In our last column, we talked about some of the things we’ve discovered over the years that make kayak fishing easier. Here are some more suggestions (mostly about tackle and rigging) that we hope will make your day on the water easier and safer.
Fishing gear is a really personal matter, but we like two-piece spinning and fly rods for kayak fishing. They pack small can be bungee-corded to the kayak to hold them close and low in tight quarters. Most fishing kayaks come with some form of rod holders, and these are good to use out on the saltwater flats where there are no obstructions to get tangled in.
Tackle is another area we feel strongly about. Nearly every angler we know carries too much stuff wherever they go. In a kayak, space is limited and extra gear that never gets used is just in the way. Try to take only stuff you will need for sure, not what you might need if you happen to run into a marlin on the flats.
For safety reasons, we use only single-hook lures in a kayak. Lures with multiple treble hooks could easily end up with a fish on one hook and your inner thigh on the other, which we can guarantee will ruin your whole day. Single hooks are much less destructive to a fish you intend to release, anyway.
Soft plastics come in so many sizes, colors and shapes they can match anything gamefish might feed on. Add a popping cork with a DOA shrimp and some bait hooks for live shrimp and you’re pretty well set. If you do carry live shrimp, a bubbler in a bait bucket tied to the kayak is a must. Adding a small box of flies for the fly angler rounds out the terminal tackle they’ll probably need.
While we’re on the subject, there is really no reason to carry big 100-yard spools of leader material. The small spools will easily last a day and can be rewound as necessary. And you probably don’t need more than one or two weight choices, either.
Other things we consider essential would include a pair of forceps for unhooking over-eager fish and a fish gripper to control a toothy, spiny-finned fish between your legs while it is being unhooked and released. We also carry a “catfish flipper.” This handy tool allows you to unhook most fish without touching them. It’s a heavy wire tool with a simple j-hook on one end. It’s great for ladyfish and catfish releases.
Now let’s consider some creature comforts. A soft-sided cooler is essential for snacks and cool beverages on a hot day. The ones with zippers are inexpensive but fail when the zippers corrode after exposure to salt water. The ones made with velcro closures will last a lot longer.
A cooler for harvested fish is essential in hot weather. A stringer will do temporarily until they hit the ice, unless you’re bringing home mackerel or other species that won’t survive on a stringer. We made our fish cooler from a cheap duffle (it fits in a forward hatch) with added foam insulation and frozen ice packs. We use plastic grocery bags for the fish and surround them with the ice packs. Since no water is involved, cleanup is easy.
One other handy thing we use is what we call a clip anchor. It’s just a medium spring clip with 15 feet of parachute cord. We use it to tie our kayaks to anything handy when we want to stand up or re-rig. It’s also handy for rafting up or towing a kayak while wading.
Finally, we pack a scrubby sponge with our gear. This is handy to “pre-clean” the kayaks before loading them up. Even without soap, this step makes a big difference. Cleanup is a lot easier if you address this issue before stuff dries and sticks overnight.
Well, there they are. We hope these ideas will help our readers to have easy and safe days while fishing Southwest Florida in a kayak. Now, go have fun and catch fish. It’s good for whatever ails you.
Kimball and Les Beery, authors of the waterproof “Angler’s Guide to Shore Fishing Southwest Florida” and “Angler’s Guide to Kayak Fishing Southwest Florida,” contribute these columns to promote the excellent fishing available in Southwest Florida. Their books are available at most tackle shops in the area, AnglerPocketGuides.com, or Amazon as a download or hard copy.
Kimball and Les Beery, authors of the waterproof “Angler’s Guide to Shore Fishing Southwest Florida” and “Angler’s Guide to Kayak Fishing Southwest Florida,” contribute these columns to promote the excellent fishing available in Southwest Florida. Their books are available at most tackle shops in the area, AnglerPocketGuides.com, or Amazon as a download or hard copy.
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