News

How To Start Kayak Fishing

While traditional fishing is still wildly popular, there are variations that are continuing to grow in popularity around the world everyday. One of these fun and unique fishing styles is kayak fishing. A great way to take on the sport in a more independent way is through kayak fishing. It is also one of the most versatile ways to fish as it gives you some great advantages when trying to reel them in. If you are thinking of getting into the world of kayak fishing, here are some great tips and tricks to get your started.

Kayak fishing is really straightforward and to the point, as it simply consists of you and a kayak out on the water, casting wherever you please. This is one of the biggest draws of this sport, as it gets you away from the shore, and gives you a 360 degree field to cast your line and give you a better chance and getting a catch. While it may seem very simple, there are still a lot of things you have to account for when embarking on this venture to ensure your safety, and overall fun.

While kayaks may have a reputation with the general public of being unstable, nothing could be further from the truth. Many kayaks today, especially those 12 feet or longer, are built to be very sturdy and handle some rocking back and forth. When it comes to kayak fishing, the key to success is through standing up in the kayak. With weight distribution, this provides you with a very stable base so you you can stand with ease without tipping over.

When you are just getting started in the kayak fishing scene, be sure to consult some experts who have been doing it for a few years and pick their brains. These fisherman will be able to give you some basic tips and tricks they have learned, as well as give you advice on where to catch the most fish possible without having to overwork yourself.

Arguably the most important element to factor in is the selection of your kayak itself. You should be sure to factor in what kind of water bodies you will be fishing in, whether it is a pond, lake, or river, as this will play a crucial role in your selection. You must also take into account how big the fish are that you are going after. All of these factors will play a key role, and it is important to do your research before making your final decision.

If you are ready to take on kayak fishing, follow some of these simple tips and tricks and you will be well on your way to a great new hobby.

How To Properly Release A Fish

The “catch-and-release” method of fishing is a sustainable practice that helps to maintain the population of your favorite fishing spot. But you can’t just chuck your catch back in the water and be done with it. This is a living creature you are interacting with, and doing a catch-and-release the wrong way is nearly always fatal. Here are some tips to help your quarry live to fight another day…

Handling the Fish: Speed is essential. You want to handle the fish as little as possible to avoid any undue stress. Handling a fish, especially with your bare hands, also removes the layer of mucous that protects the fish from disease and bacterial infections, which can kill the fish long after it has been released. A good way to minimize the damage is to wet your hands before handling the fish. Avoid handling the gills at all costs, as this can cause irreparable damage to their sensitive tissues.

Removing the Hook: Again, speed is important here. The best way to ensure a speedy release is to use barbless hooks. If you don’t have these, you can pinch the barb down with needle-nose pliers. It’s also best to hold the fish upside down in order to keep it pacified and to reduce handling the body. Pull or cut the hook as close to the fish as possible, taking great care not to harm him. Keep a pair of long-nose pliers and wire cutters in your tackle box to aid in hook removal. In circumstances where an attempt to remove the hook would do more harm than good, cut as much of the line from the hook as possible. NEVER pull on the line to try and release the hook – this can cause severe injury to the fish.

 

To Net or Not to Net? There is a debate on whether or not to use a net when catching a fish. Some argue that it’s best to avoid netting if possible. Others recommend netting as a way to reduce the amount of time in landing a fish. Both sides agree that a net should be fine mesh made from a soft material (such as cotton), and large enough to accommodate the fish, to reduce the risk of injury. 

Never Play Your Fish Out. Just like humans, fish build up lactic acid in their muscles when they are exerting themselves. During the fight, the build-up of lactic acid can actually be fatal to the fish. When you land a fish, retrieve him as quickly as possible. This will also reduce the amount of oxygen he uses up during the fight, and his recovery time will be quicker.

Releasing the Fish: Instead of tossing the fish back, gently lower him into the water. If you need to revive the fish, move him in a figure-8 motion, or hold the fish so that he faces upstream to allow the current to flow over the gills. Never move a fish backwards as this can damage the gills.

Top 3 Different Types of Fishing Line

Aside from being able to tell a good fish tale, avid fishermen love to talk about every element of their strategy when it comes to how they catch fish. The details of a fishing tackle box are legendary stuff in many circles, and everything from lures to poles to fishing line are fair game for a long conversations of contrasting and comparing to determine which things work best when trying to catch a specific kind of fish. We know that it’s the details of fishing that are important, so we went to the net to find out about one of the most basic elements, and that’s fishing line. For every type of fishing, there’s going to be a line that’s best suited to that type of fishing and we found some great articles that give you the run down on the top three. 

#1: Monofilament

Freshwater fishing expert, Ronnie Garrison, writing for fishing.about.com, gives us the lowdown on exactly what monofilament fishing line is, the different qualities to look for and how and when to use each type. The article also gives us a lesson in just how monofilament fishing line is made, and what various characteristics will give you in terms of fishing ability and uses. From the limpness of the line, to the memory, you’ll learn all about monofilament fishing line and be able to choose the right one for you after reading the full article here. 

#2: Fluorocarbon

If you’re thinking of switching over to fluorocarbon fishing line, then you’ll want to read this article posted on Berkley-fisin.com. The article gives you all the pros and cons of fluorocarbon fishing line and when and how to use it depending on the fish you’re going after. For particularly skittish fish this line can be the perfect thing because it’s very hard for fish to see. It’s also UV resistant and water resistant which means the strength won’t degrade from either the sun or being cast over and over. Stronger than monofilament for the same size diameter, this type of line could give you an edge when fishing for lager fish. The article ends with a great summation of which type and weight of fluorocarbon fishing line to use for which fish and conditions.

#3: Braided

In this article by Ronnie Garrison, freshwater fishing expert for fishing.about.com, he gives us the complete low down on braided fishing line. While incredibly strong and abrasion resistant, this line definitely has pros and cons you need to think about before choosing it as an option. This type of line is incredibly strong and sometimes hard to cut, but one of the big factors in deciding to choose this type is knowing how to knot effectively for this type of line. It’s very slick and your knots will come undone if they are not completed correctly. In addition, this type of line is very easy to see in the water and will spook a shy fish. You’ll want to read the full article here in order to make sure this type of line is right for you.

Why You Have To Try Kayak Fishing

Kayaking and fishing are two very different sports by themselves. By combining them however, you have one of the most unique outdoor activities ever. While they may seem like polar opposites for activities taking place in the water, they are a perfect pairing to give you the best fishing experience possible. While there are many pros and cons to this fishing experience, as there are to anything, the pros set this apart as an incredibly fun activity. If you are considering getting into kayak fishing, here are some important things you should know, as well as some helpful tips and tricks to help you kayak fish as best as possible.

Arguably the biggest advantage to the kayak fishing event is the quietness you receive from using this type of watercraft. A kayak is sleek and silent, moving through the water with a stealthiness that gives you the upper hand on being concealed from the fish that you wouldn't get from using another kind of boat.

Another great advantage to fishing out of a kayak is the ability to have more casting angles at your disposal. When fishing out of a traditional boat, you are typically doing the majority of your casting off the backside of the boat, or sometimes off to the side. When you are fishing out of a kayak boat however, you have essentially a 360 degree circle of possibly casting angles, which will obviously give you are wider range of attack and a better opportunity to reel in more fish.

If you are wanting to do plenty of fishing, but are feeling a little reigned in by your budget, a kayak can be a great investment to save some money, as well as give you some more fun as well. When you remove fuel, boat insurance, and any other add ons with the use of a kayak over a traditional boat, you will be saving a plethora of money in both the short term, and the long run. Kayaks also give you the ability to get to areas where a traditional fishing boat may not be able to get to. With more maneuverability and sleeker design, the kayak gives you a great range of access to improve your haul each time you go out.

If you are looking for a new fishing venture, kayak fishing may be one of the funnest new ideas out there for you to look into.

YakAttack BoomStick Quick Fix For Stability and Security

If you recently purchased a Jackson Kayak Coosa HD or  YakAttack Boomstick (with or without the YakAttack Articulating Mounting Kit ) then this article will be very helpful to you. As you may already know, the Boomstick tends to sway back and forth quite a bit. This will make it hard to capture steady footage from your kayak. Luckily, Fishing Online has found a way to fix these issues with a VERY cheap solution!

All you need is 2 o-rings! When you order a Boomstick from Fishing Online, we will include these with the purchase. If you ordered from somewhere else, we will give you specs on the right size o-rings so you can apply this fix. If you would like to purchase just the o-rings, please email us at info@fishingonline.com or give us a call and we would be happy to help you out.

The best o-ring sizes that we have found are as follows:

• For the Boomstick attaching to the Articulating Arm: 22 mm inner diameter x 3 mm thickness
• For the Articulating Arm attaching to a mount on the kayak, Boomstick mounting on the kayak mount, or geartrac adapter: 11/16 inner diameter x 1/16 thickness (sorry to move from standard to metric!)

To use these o-rings, simply slide them onto the very top of the male end of the mount. This will be the fix for stabilizing the Ram Post and Spline mounts. Once inserted into the female end, the o-ring takes up all of the space in between the 2 adapters and eliminates most of the wiggling and wobbling action. Please watch the YouTube video that we have made so you know exactly how to fix your Boomstick. We hope that this video will help everyone to stabilize their Boomstick mount to capture great video!

How to Keep Kayak Fishing Gear Secure - Tips and Tricks

While kayak fishing, you must always keep your gear securely fastened to your yak to make sure you don't lose it if you get dumped. There are hundreds of different techniques for keeping your fishing gear secure on your kayak. Some methods are better than others, but we will cover a couple different ways to keep your gear secure and then you can decide what is best for you.

Securing Tools

Pliers are a necessity in kayak fishing for retrieving hooks that are stuck deep in the mouth. There are a number of different tools that you need to have on hand, but they also need to be secure. Most kayak anglers preference here is to secure them to your seat with some kind of retractable product. There are plenty of great products that you can tether your tools to.

YakAttack Surface Mount Retractor - This gear retractor can be mounted anywhere with a small flat surface area on your kayak. This allows you to tether your pliers or other fishing gear to it so you always know where they are and they will not get lost in the water.

YakAttack Track Mount Retractor - This retractor is perfect for when you want to move the item that you have tethered. This product fits onto the YakAttack Mighty Bolt and YakAttack GearTracs as well as other kayak track systems.

T-Reign Zinger & Nippers (pin) - This is perfect for having clippers at your disposal at any given moment. Simply pin it to your tackle bag or your jacket.

T-Reign Retractable Gear Tether (Large 48") & T-Reign Retractable Gear Tether (Small 24") - These gear tethers are perfect for clipping your tethered tools to your seat or other places quickly. It is extremely easy to use and it will save your gear from being lost.

The Fish Grip - A must have for any kayak or boat fisherman. This tool floats so you never need to worry about dropping your lip grips in the water!

Securing Gear with a Storage Container

For storage containers, there is nothing better than the  YakAttack Blackpak. This box (pictured below) has bungees to secure the lid on your crate so your fishing tackle doesn't fly out. This box has many mounting options so it is as versatile as it is secure.

For a cheaper solution, simply use a milk crate to store your fishing tackle. If you use a milk crate or other DIY crates, we highly recommend using a bungee to secure your gear so you don't regret it later!

Securing Paddles

Use a paddle clip to secure your paddle to your kayak,  especially in rough or choppy waters!

Shoreline Marine Paddle Leash - Keeps your paddle securely attached to your kayak. Your paddle is your most important item so make sure to keep it leashed!

Keep Valuables Secured in a Dry Bag

Shoreline Marine Dry Bag - This is great for keeping your items clean and dry while kayak fishing.

Note: You may want to keep a set of extra clothes in a dry bag when paddling in cold weather.