Fish
KAYAK ANGLERS CATCH IT ALL
From big to small, pretty to ugly, saltwater to fresh, kayak anglers target all sorts of fish. Kayak anglers have even set
world records and won boating tournaments. Check out “Going for Gold” (page 26) for Todd West’s story of chasing a line-class world record spotted bass in Georgia’s backwaters. After seven years, Julia Benak’s kayak-caught 46-pound California halibut still stands as the Women’s All-Tackle World Record. And you can read Drew Haerer’s story of completing the BASS Slam in the Spring 2013 of Kayak Angler (
www.rapidmedia.com/0104). But it doesn’t take accolades and accomplishments to enjoy kayak fishing, each time a fish hits the deck, a kayak angler wins.
Hands Free
TAKE THE PADDLE OUT OF PADDLE- FISHING
Hobie’s MirageDrive, Native’s Slayer Propel
and Ocean Kayak’s Torque are just a few of the boats that take the paddle out of paddle fishing. After thousands of hours of research and development, major kayak manufactures have answered the age-old question, “How do you paddle and fish at the same time?” Hobie’s MirageDrive and the Slayer Propel use pedal power to propel the angler. Bas-
syaks.com offers trolling motor kits that can turn any kayak into a motor boat. Not to be outdone, Wave Jet’s power pod is a recharge- able jet-drive that fits flush into the bottom of a kayak or standup paddleboard. NuCanoe’s Frontier 12 offers another option; it can be rigged with a 10-horse, four-stroke gas motor. Paddle or fish? No problem, anymore.
Internet
INFORMATION OVERLOAD
How did you hear about kayak fishing? How did you learn more? Where did you buy your kayak and accessories? Where do you
share your pictures? How do you check the weather and get the latest fishing report? The real question is: Where would kayak fishing be without the Internet? Chances are you’re reading this article online or on a smart-device. Kayak Angler’s Facebook
54 …KAYAK ANGLER WINTER 2013 Grip & Grin
SAY CHEESE! Anglers pour time and money into catching the fish of a lifetime but all too often the only lasting reward is an off- center and out-of-focus picture of the angler holding the fish and grinning from ear to ear. Pro-photographer and world traveler Will Richardson shares his tips for better fish photos.
1. Clean off blood and guts before shooting the picture.
2. Dip the fish in the water to bring out the colors and keep it alive.
3. Don’t forget to smile for the camera.
4. Take the fish out of the net, remove the gaff and take off the tail rope, but show the lure or bait that you used.
5. Fill the frame with the fish and fisherman. Turn the angler towards the sun and use a flash to light up shadows.
6. Change the angle of the shot. Get low, stand up, turn the subject one way and capture the action.
7. You never get a second chance to take a picture.
—Submitted by Patrick Hymes
page has over 15,000 likes and our web page averages thousands of hits every day. The longest-running kayak fishing website,
Kayakfishing.com, has been published since 1997 and still receives over 330 unique visits each day. Since the site scores at the top of the list on searches for “kayak fishing,” many of those visitors are new to the sport. One of the most successful regional messageboards,
Texaskayakfisherman.com, boasts over 50 thousand unique visitors each month, of which 25 percent are new to the site. Every angler has seen Isaac Brumaghim’s “Chompy the Shark” film on YouTube (www.rapidme-
dia.com/0105). The video has accrued over 10.5 million views since April, most within weeks of hitting the web. —Submitted by Brad Wiegmann
J-Hooks
FROM TREBLE, TO CIRCLE, TO J
Stop and look at a hook. How can a thin piece of wire subdue a fish over a thousand pounds? Ancient hooks were fashioned out of bone, but modern hooks are extruded from molten steel
and sharpened with a combination of caustic chemicals. From treble hooks to Kahles, from No. 18 flies to a 14/0 shark rig, hooks come in a shape, size and configuration to snag everything that swims.
Kids KAYAK FISHING’S FUTURE
Catching a fish in a kayak can make an adult hoot and holler like a little kid. Sharing that excitement with a young person is what will grow the sport for the future. According to the Outdoor Foundation’s 2013 Out- door Participation Report, fishing is the fourth most
popular outdoor activity for kids between six and 17. That’s 20 percent of kids, or over 9.9 million young people, with rods in their hands. In the report, most kids said they fish to hang out with friends and family, but 45 percent of six to 12 year olds said they fish because it’s cool. While those numbers are heartwarming,
the number of teens 13 to 17 who fish has dropped nine percent in the last year. Even though more boys are fishing, teenage girls are disappearing from the water. Sadly, only
PHOTOS: WILL RICHARDSON
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