Kayak Fishing Safety Guidelines for a Successful and Safe Trip

Photo at left from: http://shltr.net/fishgkayak, © by John Bolivar
Kayak fishing is a thrilling and enjoyable experience but it is risky too. You get to be on the water, fish with absolute stealth, get a chance to witness the action from a much closer angle, take the kayak out for a short fishing trip and whenever you want. You do not have to worry about gas, insurance, strict maintenance rituals and many more. It is an angler’s delight in the truest sense of the term. But it is of utmost importance to not to compromise on safety when on a kayak. Below are some tips that you ideally should pay heed to in order to have a safe kayak fishing trip.


   If you are on a kayak and fishing in a large body of water, safety should be your primary consideration. You can take kayaking lessons from an expert until you are confident enough to maneuver the watercraft alone. You might flip your kayak, hit your head on a rock, or can be run down by a careless boater. You never know what might happen so to be on the safe side: wear your life vest. Getting a bright orange flag along with some metallic reflective tape for the flag pole will help other boaters notice you a lot easier.
   If you are buying a kayak for the first time, opt for a sit-in model. It requires the angler to sit inside the kayak and is more stable. The more modern sit-on-top model kayaks are a little difficult to handle. Make a wise choice. There are some essential items that you would need on the kayak with you. Rod holders, fishing crate, fishing tackle, bottles of water, paddle leash, anchor trolley, tackle box and lunch box will ensure that you have a successful time on the water.
   Certain tools like a lip gripper and needle nose pliers are a must have when you are on a kayak fishing trip. Reaching down into the water to grab a fish you have just hooked may sound exciting but not if the sharp hook goes into your own skin. Lip grippers thus will solve this problem. Then again it becomes very difficult to use teeth to cut the tag ends of the fishing knots on a braid line. A needle nose plier with sharp cutters will help break through thicker lines or remove the hooks from the fish’s mouth.
   When fishing from a kayak, casting accuracy is the key to catching fish. A little practice beforehand is going to help. Sight fishing is not as easy as it looks from a kayak. There is one technique that guarantees 100% solid hook sets every time. Make sure that the nose of your kayak is pointing towards where the fish is at. This allows the energy in your hookset to travel the length of the boat without being dispersed into the water. Bring along a cooler packed with ice to keep your fish that you catch. Avoid keeping them out in the open as the sun will dry them. In saltwater take care to properly store the fish to keep the blood from draining into the water; it attracts sharks easily.
   To make your fishing trip more successful and enjoyable and safe all at the same time, abide by these guidelines. Good Luck and Tight Lines!

Top Ten Fishing Kayaks of All Time: http://shltr.net/10fishkayaks
Author Bio: John Anderson is a fishing buff from Down Under Australia. He had been introduced to fishing rod and other fishing tackles when he was four and has become an expert angler. Now he writes about her experiences and shares her know-how with others in the field.