Does kangaroo taste like chicken?
March 6, 2012
March Concerts
March 6, 2012
What can run all day on a gallon of Gatorade?
A kayak fisherman, according to Bayou Coast Kayak Fishing Club member Brendan Bayard.
“The only real downside of kayak fishing is how far you can go,” Bayard says. “It would be nice to run out to the rigs, islands, etc. that are further from the launch, but what fish we lose out too far from the launch, we make up for with the ability to be stealthy close to the launch.”
Bayard is one of many BCKFC members ready to compete in the state’s oldest and biggest kayak fishing event, PaddlePalooza, which helps kick off the area’s springtime fishing season March 31 at BobbyLynn’s Marina in Leeville.
Bayard’s distance duel is shared by Tommy Eubanks, fellow BCKFC member and last year’s PaddlePalooza slam winner.
“To me, the biggest challenge of kayak fishing is the weather, wind mostly, and distance to fish from the launch site,” Eubanks says. “A normal day could have a kayaker paddling two or three miles or even more. So it’s important to launch near where you are going to fish.”
BCKFC secretary and PaddlePalooza entrant David Thompson suggests another way to lighten your challenge load when kayak fishing.
“Be prepared while keeping things minimal. It’s something that only time on the water in your kayak can teach you,” he says. “You can’t bring all the same fishing equipment you would in a 20 foot or bigger bay boat, so you have to learn what fishing equipment is most important to you as an individual and what fits your style of fishing.”
In addition to exercising arms and legs, depending what type of kayak is used, Thompson recommends exercising something else – patience.
“Hopping from spot to spot not only takes more effort in a kayak but it also takes a lot more time,” he explains. “To be successful, you have to learn to wait out the slow times and rely on your ability to read the water and the conditions you are presented with.”
And one more thing that can possibly present a challenge? Try to get that “big one” into the boat.
“I once caught a 35-inch redfish in a small pond a friend and I were fishing. The fish went under the boat and pulled the drag out to the other side of the boat,” Eubanks recalls. “After fighting for 15 minutes, it surfaced right near my friend, and he tried to net it. We were both laughing so hard at the sight of it pulling me around and him trying to paddle up to it and net the fish. We released it to fight again, but it sure was a lot of fun.”
Thompson prefers getting his thrills from hunting slot-sized redfish in the shallow marshes.
“The waters north of the launch at Fourchon are simply too shallow for big boats, and a friend and I made it back into the gin clear water of a protected pond to the sounds of redfish crashing bait against the banks,” he says. “The only problem is that with the low vantage point of a kayak, we could never locate them.
“My buddy left to go fish under some diving birds, and while he was gone I was able to stand in my kayak and finally locate the school of reds.”
Instead of paddling after them, Thompson simply waited.
“There were about 10 to 15 nice sized reds, and sure enough, they came my way,” he remembers. “Since fishing from a kayak causes such little disturbance to the water, I was able to follow and sight cast to that school of reds over the next hour filling, out my five fish limit.”
“Sight fishing is a blast, the individuality of being out there by yourself,” Eubanks said. “I fish for the fun, and I love catching reds.”
Eubanks likes to use purple and gold H&H baits rigged on a quarter-ounce jig head or clear chartreuse baits on a 1/2 ounce jig head.
“I enjoy kayak fishing so much I sold my big center console boat,” Eubanks said. “I like going in small ponds that other people and/or big boats can’t get too. I like the solitude.”
Bayard also shares Eubanks’ pursuit of solitude.
“It’s the most basic form of boat fishing, and you can launch from anywhere,” Bayard said. “I enjoy the peace and quiet, God’s beauty. You can get to places no one else thought to fish – back country, skinny water, a little of everything.”
Bayard likes top water baits like Mirrolure’s Top Dog Jr. and Mirrodines.
“It’s exciting to see that burst of water when they hit the bait,” Bayard said.
A kayak fisherman drifts during last year’s PaddlePalooza. The fishing tournament, one of the region’s first, is held March 31.
