Types of Kayak fishing

No, we are talking about the type of kayak. We are going to put some light on a very crucial factor. Yes, that’s the location where you will fish in with your favorite kayak. The waters you will be fishing on have a direct impact on your choice.

Freshwater kayak fishing

If you are fond of freshwater fishing, you need to prepare yourself for fishing on both still and moving waters. For these two different bodies of water, you need kayaks with different features.

Still water

Your vessel should be lightweight and short. The initial stability needs to be high while the rocker should be of a moderate degree.

For larger water bodies, you need to choose a sit-in kayak that is long and slim, moves fast and yields a low level of initial stability and rocker.

Moving water

The finest choice can be a sit-in kayak that is short and wide featuring a soft chine and a high level of rocker and secondary stability.

Saltwater kayak fishing

Before choosing your kayak for saltwater fishing, it is imperative that you understand the different between inshore and offshore waters.

Inshore waters

Having a depth of 70 feet or less been adjacent to the shoreline, these locations require you to have a sit-inside kayak that is long and slim with the rocker, neither too high nor too low

Offshore waters

Having a depth of over 70 feet, these waters demand that you have a sit-in kayak with an efficient hull design requiring less paddling efforts.

Types of kayaks

Pedal vs. Paddle

As soon as this concern comes to mind, you need to find the answer to a sure question: paddle or pedal? Well, we are going to answer the question with some particular aspects of the two systems.

Do you want to enjoy hands free control and have a sincere focus on the fishing job? If yes, the only choice you have is a pedal driven kayak. Just use your legs and the radar system to control your fishing fleet!

At the same time, you need to be ready to ensure some underwater clearance, bigger budget, and occasional maintenance.

If you want to embrace simplicity, enjoy affordability, and maintain less commotion while fishing, a paddle driven vessel will be your thing. You need not worry about the underwater obstacles, but you should spend some time in finding the right kayak paddle.

Again, you should be willing to accept that kayaking for a prolonged period will not come easy with your arms being occupied with the reel and rod. Also, you may have to sacrifice comforts of full control.

Initial Stability vs. Secondary stability

If you want to find out the measure of initial stability, you need to figure out how stable your kayak is when you sit upright on its keel. Wide kayaks are known for their higher degree of this stability while narrow ones are for lower degrees.

Soft chined kayaks feature higher stability of this kind while hard chined ones do quite the opposite.

Length vs. Width (Hull Design)

Featuring a long waterline length, long hulls move faster than the short ones with the same width. However, short hulls are more maneuverable than the longer ones. With more initial stability and less secondary stability, narrow kayaks are faster than wide ones.

So, hulls that are long and narrow are the fastest yet least maneuverable and stable while short and wide hulls are the slowest yet most maneuverable and stable.

Maneuverability vs. Tracking (Rocker Construction)

The curvature of the hull from a kayak’s bow to stern is called the rocker. In other words, the extent, to which the hull curves up from its center to the ends along the keel, is the rocker.

A hull with a low degree of rocker yields more tracking ability and less maneuverability. But, a hull with a higher degree of rocker offers more maneuverability and weaker tracking ability.

Sit-On-Tops vs. Sit-In Kayaks

Depending on the increasing popularity and sales, we often consider a sit-on-top the prime choice. The hull is arguably unsinkable and the cockpit is wide open, meaning that you can enjoy a high degree of initial stability.

Construction (Material)

Common types of materials used for kayak construction include polyethylene, wood, composite, and stitch-and-glue plywood.

Skill level

For a beginner, sit-on-tops and recreational vessels are great. However, more experienced paddlers prefer longer and slimmer kayaks that offer a higher level of secondary stability and greater speed at the expense of maneuverability and initial stability. In addition to these points, you may want to consider a few other factors like kayak accessories and outfit.

Final Verdict

By now, you have spent some of your valuable time reading our guide to buying the best fishing kayak. Hopefully, you have got practical insights, and most importantly, a list of fishing kayaks that are tremendously popular among kayakers of all ages and skills.

Finally, we want to recommend that you make a choice keeping several things in mind, such as your fishing experience, motivation, budget, intended fishing locations, and other personal preferences. Only then, our efforts to help you with your kayak fishing journey will be fruitful.