Getting into kayak fishing? Here are 8 expert tips for success

# 4  KNOW YOUR STRENGTHS

At the risk of sounding like a motivational speaker, I believe the key to consistent kayak-fishing success is simple: exploit your strengths, and work around your weaknesses. When I first got my kayak, I took it to popular fishing spots on nearby lakes. There, my slow speed, short range and vulnerability to wind and waves proved to be a handicap, and I got no advantage from the kayak’s shallow draft, stealth and ease of launching. Then, I got it. Instead of starting from the public ramp and paddling a few klicks, I drove down the lake, parked on the side of the road, and launched at a little easement right by my fishing spot.

Eventually I got even craftier, using Google Earth and detailed maps to find makeshift launch spots with access to kayak-friendly waters—places powerboats tend to overlook or avoid. Believe me, if you find a spot that has no boat ramp, or requires a two-minute portage, or is guarded by prop-killing rocks, you’ve found a spot that gets no serious fishing pressure. Live it up—and keep it off social media, too.