Getting into kayak fishing starts with answering four questions, what water you will paddle, what fish you will chase, how you want the boat rigged, and whether you value standing and stability or speed, then test paddling before you buy. Modern fishing kayaks are nothing like the recreational boats from summer camp. In this How 2 Tuesday I bring on Josh Thomas of Vibe Kayaks, who walks through how to cut through an intimidating amount of choice and land in the right boat for you. Press play above and follow along.
Listen now: press play in the player above and follow along.
Josh Thomas says it comes down to answering four questions in order. What kind of water will you paddle, offshore, inshore, big reservoirs, small lakes, or rivers, and what will occupy half or more of your time. What kind of fish will you chase, since bass and offshore sailfish call for completely different boats. How do you want the kayak rigged, with fish finders, storage, and seating to match how you fish. And finally, do you want speed or stability, standing or paddling. Once you have those answers, narrow down to a price point, and then test paddle, test paddle, test paddle before you buy.
Yes, completely, and Josh says the first mindset to get past is the old recreational kayak you paddled around summer camp thirty years ago. Kayaks have come a long way, especially sit-on-top fishing kayaks. Sit-on-top designs are self-bailing, so water that comes in drains right back out and you are not going to get swamped, and they are far more stable than the old sit-inside boats. That stability and self-bailing design is a big part of what makes fishing from a kayak realistic today.
Four of them. First, the water, what environment will occupy fifty percent or more of your time. Second, the fish, because chasing bass versus going offshore means two totally different, differently rigged boats. Third, the rigging and features, whether you want fish finders, a landing net, tackle storage near your seat, or dry storage for overnight trips. Fourth, the trade-off between speed and stability, standing or paddling. Answer those and you can pick the right boat, then dial in a price point, since there is a kayak for everyone at every price.
That depends on your water and your style, and Josh frames it as a compromise. Ultra-fast fishing kayaks are narrower and less stable, so you will need good sea legs, while the widest, most stable kayaks designed for standing do not travel far and make you burn calories pushing water like a flat-front jon boat. If you paddle three or four miles offshore every trip, you want speed. If you mostly want to stand and sight-fish without going far, you want stability. Know your end game and you will land in the right spot.
Not necessarily. Josh is clear that more expensive does not automatically mean better, it often just reflects a brand's market position. There is a kayak for everyone at every price point, so the right boat is the one that matches your water, your fish, and how you want to rig and paddle it, not the most expensive one on the rack. That is why understanding your end game matters more than chasing a price tag or a new-boat smell.
Josh highly recommends paddling.net, which has a strong database of kayak brands, manufacturers, models, and real end-user reviews, and the Kayak Angler magazine website for additional resources. Beyond reading, the most important step is to test paddle. Find dealers, many of whom offer demos or demo days, and actually get on the water in different boats to see which one feels comfortable for you before you commit.
Kayak fishing can feel intimidating from the outside, with so many kinds of boats, water, and fish to sort through. Josh Thomas of Vibe Kayaks lives in that world, so I asked him for his elevator-speech version of how someone actually gets started. The first thing he does is bust the old myth that a fishing kayak is the tippy recreational boat you paddled at summer camp. I get into the whole framework with him in the episode, so press play in the player above.
Here are the steps Josh and I walk through for getting into kayak fishing. We talk through each one in the episode.
Josh gets into the details on each step in the episode, so press play in the player above.
The reason Josh leads with water, fish, rigging, and speed versus stability is that each answer narrows the field. A bass kayak and an offshore kayak are different boats rigged different ways, and the speed-versus-stability call is a real compromise that depends entirely on your end game. Get those four answers and the right boat almost reveals itself. I let Josh walk through how they connect in the episode, so press play in the player above.
Josh's most repeated piece of advice is to test paddle, test paddle, test paddle. More expensive does not mean better, and a boat that looks great on paper can feel wrong under you. Resources like paddling.net and Kayak Angler help you research, but getting on the water at a dealer demo is what tells you the truth. I dig into how he recommends shopping in the episode, so press play in the player above.
Getting into kayak fishing is far less intimidating once you answer Josh's four questions, water, fish, rigging, and speed versus stability, and then dial in a price point.
Do that, test paddle a few boats, and you will land in the right kayak instead of guessing. Press play in the player above and let Josh walk you through it.
How 2 Tuesday is my weekly series where I break down one fishing skill at a time, from knots and casting to gear, tactics, and the habits that make you a better angler. Watch and listen to every How 2 Tuesday episode from Tom Rowland.
Josh Thomas · Vibe Kayaks · Vibe Seagull · sit-on-top kayaks · kayak fishing · bass · offshore fishing · fish finders · paddling.net · Kayak Angler magazine · demo days · How 2 Tuesday · Saltwater Experience
I'm Tom Rowland, a professional fishing guide based in the Florida Keys, host of the Tom Rowland Podcast, and the longtime host of the Saltwater Experience television show. On the podcast's How 2 Tuesday series I break down one practical skill or lesson at a time, from fishing technique and gear to the habits that make you a better angler, in short, focused episodes you can put to use right away.
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