The beginner kayak angler has 10 things that she “must” have with her every time she ventures out on the water. As her experience level grows and her goals for the adventure become more focused, this list will change to one degree or another. Ultimately, though, these basics will always be with you.
1) PFD
It will often feel, to new kayakers, that we are beating a dead horse. You will rarely find an article, video, or book about kayaking that does not state (in multiple ways) that you need to have a PFD on at all times while kayaking. Many of us, experienced kayakers, have become complacent and risked our safety by foregoing this rule from time to time. I do not recommend you follow in our footsteps.
Remember, in a kayak you are close to the water and frequently wet! An auto inflate PFD may not be the best option even though they are the least intrusive.
A quick search of news will bring up a frightening list of the frequency of kayakers drowning in recent days. The day I was writing this I did a search for news of “kayaker drowning” articles and got results of over 50,000 articles. While the risk of drowning is low, the potential is high. The biggest factor I hear people overlook is the undertow. When you’re kayak fishing, you feel the undercurrents that pull your lures and sometimes combat your paddle, but the more you kayak fish the less you’ll give real thought to those currents. When you capsize, that current can take hold of you before you even have a chance to react no matter how good of a swimmer you are.
It’s not a matter of if you fall in the water. It’s a matter of when you fall in.
Kayak safety is not about if you will fall into the water. Kayak safety is about what resources you have and what responses you take when you fall in. Even the most skilled swimmer can have a bad day or experience those freak circumstances that no one could anticipate. The PFD will not guarantee your safety but it makes the odds significantly more favorable for your safe recovery. Check out our PFD article for more detailed information about picking the right device for your needs.
2) Dry Clothes
This goes hand in hand with your need for a PFD. When you find yourself in the water, you will get rather wet. In the middle of a warm summer day, landing in 70+ degree water might not be a significant issue for you, but what about those spring days? When the water temperature is in the low 60s or high 50s your body will not be happy with you after you take that sudden swim. Many people suggest the use of a wetsuit or even a drysuit while kayak fishing.
There are more dry bag options than you could probably imagine.
You can find anything from small bags to full backpacks when picking a style for your kayak adventures.
If you don’t want a drybag, check out the options of dryboxes that can be found on a quick Google search.
While a wetsuit or drysuit could be very beneficial to you if you are traveling through the frigid waters of Alaska or partially freezing rivers in the northern states, most kayakers do not find this to be necessary for typical kayak fishing adventures. Instead, packing a change of clothes that includes a sweatshirt or jacket can be completely sufficient for most kayaking trips. Packing the clothes in a dry bag stored safely in the hull of your kayak can make for a simple yet oh so appreciated solution to a common problem kayakers face.
3) Paddle
You may own a kayak with a pedal drive system. Perhaps you opted to get a kayak with a trolling motor. No matter what propulsion system you have for your kayak, you will be thankful for your preparedness should your system unexpectedly fail. Even if you do not want a full-sized kayaking paddle, a collapsible emergency paddle can save countless headaches when out on the water.
Just a couple options available for emergency paddles.
There are several options that are extremely small and light weight which can be stored in a back pocket of your seat or beside the dry bag in your hull. Just make sure the paddle is accessible should you find yourself in a current needing that quick redirection of momentum.
4) Water
When you’re kayaking you’re surrounded by water. The kicker is, you can’t drink that water. Even in 60 degree, overcast, low-wind days your body will go through water quickly. When doing outdoors activities it is extremely important to keep yourself hydrated. Drinkable water is often a forgotten necessity. Nowadays there are hundreds of options for how to take water with you: camel packs, thermos, bottled water, water jugs, and the list goes on.
Pick something that will keep your water cold or at least reasonable. Choose something you will enjoy having with you (maybe a jug that comes in your favorite color or floats if you drop it overboard) so you are less likely to leave it behind when you’re packing for your trip. Remember you should be drinking nearly 3 liters of water a day on a normal day, so make sure you aren’t without your water on your outdoors adventure.
5) Safety Kit
Every state has its own regulations for what is required on a kayak. You may need a whistle, navigation lights, a signal flare, a high visibility flag, or any number of other items. Most of your safety gear, no matter what your state requires, will probably fit into a small dry box that will take little room and add little weight to your setup. Remember, also, that should your state require it you may want to add your registration paperwork and your licenses to this pack.
Orion makes some of the most common, reliable emergency devices on the market today.
AJ and I use emergency marine kits we compiled ourselves to meet the local requirements. Always ensure what you choose meets your needs as well as the regulations for the area you’ll be kayaking in.
Does your state require you to have proof of a boater safety course? Will your state check for your fishing license? Make your life infinitely simpler by keeping everything together and you’ll save yourself countless headaches. They are even selling safety kits at some of the sports stores that have all your gear nice and compact in a small box or carrying case for easy storage and transport.
6) Fishing Pole(s)
Now, this sounds obvious. You’re kayak fishing after all…But here’s what I want you to think about. You are sitting on a kayak. This is a situation of limited space…Very limited space…There are people out there that will take 9 or 10 fishing poles with them on their kayaks. Some are tournament anglers. Most just like to fish as if they’re in a tournament.
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- Be it a single pole…
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- …or multiple poles
always try to keep your gear as minimal as possible; especially while you’re learning to kayak fish.
But you, as a new kayak angler, are far from ready to jump into those fishing tournaments. You are quite literally just getting your feet wet. You are learning to maneuver around on your kayak. You’re learning to stand up and cast. There are thousands of factors you might be thinking about every moment you’re on that kayak. Having an excessive number of rods with you is a complication you just don’t need. I strongly suggest you keep your supply limited to 2 or 3 fishing rods until you are comfortable with your surroundings.
I’ve been kayak fishing for several years now and still keep my boat limited to 4 poles at most. And that is only when I am fishing for catfish in a waterway I know is slow for bites. The biggest thing to remember is that you are on the water, kayak fishing, because you want to have fun and enjoy the outdoors. Spending your entire outing fighting with fishing poles, having to move gear from place to place repeatedly, or searching every few minutes for the tools you just misplaced will hinder that fun in a heartbeat.
7) Tackle
You might be thinking that this is another one of those no-brainer-type items, but, there is method to my madness. Just like the fishing poles, your tackle takes up space. The more you can minimize, the more comfortable you will be. The more you can consolidate, the more secure your tackle will be.
One method I found helpful in small kayaks is to use strips of velcro. I have strips across the sides of my kayak, just in front of my seat. A small tackle box on each side of me provides all the tackle I need, readily accessible, out of the way of my feet, and secured enough that I am unlikely to lose any of it should I capsize.
Another method, which works well in my larger kayak, which happens to have a raised seat, is a storage system that fits under the seat. I can keep a few more boxes and still ensure that the boxes will remain in place should there be a disturbance in the boat. Above all else, remember, anything you are not wanting to lose needs to be secured inside your kayak.
8) Tool Kit
You may own a kayak with a traditional paddle. Your kayak may be a more modern pedal drive system with a rudder in the back. Then again, you may have a trolling motor installed on your kayak. No matter what type of kayak you use, there is always a potential for something to break. On our third trip out with the Bass Raider 10E, there was a short in the fuse that came with the boat. It was the first time we tried using the prewired electrical wires. Without the toolbox, we would not have been prepared to fix the problem and would have been trapped in the middle of a rather large lake.
Anything mechanical has the potential to break. Anything that floats has the potential to sink.
A few, basic tools, accompanied by some duct tape and electrical tape is a perfect platform for starting your toolbox. Nowadays, there are very small, lightweight, tool kits that are perfectly sufficient for the limited space and necessities of us kayakers. Add to this kit, replacement parts for the most likely items to break on your boat, and you’ll be set for almost any catastrophe. Fuses, motor starter ropes, and quick-drying sealant or waterproof tape could mean the difference between returning from your trip relatively on time or spending an unplanned night on the water. Keep the kit small and dry in a dry box that can be secured under your seat or in the dry hatch that comes with most kayaks and you’ll be ready for almost anything.
9) First-Aid Kit
In our article “15 musts for your ideal outdoors pack” we talk about the items you need when you’re out and exploring the outdoors. While we try to always have these packs with us no matter what adventure we are on, we sometimes modify our kit for the water. Our first-aid kit is part of that modification. When we are kayaking we try to ensure we have waterproof band-aids with us. We keep paracord on our boat for tying off to trees and docks so we don’t tend to focus on keeping extra in our emergency kit.
Keeping your first aid kit dry and compact can allow you to include it in your tool kit above. Remember, the more compact, lightweight, and confined you can keep your supplies, the less likely you are to be searching for lost tools when you are in the most need.
10) Communication Device
When out in the ocean or on large lakes where land is a long way away and help is even more distant, you need to have extra precautions in place. There are plenty of marine radios to choose from. Small, lightweight, and rechargeable will make a world of difference when paddling across the waves. When you’re closer to shore and cell service is still easily connected, you won’t necessarily need a radio.
— Be sure to check your local regulations, though, because some regions require you to have a radio no matter how close to shore you are remaining. —
AJ and I typically kayak where the regulations are a bit more lax. We have the option to choose what type of communications we may want. For simplicity, we use our cell phones. We can always call for help (I have a waterproof phone) should an emergency arise. We maintain weather apps on our phones which will alert us to approaching dangers (storms, wind, etc). Between the two of us, we have a variety of mapping and water apps on our phones that allow us to keep track of where we are, where we may want to go, and what details we may need to keep in mind for our target species, and current fisheries.
Texas has turned their fishing and hunting regulations into an app, so we even have all the laws with us whenever we are out fishing so that we can ensure we are not going to do anything that may aggravate our local game wardens.
OnX has an option where you can track your own location and, you can give your access to someone on land whom you’ve told about your trip so that they can locate you should you not return home at your scheduled time. There are several other apps, like this, so pick the one that suits your needs best.
Especially if you do more than just kayak fishing, onX could be an all in one resource for many of your outdoors mapping and trail needs.
Should you choose to go with a marine radio instead, make sure you are getting one with a GPS option. When I started looking into the devices for AJ and myself, unfortunately, I discovered that there are still cheaper models on the market that overlook the need for GPS location. When out on a vast expanse of water, you will be exceptionally difficult to find, and the GPS locator will help your rescuers find your location more quickly.
Some Final Thoughts:
Limit your weight and your supplies…
Keep in mind that everything you take on your kayak counts towards your maximum weight. While everything listed here can fit, snuggly, into a relatively confined space; you must still ensure that you can keep it secured to your kayak in the event you flip. A popular option with many kayakers is to use a milk crate bungeed to the back storage compartment. Remember, a milk crate does not seal, so smaller items will be likely to fall out and wash away. Also, should the bungee cords not be tight or locked into place, they can allow the milk crate to slip completely out of the boat. For this reason, AJ and I tend to opt for other options.
The fatal flaw of most new kayakers is that they want to take everything with them on the kayak. We frequently hear people say, “I’m in a boat now so I can take more with me.” This isn’t actually the case. Especially when you are starting out, you need to make sure you are not spreading your attention too thin.
Anything on your kayak that is not secured, you may kick or hit with your hand as you’re reeling in a fish or paddling.
Learn from the mistakes of kayakers before you. Limit your gear as much as possible, and keep everything secured.
Even if you don’t capsize, one large wave from a speeding bass boat or one sturdy gust of wind and you can rock enough to dump some precious gear. The biggest help AJ and I have found to learning to work with limited space is multitasking. We try to ensure that everything we have with us serves multiple uses so we can limit the number of things we must carry.
Dry bags and dry boxes instead of open crates?…
For most of our kayaking trips, we keep our supplies in a dry bag and store the dry bag in our kayak’s hatch. For those of you who haven’t noticed yet, most kayak dry hatches aren’t truly dry. Yes, they will prevent most or a large amount of the water from getting to your gear, but it will rarely be 100% effective. This is why we try to keep almost everything in drybags (added security). By keeping our tools and supplies as multi-functional as possible as well as small and compact, we are usually able to keep everything secured in a single dry bag or box.
Secure Everything…
I was fishing a shallow lake recently where I caught a decent sized catfish with a giant sized attitude. Once I got him on the boat, I lost attention for a split second because I had misplaced my pliers. That second was all he needed to flip his tail and send my measuring board over the side. I had been having a less than attentive day and neglected to tie off my board…my metal, non floating, heavy board…which promptly sunk to the bottom. I was lucky. I had marked where it fell overboard almost instantly. And, I was in a very shallow cove. It was a huge reminder for me, though, that I should never leave anything on my kayak unsecured.
Robert Field recently uploaded a video perfectly showing the importance of securing your gear.
Securing the crate is a great first step, but remember the gear inside.
When your kayak flips, it will inevitably be that moment that is the most inopportune.
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Will you keep your catch?
If you are going to keep your catch, you will need a way to store your fish. Some kayaks have built-in storage for your catch, but most will require you to supply your own storage method. You can choose to bring along a livewell or ice chest. You can opt for a stringer or floating basket. Or you might come up with some other unique system that works for you. While it is not necessary for a fishing trip, it is an added consideration for you to keep in mind. If you opted for a milk crate to store your gear, you might not have a space on your kayak for an ice chest or livewell. If you opt for a stringer, be cautions of how those fresh caught fish may look like bait to other fish passing by.
The Key factor in each of these decisions is you!
Ultimately, your choices in gear and supplies need to be dependent on what will make your kayaking trip easier and more enjoyable for you. It doesn’t matter what others do on their kayaks. It does not matter what the people in your Facebook group tell you has to be done. All that ultimately matters, is you find the system and methods that work for you. Yes, be flexible, experiment with suggestions you get from more experienced kayakers.
Don’t develop the mindset that because “he” said I “have to” do this; that is what I will do no matter what.
If keeping 6 fishing rods on holders attached to a milk crate behind your seat, towering 5 feet above your head as you navigate through the forestry creek of your dreams doesn’t work for you, try a different method. Try keeping the rods on the floor of your kayak, between your feet. Try making a different rod holder system that sits beside you along the gunnel, or extends off the stern.
The point is, this is your kayak, experiment with it and make the system your own.
If you put together the 10 items listed above, with your own spin on style, you will have the necessary foundation for whatever kayak fishing adventure comes your way.