Bass Fishing Jul 2018 | Page 47

1 . Use a Spinning Reel
While there are kayaks that are stable enough to allow for fishing standing up , most anglers remain seated , flat on the water , with no elevation while they fish . the position immediately presents a casting challenge , and makes it nearly impossible to flip or pitch with a baitcaster . My personal preference is to switch to spinning reels when fishing from a kayak .
What ’ s problematic for casting reels can be an advantage for spinning setups . the low angle makes it easy to skip under and around cover . if you ’ ve ever struggled getting your skip-casting down , kayak fishing will make you an expert .
2 . Use Braided Line
Where spinning reels once forced us to downsize tackle and sacrifice heavy-cover bass fishing , today ’ s braided lines allow spinning gear to get into the nastiest places and drag big bass out . sufix 832 advanced superline , for example , comes in at a 20-pound-test rating in the same diameter of most 6-pound-test monofilament , and is nearly unbreakable .
3 . Add a Leader
Braid has a tendency to dig into laydowns and stumps , leaving anglers hung up in the process . to prevent that from happening when fishing soft plastics and jigs , i utilize a 4-foot-long leader of 20-pound-test fluorocarbon joined to the braid with a double uni-knot . in the event that a break-off is imminent , the leader will fail before the braid . a fluorocarbon leader will also improve the action of many subtle lures – a Yamamoto senko immediately comes to mind – and will increase the number of bites as opposed to using straight braid . leaders should also be considered for many cast-andretrieve-style baits when using braided lines . crankbaits and bladed jigs simply work better with moderate-sized fluorocarbon , and mono leaders are a must for any topwater outfitted with treble hooks in order to prevent hook-and-line tangles that can be an annoyance when lures are tied directly to braid .
4 . Drop an Anchor
While casting angles might be tough for kayak fishermen , boat positioning can be equally difficult . Kayaks are extremely lightweight and draft only inches of water , which is why they can quickly and easily spin around . Just the drag of a lure in the water , especially something with a lot of displacement such as a big-bladed spinnerbait , has enough resistance or “ pull ” to actually move the kayak . drifting a shoreline with the wind or current occasionally works and negates the effects of the cast and retrieve on boat positioning , but anchoring up in short intervals is far more effective . anchor systems range from the incredibly simple and effective to advanced and costly . i use a 5-pound rubber-coated exercise dumbbell . it ’ s cheap and simple , and works in most circumstances . the rubberized finish reduces noise and damage to the boat , and the center handle is a good spot to tie up .
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