Now you want to get stealthy and have fun from a kayak approach. Get ready to enter a world of excitement while fishing from a kayak!
There could be a lot of parameters to cover regarding some good kayak choices, so as opposed to writing a short novel, maybe I can throw out some ides for you to ponder....
1. Consider a used kayak for a first time purchase. That way your initial investment could be more modest as you grow into the routine and see how much you like it, and see if it fulfills your intentions as you had envisioned.
2. Depending on the distances you plan to travel from a launch point, "paddling" a kayak should suffice...as opposed to pedaling or using a small electric motor. That being said, "paddling" a wide styled fishing kayak is a bit more cumbersome than paddling a narrower styled touring kayak that you are still able to fish from. If you enjoy bicycling, then a pedal style kayak might be a better fit.
3. Dedicated "fishing" kayaks will already have been designed with thoughtful dimensions (length, width and draft), features and stability built in...so if your intentions are purely towards fishing...look in that direction instead of getting a generic kayak that would work for both fishing and simple recreational use. A 12' length is a nice target length, and just make sure that it has the weight payload capacity to safely carry both you and all intended gear will still leave you with plenty of unused weight. You do not want the gunnel line to be right at the water line like a submarine ready to submerge!
4. Make sure that you are easily able to load and handle the kayak by yourself without straining your physique. Pick up truck beds work out well, and car topping works too as long as you are able to get safe leverage without hurting your back and shoulders. A small trailer is a consideration too...depending on the weight of the kayak itself.
5. Most dedicated fishing kayak models are what they refer to as "sit on top" styles...whether in a low profile molded seat near the waterline...or in a small elevated chair. Scupper holes in the hull can be left open for easy drainage of water that slips in, or kept plugged to keep the ride a bit drier. Keep in mind that most fishing kayak hulls are designed to be "self bailing"...thus the scupper holes. If you do paddle with them plugged, be very sure that you are able to quickly "pull" them out in case you suddenly take on a big wave or some other form of water surge.
6. Look for a steerable rudder feature via your feet. That makes navigating much easier.
7. Don't get too hung up on brand names. There are a ton of models to choose from. Look for durability and reasonable construction quality and use of solid materials at mounting points (rod holders, etc.).
8. Your paddling destinations will have a very large number of boaters sharing the water with you. Be sure that you stay very visible to boaters, and always wear a PDF...don't just have it stashed on board under a bungee cord. When in a kayak, you create a very small profile, especially when being viewed from the front or behind.
If you are able to share more thoughts on your fishing style and past experiences then others may be able to hone in more specifically on responses back to you.
Good luck...Spring is just around the corner! If I lived closer it would be great to hook up and paddle together, but it's about a 5 hour dive for me to reach the Metro Beach region.
Mar 4, 2024 09:36:32 #
Mar 4, 2024 12:31:30 #
Mar 4, 2024 13:27:44 #
haeinc wrote:
I'm in the process of buying a fishing kayak to fish the Clinton River and Metro Beach Black Creek. Hope to hear from someone in my area. Go Lions and Go Red Wings. Have a GREAT FISHING SEASON !!!
I was going to say Fishyaker can lead you in the right direction, but I see he’s already posted, I’d listen him, he knows his stuff!
Mar 4, 2024 18:28:40 #
40GRIT wrote:
I was going to say Fishyaker can lead you in the right direction, but I see he’s already posted, I’d listen him, he knows his stuff!
Thank you for the kind words 40GRIT! There are many many "yakers" on this site, so hopefully some other folks will chime in to this inquiry. There is a lot more to be said....
Trolling, vertical jigging and just drifting around while casting are all possibilities when fishing, and for the most part, any kayak will do the job but some might be more comfortable than others. Staying seated or standing are some other considerations.
One nice thing about sit on top styles (which nearly all dedicated fishing kayak designs are) is that if a person is comfortable with their balance, then being able to stand up is a nice capability. In traditional kayak designs (like narrow touring "rec" kayaks), it is nearly impossible to get up and stand from the seat.
It will be fun to see some future feedback, updates and photos that are generated from this posting by HAEINC.
If you want to reply, then register here. Registration is free and your account is created instantly, so you can post right away.