What Is Kayak Bass Fishing? (And 6 Things To Use As Bass Fishing Lures)

We normally hear anglers saying we are going out for kayak bass fishing. But, there are different types of bass like largemouth, smallmouth, rock, striped, and black sea bass among other fish species. These fish are associated with certain things known to fishers in those locations. Bass fishing is believed to be a mental sport and the amount of confidence and intelligence a particular angler has determined how his or her fishing day will be. As they say, casting without confidence is pure chance, not fishing!

Key Takeaways

• A sit-on-top kayak is generally recommended for bass kayak fishing
• The sit-in, sit-on-top has less confinement, is much more stable, and there is no trouble getting in and out
• The short kayaks are more maneuverable and are much faster than the long ones therefore they are not a good option when it comes to base fishing
• You should look for a kayak that will give you maximum space or mount a crate for extra storage room

What Is The Best Kayak For Bass Fishing?

When it comes to this kind of fishing, several boats will do the job perfectly. However, the sit-on-top kayak is generally recommended for angling. Unlike, the sit-in, sit-on-top has less confinement, is much more stable, and there is no trouble getting in and out. Besides, less confinement ensures ease of casting lures and reeling in the catch.

But for you to get the best kayak for bass fishing, you should consider some of these significant features. Among them are length, kayak stability, storage, room for electronics, keel or no keel, portability, multiple rod holders, and paddle holder.

Though sincerely speaking, finding a yak rigged to fish will provide you with a more enjoyable time and experience. At the same time, you are enhancing the limitless potential for your new obsession.

As we mentioned earlier, this kayak fishing has become very popular, and now the kayak industry has exploded with dozens of manufacturers out there. They are producing different types of kayaks for fishing following different types of waters. Competition for consumers is great, but one can easily get confused about which will suit his/her needs. Let’s go into detail on the features mentioned above so you can understand and pick the best vessel for bass fishing.

Here Are The Features To Keep In Mind For The Best Kayak For Bass Fishing:

Length

The length of a kayak has an immense impact on how it will perform once on the water. However, the type of water you will use for bass fishing determines the suitable length. Generally, the short kayaks (less than 11 ft.) are more maneuverable and are much faster than the long ones (more than 12ft.).

For small ponds, creeks and backwaters use small yaks, but for bigger rivers and lakes or oceans, consider the longer model. Factor in your body size too because if you are six or five feet and weigh 260 pounds, you will not be comfortable in eleven feet yaks regardless of the water you fish in.

Yak Stability

Look for something stable enough that allows you to stand, and if you got a big body, opt for the wider ones for more stability—the bass-like spots where there is vegetation for them to catch their prey easily. You need to be stable where you are paddling and waiting to lure them.

Maximum Storage

As a bass fisher, you need to have enough room to store all the necessities and gear needed for this activity. So, look for something that will give you maximum space or mount a crate for extra storage room.

Keel Or No Keel

A keel is a shaped piece of plastic that sticks down into the water from the kayak hull and means speed and tracking. For this kind of fishing, opt for the keeled model, especially if you are fishing open water or trolling and expecting to stay in deep waters.

Room For Electronics

We have several boats in the market that are built to accommodate modern electronics. If you are going bass fishing in the lake, consider one that allows for electronics storage as you might be tempted to go with your gadgets.

Portability

Put this into consideration if you are planning to portage your fishing kayak into unknown waters. Something that will be easy and light to drag down that dirt path to the lake will be suitable.

What Are The Best Lures For Catching Bass?

Selecting and picking out the right bass fishing lures can be overwhelming at the same time enjoyable. Some of the recommended lures for bass fishing are plastic worms, bass jigs, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and topwater lures.  You can also choose to use live baits like worms, minnows, crayfish, grasshoppers, small sunfish, and frogs, among others.

With so many bass lures around to pick from, it is hard to know where you can start. But with the help of seasoned kayakers and several opinions from experience bass fishers, we assure you that the one listed above has proven ability and versatility to catch the bass.

Here Are The Best Bass Fishing Lures Explained:

Bass Jigs

Jigs lure is one that any seasoned bass fisherman could not miss in their gears, and it ranks number one on the list thanks to its versatility. Apart from the fact that these lures can cover the entire body of water during any season, they can be used in areas where it can be impossible to penetrate with other types of lures.

These lures are designed differently to suit the Arkie jig technique, among others. Arkie jig can cover many jig fishing techniques plus the fact that you skip, flip and pitch, swim them and work their deep structure. Pair these baits with some kind of a trailer such as a chigger craw, or a grass pig if you are swimming it.

Jigs top our list because anglers using them get a big bass bite, unlike other lures. However, learning jigs and their different ways to fish them might take time. Practice techniques often until you master them before investing time and money in any lures. A 3/8 oz. BICO Original jig is one of the most recommendable ones by many seasoned bass fishers.

Plastic Worms

When you look closely, the plastic worms are so lifelike, which is why bass will bite as it feels like their natural food. No wonder, they do not fight back to release the lure as they would in other types. These lures are the only ones that can be rigged as weedless, plus you can bury the hook into it and make it completely snag-proof to get into very weedy areas.

Ned rig, Texas rig, Carolina rig, Wacky rig, and also Drop Shot rig are some of the popular ones that you can opt for. The good thing is that plastic worms can be rigged in so many ways, depending on the presentation you want to achieve. Though all the worms mentioned play their role perfectly, the Texas rigs are the most common among bass fishermen globally. It’s the best choice for fishing vegetation as the rig is weedless.

The plastic worms come in numerous styles, colors, and sizes to choose from depending on the weather condition you are fishing in. Our top pick goes to Senko worms made by Gary Yamamoto for their significant outcomes.

Spinnerbaits

Spinnerbaits are one that is best for beginners as it covers a large area of water quickly and attracts bass without much effort. Its effectiveness is huge, and when the bass sees it, they see only the blade’s flash and the head/skit. These baits are completely weedless and pretty simple. When using spinnerbaits, you will need to reel it such that retrieval will be done straight to avoid losing your catch. 

Blades give bait resistance in the water, and you should be glad to know there are several styles of blades you can select from, which affect its resistance. The Willow blade, Indiana blade, and Colorado blade are some of the well-known blades around. They typically control the speed at which the bait travels, even if each one has different bait presentations and profiles.

Note that spinnerbaits come in various weights, and the most common size ranges between ¼ – ¾ ounces. The ideal lure weight depends on the depth you are fishing. KVD Finesse Spinnerbaits by Strike King beats many lures in this category.

Crankbaits

With crankbaits, you will take a short time to cover a wide area of water. They are best suited for anglers who fish around deep cover or in open water. You choose one wisely as they come in several shapes, sizes, weights, and running depths.

The fishing water depth will determine the ideal type of crankbaits. Note that getting the right one will play a major role in determining your bass fishing success simply because straight retrieve casting and retrieval is the recommended method. This kind of lure catches bass most of the time, especially when the right diving depth and color to trigger the bait are chosen. The Strike King Square Bill Crankbait is highly recommendable for someone who takes prefers using these types of lures.

Top Water Lures

In bass fishing, there is no more fulfilling moment for an angler than when one sees a fish jumping out of the water, ready to catch their bait. Using this kind of lure is extremely fun and very effective, and it could be the main reason most bass fishers prefer them. 

Topwater lures ripple the water’s surface, causing splashing and popping sounds that are hard for a bass to resist. It imitates a distressed prey that easily lures the bass who are eager to feed. Low light conditions make topwater lures stand out and are best used at night, late afternoon, early morning, and overcast days. They work well also during the windy season. Rop-R by Rebel is the most common and efficient one you will come across and is worth trying.

Live Baits

Before introducing all these artificial lures, live bait like those mentioned earlier was used by our older generation to catch bass fish. This method is still in use up to date, and it has proven to be even more effective. However, you have to be alert at all times to know the kind of live bait prey at different seasons and locations. With these, one can catch more bass fish than you can imagine, plus it is affordable. Before the option for live lures, it is important to understand the laws governing their use in the region you are planning to fish. 

What Is The Best Thing To Use To Catch Bass?

Catching bass is not pretty easy, but it’s possible when you have the right gears, and you know their location. You have to apply various techniques, and you must have the idea of some if your mission is to catch a bass. Artificial lures or live bait can be used to engulf them into your trap.

How Do You Catch Bass In A Kayak?

For you to catch the bass in a kayak, consider these three tips, i.e., pick the right equipment, choose when and where to fish, and finally learn techniques to catch bass. These three tips and the following bass fishing secrets will result in successful angling:

1. Red Fools The Fish– using the red lures make the fish think the bait is injured.

2. Keep Your Hook Sharp– Bass have boney jaws, and for your hook to penetrate, it should be sharp. Use a file to sharpen your hook. 

3. Look At Your Live Well Water-one can tell the lure color or the kind of lure by putting bass in the live well water, where they can spit you what they were feeding on and guide you throughout the day.

4. Face The Wind. This kind of fish likes to swim with the current, so they should find your bait before finding the boat. Be ready to fish with the wind in your face.

5. Fish Shallow In The Springs– during the spring season; the bass like to hang out in spawning beds. When the fishing concentrates on these areas, especially in the pockets and covers protected from the wind, they will guard their eggs. 

6. Fish Before The Storm– pressure makes bass fish active, so be keen on a wall of clouds moving in because this is when it’s out.  Bass isn’t likely to bait.

Tips For Catching A Bass

Picking The Right Equipment

The major step for catching this kind of fish is for you to have the right equipment. Here we are talking of:

1. Right Lure– there are known major types of lures that are best for catching them, including crankbaits, spinners baits, plastic worms, bass jigs, topwater lures, etc. that can be used anywhere anytime. You should choose the right color, however, to be on the safe side, pick one with natural color and one with a vibrant or bright side.

2. Use Live Bait– you can also fish with live bait instead of lures. Worms, minnows, and crawfish are some of the prominent types of live baits. People like worms because they are easy to carry and keep. Minnows and crawfish are harder to handle since you need to keep them in a bucket with water while fishing. 

3. Pick The Right Reel-spinning reel and open-faced reel are the common two types of reel used in bass fishing. You can also get the spin-cast reel referred to by many as the closed-faced reel. The main difference between these two reels is the level of expertise someone has. For beginners, a closed-face reel works perfectly.

Choosing When And Where To Fish

Location and timing matter a lot when it comes to bass fishing, as it determines success. Follow these guidelines for successful fishing:

1. Pre-spawn fishing– pre-spawn is the best time of the year for bass fishing simply because it’s during this period the fish are waking up from winter inactivity, ready to start the mating cycle. Water temperature should be above 55 to 60 degrees for females and males to start coming up in the waters to interact with one another. During this period, you will catch more bass closer to the shore or surface. But this doesn’t mean you can’t fish them during any other season.

2. Use A Map– get a map of the body of water where you are going to fish. It also shows you the depth of different spots of water and any drop-offs under the surface. During non-peak seasons bass lurks near the bottom. The map will also help you find structures underwater where bass like to hide.

3. Start The Right Time Of The Day– the early hours of the morning and the last hour of the day are the best time to catch a bass. Get into your fishing spot an hour before sunrise as bass likes to bait more at these times. But if you wish to fish in the middle of the day, look for them in out-of-the-sun areas and away from heat.

4. Fish Near Cover Areas as bass fish-like areas near objects or vegetation or any obstructions in the water. 

Learn Different Techniques To Catch Bass

Catching a bass might need different techniques based on various glasses of water. So make an effort to master a few as you gain expertise skills along the way. Learn how to catch bass using crankbait, spinnerbait, plastic worm, and other lures. Learn also how to use the live bait and how to attach them to the hook gently.

What Water Temp Is The Bass Most Active?

Knowing the right temperature range for the fish you are trying to catch is an important part of fishing. It is good when the water temperature is in the range that the fish prefer, they become more active and more likely to take bait presented. Here are the bass temperatures when there are more active:

1. Largemouth bass: 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit

2. Smallmouth bass:65-70 degrees Fahrenheit

3. Rock bass: 70-74 degrees Fahrenheit

4. White Bass: 65-70 degrees Fahrenheit

Is Kayak Fishing Worth It?

Yes, kayak fishing is worth it. It gives you better fish access as it is very versatile, portable, and efficient. Fishing is one of the kayak’s top functionality. If you are contemplating whether to get it or not, go ahead and buy one for fishing and have an experience like no other!

Does Largemouth Bass Bite Humans?

Largemouth Bass has small, needle-sharp teeth that can break your skin fairly easily if you don’t hold them correctly or when the bass starts to be aggressive. The good thing is that they don’t have the strong jaws of a shark; otherwise, you would not be able to hold them without bait.

Final Thought

With many things said and done, just remember your personal experience will have the most lessons to teach, and kayak bass fishing is a lifelong pursuit for many people. Learn what works for you and exploit those options. Many experienced anglers would be happy to share their knowledge; keep listening; you might find more helpful tips from the expert. The communities around fishing areas are so welcoming, get well along with others, and learn two to three things that might change your bass fishing positively!

References:

• https://1source.basspro.com/news-tips/kayaking/7862/kayak-bass-fishing-tips-and-tactics
• https://www.kayakbassfishing.com/resources/industry-news/