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FISHING UPDATE LIST
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Selecting A
Kayak for Fishing
Brick Twp. store
offers thousands of options
June 27, 2008 |
by Daniel Nee
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| A kayak displayed on
the wall of The Jersey Paddler, Brick,
shows what a kayak outfitted for fishing
includes. (Photo: Daniel Nee) |
As
water temperatures rose into the 60s in
mid-June, surf anglers and boat anglers both
thought that the striped bass season would blow
wide open.
It did, but not for them.
While surf anglers tossed fresh clams and metal
lures and boaters snagged bunker and trolled
spoons, it was those who were fishing from
kayaks who scored the biggest bass of the week.
Equipped with snagging rigs, tackle boxes full
of equipment stored on board, and even a
fishfinder and GPS device, these anglers
outscored those fishing any other method.
It’s not just about saving money over operating
a traditional center console. Today’s kayaks are
outfitted to catch fish efficiently and
productively. Many of today’s top fishing kayaks
allow anglers to put down their paddles and
peddle-powers their vessel, leaving more room
for bait, tackle and electronics.
Kayak is fishing is “no doubt” growing,
according to John Durrua, owner of
The Jersey Paddler in Brick, which features
the largest canoe and kayak inventory in the
nation.
For John, kayak fishing is all about versatility
and efficiency.
“I own a 17-foot boat with a 90 horsepower Honda
on the back,” he said. “Last year it cost me
$1,200 to have it services; I could have bough a
nice kayak for that price.”
It’s something more anglers are discovering as
fuel prices rise and trailing and operating a
boat becomes more expensive. For many anglers,
however, kayaking is a whole new world, and can
become complicated.
“I find that fisherman are not into the sport of
kayaking, they’re into the sport of fishing,”
John said. “Where a paddler is going to learn
how to roll and right his boat, the last thing
you want to do with your fishing kayak is roll
it because you have all you gear on board.”
In New Jersey, most kayak anglers want to fish
the ocean as well as the back bays, meaning a
versatile, stable boat is a must. John
recommends a sit-on-top boat for most
applications rather than the traditional
enclosed sea kayak that is popular on the west
coast. The Ocean Kayak brand was the first to
widely market sit-on-tops, but now Hobie and
Native Watercraft have exploded in popularity
among anglers. Hobie is the brand best known for
its peddle propulsion system, eliminating the
requirement to paddle.
“I really don’t think the world is ready for the
‘buy it now’ button in kayaks,” John said,
adding that anglers and prospective paddlers
must test drive a kayak before deciding it is
correct for a specific application. The Jersey
Paddler offers customers test-drives so they can
decide which boat is the right one.
“There is a lot of competition,” John said. “I
think the thing is really fit and feel for most
people.”
Sit-on-top kayaks range in size from nine feet
to 17-feet and are available with add-ons
including rod holders, cup holders, cushioned
seats, spray deflectors, tackle storage,
electronics hookups and the venerable peddle
system.
Examples of good boats for both ocean and bay
applications include the Ocean Kayak Frenzy
model or their Scrambler 11 model. For most
anglers, choosing the correct size is one of the
most important aspects of deciding to purchase a
kayak for fishing.
“The biggest thing I tell people not to do is
get a boat that’s too short,” John said. “People
buy boats that they can store in the garage or
carry in their pickup trucks, but when it gets
down to using it, it’s not as good.”
John recommends a 12-foot boat for fishing.
Anglers can always choose to upgrade to
something larger if they want to take the sport
to the next level.
“You can decide what kind of fisherman you are,”
he said.
[Editor’s note:
The Jersey Paddler is located at 1756 Route
88 in Brick Township.]
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