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Kayak Fishing: An Ultimate Recreational Gear

As comforting as it is rewarding, Kayak fishing is a perfect activity for those who love getting close to nature. A kayak can easily pave its way through locations that would not be reachable by ordinary means. Kayaking allows people to create wonderful opportunities for viewing wide life and gently slide into those natural spots where seldom-seen animals like river otters can be viewed.

Anglers are finding out joy and benefits of kayaking and sport fishing. Kayaking is not only a relaxing and fun activity; many people embrace this activity for a number of reasons. Some of the best reasons include fishing, health and fitness, photographing wildlife, competitive racing, diving or just spending a peaceful afternoon floating down a stream or lazy creek.
Another reason behind popularity of kayaking is customization of recreational kayaks by kayak dealers. Kayaks these days are available with fish finders, Rod holders, bait containers and anchor trolleys. Some manufacturers have even developed a completely unique way of kayak propulsion i.e. by using pedals instead of a single paddle. Additionally, you will also find exclusive gear design especially for kayak fishing.

Types Of Kayaks

For anyone who is new to this paddle-sport, choosing amongst wide variety of kayaks can be a daunting task. This is because; each type of kayak is designed for some specific purpose. To choose a kayak, you first need to decide how you're going to utilize it. Once you have decided it, the list will become narrower. If categorized loosely, kayaks are of three main types: Whitewater Kayaks, fishing kayaks and ocean kayaks.

Whitewater kayaks

Undisputedly, Whitewater kayaks are the most common of all recreational kayaks available. There are a number of kayak specialty stores that stock Whitewater kayaks because of its popularity and the fact it is used to for kayaking on Whitewater Rivers. Although pecking on Whitewater is considered dangerous but these kayaks allow rapid changing directions in order to avoid submerged trees, rocks and other possible obstacles. Whitewater kayaks are quite shorter than other type of kayaks and feature a tapered bow and a large stern.

Ocean Kayaks

Also known as sea kayaks, ocean kayaks are perfect for racing board long-distance travel in different ocean conditions. They are the longest type of kayaks available and are easily available. You can even find ocean kayaks that are as long as 24 feet. Ocean Kayaks have better maneuverability and these kayaks are long and so maintain their momentum well.

Fishing Kayaks

People from Greenland and Alaksa has been using fishing kayaks from centuries but in United States they have recently been started to be used as a viable fishing and sport vessel. Fishing kayaks are much wider than other type of kayaks.

Fishing kayaks can probably be divided into two different types each having their own drawbacks and benefits. These are the Sit on Top Kayaks and Sit-In Kayaks. Sit on Top Kayaks are for new kayakers and Sit-In Kayaks are for experienced.  

Reasons Behind Kayaks popularity

Kayaks are known for maneuverability, comfort, convenience and stability. Kayaks have evolved into variety of specialized crafts that can meet specific needs. Kayaks are available in different types and are easily available in market with a number of thought-out features.

Low Cost and Maintenance: Compared to traditional fishing boats, kayaks involve very low maintenance and cost. Moreover, kayaking does not make use of fuel, insurance or registration. Moreover, these crafts need little storage space and are very easy to load and pack. This means, you do not required to stand in lines and wait as a boat ramp is not a necessity for launching a kayak.

Healthy Exercise: Kayaking is not only a fun activity; it is indeed a healthy exercise also. Kayaking involves recreational paddling because of which you can develop endurance, to your muscles and stay fit. Kayaking also makes a good cross-training activity. Paddling is a great upper body workout.

Easy Fishing: With help of a kayak, a fisherman can easily get to area as that is otherwise unreachable. Moreover as there is no use of motor, there is no noise because of which the fishes do not get any chance of hiding up. This boosts the fish catching ability. Moreover, paddling a kayak creates currents that literally mimic the natural water flow, because of which there is no disturbance to the schools of fish. Moreover, paddlers get access to do those areas where bigger boats cannot go. With kayaks, you won't even have problem paddling in shallow water ways as in kayaks it is possible to paddle even in few inches of water.

Nature: Kayak fishing presents a perfect opportunity of slowing down and taking it all in. Quiet and slow paddling does not only allow the fisherman to watch marine life from close, it also enables one to enjoy nature serenity. One more appealing aspect about kayak fishing is that it poses almost no risk of damage to the environment.

Choosing A Kayak

It is possible to counter the likely disadvantages such as storage issues and lack of comfort by choosing a kayak suited to your needs.

If calm water fishing is in your mind, you must choose sit-on-top kayaks. Carefully note the sitting height while choosing a kayak for yourself. It is better to choose a kayak that sits high as it will enable you to have better sight and also make you more visible to others.

In case you're planning to go fishing in ocean, it is better that you choose a specially designed “surf” or “sea” kayak. Also consider the color of your kayak. Choose the one that is bright yellow, red or orange in color. This will increase the chances of your kayak being more visible. Also pick the length of your kayak carefully. The length of the kayak should be chosen according to your preference for tracking ability, speed and agility. Keep in mind that longer kayaks have better tracking ability and they also move faster than their shorter counterparts. Choosing short boats would be better if you need to take quicker turns. If you're looking for a kayak that can move faster and father, choose the one that has a rudder.

Other things that you must take into consideration before choosing a kayak is how comfortable it is, the kind of legroom it has, whether the kayak will be able to change positions on not, availability of storage area and the fact that your choice of kayak is sturdy and stable.
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