I am moving to Charleston this summer and have a question about kayaks and kayak fishing in the area. I have 2 kayaks now- a sit on top perception kayak and an eclosed perception kayak with 2 rod holders in the back.
My question is- how would these kayaks do in Charleston or is it extremely beneficial to have actual fishing kayaks with things like rutters, paddle holder, bait tank, dry storage, etc.
Any tips or recommendations would be greatly appreciated
Also, is it fairly easy to kayak fish in the Charleston area or is it a struggle dealing with other boats, distance needed to paddle, wind etc? It seems like having a kayak would be especially nice for quick fishing trips when you dont have time to deal with a boat.
You didn’t mention how long the yaks are. I like longer, 12-16 foot, yaks a lot more than the short boats. Easier paddling, better tracking, more space for carrying assorted goodies that I always take with me.
As for sit in vs sit on top. I have fished SOT’s for the past 2 years Prior to that I spent as much or more time in SINK’s. They’re generally faster and lighter than SOT’s.
Kayak fishing here is fairly easy, but it’s getting tougher all the time as our numbers increase. The dumb fish close to the landings are getting pretty smart. Still, you can find cooperative fish within a mile of any public access point.
Wind is our big enemy. I think the wind has blown every weekend since Christmas. I was out on Saturday and it took more than twice as long to get back to the landing as it should have. Get a map of the Charleston area, put marks at the public launches, and think about which ones are sheltered in different wind directions.
Definitly keep an eye on the tides and note current direction as well when departing! Can make for a long uphill paddle back to ramp sometimes unless one can hug the shoreline and get in a bit of eddy occasionaly.
Russ B. www.joinrfa.org
God is great, Beer is good, People are crazy
I fish with a Pungo 120. It has two rod holders. I use a 5 pound weight (plate) for an anchor. Many of the other yakmen carry milk crates filled with stuff, cool pulley system anchors, coolers, etc., but I usually just bring a tackle box and bait bucket. Works great.
I am looking at several kayaks right now, especially the Wilderness Systems line. I like the Commander Series a lot because of its stability and the ability to stand up in it with ease. Do yall stand up often while kayak fishing? If so, are you able to easily stand in normal sit on top kayaks? The only drawback to the Commander Series is that it is not self-bailing so if water got in it or you flipped it you may be in trouble
My Search 15 is stable enough to stand in, but my knees just won’t cooperate. If I could get to a standing position I think I’d be fine. I think if I were sitting higher, like in a Commander, I would be able to stand more easily. It would be really nice to be able to stand, mainly so I could stretch my legs every now and then.
I fish from a native 14.5 Ultimate. It is a lot like the commander in that it is a hybrid and does not self bail, super stable and standing up is almost as natural as sitting down. You can paddle standing up no problem. The commander is a sweet boat, I am sure too busy will chime in as he has one and knows a great deal about them. The seating in the ultimate is awesome, all day with no aches. It is a huge advantage in my opinion to be able to stand and see whats ahead of you. I also have a perception 12.5 caster that I would not stand in at all. I have stood in it at out lake house but I was 20 feet from the shoreline and no gear on board just to see if it could be done. The self bailing is not a concern to me any more. It was when i was looking at the boat but after many hours with no problems I feel much more comfortable. I do carry a hand held bilge pump at all times just in case. Practice your deep water re-entry in any boat you get, better to go for a swim under controlled circumstances and learn what it takes to get back in then unexpectedly a mile from safety. Good luck
There are a few really good standup platforms. Ulitimates, Commanders, Ride 135s, Prowler Big Games, and a few others. There are also boats you can stand in if you’re agile and have good balance. Tarpons, Redfish, Tridents, etc.
If you’re concerned about a boat not being self bailing look at a ride 135 instead of a Commander. The hull shape is remarkably similar. The lower seat height means you may need to add a “standing assist” feature. Pretty simple, just tie a rope to the bow handle to help pull yourself up.
Here’s an article that I wrote for Coastal Angler a couple of months ago that should help getting you ready to “Stand Up and Be Counted”
This article will get me in trouble with my friends in the American Canoe Association, but here we go anyway. There is an accepted rule in boating, whether in a canoe, kayak or even a powerboat, that you should always maintain three points of contact with the vessel. Maintaining three points of contact helps maintain balance and help prevent you from accidentally going for a swim. Standing in a kayak clearly violates that rule with one exception noted below.
So, what does that have to do with kayak fishing? Its simple really, being able to stand up increases your ability to see fish. I hear it all the time; Id like to kayak fish, but you cant see the fish from that low on the water. My response is always the same; Why dont you stand up? In all honesty, of the hundreds of kayak fishermen I know, less than a dozen regularly stand up to fish. Why bother? Standing up give you a better line of sight and in most cases seeing more fish means catching more fish. This is especially true when redfish school up in cold, clear water.
Now back to the business at hand; standing up in a kayak is serious business. In simple terms you WILL go for a swim if you dont pay attention and swimming in cold water can be life threatening.
Some kayaks are far more suitable for standup fishing than others. The Wilderness Systems Commander and Ride; the Native Ul
Nice explanation by Too Busy. I have been very impressed with how stable my Hobie Pro Angler is. Here is a picture casting after reds at daybreak on the Wando week before last. Because the Hobie peddles stick down through the hull, you need about 24" of water to make them work. So it works particularly well to stand up in shallow water and pole along allowing you good visibility when you need it the most. For a push pole, I bought a 12’ extendable fiberglass pole with a limb saw attachment at Wally World for $29 bucks and unbolted the saw. Also nice to throw the cast net but my throws are not as photogenic as Too Busy’s picture above. Leave it to the pros for that. Anyway, standing up adds an important dimension to Kayak fishing for me.
Awesome article from Too Busy! Just got an old WS Ride, but I’m still a little nervous about standing up. Water is still a little cold for me. I’m curious to hear from the guys that have been kayak fishing for a long time, how often do you really stand up in your yak? Being new to salt water fishing, I’m still not use to the whole sight fishing thing. I wanted a kayak I could stand in primarily for fly fishing. I can fly cast pretty well sitting down, but it limits my casting distance. For the people that do stand up often in their kayaks, do you make sure you strap everything in to your boat (reels, bags, etc.)?
Thanks for the input. I have revised my decision after doing some more research and reading yalls responses. It sounds like the WS Ride 135 would be the perfect balance of a kayak. Its a sit on top which will be nice if water splashes in or it tips, plus I can easily let my feet dangle in the water which would be nice. Sounds like it keeps you dryer than the WS Tarpon and is much more stable so that you can stand up in it which is something I definitely want to be able to do.
Anyways there is a kayak expo of sorts at Paris Mtn State Park this weekend and Ill be able to try them all out.
@mellonfarmer I have not kayak fished much in saltwater but it sure seems like it would improve your sigh fishing ability enormously.
Mellonfarmer, I spend my time in 3 yaks. The Tarpon 160 where I only stand up to retrieve a lure when I pitch it into a tree or dock; a Ride 135 where I stand and paddle/ fish about 1/3 of the time; and a Commander 140 where I’m on my feet probably 3/4 of the time or more.
The C140 and R135 have a lot in common with their hull shapes, but a couple of differences that make standing in the C140 MUCH easier.
Lower center of gravity in the C140. Your feet are a couple of inches below the water line.
Wider stance in the C140. Your feet are almost planted at the outside edge at the widest part of the boat compared to inside your shoulder width in the R135.
Inwales. Since you’re IN the C140, you can brace your legs against the inwales to lock yourself to the yak.
Those three combine to make a big difference. I really believe that anyone can stand and fish in the C140 or “that other brand” of hybrid. Most can stand comfortably in a Ride 135 with a little practice.
