One disadvantage of kayaking is that your head is close to the water, making it hard to see. So how do you locate fish in time to make that cast?
A short PVC pushpole is essential where it's too shallow to paddle coventionally.
Typically I’ll get in water that’s just deep enough to paddle in easily and cruise at a fair rate of speed, looking in shallower water for signs of fish—wakes, tails, backs, busts. In other words, I cover water fairly rapidly, looking for fish or clues that tell me fish are there. As soon as I see signs I stow the paddle, taking extreme care to be as silent as possible. Why do I stow my means of propulsion? Because it’s time to wade, if the bottom is hard enough to support me. I can see better this way, I can hold the rod, and casting is much easier. I can silently stalk the fish I’ve found via kayak. More importantly, once I’m in position to take a good shot it is easy to stay there.
If the bottom is too soft to wade, but still deep enough to float the boat, I use a 4-foot-long pushpole to slowly maneuver the boat. Once I’m in casting position, I just poke the pole into the bottom and hold it. If the water gets too shallow to float the boat and you’re scraping the bottom, then even the pole is ineffective. That’s when I use the best tool of all, my fingers. Sink your fingers into the soft bottom (check for stingrays first) and pull or push the boat into position for a cast.
Going back to stowing your paddle, the paddle requires two hands to use. You can stop in the proper position once you reach it, but then you take time and risk making noise while putting the paddle down. You take more time picking up your rod. It’s difficult to maintain your position if there is wind or current. If you lose your position you have to put the rod down, pick up the paddle, and go through the stalking sequence again. It simply doesn’t work as well.
I will get on my knees and use my hands to pull the boat through mud, trying to get into a good casting position. If you’re willing to do whatever it takes to quietly put the boat where it needs to be you will catch a lot of fish. You may be covered in mud at the end of the day, though.
All of the above assumes that you’re sitting in your boat. What if you can stand? I used to use my paddle to push or paddle the boat as circumstances dictated while standing in my kayak, looking for fish. When I spotted a fish I would have to bend down, secure the paddle, pick up the rod, straighten up, and try to find the fish again before I could cast. All this time the boat might be moving due to wind or current. It worked, but not particularly well.
One day I tried using a 6-foot-long piece of 3⁄ 4-inch PVC pipe as a pushpole. Oh yeah, that was better. I could pole the boat with my left hand while I held the spin or plug rod in my right (casting) hand. When I spotted a fish I could respond almost immediately. If the bottom was soft (and where I fish it usually is or I would be wading) I could just poke the pipe into the bottom. I could hold it to maintain my position, or let it go if needed. If I floated away from it I still had the paddle and could always go back and get it. Again, a dowel would work as well. It might work better, since a wooden dowel can’t fill with mud. If you choose a PVC pipe, plug or cap it.
How close can you get to fish in your kayak? Assuming you are being quiet, your average cast on the flats will be around 30 feet, though I have often caught fish with a 5- to 10-foot toss. You’ll be amazed at how close you can get in a kayak.
If you follow the advice given here you’re going to hook fish, and some days you’ll outfish skiff anglers, and, of course, get into places they only dream of accessing. While you’re in the skinniest water, you usually won’t hook giant fish. School reds, and small trout and snook will venture into surprisingly shallow stuff, and frequently the fish’s back is out of the water and often you are so close to them you can almost see every single scale. The intimacy of the stalk is thrilling and is the main reason I find kayak fishing so appealing. Use the techniques described above and watch yourself rocket up the kayak learning curve. Then you’ll understand what everyone is “yakkin’” about.
