About seven years ago, I purchased a Cobra Fish'n'Dive sit-on-top kayak because some of the (scuba) dive sites, such as Port Orford, OR, are much more accessible by kayak. I enjoy freshwater fishing, and there are lakes (Trillium, Timothy, Hagg, etc.) within convenient driving distance from SW Portland. My kayak is a stable platform that allows me to fish comfortably, to move from time to time, and to distance myself from other fishermen. I also use the kayak for bird photography. It's very quiet and allows me the closest approaches I've made without disturbing the herons and egrets. I position myself upwind, stow the paddle and let the breeze move me closer to the subject. The birds seem to tolerate it without feeling threatened. Once past the initial cost, the kayak has been the most affordable recreation, and it requires very little maintenance; I hose it off to clean it and scrub it occaionally, but it's given me hours of quiet relaxation.

Peace and quiet in your future fishing and on top of that you get a workout. My favorite part of kayak fishing is being able to go places that people with power boats can't get to. The fact that there's no maintenance cost and you don't pay personal property tax on a kayak also helped push me in that direction.

Kayak fishing is the best. Gotta love those small ponds that are teaming with fish that people never use because they cant use thier boats there.

I'm a recent kayak convert and am anxiously awaiting my new Malibu X-factor. Early fall stripers on Texoma, late fall ducks on my local lakes and rivers and I plan on putting some serious miles on it next spring...

I think the Hobie system is the best out there. But, affordable? Well, it is comparable to the price of 3 high end fly rods. I still want one, though. Might be going to a lake this weekend with only walk in access down a two track. Would prefer to crank with my feet and keep my hands free on one of the fishing kayaks. But a canoe will have to do for now.

Going to the Boudary Waters in Minnesota sounds like it could be a lot the same as this except for smallmouth instead largemouth so I won't be on here for a while but hey gotta use the little bit of summer vacation I have left. Then it's hunting season.

Ahh yes, lily pads and kayaks. The lake I fish most in NH has two "swamps" by our end, all lily pads and pickerel weed, with paths cut through. If you go in there in a kayak and throw some wacky worms, prepare to be attacked by big ravenous pickerel, and bass anywhere from 1 - 8 pounds. It's a blast.

I enjoy al types of fishing. there is a local pond that is a great place to kayak fish. most recent expedition was using the kayak to deploy whole bluefish 100 -300 yards off the beach. we catch some nice sharks doing this.

Where do you put your dog on-in a kayak? Where do the decoys go? Me and my grummen and my dog, and my decoys and my Model 12 will be out there with you guys.

I went kayak fishing on a family vacation to Florida last week. We rented them on the beach and caught lesser amberjack from the surf. Fun!

Anyone ever troll with a canoe? I do on the aforementioned lake. Me and my cuz take turns paddling, the other holding the rod. I go solo sometimes, it's a little more interesting that way. To me, it's the best way to troll, outside of big boats on big lakes in deep water, with lines way out and down. On a small lake, you have to be quiet, I can only cast so far, and the lures can only be so deep. The quiet canoe makes spooks no fish, and makes for a very effective, if not unorthodox method.

The same goes for another lake in the the other Sullivan County (NY, The other one is NH. It took me surprisingly long to realize that my two "home lakes" are in the same county by name), but with a rowboat.

Looks like fun.
Years ago at a hike-in only high country lake in the Colorado Rockies I saw a guy in an inflatable boat, sitting and rowing backwards, with his rod trolling behind him and pulling in trout after trout. Was a two or three person (small persons) boat, probably weighed 2-3 pounds in the backpack, and he was using ping-pong paddles for rowing. So, I tried one, with great success. Three person inflatable held me, gear, and young son, put pointy end behind me, use ping-pong paddles for easy and one-hand use, and you can troll fast enough to use any lure you like, rowing backwards. You can go about anywhere, with shallow draft, but being careful of punctures.
Lots of fun. I've tried canoes and belly-boats, not as fun or as fast.
Now I've got to go out and get another one, but they are less than
$100 so easily affordable, and transportable. If you get one, don't believe the 2 person size, they must have little people where they build them. And carry a life vest.
Only drawback, I once hooked a several pound trout who proceeded to tow me around the lake for a while, with much laughter from other fishermen in a canoe. He was stronger than it took to move the "boat".

The fact that you have this well thought out and set up correlates with the fact you're the fishing writer at F&S, while I'm sitting up high on the seat paddling, trying to keep the rod secured between my legs, and getting blown across the lake. Good tips.

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Kayaks for fishing are terrific. I don't think there is a more versatile vessel for fishing then a kayak. I have used a set of wheels to get into remote lakes or sections of rivers, launched through the surf and fished the ocean and all sorts of environments in between from Alaska to the Caribbean to Baja to New England.

John, I hope you are well. It's been a long time since we met at Sandy Hook and talked kayak fishing. Lot's has happened since then. I'd love to chat. I also would like to send you a copy of my new book.