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The popularity of kayak fishing has surged in recent years. Fishing as a sport has always had its share of followers, but the increase in the use of kayaks may be attributed to more than one reason. Some believe that kayak fishing became popular as a reaction to the prevalence of increasingly sophisticated electronic aids such as fishfinders and scientifically designed watercraft. Others also believe that the all-encompassing trend towards “green” methods has made the use of motor-less kayaks for fishing more appealing. In any case, the use of kayaks in fishing has a long and colorful history.
Kayak Fishing Beginnings:
The earliest versions of the kayak were made from stitched skins of animals such as seals, which were stretched on a wooden frame. These kayaks were first constructed and used by indigenous people who settled the northernmost areas near the Arctic region, who used them to travel through and fish from inland waters. There are experts who have discovered proof that some tribes, such as the Inuit, have been making kayaks and using them for fishing and hunting for more than four thousand years.
The advantages of Kayak Fishing Aside from being the “green” choice, is the many the uses of kayaks for fishing which offer several notable benefits. Kayaks, unlike most types of watercraft, are quite affordable. They are also much less complicated and much easier to take care of although a fishing kayak requires more effort to use because of the need to paddle, and the additional weight in carrying fishing gear not normally carried if only indulging in kayaking as a sport. However, this kind of effort can be beneficial because it burns calories and tones the muscles.
In recent years, more and more people are taking to the water in sit on top kayaks and it hasn’t taken long before some innovative people realized the need for some kind of motorized kayaks and hence the addition of battery powered detachable electric motors started to make their mark within the fishing kayak manufacturing industry.
Kayak Fishing and Electronic Fishfinders.
Kayak fishing also inherently limits the kind of electronic assistance that a fisherman can use. For the avid kayak fisher, that lack of assistance can also be considered an added benefit in that one of the major pleasures of fishing is the uncertainty of catching fish; one can develop or inherit a strategy to find the most likely spots where the fish can be found, and fishing blind can prove whether those strategies were right or wrong. However, in today’s modern trend where time is often limited, using electronic devices on the other hand, can decrease the anticipatory pleasure of finding out for one’s self but limiting ones chances of locating fish.
The Difficulties of Unaided Fishing
For some people, being able to actually catch fish is just a bonus. The pleasure in fishing comes with the use of proper strategy, making preparations, the anticipation of the hunt, and the relaxation of the body, mind, and spirit when surrounded by water. Kayak fishing is fishing in its purest form, and the use of electronic aids for some is no different from using a motor for the watercraft. Such devices, many believe, go against the whole point of using a kayak.
But sometimes, an extended period of failure can be downright frustrating. Going home empty-handed after more than a dozen trips can take its toll. Sometimes just one device—the electronic fish finder —is enough. This is especially true when predator fish have developed new feeding grounds and a sonar device becomes essential to find the deep areas where the bait fish—and the bigger fish—are located.
Fishfinder Advantages in Kayak Fishing
When you need to use a kayak fish finder, you are not required to spend a fortune for the equipment. Sometimes a basic model is sufficient, as long as it provides the rudimentary functions you need.
The Basic Kayak Fishing Fishfinder Setup
No matter what model electronic fishfinder you choose for your kayak fishing ventures, there are only three considerations that are relevant:
- It provides the features you require. (Generally, this means that it emits sonar waves, which help you find schools of fish, underwater debris, and the depth of the bottom)
- It has to be reliable.
- It must be affordable and within your budget.
The basic setup also includes a power source. Since kayaks don’t usually have motors, you can equip your kayak with a battery with the required amperage hours. That should be sufficient for your fishfinder, which will probably run on 12 volts power. For overload protection, most fishfinders also come with an in-line fuse. Shrink butt connectors and gauge wire may also be necessary.
For added convenience, easily detachable portable fish finder models are your best option. And of course, since you’ll be operating on the water, a waterproof unit may also be best for your needs particularly when using a kayak when fishing.
Using an electronic fishfinder isn’t cheating, no matter what the purists might say. After all, even the ancient Eskimos came up with a rudimentary version of the stethoscope so that they can detect the movement of walruses and seals under the ice. If basic fishing aids were good enough for renowned kayak fishermen such as Eskimos, then basic electronic fishfinders are acceptable as well. Besides, using them can be so much fun, especially when you catch fish much more often.
