Any kayak guys on here?

[BeastMan]

I love fishing from the bay boat but kayak fishing is such a different experience it's fulfilling in a different way. I've found that one stud fish will make a kayak trip while 1 stud fish is a disappointment on the bay boat. Every time I go out I find something I want to tinker with. Latest project is a 4 ft pvc shallow water anchor. I want something I can stab real quick. Have all the materials just waiting on the weekend to knock it out.

[SpeckleDawg]

I fish out of my kayak about 75% of the time now and have been doing so for years. I absolutely love it. It's just so much easier to load/unload, clean up, transport & no motor/gas/oil to worry about. A sub-par trip in the boat really can feel like a stellar day in the kayak. All that said, it's frustrating as hell when you pick a bad spot and can't find any fish. It's much harder to pick up and move than it is to just make a run to a new spot in the boat. FYI, if you haven't already done it, you really should haul the kayak to Cat Island in the bay boat and fish the bayous. It's a blast.

. Latest project is a 4 ft pvc shallow water anchor. I want something I can stab real quick. Have all the materials just waiting on the weekend to knock it out.

I made one out of an 8ft fiberglass pole that was ordered online in a group buy. I just epoxied a T handle on top and it works great. At 8ft, it's a bit cumbersome in the kayak, but it's perfect for my little jon boat that I fish lights with at night a lot.

A few pics from the last few years in the yak:

[sleepy dawg]

I love fishing from the bay boat but kayak fishing is such a different experience it's fulfilling in a different way. I've found that one stud fish will make a kayak trip while 1 stud fish is a disappointment on the bay boat. Every time I go out I find something I want to tinker with. Latest project is a 4 ft pvc shallow water anchor. I want something I can stab real quick. Have all the materials just waiting on the weekend to knock it out.

I'm a kayaker, and a fisherman, but have yet to put the 2 together. I do have a "fishing" kayak, just in case I want to start fishing from it. Most of my kayaking has been around exploring and being in nature. We dropped the other day where the Pearl river crosses Highway 25 and kayaked down the camp site before low head dam.... of course stopping every so often to make sure folks are caught up on their beer drinking.

[BeastMan]

Great pics spec. This summer I'm definitely taking the yak to Cat. 2 spots I like that I would never try to get the boat is the small pond at smugglers point and that marsh on the north side.

Sleepy, I've just gotten in the the kayak fishing really. This is my 3rd summer with a yak, 2nd since I upgraded. I'm just now getting g comfortable with my setup and what my capabilities are. Me and 2 buddies are taking the yaks to GI in June. I'm slowly falling in love with the yak for a lot of the same reasons Speck said. It's a simplistic way to fish.

[SapperDawg]

Got a Native Ultimate 12. I hunt out of it, and mainly fish Guntersville and and Flint River out of it. Extremely versatile, and I likely use it way more than I would a boat for a fraction of the price.

[SpeckleDawg]

Got a Native Ultimate 12. I hunt out of it, and mainly fish Guntersville and and Flint River out of it. Extremely versatile, and I likely use it way more than I would a boat for a fraction of the price.

I have always really liked the Ultimates, but never tried one. It seems like it would be great for my marsh fishing, but not so much in open water. The storage space makes me think it would be great for paddle in camping.

[SapperDawg]

I have always really liked the Ultimates, but never tried one. It seems like it would be great for my marsh fishing, but not so much in open water. The storage space makes me think it would be great for paddle in camping.

I have been planning a float-in camping trip down the Chickasawhay River for a while, just haven't pulled the trigger yet. You are right, though, lots of space for your gear. I regularly haul a rifle or shotgun, loaded backpack, chair and other gear for my hunting trips with no problem....and save the room in front for a boned out deer/turkey.

Works great in shallow water, but I have had no problems on the G'ville open water either. With all the $50K bass boats running around there kicking wakes like barges, I don't have to worry about any lapping and have never been wet.

I like the newer models they have out now for the functionality of the new seat design (sits higher) and ease of adding accessories with the rail system.

[Uncle Ruckus]

I'm probably buying one when I get home from work in May. Friend of mine is a big time tournament fisher who placed 2nd in the world tournament two years ago. He's going to use his connections and get me a good deal on one, I just don't have any idea what I'm going to get

[BeastMan]

I'm probably buying one when I get home from work in May. Friend of mine is a big time tournament fisher who placed 2nd in the world tournament two years ago. He's going to use his connections and get me a good deal on one, I just don't have any idea what I'm going to get

That's awesome. The next kayak I get (and I'm not looking) will be a peddle drive like the native propel or hobie pa.

[SpeckleDawg]

That's awesome. The next kayak I get (and I'm not looking) will be a peddle drive like the native propel or hobie pa.

Those PA's are fine, but heavy and $$. Don't you have an Ascend? How do you like it? I have been contemplating pulling the trigger on one for a while. They appear to be a great deal for what you get. My old 14' Heritage is getting a little rough and I would like a 12' to avoid using the bed extender in the future. I really like the raised seats that most have now.

[Maroonthirteen]

I kayak up here in North MS. One thing I would like to do, is kayak from the coast out to the barrier islands, camp a night and obviously back the next day. I am going to do it soon. I'd appreciate what you guys thought would be the best island? Month? I am trying to figure out when the bugs are not to bad and the fish are biting. I guess I should have tried it in February or this month......but life gets in the way. Fall...football and hurricanes.....

[SpeckleDawg]

I kayak up here in North MS. One thing I would like to do, is kayak from the coast out to the barrier islands, camp a night and obviously back the next day. I am going to do it soon. I'd appreciate what you guys thought would be the best island? Month? I am trying to figure out when the bugs are not to bad and the fish are biting. I guess I should have tried it in February or this month......but life gets in the way. Fall...football and hurricanes.....

I have only done Deer Island. Yeah, it's close to shore, but still nice at night on the south side. The other islands are just so far across open water...but some people do it. If there's no wind, there's pretty much always gnats/mosquitoes. Thermacells and a fire are the only thing that helped us. Last time I went was early March, a few years ago.

[Johnson85]

I kayak up here in North MS. One thing I would like to do, is kayak from the coast out to the barrier islands, camp a night and obviously back the next day. I am going to do it soon. I'd appreciate what you guys thought would be the best island? Month? I am trying to figure out when the bugs are not to bad and the fish are biting. I guess I should have tried it in February or this month......but life gets in the way. Fall...football and hurricanes.....

You could easily do Deer. Guessing that's probably not what you had in mind. I'd probably do Cat. A kayak will give you the most options there. And there are also people out there pretty much all the time to my knowledge, so if you ran into trouble, you'd have somebody that could help. It's probably the closest island too other than Deer. Maybe a mile closer than ship and probably a few closer than Horn.

[BeastMan]

Those PA's are fine, but heavy and $$. Don't you have an Ascend? How do you like it? I have been contemplating pulling the trigger on one for a while. They appear to be a great deal for what you get. My old 14' Heritage is getting a little rough and I would like a 12' to avoid using the bed extender in the future. I really like the raised seats that most have now.

Love the ascend and its layout. I'm starting to get real comfortable in my capabilities in it. Very flushable platform. It's not as sturdy as some of the high end yaks. For me it's fine because I don't use it a ton. It's more an extra/supplemental tool for me. Great for the price point but there is a reason that layout if only $700. I'm happy and will have it for years but the next yak I get will be the native or hobie.

As far as kayaking to barrier islands, I'd never do that although some do. I've been caught in nasty blow ups where I was uncomfortable in a 22 ft bay boat. Deer island would be ideal for kayaks. If you're dead set on kayaking tye barrier islands, take a mother ship. There are plenty of charters that offer "island tours" so I'm sure they'd brag kayaks out there for you.

[SpeckleDawg]

8 miles to Cat Island, 12 miles to Ship...That's a loooong way across open water in a kayak. There's a group that does the Cat Island paddle, but they have kayaks made for it, plenty of gear and several people. I know some do Horn Island, but it's still a serious trip. I can't recall the shortest distance to Horn, as I don't get over that way very often.

[BeastMan]

8 miles to Cat Island, 12 miles to Ship...That's a loooong way across open water in a kayak. There's a group that does the Cat Island paddle, but they have kayaks made for it, plenty of gear and several people. I know some do Horn Island, but it's still a serious trip. I can't recall the shortest distance to Horn, as I don't get over that way very often.

I remember one time I fished that reef that's visible east of the pass harbor. Went from flat to choppy quickly. Then the current pulled me so hard west I ended up a quarter mile from my truck when I paddled in. That's when I decided it was marsh fishing for me.

[BrunswickDawg]

Got a Native Ultimate 12. I hunt out of it, and mainly fish Guntersville and and Flint River out of it. Extremely versatile, and I likely use it way more than I would a boat for a fraction of the price.

Sapper - how is the fishing on Guntersville? I always wanted to fish there. Beautiful area.

Got to hit the water for about 90 minutes today with Dad. Caught the whiting running

[SapperDawg]

Sapper - how is the fishing on Guntersville? I always wanted to fish there. Beautiful area.

It is every bit as good as you have heard. First full moon in May I have a spot where the shellcrackers bed, and can catch a limit at any point. In the yak, a 2-wt fly rod and small popping bug in June and July is the ticket for some big bluegill and good times. Great crappie fishing in the spring and fall, and of course it is the only lake a 4 lb bass is considered average.

I could do without all the millfoil at times, but it is the reason the lake is so good.

[BeastMan]

Sapper - how is the fishing on Guntersville? I always wanted to fish there. Beautiful area.

Got to hit the water for about 90 minutes today with Dad. Caught the whiting running

Very nice catch. Delicious fish fry. We call those ground mullet but if I catch them that big in ms ill start calling it whiting in your honor lol

[SpeckleDawg]

Sapper - how is the fishing on Guntersville? I always wanted to fish there. Beautiful area.

Got to hit the water for about 90 minutes today with Dad. Caught the whiting running

Very nice. I always keep any nice sized ground mullet we catch. Great eating.