Making the Move From Bass Boat to Kayak

By Jeff Malott / Bassmaster

Competitive kayak fishing is taking the bass tournament world by storm. There are local kayak clubs popping up everywhere, and with the recent launch of the Huk Bassmaster B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Series powered by TourneyX presented by Abu Garcia to go along with already established national tournament circuits such as the Hobie Bass Open Series, the sky's the limit for this niche of the sport.

The financial requirement to get into kayak fishing is of course much lower. Kayaks, like the ones in the Old Town Topwater series, offer anglers the chance to jump into the sport for less than $1,000, or just more than $2,000 if you prefer a PDL pedal propulsion system. Add on some electronics, rod holders, possibly a small trolling motor, and you are chasing bass just like you would be in a 21-foot Ranger.

Except for one thing: Where the heck am I supposed to put all of my stuff?

A surprising number of anglers have made the move from bass boat to kayak and never looked back. Many stories go like this: “I bought a kayak to fish small waters or take a quick trip, fell in love with the style of fishing immediately — now the boat collects dust,” or “I sold it.”

Regardless, one of the major hang-ups for those thinking about adding a kayak to their fishing arsenal, or making the move to kayak fishing exclusively, is the fear of not being able to carry what is needed on the water. With proper planning and a little ingenuity, you can have all the gear you need out there, and then some.

Rods/reels

Chasing fish from a kayak draws many anglers because of the simplicity, but when it comes to tournament fishing a lot of that simplicity goes out the window. Because a kayak is a huge chunk of plastic, anglers pull off some amazing designs though modifying them to suit their rod-storage needs. On tournament day, it is not uncommon to see eight to 10 rods sticking out the back of a kayak with several more stored in the hull. Anglers use manufactured rod holders to pull this off, or create something themselves, typically with PVC-style pipe.

Tackle

Lures and terminal tackle need to be streamlined from what might be carried in a bass boat, but with proper planning based on where and when you will be fishing, you shouldn’t feel shorted on what is needed. Many storage crates like the Flambeau Tuff Krate ride in the rear tankwell and will hold five to eight tackle trays depending on the size you choose. Many more trays will fit in the front storage hatch of most kayaks — I carry eight additional 4000 series Flambeau trays in the front hatch of my Old Town Predator.

Soft plastics can be stored in binders under your seat or in the front hatch, although many anglers pick up simple plastic containers from their local discount store in whatever size works best for them.

When choosing a PFD (personal flotation device), there are many with large pockets in the front to hold line clippers or other small items.

Other accessories

The three most popular kayak add-ons for serious tournament anglers include: A quality depth finder, Power-Pole Micro and an electric motor. Most of the major kayak brands now produce boats with the tournament angler in mind and make it easy to install all of these.

For example, my Old Town Predator PDL has a pre-tapped mounting area in the back specifically for the Power-Pole Micro. The boat also has a recessed mounting area beneath the hull where most side imaging transducers can be mounted, and the wiring can then be conveniently run without ever drilling into the hull itself. Installing an electric motor can be accomplished in a variety of ways depending on the brand, or can even be purchased as part of the kayak’s original set up in some cases.

For tournament fishing a specific measuring device will be required. The Hawg Trough and Ketch Board are the two most widely accepted devices, with the Yak Gear Fish Stick now being accepted by a few organizations as well.

Kayak fishing is going to continue to grow, and with the advancements that keep coming down the pipe from manufacturers, it is only going to get better. Don’t hesitate to grab your gear and make the jump over to the plastic navy.

Making the move must haves:

1.    Storage crate (Flambeau Tuff Krate or Yak Gear Crate)

2.    Additional rod holders

3.    Electronics (Humminbird Helix 5)

4.    Measuring Board (Hawg Trough or Ketch Board)

5.    Phone tether

6.    Quality PFD

Jeff Malott, Old Town Canoes and Kayaks Fishing Team

Founder of the Natural State Kayak Anglers and The Kayak Bass Nation Podcast