Almost all major fishing kayak manufacturers are now designing and producing models that give you the ability to fish standing up. Here I will give some tips on how to easily learn to fish standing up in a fishing kayak.
There are several reasons why you may want to stand up in your kayak while fishing.
First and foremost, and this is the most important reason, – standing up makes it much easier to see fish coming out behind your lure and possibly adjust the operation of your lure to provoke a bite. In addition, you may want to stand up to better understand which direction to swim if there is a lot of grass around or you hear fish splashing.
Some fishing methods, such as jerking or fly fishing, involve mostly standing up. After all, sometimes you just want to stand up to stretch your back and take a break after a long day of sitting on the water. There are many benefits to fishing standing up in a kayak, but it will take some practice to master the skill.
When standing in a kayak it is very important to spread your legs wide, your knees should be slightly bent. Keep your head up, looking not at the kayak but at the water surface in front of it. Remember that your paddle is an excellent stabilizer while you are standing in the kayak. Hold the paddle with one hand by the paddle blade and the other hand by the shaft. Rest your paddle against the bottom if you are fishing in shallow water. In deep water, just take small paddles – this will give support and stability. Leave your tackle and lures at home and practice stand up paddling your kayak a bit. Just a couple hours of practice and you’ll feel much more confident in the standing position.
Of course, there are kayaks in which fishing standing up is much easier. A kayak designed for standing fishing has several important characteristics. The bottom of the kayak should be wide. A width of 78 centimeters or more is preferred. This will allow you to stand comfortably. In addition, the bottom of the kayak should be flat, or better yet, have a tunnel hull.
Among the international kayakfishing community, the most suitable boats for standing fishing are considered to be Native Slayer, Native Titan, Jakson Kilroy, Liska, Mayfly and Big Rig . The Native is well suited for fishing standing up on inland waters with no swell. If you fish in coastal waters where there is chop and swell on the water, the Jakson Liska, Mayfly and Big Rig are good for fishing standing up. These models are very stable and have self-draining holes.
Among pedal kayaks for standing fishing, the new Hobie Pro Angler 12 is well reviewed. This kayak has a comfortable seat that adjusts up and down vertically and makes it much easier to get up and sit down.
There is nothing more exhilarating about fishing in a kayak than catching a big fish while standing up while keeping your eyes on the fish at the same time. Find the right kayak for you, practice standing up in your kayak so that it becomes second nature and experience all the fun and efficiency of fishing in a standing kayak.
