So what really separates kayak fishing from other types of fishing? If you ask me, in most cases... nothing. In my opinion there are a lot of folks out there who are really just fishing from a kayak. You find out the difference when conditions become challenging. That's what made last night so special for me. I was catching fish under conditions that required equal measure of fishing skill (after the hook-up) and kayak maneuvering skills.
I stayed too long at a family function and missed a good portion of my intended tide, incoming. It was worth it, but left me fishing a wind-across-tide surf with swells about 3-4 feet. Lumpy, but fishable. I knew that would change quickly once the tide turned against the 15-20mph south wind that was blowing.
The moon hadn't risen yet, so it was pretty dark when I first got out and having great lights (powerful LEDs on front and back + anchor light) helped me not only see the waves that were coming, but also kept me in sight of the 2 or 3 boats that were nearby. I was into fish very quickly, slot bass around 30 inches on a metal-lipped trolling plug. I was a happy camper.
The moon was rising and the fish were getting bigger, but so was the surf pushing in from the south. I had to stay pointed into the swells as I fought each bass. Each bass, whether I landed it or not, was a little bigger than the one before it and a lot of my focus needed to be on how I was going to position myself after I caught up to the fish.
When you are kayak fishing and in close quarters with a large fish, You're attention is on that fish and on the lure's other hooks that are flailing around, and getting the net and having the stringer/lip- gripper ready. In that moment what you canNOTsee are the waves that are coming toward you, so that time you spent getting properly positioned is critical. Without that, you and the fish will shortly be on equal footing.
Here lies the sweet sorrow of the kayak fishing dynamic when it's outgoing tide at Montauk Point: The longer you stay there, the harder it will be to get back safely... and the better the fishing will be. "Safely" is not a bright line and everyone knows (or should know) what they're physically capable of, but that "tension" begins as I feel the first shifts in the currents and eddies that come with the changing tide. As soon as the water is moving the other way, it's time for me to go... no matter how good the fishing is. This type of kayak fishing requires the right outfitting, some physical skills (stamina and balance), planning and - when that tension builds to the point of discomfort - discipline.
As I boated and leashed a fat 40-inch bass my fishfinder was blowing up. It was lights-out fishing... and it was time to go. The rising moon shed light on the swells that were rolling into False Bar. They were 5- footers now. Check please.
The landing was surprisingly uneventful. I still had the bass leashed to the kayak as I came in and sometimes it can act like a sea sock and turn the kayak sideways. No such problems. Easy landing. Quick photo and the bass was on her way. That's what a "Good-ass Night" of kayak fishing looks like to me.
I stayed too long at a family function and missed a good portion of my intended tide, incoming. It was worth it, but left me fishing a wind-across-tide surf with swells about 3-4 feet. Lumpy, but fishable. I knew that would change quickly once the tide turned against the 15-20mph south wind that was blowing.
The moon hadn't risen yet, so it was pretty dark when I first got out and having great lights (powerful LEDs on front and back + anchor light) helped me not only see the waves that were coming, but also kept me in sight of the 2 or 3 boats that were nearby. I was into fish very quickly, slot bass around 30 inches on a metal-lipped trolling plug. I was a happy camper.
The moon was rising and the fish were getting bigger, but so was the surf pushing in from the south. I had to stay pointed into the swells as I fought each bass. Each bass, whether I landed it or not, was a little bigger than the one before it and a lot of my focus needed to be on how I was going to position myself after I caught up to the fish.
When you are kayak fishing and in close quarters with a large fish, You're attention is on that fish and on the lure's other hooks that are flailing around, and getting the net and having the stringer/lip- gripper ready. In that moment what you canNOTsee are the waves that are coming toward you, so that time you spent getting properly positioned is critical. Without that, you and the fish will shortly be on equal footing.
Here lies the sweet sorrow of the kayak fishing dynamic when it's outgoing tide at Montauk Point: The longer you stay there, the harder it will be to get back safely... and the better the fishing will be. "Safely" is not a bright line and everyone knows (or should know) what they're physically capable of, but that "tension" begins as I feel the first shifts in the currents and eddies that come with the changing tide. As soon as the water is moving the other way, it's time for me to go... no matter how good the fishing is. This type of kayak fishing requires the right outfitting, some physical skills (stamina and balance), planning and - when that tension builds to the point of discomfort - discipline.
As I boated and leashed a fat 40-inch bass my fishfinder was blowing up. It was lights-out fishing... and it was time to go. The rising moon shed light on the swells that were rolling into False Bar. They were 5- footers now. Check please.
The landing was surprisingly uneventful. I still had the bass leashed to the kayak as I came in and sometimes it can act like a sea sock and turn the kayak sideways. No such problems. Easy landing. Quick photo and the bass was on her way. That's what a "Good-ass Night" of kayak fishing looks like to me.
