Today, Bassmaster released the schedule for the 2024 Bassmaster Kayak Series schedule. The 2024 season starts off at Lake Murray, then moves to Possum Kingdom Lake. Next it's off to the famous Lake Guntersville. Rounding out the season are Susquehanna lake and Caddo Lake/Lake Bistineau.
Over the past few years, kayak fishing has become a huge part of the bass fishing scene. Kayaks continue to grow in popularity as a cheaper way for fisherman to get off the bank and do some fishing. In many ways, kayaks can even end up being similar to bass boats in the form of graphs, trolling motors, and the ability to stand while you fish. Kayaks also off some advantages to bass boats. You are able to get to some waters where a bass boat cannot.
So this begs the question: is a good fishing kayak worth it or should you save up and buy a real bass boat? The answer is may not be as simple as "yes you should buy a kayak" or 'no you should buy a bass boat." The best answer I can give is: it depends on your situation. What I mean by that is in some cases, it's better for you to own a kayak and in other cases you should have a bass boat.
Let's start off with the situations where you would be better off with a kayak. If you are like my brother and I, a nice bass boat is unobtainable at this point in our lives. We are both trying to set the course for the future, and a large monthly payment will set us back significantly. This is where the kayak shines. We were both able to save up and buy our yaks used. This has allowed us to get off the bank and fish new waters we wouldn't have been able to before. Are we able to travel as far on the water? No, however, we are able to explore those new waters. We often take our kayaks to smaller rivers here in Missouri where you would not be able to fish with any conventional boat. This is where the kayaks truly shine.
With the rise of kayak fishing in popularity, many companies have done a terrific job of creating products to help you catch more fish. Like I said earlier, nowadays, you can rig up your kayak in a similar way to your bass boat. Kayak specific motors can help you travel further, and graphs help you explore what's below the surface. With all the best best equipment, you can have a fully decked out kayak for under ten grand. This may sound like a lot, but compared to a bass boat, that's not a lot of money.
If you are not too keen on spending thousands on a kayak, you can go the route my brother and I did and buy a yak for under a thousand. This is an affordable option if you just want to get off the bank. There are many roof racks or trailers to choose from for transporting your kayak. With the industry growing, there are lots of different ways to skin a cat. This is another advantage of the kayak. You do not necessarily need a truck to transport a kayak. For several years, my brother and I would throw our kayaks on top of a Jeep Compass and hit the water.
A down side of fishing from a kayak is you are only able to go as far away from the boat ramp as you fell comfortable going back. This can prove to be a problem on bigger lakes and reservoirs. Every year, my brother and I travel to a different body of water that's at least eight hours from Saint Louis. We have been up north to Mille Lacs and Sturgeon Bay, and down south to Toledo Bend and Sam Rayburn. Every year we say the same thing, "We would catch more fish if we had a bass boat." This proves true every year because we are not able to run down the lake to find spots and fish specific patterns. We are limited to wherever there is a ramp or access point. This is where a bass boat shines. The speed and distance you are able to travel are far superior to a kayak. Bass boat are also far more comfortable to fish from, and you storage capacity is far greater.
On a closing note, fishing from a kayak provides many new challenges you don't get with a bass boat. This is partly what makes kayak fishing so much fun. If you've never tried it before, I can't recommend it enough, especially on smaller bodies of water. Overall, kayak fishing provides an affordable way to get off the bank and catch more fish.
As always, happy fishing, and Love the Adventure!
-Paul Hoffman