Planning a kayak fishing trip entails a few steps before actually fishing. This article will elaborate on the steps I take in planning local and traveling fishing trips. Believe it or not kayak fishing is a dangerous sport. I hope these tips will help you plan your next saltwater kayak fishing trip and make it a successful and safe one!

Species to Target

Example of Delaware Striped Bass Regulations

All locations differ on species to target. Some fish maybe seasonal or some may be abundant year round. Its good to do some research on what species you want to target. Check the local regulations on these species. We live in a day when there are creel limits and even regulations of tackle and bait used to lure the fish. For example in Maryland Striped bass are catch and release only for the spawning season. Along with the catch and release regulation tackle is also strictly monitored to number of hooks and barb-less hooks. Along with bait it has been for a few years illegal to posses or fish with bait such as river herring. These are all factors as an angler it is your responsibility to research for the species you plan to target.

Location

Google Maps

Navionics Web App

Choosing a location for your kayak fishing trip can vary on the choice of Species Targeted. It can also vary on weather conditions and tide predictions. Take these into account. If the wind is going to be coming from the NorthEast most of the day plan on an area with shelter from that wind and where you think the fish may hold. Plan on a location with the ability to park and launch your kayak. Some places its illegal to park in certain areas. Also private land can be an issue.

When scouting a new area I always research using google satellite maps. It can give you a good idea of a place to park and launch. However it is always good to drive to the area prior to make sure its safe and accessible. Then i study the charts on the Navionics web app.

Weather

Widfinder

Weather Phone App

Weather conditions are a huge factor in kayak fishing. Wind being the primary disadvantage in most cases. Paddling or peddling can become exhausting over time. Location is key in windy situations. Plan for the wind and plan your drop in location and route accordingly.

Check the weather forecast days before to plan. Weather conditions can change any minute of the day or night. Personally I like to use weather apps such as Windfinder and Accuweather for air temp and precip forecasts.

Dress for the weather. This is important see the Gear and Safety Section below.

Know your limits. Don’t go out of you know the winds are going to be too much for you to handle. Paddling all day against the wind is no fun and can be dangerous.

The weather always varies and predictions are typically off so just go and see how it is at the drop in. Don’t let weather forecasts cause you to stay home. Just take them as a precaution.

Moon and Tides

Tide Predictions

Believe it or not Moon phase and Tide flow is essential to saltwater fishing. This should be a major part of your planning. IF you drop in at high tide where will the tide be when you get back? All mud? These are things to think of when picking your location.

Also certain species of fish feed at different points within a tide swing. Its good to take note of these times while fishing. It could benefit you on future fishing trips.

Gear and Safety

Gear is everything you plan on taking with you on your kayak. As stated kayak fishing can be very dangerous so safety should be a major concern. Its good practice to always wear a USCG Class III approved Personal Flotation Device (PFD). Basic safety gear like a whistle and a signaling device such as the YakAttack VISICarbon Pro are great additions.

Dress for the weather.

Summer time personally I dress in long pants and shirt with an SPF rating of 50+. Fishing pants I prefer are Columbia Silver Ridge Cargo Pant. And for shirts Columbia Men’s Terminal Tackle Long Sleeve Shirt for an example as there are so many Sun Shirts on the market. If possible always avoid cotton. Cotton absorbs water and does not dry quickly.

Winter Dry Gear is very important for safety. The no cotton rule applies much more here.  I personally love the Kokatat Hydrus 3L Tempest Dry Pants with Socks. Layer up with base layer under the dry pants. Top start with a base layer. Mysterioso shirt is the best i have worn over the years.

Also always remember to bring water with you. A lunch or snack is always good as you don’t always know how long you may be out fishing.

A rule of thumb is to always have a dry set of clothes packed in your car. Just in case.

Float Plan

Its a good practice to let family or friends know the location you will be launching just in case you happen to encounter trouble. Its always good to have people know your whereabouts as a precaution.

Tackle

An example. What to have in your tackle box for Flounder fishing can vary. Its good to always have multiple colored and weights of jigs handy. A spool of 20# test leader line should be handy. Terminal tackle such as swivels slides and 3/0 – 5/0 octopus style hooks are needed. Teasers you can tie your own or purchase some.

For Stripers examples being. Jigs, Swim baits, and even hard swim baits are a key choice of tackle. Personally I still bring too much tackle but you never know what you may need throughout the day.

A milk crate or YakAttack Blackpak is an excellent addition to store tackle and also add additional rod holders for more fishing rods. I typically take 3 – 4 rods with me depending on the fish i am targeting. This way you can have different tackle tied and ready.

Tools

Always good to have a net handy. This goes along with a pair of Aluminum Fishing Pliers and a sharp Knife with Floating Handle. Rod leashes goes with the saying if you love it leash it. If using bait you may want a Bait Board or a live Bait Container.

Electronics

Having a fish finder with GPS charts is an excellent addition to your kayak. A great tool for fishing. Being able to read where the bait and fish are located in the water column is a huge advantage. Seeing whats on the bottom while using the charts to see where drop offs and structure can change fishing into catching. The GPS charts will come in handy when a thick fog rolls in. Also are handy for locating charted structure and landmarks.

Also its good to have some form of communication. A water proof cell phone or in a Waterproof Dry Bag. Or a Handheld VHF Submersible Radio. These electronics will be very useful in an emergency situation or just communicating with your fishing buddys.

Anchoring

All depending what species you are targeting you may want to have an SEA-LECT Designs Folding Economy Anchor Kit handy. Windy situations a YakAttack ParkNPole will come in handy. Just make sure you install and  use an Yakattack Leverloc Anchor Trolley to get your anchor lines at the bow or stern of your kayak in currents. Anchoring off the side can be a big mistake.

I hope these examples of how to plan for a saltwater kayak fishing trip come in handy. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me! Tight lines!

After installing KeelEazy in the spring of 2017 I quickly learned that although it felt tough it can be beaten. Although better than most keel guard solutions it worked for about 4 fishing trips. So here is the KeelEazy extended Use Review.

See the install article here. Protect your kayak with KeelEazy

KeelEazy Extended Use Review

I applied this keel protection product to my Jackson Kilroy LT on March 19th 2017. The kayak is Thermoformed ABS plastic with an acrylic finish. THis review does not include typical polypropylene rotomolded hulls.

Installation was a fairly simple process although the bends around the bow and stern were tricky. The ridges that I flattened out on the bends appeared not long after the installation allowing sand and grit the enter. Over a short time the sand and grit worked deeper and the adhesive became filled with dirt which it separated from the hull of the kayak. Also sharp objects like oysters, barnacles and rocks tor through after one outing.

I replaced 18″ at the stern mid season. I was able to cut back the damaged portion and run the new portion while overlapping the old on top. The reasoning for the overlap was when dragging the kayak forward it would eliminate an edge that will collect dirt and sand. However it did not last where the boat rests when truck top loading and unloading eventually begun to separate rendering the Keeleazy useless where its most needed.

The product only failed at the bends and curves. Elsewhere along flat parts of the keel it has lasted time and is only scuffed from dragging the kayak up banks. Although this area has not seen nearly as much abuse.

Overall it maybe a good product just not for this application on the material of the Jackson Kayak LT.

Back to looking for the best keel protection solution.

The Plastic Hull gives this product a 2 star rating.

New to the lineup of Bending branches Pro Series paddles is the Angler Pro Carbon. A milti-laminate full carbon fiber high performance light weight paddle. This is the first carbon fiber fishing specific paddle offered by Bending Branches.

Angler Pro Carbon First Impressions:

This paddle is light. Coming in at 24 oz it is now one of the lightest kayak paddles available on the market. Using a light paddle will extend your day on the water saving you energy with every paddle stroke.

The finish of the paddle is stunning. A mirror glaze on the blades brings out the woven fiber patterns. A smooth and comfortable shaft form fits to your grip but will not easily slip.

The paddle blade is noticeably wider and has a distinct angle and ridge on the front face.

The paddle is a 2 peice making it easy to transport when off the water. IT is simply assembled by joining the shaft together and twisting to lock in the desired length with the plus ferrule and snapping at the desired angle with the snap ferrule.

Available in both a snap button ferrule and the plus ferrule options. The snap ferrule is the most economical option and also less weight and allows you to feather the paddle at 0 & 60 to the left or right. The plus ferrule allows you to adjust on the fly +15 CM. The paddle can now be used with multiple kayak widths.

The new logo is very sleek and stylish with its white stencil on the black carbon blade.

Trust me this paddle is for the hardcore kayak angler. Brandishing a measuring strip in both inches and centimeters like all Bending Branches angler series paddles. The paddle itself becomes a fishing tool.

Carbon fiber although being light weight can still take a beating like fiberglass. Carbon however is stiffer than fiberglass so will not absorb any power from your stroke.

New Technology:

Bending branches made an advancement in technology on all of the Angler Pro Series paddles. The blade width has become wider and thinner from the previous pro series. This enables more surface area to get the maximum output from your paddle stroke! This along with the plus ferrule introduced 2 years ago makes it the most versatile paddle as you can adjust the length +5cm to your kayaks width and to your paddling style.

Review:

I have been using the Bending Branches Angler Pro Carbon since September 2017. Must say it has become my go to paddle! The lightweight is very noticeable on a long day of paddling and fishing. Much like the wood navigator paddle the Angler Pro Carbon has little of no flex in the blade which applies all of my paddle stroke with no loss due to flex of the blades against the water. I am able to reach my top speed faster with less strokes which is ideal while using a high end paddle.  I do notice the difference after paddling all day with Carbon compared to the previous years Angler Pro with the fiberglass blades.

The Angler Pro Carbon is rigid and tough. It will stand up to the test of time due to its high standard during fabrication. Bending Branches takes pride in every product they manufacture as it was being made for themselves. During my use of the paddle I made sure to push off rocks and mud banks and yes even oyster bars. The paddle held up and did not show any blemishes nicks or chips.

I love the plus ferrule option with this paddle as I do tend to paddle a few different kayaks which vary in width. This is a great option that bending branches offers and is worth the extra cash if you do paddle multiple styles of kayaks.

Although the high price there are so many pros for this new paddle. If you are a hardcore kayak angler or enjoy just paddling the high angle style I would highly recommend picking up an Angler Pro Carbon. So head down to your local kayak shop that carries Bending Branches paddles and check one out for yourself!

Specs:

Snap Ferrule – 25oz Available in lengths 230cm  240cm  250cm  260cm

Feathers to – 0° & 60° (L or R)

Plus Ferrule – 26oz Available in Increments of 10cm lengths from 230-245cm  240-255cm

Infinite Ferrule 360° Feather

Price:

Snap Ferrule $399.96 MSRP

Plus Ferrule $424.95 MSRP

Link:

https://bendingbranches.com/products/angler-pro-carbon-snap-kayak-fishing-paddle

The Plastic Hull gives this product a 5 star rating.