Fishing from a Lithium-Ion Battery Powered Kayak

Fishing from a Lithium-Ion Battery Powered Kayak

Intro

Kayak fishing offers an experience that fishing out of a boat simply cannot offer. The stealth of the small vessel allows you to get into areas that are impassable for the common boat. You also do not need a special ramp or access point to launch a kayak, you can often launch from any public area that has access to the water. As far as catching fish, most will argue that the pleasure from catching one with a kayak surpasses the enjoyment you get from standing on a boat. Feeling the fish pull you around an area is one of the many reasons why people decide to fish from a kayak. However, fishing from a kayak does have its restrictions such as a weight limit, a limited area in which you can fish, and the dangers of fishing from a kayak in rough waters. Aside from these three things, investing in a kayak for fishing is worth it.

Where to fish

Locating fish in a kayak is the same as locating them from the shore or a regular boat. In the spring or fall, finding points with limited current will suit you well. Baitfish often hold up in these areas and attract larger fish that feed on them. Once you have located a point that might possibly hold fish, target near the backside of the point where the current forms what is called an eddy. This will hold the baitfish in one area, concentrating them for feeding hours. Other good areas to target fish are around any kind of structure such as a brush pile or a boat dock. Baitfish tend to feed on the small zooplankton that is produced for the algae that is formed on this structure. Also, the shade from the structure provides the larger fish to hide and ambush prey. During winter months, deep channels and road bends will be the best spot to target fish. The water temperature and oxygenation from these deep areas allow for the fish to survive all winter no matter the conditions. Finding rock piles in these areas are essential as they will provide food such as snails, crawfish, or worms when baitfish isn’t as plentiful. Whatever area you tend to fish for, try to find an area that is least pressured. This might even mean a long, miserable kayak paddle to the fishing area of your choice. A good way to cheat the system is to use a lithium-ion battery to power a trolling motor. You will most definitely benefit from using this and will catch more fish. You can also run other things such as a depth finder off of the lithium-ion battery from BlueNova Lithium which will give you a better sense of what is below the water.

Best time to fish

Depending on which species you are targeting, the time of year plays a big role in your success. For instance, if you are targeting bass, early spring and late fall are the best times to fish. Bass spawn during the spring so fishing for them when they are making their beds and loading up on food will be the best chance to catch large bass. During the late fall, it is common to find bass that are schooled up feeding on topwater baitfish. This is considered the most fun time to fish since you will be able to visibly see the fish bite. You will also be catching more fish during this time. A kayak with a BlueNova lithium-ion battery is a great option during the late fall because you will still be quiet enough to get close to the fish without scaring them, but you will be able to follow the school of fish and keep up with them by using the trolling motor. However, if you are targeting catfish, wintertime is often the best time to go. During the cold winter months, catfish tend to congregate around boat docks in search for shad to feed on. This makes them much easier to catch once they are located. However not all docks will have catfish under them. This is when a depth finder comes in good hands. You will be able to run a depth finder off of a lithium-ion battery all day long before it dies. This is important because you can pull up to a dock, scan the area for baitfish, and decide if it is worth fishing or not. Finding out where the fish are NOT just as important as finding out where they ARE. By using a kayak with a lithium-ion battery, you will be able to use different tactics to catch fish during any time of the year.

What species are best to target from a kayak

When deciding which species is best to target from a kayak, it all comes down to personal preference. Fishing for small panfish such as bluegill and crappie are great choices because of the amount of action you will have. Finding a bed of bream during the summer months is considerably easy and will host hundreds of fish. Fishing for panfish is a great way for a kayak fisherman to start out.

Bass are also another popular option to fish from a kayak. The incredible intensity of a bite from a bass is enough to get someone hooked on the species. You will also be able to fish for bass in areas that boaters cannot such as lily pads or thick grass beds. Bass tend to hold up in the areas in the warm months and can become large in size. Just be careful when setting the hook and make sure you don’t flip your kayak.

Targeting catfish is a very underrated experience. Not only are the fish opting to bite nearly any kind of smelly, bloody bait, but they also put up a great fight. Feeling a large catfish pull you around the lake will give you one of the biggest adrenaline rushes of your life. The bite of a catfish is often so ferocious, it will startle you, especially in a kayak. But the most enjoyable part is when you get a large catfish to the top of the water, the sheer size of the fish is put into perspective since you are essentially in the water with it.

Whichever fish you decide to pursue, try different tactics and techniques so that when things get tough, you can always adjust to something different. Also, don’t be afraid to try different species or a species you haven’t targeted before. Oftentimes, learning something new is the most gratifying and exhilarating experience that you can feel when fishing. Since no one can never master fishing, being the best at it is a goal that we can all strive for but will never achieve. So don’t be afraid to take ‘jack of all trades’ approach to the species you pursue.

General Kayak Safety

While kayak fishing can be as fun and seemingly easy experience, following safe habits could possibly save your life. For starters, choosing a kayak is one of the most important decisions to make. Make sure to read the weight limit to make sure that the small vessel can support your body weight and the weight of all your gear. Another good safety tip is to check the weather before going out to fish. While it could be sunny and calm once you launch, getting caught in a severe thunderstorm a mile or more from the boat launch could cause problems. Using a GPS powered by a lithium-ion battery will assure that you are always aware of where you are and you won't get lost, which is a common mistake by many kayakers. If you are ever fishing in a kayak, always wear a life jacket. Even experienced kayakers end up in the water sometimes. If you aren’t able to flip it over, drain it, and get back in, you could be so tired from treading water that you could drown. A life jacket is by far the most important piece of gear that you could possibly bring.

Conclusion

Fishing out of a kayak offers experiences that will stay in your memories forever. So before you go out, make sure to do as much research about the area you will be fishing as possible. Look at online forums, watch videos, or simply as others what the fish are doing at that time. Try your best to diversify the fish species you will target, this way all year long will be filled with action and fun. Also, highly consider using a lithium ion battery to power all of your on board equipment, this will make your experience easier and much more enjoyable. But above all, use safe practices and stay focused on keeping the kayak upright. Once you get comfortable with going over the top to stay safe, the amount of enjoyment you will experience will multiply. So don’t hesitate, grab your lithium-ion battery and kayak and get out there to chase some fish!