Trolling With Your Kayak- How To

[kayak1]

Trolling with your kayak can be very productive in many ways....... I have used trolling to find fish in open water or just while I paddle to where I'm fishing.

The kayak is only powered by you so the speed is much less then with a power boat.....The slow speed and stealth of your kayak will work to your advantage each and every time.

In the early spring when fishing the bay.....I will use the trolling method around bridges or the fall along the beach fronts....... If your going to try this in the ocean October - December stay around 100 yards from land or just past the first wave.....Trust me!!!!!

Rigging the yak for trolling is easy...... your going to need a good rod holder and a Downrigger Release sold at any good B&T.

The Downrigger Release can be clipped any place on the kayak.....I like to use the hook for my seat on the right side......This will keep your line down lower so more line is in the water.....plus this will help with the action of what your going to be trolling......Just be sure to set the your reel drag......also your Downrigger Release must be set.....

Bunker Spoons...... YES Bunker Spoons.....Most of these will come with a removable lead.....This will keep the spoon below the surface where you need it to be.......Keep in mind your in a kayak not a power boat using wire line.

Umbrella Rigs- There are 2 Umbrella Rigs that I have found to be great.....Venom and Yum both come in 1-3 oz....... This Umbrella Rigs can be rigged with any soft plastic bait you want.....I like the center bait to be much larger.....and hang back 8"-12" from my 4 smaller baits.

Live Eels- Hook a 10" Eel with no weight and just drag the Eel while you paddle.....This would work great around the jetty's in Monmouth County.

I hope you kayak guys give this a try on your next trip out.....I look at it this way.....I need to paddle to get to where I'm fishing.....So why not put a soft plastic over the side.

Try It.....It Works!!!!
Kayak-1

[boogeyklat]

i know this is an old thread but...

I recently bought a hobie pa after being landlocked my whole fishing life.  I must say its a whole new experience.  I used to work as a field biologist and kayaking through the back bay creeks has really brought me back to why I started fishing again... To get outdoors and to study local ecology while trying to outsmart some of my favorite finned friends. 

I just found this site and I must thank you for your detailed posts. 

I don't usually fish with bait but I trolled an eel this weekend with no luck but I was curious how to deal with keeping at the right depth since it kept changing as I drifted.  Also I was suprised that the bait shop was selling fresh water eels for saltwater fishing.  Can they survive the salt water?

Any help would be great and thanks again for all your time on this site.  I am just getting started reading threads..

[gymrat987654321]

Also I was suprised that the bait shop was selling fresh water eels for saltwater fishing.  Can they survive the salt water?

Don't know a thing about kayaking so I can only help with this question. Naturally, all eels are saltwater fish. Its the juveniles that spend time in freshwater streams and rivers. As they mature they leave the freshwater rivers for the ocean.

[Bucktail]

 

Like stripers, the eels you bought are anadromous (meaning they mostly live in saltwater, but spawn in freshwater).  As such they can survive in either.

[boogeyklat]

I had no idea that the eels I caught as a kid in the river where I live leave for saltwater. We catch them and use them for bait for flatheads. I need to do some homework. Thanks for the info.

[gymrat987654321]

Actually I believe they are the opposite of striped bass. Eels are catadromous species, meaning they live most of their life in freshwater, but spawn in saltwater. That's the biologist in me talking lol either they they survive in both.

Had to do some quick research lol

[Bucktail]

I don't know how I missed this response, but you are right.  I stand corrected.  Good job Rat.