Anglers who fish from kayaks do so because of the watercraft’s stealthy maneuverability. Kayak fishing allows fishermen to quietly move around in shallow, narrow waters and sneak up on easily spooked fish. Kayak angling also means cutting down on stowed gear, though almost to minimalist proportions, which means you’ll have to be selective on which combos you take along. Here are 3 setups to make your next outing a success:
1. Jighead/Soft Plastic Combo
Rig your first rod with a ¼ oz jighead and pair it with a soft plastic minnow, such as the H&H purple/chartreuse tail cocahoe minnow. It’s also smart to keep a popping cork on hand, too. This allows you to fish the plastic as normal, but then you can clip on the cork if you need the extra noise to attract fish.
2. Spinnerbait Combo
Your second rod should be rigged with a searching lure, and a spinnerbait as the go-to lure for such an endeavor. The spinnerbait allows you to find out whether the fish are looking for something with more flash and action than the more subtle presentation that plastics offer. Use a larger blade with a lighter jighead if you’re fishing shallow in order to allow the bait to stay close to the surface. Also, in shallow, marshy areas, the spinnerbait will be able to swim through vegetation without the risk of snagging.
3. Topwater Combo
Arm your third rod with a topwater lure. Favorites here include time-tested classics like the Super Spook Junior, buzzbaits, or any type of topwater popper. Most anglers will lean towards the popper in shallower waters where the fish are warier, or if the main forage at that time of the year is shrimp.
