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How To Buy A Kayak For Beginners

Anyone interested in buying a kayak will find out that there’s a multitude of kayak types available on the market. Be sure to perform a good amount of research before committing to your first kayak. It is also a good idea to rent the style of kayak that you are most interested in before actually buying it in order to get a sense of how it performs on the water.

Seat Placement And Balance

There are hundreds of kayak brands. What matters most is the type of kayak that you purchase. The type refers to the kayak’s hull or body shape and characteristics. Search for kayaks that have the seat as close to the center of the kayak track as possible. Seats placed more towards the rear of the kayak tend to be more challenging to balance on the water. Any beginning kayaker will be concerned with maintaining balance so he should immediately discount all kayaks that do not have seats in the center.

The Importance Of A Large Cockpit

Kayakers who are taller than average will want a kayak with a spacious and large cockpit. This will make it easier to get in and out of the boat, which is often a challenge for larger people. If you buy a kayak with too small of a cockpit, you’ll likely sour on the idea of kayaking because you’ll dread the entry and exit process and you won’t be able to store all the materials that you want to bring with you on your kayak outings.

Recreational Kayaks

Beginners should opt for a recreational kayak that empowers them to paddle through the water at a casual pace. Recreational kayaks can be used in rivers, ponds, salt marshes and ocean bays. They can fit between one and three occupants. Recreational kayaks are ideal for taking pictures of the natural environment and for those who want to fish. They are the widest kayaks available, which makes them the easiest to control. They also have the largest possible cockpit openings so that you can get in and out without a hassle. Most recreational kayaks are 12 feet long or less so that they can be lifted with ease. This style of kayak is quite affordable so it is perfect for beginning kayakers. Most recreational kayaks will cost between $300 and $900.

Plastic Kayaks Vs. Fiberglass Kayaks

In terms of the kayak’s construction, the two top choices are fiberglass and plastic. Plastic is more durable but it also scratches much easier. Fiberglass has a greater chance of fracturing or puncturing and repairing either of these problems will be a royal pain for a beginning kayaker. Keep in mind that kayaks do run into rocks and other objects while on the water, so plastic is the better of the two material choices.

Kayak Widths And Lengths

The kayak width will decide the amount of paddling that you need to perform to get the boat moving and also determine its stability in the water. Kayaks on the longer side with less width will be able to move through the water with minimal paddling effort but they’ll be more difficult to turn. Shorter and wider kayaks will be much more stable in the water and take on waves without problems but they’ll also require more paddling effort.

Kayak Colors

Don’t underestimate the importance of your kayak’s color. While it might seem trivial, it is actually quite important. If you overturn or if you become stranded, you’ll want a kayak that is bright in color so that it can be noticed from far distances. This will help others see you and come to your rescue.

image credit: By Entheta (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons

Tips On Using A Fish Finder For Shore Fishing

By Shane 1 Comment

It might seem unnecessary to use a fish finder for shore fishing, but it can really be helpful. If you know how to use this tool, you can find big lunkers hanging around in unlikely spots near shore. Check out some of our tips below for the best result with your fishing gadgets. And if you’re still shopping for one, check out our latest fish finders reviews.

Scan Your Shoreline’s Bottom

The best way to find bigger fish near shore is to know the shore bottom. Big fish love to hang out near the shoreline because there are so many ambush spots to capture prey. They can ambush all types of fish, even larger ones which makes for a better meal.

Bass (including striped bass), perch, snook, pike and muskey will cruise shore lines looking for deep holes, downed logs, or underwater rocks that act as cover. Anything they can hide behind to surprise an unsuspecting fish is ideal.

Use your fish finder to locate not only boulders but downed logs, and underwater holes. These will appear as deep spots with your fish finder. Once you have one, mark it. But don’t forget that shoreline change every year, and some will change week-to-week. Big storms, floods, and other natural occurrences can change bottom near the shoreline significantly. So, scan yours every time you go out and fish, if possible.

Locate the Best Shoreline Rifts

Shorelines also create excellent rifts, undercurrents and bends where fish will hunt prey. The big lunkers will hunker down on these rift areas and just wait for unsuspecting minnows to swim by. Confused by the currents and changing conditions, it is the best possible place to find an easy meal.

Your fish finder can help locate these current spots. Set up near a bend along the shoreline and cruise along until you find troughs on the bottom. This indicates a current rift–the current will strip bottom away over time.

Next, find the ambush spots in or near the rifts. These can be logs, boulders, or any type of structure.

Park yourself a ways down from the rift and cast into it retrieving your lure against the current and letting it fall back to your ambush spots. Now, you are fishing a rift with perfect cover for big bass, pike or muskey.

Finding Shoreline Channels

Fish will swim along undefined channels near the shoreline. They are not easy to see with the naked eye. They are sometimes just a series of boulders, logs and structure.

These “safe passage” zones are similar to our highways. They provide a relatively easy way to get from point A to point B. These channels are easier to see on a fish finder.

Troll back and forth across the shoreline and note where you see the drop offs on your chart. You’ll begin to understand how the bottom is built, and find the holes, ridges and alleys where fish are likely to be traveling.

Once you have these alley ways plotted out you can start hunting for the big lunkers. They will cruise along these fish highways looking for a passing meal. So, be ready with a big lure and plenty of patience.

Duck Hunting Tips For Beginners

By Shane Leave a Comment

Image by Tina Shaw, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Whether you have been hunting for your entire life or this is your first time out, duck hunting is incredibly exciting and a bit different than deer hunting.

With a deer, you are most likely going to hunt with a rifle and scope. However, the 12 gauge is your weapon of choice with duck hunting. Plus, the ducks are smaller targets and have the advantage of flight. Due to this, there are a few basic tips you need to follow in order to set yourself up for success.

Use Decoys

Decoys are fake ducks that you set up in order to draw the attention of other ducks. Of course, it helps when you know the species of ducks you are going to be hunting. However, if you are not really sure, always go with a mallard. The mallard can fit in just about anywhere and a few decoys are not all that expensive. Before you go buying duck hunting equipment though, always try to learn as much as you possibly can about the animals you intend to hunt and the species that are prevalent in the area. This helps you determine the right kind of equipment for your hunting needs.

Selecting Guns

When it comes to selecting the gun, you always want a 12 gauge shotgun. Of course, there are different 12 gauge options out there. A semi-automatic allows you fire off more rounds, but a pump-action shout gun gives you a more true aim and is not going to misfire on you. You can go old fashion and opt into a double barreled shotgun, but you might want to hold back if you are less experienced as you only have two shots. Just know that you can only have a maximum of three shells in your gun though, as anything more and it is actually illegal for hunting. You also need to know that any sort of lead shot is illegal due to lead poisoning. If you have a favorite kind of shell though, outside of this sort of toxic shell, you are more than welcome to use it.

Switch up the Camouflage

You need to wear a slightly different kind of camo when hunting ducks, depending on where you are at. If you are in a marsh, go for a brown grass pattern. If you are in the woods, opt for a bark and leaf variation. You also need to consider covering your face in camo paint as well, as ducks have better eye sight than deer and they are going to notice the sun glare off of your face easily.

Duck Calls

One of the biggest problems with this is new hunters overuse a duck call. With proper scouting, you never actually need a duck call. Of course, if you want to practice, the best way to do this is to go to a local pond and listen to the ducks to hear their tempo and pitch. This should help you learn a proper duck call.

Understand Skybusting

Skybusting is when you fire into the air at a duck that is flying away. However, anything really more than 35 years should not be fired at. If you do, you are either going to miss completely or cripple it. It also can frighten the ducks away from other hunters.

For more assistance, take a look at our essential duck hunting gear checklist to get yourself fully outfitted before heading out.