These narrow inflatables such as Kaboats or Scout 430 are great for adventures and fishing. They move fast with minimal power. They can even be paddled with a kayak paddle if you needed to. Folks will put seats on them, stand up grab bars, and many more accessories. Best part is you can buy them pretty affordably.

This was my first big catch on a kayak. My brother and I were fishing together from my Hobie Pro Angler 14. I had spent all my money to get this kayak. My brother and I went up to the Lewis and Clark Missouri River Dam in Yankton, South Dakota. My brother rode along on the back of the Hobie PA 14. This was the start of Kayak DIY. We took the kayak all the way up to the dam, and we were bow fishing carp and gar. On our way back we were doing a little bit of trolling and our lure wrapped around the Bill of a Paddle fish. The Paddle fish began pulling our Kayak against the current. Initially, I thought we snagged a log, but when I noticed we are getting pulled against the current I knew we were about to have a lot of fun. The line began screaming out of the real my brother sitting on the back of the Kayak was fighting it. I pedal towards the shore so we could better control the fight since current was high. When I got close to shore, I jumped out of the Kayak and I went straight to the bottom. I was foolish. I didn’t wear a lifejacket. I finally got back to shore and we were able to finish landing the Paddle fish. This is one of the first videos on my channel.

What camera or cameras do you take out on the water while you are filming.? I left GoPro because of issues they would have and went to the Insta360 line up. I have the Go Ultra on my hat, the Ace Pro 2 behind me as an over the shoulder shot, and the X5 basically front and center so it can get action from any angle.

Shark fishing from a kayak is all about having the right gear and knowing when to use your drag. I typically will use a Penn 6000 SpinFisher on an ugly stick. There are certainly people with fancier gear than me. I use a solid core lightweight wire leader with a circle hook matched to the size bait that I wished to use.
I prefer a light solid core leader because this allows the bait to drift more naturally in the current. I will either drift the bait with the Kayak or I will slowly tow the bait behind the Kayak. For the bait, I typically use a cut mullet or Lady fish. Simply cut the bait like a garlic loaf of bread and slap a hook in it. I typically will try to anchor the Kayak at a pinch point where the sharks have to funnel in.
I will look on satellite views for land structures that create a funnel effect. I usually will try to use the current or wind to my advantage and set out a scent trail (cut bait in a mesh bag) that leaves the funnel. After about 30 minutes or so we typically will have sharks following that scent into the funnel and up to my bait/kayak.

This was a favorite spot I used to paddle in my Wilderness Systems Tsunami 140. I wasn’t kayak fishing back then, but there were kayak fishermen who used to fish this lake.

The lakes in NH are especially beautiful to paddle in the fall. Lake Chocorua, NH with Mt Chocorua (good hiking) in the background.

I put together a list of kayak fishing charters around the country, organized by state. I went through every one of these myself — they’re legit kayak fishing operations, not rafts or river boats.

Quick heads up: the charter links below are my FishingBooker affiliate links. If you book a trip through one, it supports KayakDIY at no extra cost to you.

AL

Reel Southern Slam Kayak Fishing Charters — Gulf Shores · 5.0 (4 reviews) · trips from $275
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AR

Sugar Creek Outfitters — Bella Vista · 5.0 (7 reviews) · trips from $700
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AZ

AZ Legend Adventures Kayak Fishing — Cottonwood · 4.8 (11 reviews) · trips from $325
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CA

Tc’s Kayaking Fishing Adventures — San Diego · 5.0 (5 reviews) · trips from $125
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DE

Kayak Fishing Delmarva — Lewes · 5.0 (1 reviews) · trips from $275
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FL

JP Kayak Fishing and Tours — Grant-Valkaria · 5.0 (6 reviews) · trips from $200
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Jupiter Kayak Fishing LLC — Matlacha · 5.0 (4 reviews) · trips from $420
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Kayak Fishing Destin — Destin · 4.7 (3 reviews) · trips from $575
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Kayak Fishing Destin – Navarre — Navarre · no reviews yet · trips from $350
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Kayak Fishing – Panama City — Panama City · 3.7 (2 reviews) · trips from $350
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Kayak Fishing – Port St. Joe — Port St. Joe · 3.0 (1 reviews) · trips from $525
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Reel Edge Charters – Kayak Fishing — Palmetto · no reviews yet · trips from $300
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Snooking Around Kayak Charters — Fort Myers · no reviews yet · trips from $400
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HI

Boomkanani Inshore Adventure Club — Lahaina · 5.0 (8 reviews) · trips from $276
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MA

Yaks & Flats — Plymouth · no reviews yet · trips from $450
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MD

Slack Tide Kayak Fishing — Ocean City · 5.0 (3 reviews) · trips from $210
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ME

Bug Slingin’ Guide Service — Lincoln Plantation · no reviews yet · trips from $350
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NC

Katfish Kayak And Fishing Adventures, LLC — Hampstead · 4.9 (41 reviews) · trips from $400
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NY

Adirondack Canoe & Kayak Fishing — North Creek · 4.3 (3 reviews) · trips from $325
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SC

Paddles and Poles Kayak Fishing — Hilton Head Island · 5.0 (15 reviews) · trips from $250
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TX

Rocky Branch Kayak Charters — Aransas Pass · 5.0 (1 reviews) · trips from $200
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Know a charter I missed?

Reply below with the charter name and where they’re located. If it’s a legit kayak fishing operation, I’ll check it out and add it to the list.

With kayak fishing blasting off a lot more anglers are recording for content. My question is, what set up do you most enjoy while watching videos? I’ve seen a lot of insta360 that has some great editing software. The flawless movement/ camera angle while watching seems seamless.

My very first kayak was a 2010 Wilderness Systems Tsunami 140, took her all over New England from small lakes to ocean. Even bought a used second one so friends could go paddling with me! I has that kayak for about 10 years before selling her, and 6 months later, discovered Kayak fishing and got my first fishing kayak.

My current personal best bass 4lbs 13oz caught at Decker Lake Austin, TX April 25, 2025

Which would you pick — the Bixpy K-1 or the Newport NK180?

I’m split between the two and could use some guidance from you all.

The Bixpy is super light and portable with a wireless remote, but it costs more. The new K-Power module does let it run on third-party 24V batteries now, which helps.

The Newport NK180 puts out more thrust, costs less, and runs on any third-party 24V battery from the start — but it’s heavier and bulkier to mount.

If you were buying one today, which would you choose and why?

Simple Cup / Can Holder for kayak or paddleboards. It locks down to deck via bungee.
PETG is a good filament choice.

Post reply with photo if you 3D print this kayak cup holder! We want to see! Is there any design changes you think it needs?

I think the Mossa line up definitely has some advanced features. But in that being said I feel because they focused on the advanced features, there are a few missed opportunities in other departments. I feel like the Mossa line up should have some thru hull wiring plates that are replaceable. The Mossa is a 48 volt battery and you can get the wired adapter that converts a line to 12 volt and another linve for usb voltage. It would be nice if there were a few replaceable plates you could wire into and later if you sell the kayak just replace the plate and it is as good as new.

Has anyone checked out Falcon Sails? 🛶 They offer some really interesting sail options and different configurations/accessories for kayaks.

I’m particularly curious about their different sail sizes and how to choose the right size. For those who have experience with Falcon Sails, what sail size did you go with, and how has it performed?

I have a Swell Scupper 14 kayak and I’m trying to figure out which Falcon Sails size would be the best match. Would love to hear what others recommend!

The Pelican Intruder, 12 plastic boat that I saw at Icast was pretty cool. You could easily fit this in the back of a pickup truck. The company pelican international is looking at producing a deck kit for it. Several people make their own deck kits out of wood for these boats.

Do any of you have similar boats?
How have you rigged yours plastic bass boat?

Two seasons in, here’s my honest list.

BUY AGAIN:
1. Rail-mounted phone holder. Maps and photos without digging through a dry bag.
2. Anchor trolley kit. Being able to slide the anchor point from bow to stern changed how I fish current.
3. A good blunt-tip PFD knife like NRS makes. Used it twice on tangled line. Worth every penny. The NRS one I have doesn’t rust.
4. Stake-out pole. Quieter than an anchor in skinny water, and it doubles as a push pole.
5. A dry bag variety pack. The 5L one lives in my crate permanently.

REGRET:
1. A cheap paddle leash. It tangled on everything, including me. Replaced it with a simple paddle clip on the hull.
2. A suction-cup camera mount. It lasted exactly one choppy day.

What’s on your never-again list?

I wish I would have went with the 13×16. The 16×16 is just an overkill in my opinion.

If you’re kayak fishing without a crate behind your seat, you’re working too hard. Here’s the exact setup I’ve run for years. Total cost under $40 if you shop smart.

What you need:
– A standard milk crate (the real ones, not the flimsy craft-store kind)
– 3 rod holder tubes (1.5 inch PVC, about 10 inches long, works fine)
– Heavy-duty zip ties
– A pool noodle
– A small dry box for phone and keys

The build:
1. Split the pool noodle lengthwise and press it over the top edge of the crate. It’s quieter, and it won’t chew up your kayak.
2. Zip-tie two rod holders to the back corners of the crate, angled slightly outward, and one on the side for the landing net.
3. The dry box lives in the middle. Tackle trays stack on either side.
4. Run a 3-foot tether from the crate to a pad eye. If you flip, the crate stays with the boat.

What I’d do differently: I wish I’d added the side rod holder sooner. Reaching behind me for the net while fighting a fish used to be a circus act.

What’s in your crate? Always looking for better ideas.

3d paddle wall hanger
Fits most paddles. Found this in a Reddit forum and printed. It works well. Best materials to print would be ABS or PETG filament.

Made this out of a used trolling motor mount and a broken carbon fiber paddle shaft. Add an anchor trolley style pulley. Run line through the pulley and down to the anchor pole. Put a cleat next to your seat and now you have a shallow water anchor pole set up for your Kayak.

Track Mounted Magnetic Lure Bin
This 3D Printed track mount bin holds lures and has removable liner. The lure bin has drain holes so it doesn’t fill with water.

The magnets in the bottom are 12mm x 3mm neodymium from Home Depot. Creator of this roughed up one side with 80 grit sand paper and then just super glued them in. The whole thing is mounted with Yakattack mighty bolts that are secured by 1/4 – 20 nuts held in knurled knobs.

The user printed the main box in PETG and the liner in semiflex TPU, but just about any filament should work fine.

Credit: @hotbrass2005

Took my 10-footer out on a breezy day last weekend and spent half the trip correcting course. Every time I stopped paddling, the bow swung downwind.

For a short recreational kayak, is a skeg or a rudder the better DIY fix? I’d rather not drill a bunch of holes if I can avoid it. Has anyone added either to a rec boat? What actually worked for you?

I’m considering the idea of building a boat this winter. Twelve-foot flat-bottom pirogue-style hull, stitch-and-glue plywood, set up from day one for fishing: wide enough to stand in (carefully), with a flat rear deck for a crate system and rod holders to glassed right in.

Materials list so far: probably three sheets of 1/4 inch marine plywood, epoxy and glass tape, zip ties by the hundred, and patience.

If you’ve built stitch-and-glue before, what do you wish you’d known before mixing the first batch of epoxy? Reply and post photos of yours!

Designed a simple paddle hanger for the garage wall. The file is attached below, free for personal use.

The part: a 100x70mm mounting plate with screw holes, two 50mm arms with angled retaining lips. Holds any standard paddle shaft. Print it flat on the bed, the 45-degree lips mean no supports needed.

Print settings that worked for me:
– PETG recommended (PLA is fine for indoors)
– 0.2mm layer height, 4 walls, 40% infill
– No supports

Mounting: #8 wood screws with washers through the 6mm holes. Run a drill bit through first if you want round holes instead of square.

If you print one, post a photo. Curious how it comes out on other machines.

I finally paddled Silver Springs in Florida, and it might be the coolest half-day trip in the state.

The wild monkeys are the headliners. There are hundreds of them living along the spring, and you can watch them right from your kayak. Every now and then one will jump out of a tree into the water and swim across the spring. I couldn’t believe it the first time I saw it. I saw KayakDIY’s video about the wild Florida monkeys and it convinced me I had to see them for myself.

It’s an easy half-day trip from the main kayak launch. You can bring your own kayaks or rent them there. If you bring your own, you can pay the rental company to shuttle you and your kayak back to the launch when you’re done. Last time I went it was around ten bucks a kayak. Super affordable.

Besides the monkeys, keep your eyes on the water. You can spot manatees, alligators, turtles, and all kinds of fish in the clear water. There are little spots along the way to pull off and have a picnic or lunch.

If Florida paddling is on your list, this one belongs near the top. Has anyone else here paddled it?

If you had to strip your kayak back to stock plus exactly one modification, what stays?

Mine is an anchor system. Always need one. For me being able to stop the boat silently and stay put is the difference between fishing and just paddling around. I posted my DIY anchor pole build in the homemade parts section if you want to copy it.

What’s yours?