fishyaker Loc: NW Michigan (Lower Peninsula)

You bring up a great point, and ultimately it probably all boils down to what an individual prefers to fish from, where they fish, and if they go alone or not. I do happen to own a much larger boat that is set up for big water fishing, and will accommodate several guests on board, but it tends to be tricky to go out alone and run everything by yourself. I fish alone almost 90% of the time, as I am still waiting for my group of fishing friends to retire.

I started to seriously fish from a kayak in 1980, and over the years that followed have spent thousands of hours paddling and fishing all over North America via a kayak...both ocean and fresh water. Personally, I enjoy the close connection to the water and fish pursuit via a small craft.

All of my kayaks are set up in different ways for different conditions that suit what I tend to do, so in a nutshell, having added this new kayak style with a motor to my "mini fleet" is just one more way of having fun while still keeping it all simple. After the initial investment in a kayak, the overall cost of ownership and maintenance is much lower than what I have experienced with a boat...so that is a factor I think about too.

Thank you for bringing up the point for discussion, because I think we all ponder questions like that!

A very simple 14' fiberglass kayak weighing in at 45 lbs. (less than a bale of hay) easy to take almost anywhere, so this would be kind of at the other end of the kayak spectrum.

scaledown72 Loc: North Georgia

Tahnks for the reply. I 've enjoyed reading your postings and you certainly are catching a lot of beautiful fish.
I've been to that part of Michigan, but not lately. Is that around Traverse City ?
I presume that you have to use a trailer to haul and launch your kayak.
I use inflatable kayaks and rafts, which are long on portability...but short on range !
In life, we have possibilities...and limitations.

fishyaker Loc: NW Michigan (Lower Peninsula)

You are very welcome scaledown72! Yes...this is the Traverse City area where I live. Thankfully, the waters I fish the most are just a 10 minute drive from home. If I travel anywhere within an hours drive I tend to trailer my kayaks these days for sure. As I get older I am trying to be more sensitive to avoiding injury to my shoulders and arms caused by lifting to "cartop" the kayaks. I still cartop the shorter 'yaks and use some leverage items to help load/unload them when alone.

I purchased my first dedicated kayak trailer about 10 years ago and it has been money well spent. I can just back up to the water, slide them off and head on out to fish. A modified kayak "dolly" has also been very helpful to avoid carrying and lifting kayaks...regardless of how light they are. This is primarily for the narrow sea kayak styles that I use so often.

This Yakima brand "rack and roll" trailer is versatile for hauling anything small...like bikes, paddle boards, kayaks, etc. Works great at a traditional boat launch or right from a beach in just a few inches of water.

bric Loc: Helena, MT

Wow great post yaker, nice setup and beautiful fish.

fridge Loc: Alger, Michigan

Beautiful rig, just like my wife's and son's but they do not have the fishing gear. I hope that you pay close attention to the weather because that big water can turn into a nightmare in a heart beat.

fishyaker Loc: NW Michigan (Lower Peninsula)

Thank you Bric! Glad you enjoyed the post! Over the years, when I was fishing in my sea kayak with a downrigger or long leadcore lines my endurance was starting to drop. After an hour or so of paddling against a heavy weight, some wind and water movement I was pretty tuckered out! The electric motor approach seems like "cheating"...but I'm thick skinned enough to take any "ribbing" my buddies dish out!

fishyaker Loc: NW Michigan (Lower Peninsula)

Good morning Fridge, and thank you for the compliment! Very cool that your family has a pair of kayaks to enjoy too!

I appreciate the advisement regarding weather. No matter what the forecasts are, it is wise to pay attention to conditions on a constant basis. I have cut my outings short many times over the years as foul weather arose from seemingly nowhere and sent me back to the safety of shore!

lawrence1l Loc: Michigan

Yeah, Scale, portability is a big issue. An even bigger issue is personal preference. I have a 12 ft. fishing kayak, I don't even remember the brand. I put a couple of rod holders in front of the seat. My back is too stiff to turn easily to put rods in, or take out, of the rod holders behind me. I think yaker has put together an amazing set-up. Coveting is a sin, and I am working hard at not coveting his boat. I have, arguably, too many hobbies, so they all go wanting. One of the great things about this web site is being able to read the exploits of Yaker, and others, that may be more dedicated to fishing, and have more to share with us than vice versa. Thanks to all of you.

fishyaker Loc: NW Michigan (Lower Peninsula)

Although your comment is really directed at scaleback, I wanted to say "thank you" for taking time to read the story Lawrence1. We all learn a lot from each other on this site, regardless of how often we chime in with a public comment.

Portability of a kayak is "key" in gaining access to many waters that could not be fished via a conventional boat. I completely agree.

Like yourself, I too find it more convenient to have rod holders placed exactly where I want them on a kayak, so I add them to compliment whatever the OEM layout was. I use the built in rod holders just to ferry rods out and back...but not to actually fish from. I like having at least 2 other holders...both for fishing or quickly switching "sides" when I make a turn while trolling one line so as to keep the line from getting caught in a rudder. If I run with 2 lines out, they both stay in play until I plan to make a 180 degree turnabout, and then I'll completely bring the line in that is on the inside of the turn and then redeploy when I straighten out again.

Kayak dolly/trolley's are a great way to transport a kayak for fairly long distances from your vehicle with little effort. Just keep the kayak close to the center of balance for an easy roll. Standard tires or beach wheels for loose soil and sand.

plumbob Loc: New Windsor Maryland

Hey fishyaker speaking of the line getting hung up in the rudder, what have you found to lessen that chance?

This year I attached a 6" buoy to my line and clipped it to the seat to release if it gets hung up so I can go back and get it.

Curious to what you and others do now that it has been mentioned.

fishyaker Loc: NW Michigan (Lower Peninsula)

If I anticipate modestly sized fish I tend to always run 2 active lines when trolling. Long rods (10 foot or so) help keep the line pretty far away from the boat while meandering and making "S" curves without any issues. I use my narrow (24" wide) 18'-6" sea kayak most often, so I have quite a bit of boat behind me to be careful about tangles. When my rudder is out, I also have another 1'-6" of extension to deal with so I get nervous when I accidentally make a tight turn...like if I am looking at the fish finder screen too long!

When I plan to make a 180 degree turn and radically change direction, I always reel in the line that will be on the outside of the turn and then re-deploy it once straightened out. I think I "mis-stated" this in one of my above comments and said I reel the inside line in. That would be wrong to do!

If I hook up on a fish during the troll, I take a chance that it will stay hooked well and then I quickly reel in the other line so I can get back to the fish and not worry about a line tangle with the active rod. Then...I lift my rudder out of the water so it lessens the chance for a fish to catch it. I also try to get my kayak sideways to the fish, which further keeps it away from the back end of the boat. The only other thing I have below water is the transducer, and it is pretty shallow. I leave it alone and work the fish close and just do my best to keep it from wrapping the line around it. Sometimes I use a net to scoop up fish, and other times just the jaw grabbers.

When I anticipate catching large fish, especially pike, salmon, carp and lake trout, I only run one line. I do not want to risk getting a second line tangled up by fish that are much harder to control. Large fish tend to pull the kayak towards them...giving a subtle "tow" of the kayak in the process. I just try to steer at the fish when they run. Once I connect with a fish...again...the rudder comes up ASAP so that there is virtually nothing but a smooth hull for a fish to run under. Since I always have an empty rod holder available on the opposite side of the troll, when I change directions significantly I just move the rod into a favoring position to make the turn ahead of time. That way the line is never going to get caught in the rudder...hopefully!

"If" I do catch the rudder somehow, with a fish on (could happen on a leap near the back of the boat), or by my own carelessness without a fish on, I typically paddle to shore and get out to deal with it. If I am way too far from shore to bother with a return trip, I will decide to cut the line where convenient and tie on a new lure...leaving it up to chance to retrieve anything later on. Lucky for me, after many decades of kayak fishing (and I should knock on wood), I have not yet lost a single lure to getting caught in the rudder with the above methods. Sooner or later it will happen, but hopefully not too often.

In my new kayak with the Minn-Kota motor, my routine has slightly changed when I hook a fish. I shut off the motor, raise the rudder, and then start fighting the fish. I can just envision a fish (or line) beneath the kayak getting caught in a spinning prop! If it starts to become an issue, I will probably also raise the motor...but for now I think it will be OK to keep it deployed downward. It is only about a foot under the boat....

plumbob Loc: New Windsor Maryland

Sorry fishyaker I should have been more explicit. I was talking about my anchor line getting caught up in the rudder.

However I did manage to get my fishing line wrapped around the prop from the peddles once this year. I did your take to shore route since I was close and did a good bit of un winding.

fishyaker Loc: NW Michigan (Lower Peninsula)

Ah Hah...OK...pardon my long winded reply on the original thought....

As it turns out, I never use an anchor to hold a position. It is kind of a pain in the neck, but if I want to sit still I just do a lot of paddle maneuvers to stay put while keeping a line deployed...like when jigging. In deep water it is a real bugger to do. In shallow water not so bad.

Now that I have the "spot lock" feature on the Minn-Kota, I have found it to be very handy with no need to paddle and stay put. The motor head does all the work.

If I did have an anchor line out, and had a large enough fish on, I would probably try to get that anchor up ASAP and out of harms way...then return to a way point on the GPS to get back over the next fish. For smallish fish I would probably take a chance that I could "steer" a fish away from the line.

Oh good grief...I'm speed reading again on your comment. Keeping the anchor line out of the rudder is the concern. OK...Depending on wind, and how the current may be swinging the boat around, I would try to be careful to lift the rudder before bringing the anchor line in. Actually, if I was going to deploy an anchor, I think I would just keep the rudder up and out of the way from the start....

plumbob Loc: New Windsor Maryland

Not long winded what so ever. Good intel is always appreciated thus why I read a lot of post not even pertaining to what I am after. Never stop learning especially in this sport.

Surprised you have used an anchor. Just thought that was a must have on a craft.

I as well do the maneuvering with the prop provided the current isn't to strong. But sometimes I just want to fish an area and 180* cast the area before moving on. Sometimes current changes or slack of the line used to get between the rudder and the yak. Takes a little turn here and there twisting and pulling to un stick it until this year when I put the float in line.

lawrence1l Loc: Michigan

Yaker: Thanks for the picture of the kayak hauler. Being thrifty, sometimes to a fault, I made two out of golf club carts. The one for my wife's boat worked well. My boat has a concave hull, and did not work well. I bought one like the picture, and it worked so well, we got another for the Mrs. Now, everyone is happy.