I had popped into the sporting goods store to pick up some clay targets and was drawn to the tackle aisles.  A tap on the shoulder spun me around and there were a couple of guys who introduced themselves and told me they had just watched me on television fishing in a kayak on Madeline Island.  I did that television shoot with Bill Sherck for Due North Outdoors and Minnesota Bound and it’s been a popular segment that has generated some interest in small watercraft for fishing. 

One of the guys informed me he was going to purchase a kayak and we talked for awhile on the benefits of shifting to a small watercraft for fishing bodies of water where a big boat is not the best option.  The opportunities for this type of fishing in Minnesota are endless.

Fortunately for those contemplating a shift to small watercraft, kayak and canoe manufacturers are designing their “boats” with anglers in mind.  The Hobie Outback kayaks I fish out of have a pedal-style drive so primary propulsion comes from the legs instead of the arms.  You carry a paddle in case you need to work through some slop or spin a tight circle, but with the pedal drive you can easily troll a weedline or move along a breakline casting to cover without resorting to the paddle.  I have installed sonar, GPS and added cleats on the body of the kayak for securing anchor lines and tie-downs.  There are rod holders built into the body of the boat and tackle storage is right between your legs so lures are easy to get to.  The Hobie even has  a livewell option if you plan to keep some of the fish you catch.

Another great option with the Hobie is the portage wheel setup.  You can slip the wheels into a couple of holes molded into the kayak and easily pull the boat down a trail or to a landing.  The Outback is light enough to toss on top of the vehicle but I also have a trailer for transport.

The Hobie is the ultimate small lake kayak, but for rivers I use my Ocean kayak.  The model I have is the Prowler Trident 13 footer and it too is set up with sonar and GPS.  The best sonar for kayaks is the Humminbird 385CI Combo Kayak model which comes with everything in the box you need to set it up for kayak fishing.  The Ocean comes with rod holders and ample storage although I have added a rod holder right in front of me to aid in trolling since this boat is paddle only and you can’t hold a rod, and paddle at the same time.

The reason I prefer the Ocean kayak for rivers is I tend to fish where you have to shoot the rapids and this boat seems to handle better in swift water.  Most of the rivers I fish wouldn’t cater to the foot-drive on the Hobie, but the drive can be removed for situations where it won’t help.  As far as stability, both of these kayaks perform well.

My favorite river canoe is the River Ridge Custom Canoe which is built right here in Minnesota.  This boat is very stable and allows for an electric trolling motor to be mounted to the stern.  I’ve fished rivers in Minnesota and Wisconsin with Bill Plantan, the owner of River Ridge, and the beauty of a canoe over the kayak is you can carry a lot of gear when you go.  If you plan on camping or want to haul a lunch cooler and lots of extra tackle, you can’t beat a canoe for this.

I believe the shift to smaller watercraft is happening for a few reasons.  Anglers are always looking for lightly pressured water where the fish are easily fooled and respectable in size.  Available cash is another consideration.  You can get into a canoe or kayak for a few thousand dollars instead of tens of thousands.  And it’s just fun.  Going toe-to-toe at water level with a five-pound bass or ten-pound pike is an adrenaline trigger.

It’s unlikely the shift to kayaks and canoes will cause a downturn in the big boat market.  Many who have a big boat see the smaller watercraft as a way to increase their fishing options.  Those that buy a kayak or canoe instead of a big boat weren’t in the boat market anyway.  What the small watercraft is doing for the latter is opening up a world where they can get off the shore and out on the water to explore structure that was not available to them from their perch on land.

There are a lot of brands and a lot of models that are now being built to cater to the angler.  Some of the newer units even have electric motor drive options which will be coveted by the angler who always feels compelled to fish the other side of the lake.  Shop hard and pick the one that suits your needs.

Some of the trips I’m planning in the kayaks this summer are going to be on lakes just outside the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.  I can use the portage wheels to get the boat into the lake and the pedal drive - which is illegal in the BWCAW - can be used.  I’ve fished these lakes in the past out of canoes and caught lots of big bass and walleyes.  I’m looking forward to testing these lakes in a kayak.

Closer to home I’m planning on pulling a kayak down the bike path to Gleason Lake in Wayzata.  There is no public access on this lake, but the shore fishermen that work that small swath of water that touches the path do well in the spring for big bass and pike.

There are loads of small lakes just like Gleason dotting the Minnesota landscape and the small rivers in the state get little attention from anglers.  On a trip last summer with Plantan in a River Ridge canoe on a river near Rochester we spent the entire day fishing, never saw another angler and landed over 40 smallmouth bass apiece.  On a trip to the Flambeau River in Wisconsin last year with Plantan not only did we catch at least that many smallmouth bass, but I landed a 46-inch muskie and Plantan landed one pushing 40 inches. 

I still have the big Lund Baron and a smaller Alumicraft boat, but there are times when I consider myself lucky I can make the shift to a smaller watercraft.

River Ridge Custom Canoes are available factory direct. To find out more about the utmost fishing-canoe, call (507) 288-2750 and ask for a free brochure. You can also learn more about the company and their products by visiting www.riverridgecustomcanoes.com