KAYAK fishing is one area of angling that is currently enjoying a strong surge.
Every stretch of water I pass lately seems to have at least a couple of yakkers cruising along casting lures at likely looking structure. I usually do a subliminal survey of the kayaks they are using and one statistic that has really caught my attention is the number of anglers choosing to pedal rather than paddle.
With visions of venturing onto larger waterways and heading offshore to tackle some larger species such as snapper and mackerel I’d contemplated buying a new ‘yak myself. I was keen to get something longer, faster and more functional than my current ride, one that’s also well suited to fishing small creeks for bass and bream.
After much deliberation I decided to give the boys at Sailing Scene at Sydney’s Mona Vale a call and tee up a test ride in a couple of Hobie Mirage Drive ‘yaks. After a test pedal on Outback and Revolution models I decided on the Revolution due to its extra length, in-hull storage and narrower beam. It basically ticked all the boxes I needed for a fishing platform and importantly covers the water very rapidly.
Being able to test before you buy is a huge benefit and I recommend to anyone in the market to try before you buy. Some businesses offer this service, some don’t. If you’re torn between two models, it’s the only way to break the deadlock and can mean the difference between loving and using your ‘yak often or watching it gather dust in the garage.
I’m happy to say I’ve found my dream ride and the entire process was very pain free, many thanks to the expertise and service from the boys at Sailing Scene. I’ve fitted some extra rod holders and managed to catch some nice bream during its maiden voyage. I found out very quickly there are some subtle differences between pedal and paddle power when fishing that I’ll cover in an upcoming article in the Boat Fishing section of Fishing World magazine.
In the future I have plans to fit a live bait tank, a colour sounder GPS combo and VHF radio and a few other trick bits. I’m looking forward to tackling some big reds and macks on my new toy, so stay tuned. It’s bound to get interesting!
Have you been bitten by the yak bug? Are you paddling or pedalling?
