Kayak fishing must have rod/reels? 2025

euroshowoff reply :

I'm used to fishing out of my tracker, but going to be purchasing a kayak memorial day weekend. I want to keep my supplies limited to only 3 poles if possible. What is the bear minimum recommended? Thanks.

Darren. reply :

Welcome aboard!

It really depends on what you are wanting
to fish - technique-wise.

I'll usually have a MLXF, MF spinning and
a M or ML casting rod. Or I'll take 3 spinning
setups ML, M and M.

I fish soft plastics predominately, a lot of wacky
rigging and drop shotting. Some TX rigging and
very little in the way of hard lure fishing.

euroshowoff reply :

On 5/14/2016 at 2:08 AM, Darren. said:

Welcome aboard!

It really depends on what you are wanting
to fish - technique-wise.

I'll usually have a MLXF, MF spinning and
a M or ML casting rod. Or I'll take 3 spinning
setups ML, M and M.

I fish soft plastics predominately, a lot of wacky
rigging and drop shotting. Some TX rigging and
very little in the way of hard lure fishing.

Thanks.

I have a lot of vegetation/fish docks where I am at, so i was thinking a dedicated top water rod/reel combo. I mainly fish for bass, but there are a lot of snakeheads in my part of the water as well. Landed my first snakehead a few weeks ago on a swimbait that would have been fun to bring in on a kayak. I don't own much for spinning gear, is that something i should invest in out of my kayak? Most of the poles are outfiited with Daiwa Lexa's/BPS qualifiers and 6'6 MH berkley rods. Combination of PLINE, and suffix 832 braid throughout my gear.

Darren. reply :

On 5/14/2016 at 2:21 AM, euroshowoff said:

Thanks.

I have a lot of vegetation/fish docks where I am at, so i was thinking a dedicated top water rod/reel combo. I mainly fish for bass, but there are a lot of snakeheads in my part of the water as well. Landed my first snakehead a few weeks ago on a swimbait that would have been fun to bring in on a kayak. I don't own much for spinning gear, is that something i should invest in out of my kayak? Most of the poles are outfiited with Daiwa Lexa's/BPS qualifiers and 6'6 MH berkley rods. Combination of PLINE, and suffix 832 braid throughout my gear.

Sounds like you've got a solid idea. If you are
more comfortable with casting gear, then that
is what you should use.

I find spinning gear just easier to use as I face
a lot of wind and got tired of dealing with the
usual issues. I'm quite efficient with BC gear,
and was even on my way to casting-only but
decided otherwise.

Anyhow, that doesn't mean anything here

Yudo1 reply :

I take 3 rods with me and I choose based on the body of water I'm fishing. I use casting gear exclusively in my yak. Most of the time I have a medium, MH and heavy powered rod.

rippin-lips reply :

I bring rods along that can serve double or triple duty. I take 3 casting and 1 spinning but I honestly should leave it at home since I never use it. 90% of the time it's 1 medium and 2 medium heavy rods for me. That will change if I'm going somewhere with heavy cover. I'll bring a heavy power rod along with me.

Medium will see cranks,jerkbaits, and topwaters. Sometimes wacky senko or similar.

MH #1 will always have a t rigged plastic on it.

MH #2 I'll use for anything else. Spinnerbait,buzzedbait,lipless cranks,jigs and so on.

Master Bait'r reply :

I choose from 4 combos, depending on where I'm going.

7'1" MLXF Spinning rod w/ 8# Gliss. I use this for all kinds of open water finesse stuff, and right along the edges of the veg. It's a great light jerkbait rod and also excels at finesse t-rigs like minnows and small worms, finesse jigs, NED rigs, drop shot and a bunch more. I almost always bring this rod for clear water spots and places with less veg.

7' MXF JWR casting rod w/ 15# Smackdown braid. I use this mostly for mid sized weightless t-rigs and small to medium jigs. Mostly plastics though, I'm a big finesse worm guy and you can really work it in the vegetation with the braid. If it's under a half ounce and with a single hook, it goes on this.

6'10" MHF casting combo w/ 8# CXX. Mostly for big jerkbaits, bladed jigs, glide baits, swimbaits, blade baits, diving cranks/jerks, spinners and topwaters up to 1oz. Another staple combo here due to sheer versatility.

7'3" HXF casting rig w/ beefy drag and 40# Smackdown braid. This is mostly for heavy cover- frogs and punching. Also big jigs, huge t-rigs, c-rigs and top hook swimbaits. If I'm going somewhere with lots of lily pads or emergent cover, this combo is a must.

I dont even even know what I'd change someday. I love them all and they work together near seamlessly with how I fish. *maybe* someday add a MF setup for mid sized jerkbaits and cranks if anything but I'm not in a rush for that.

J Francho reply :

I use the same rods I use in a boat, on shore, whatever. Has more to do with location and conditions than what craft I'm fishing from.

buzzed bait reply :

i'm the opposite of bare minimum.... would be easier to list what i leave at home vs take with

MassYak85 reply :

Well the great thing about kayaks is you can get them into the thickest and nastiest stuff that you simply can't with a boat. If I could only take 3 set ups I would have one for frogs, one for t-rigs/jigs/punching, and a spinning rod to fish weightless plastics. Sometimes I go out with 5 but most of the time if I'm out in my kayak I'm going to be fishing heavy cover.

lmbfisherman reply :

I carry 5-6 rods on my kayak. 2 spinning, 1 medium fast, 1 mh/MF, and 2 mh/f. If I was limited to 3, I'd take 1 spinning ml/xf for the light stuff/drop shot, 1 medium/fast for small square bills, wacky rig, light lures in general, the mh/f basically same thing as m/f rod but heavier.

hoosierbass07 reply :

I usually only take two spinning rods, sometimes a baitcaster but whatever is tied on the baitcaster hardly catches anything big. Spinning rods and kayaks seem a great match for me.

Dye99 reply :

I would humbly suggest that instead of listening to multiple people on the internet, who are all in different places Id go out and see what your lake and fish tell you.

I constantly see yak fisherman come to my local lakes, with ten poles, boats rigged to the hilt and every type of gear that can fit on a boat yet rarely catch anything. It seems that hard work, covering water, throwing baits and researching time of year, and the waters has been surpassed by getting the best, or most gear on the yak.

Your lake will tell you what to haul. Take a topwater/cranking rig, and a finesse rig. Then decide what works and what doesnt, adjust accordingly, tight lines!

faygo1979 reply :

I would say bring what you are comfortable to fish with and where you plan to fish.

Depending on the kayak you can take a ton of rods but you still have to maneuver them around you for fishing. Know that you are not going to be able to run and gun around the lake so you need to be able to fish a little slower.

I fished the KATS Midwest tournament last weekend and because of wind and waves chose to fish a cove with some small islands for 8 hours. 90% of the time I was fishing a Texas rigged craw. Now I did have 6 rods with me but honestly they caused way more hang ups with trees or playing musical chairs with their placement than they were really worth. On a normal day I take 2-4 rods out with me. I base this on what kind of fishing I want to do for the day. Normally a finesse spinning rod, some kind of m-mh moving bait rod, a jig/frog rod, and sometimes a swim bait/ larger pike rod.

Choporoz reply :

95% of the time, I take four; nearly always 3 baitcasters and one spinning.

I nearly always have one MHF and one MM. I evaluate the expected conditions and then try to maximize my chances within the techniques that I expect to work in those conditions. Flexibility is good.

Given two relatively equal rods, I'll take the shorter handled one in the kayak. I LOVE my top jig rod, but honestly, I've got shorter handled MHF rods that, for me, better suit working from seated position on the kayak. So, flexibility of range of techniques and handle length are key, for me.

fishwizzard reply :

On 5/17/2016 at 3:25 AM, Choporoz said:

Given two relatively equal rods, I'll take the shorter handled one in the kayak. I LOVE my top jig rod, but honestly, I've got shorter handled MHF rods that, for me, better suit working from seated position on the kayak. So, flexibility of range of techniques and handle length are key, for me.

I just had a custom rod made with a shorter then average handle to use in my yak, the difference is night and day in how much better it handles. When ever I use it for a bit and switch rods I always foul on my pfd a few times before I remember to adjust my casting motion.

smr913 reply :

3-4 Rods for me

1) 6'8" MF Spinning with 20# braid and FC leader - Soft plastics, small cranks

2) 7'0" MM Casting with 10# mono - Cranks, topwater

3) 6'8" MHXF Casting with 15# FC - Trigs & Jigs

4) 6'6" MF Casting with either 20# braid or 10# mono - Topwater, spinnerbaits

I fish mainly small rivers or lakes without vegitation so no need for real heavy stuff.

paleus reply :

For Largemouth I carry:

M casting for spinnerbaits, crankbaits, poppers.

MH casting for T-rigs, frogs, jigs.

ML spinning for finesse, mostly Ned Rig.

For Smallmouth:

M casting for poppers, buzzbaits, T-rigs, small jigs.

ML spinning for Ned Rig.

ML spinning for Rooster Tails.

avidone1 reply :

It's not just about what your fishing for or the conditions you fish in. As a matter of fact that is the least important thing. What matters most is SAFETY. How big is your Kayak? How stabile is it. How roomy is the cockpit. does it have rod holders, balanced storage. What accessories do you have? an anchor trolley? rudder? electronics? How many and how big are your tackle boxes? How experienced are you? Do you wear a pfd? I could go on.

I urge you as a newb to kayaks to start off simple. Let the minimalist in you express himself. Two rods, one small tackle bag with a couple of 3600's and go fish. That's still plenty of tackle especially for a familiar lake. Only when you really have a feel for the limitations should you start to add stuff. But be warned. There are a million things you can add to a kayak. they all serve a purpose. If your not careful you'll be wondering why you ever gave up the bass boat.

cottny27 reply :

1 rod for me...the others just get caught up in the limbs and cause havoc, but I fish some tight places. Usually a 6'6"-6'9" M/MH rod. I do some retying that's for sure.

new2BC4bass reply :

On 5/18/2016 at 2:35 AM, Bunnielab said:

I just had a custom rod made with a shorter then average handle to use in my yak, the difference is night and day in how much better it handles. When ever I use it for a bit and switch rods I always foul on my pfd a few times before I remember to adjust my casting motion.

What do you consider short? Measured from the center line of the handle to the butt, about 10-7/8 inch on a Fenwick ET Smallmouth which I consider short, 10-1/2 inch on a 7' MF Smoke (feels shorter in hand), 9-1/2 inch on a 6' MH Lightning and 9-1/4 inch on a Fenwick ET Smallmouth 6'9" M-XF.

fishwizzard reply :

It is in the car currently but I know it is within .25" - .5" of a L St Croix rod I also one, which has the lower grip in this picture:

BronzeChaser reply :

I fish out of a kayak a lot. I usually bring 3-4 rods. Which ones I bring are dictated by the body of water I'm going to fish. If I'm going to lake full of grass and pads, I'll bring a 7'3 heavy for frogs and a 7'6 heavy for flippin/ punching. If I'm going to a river to chase smallies I'll bring a 6'9 medium spinning rod, a 6'10 medium casting rod, and then maybe one or two more medium or med. heavy casting or spinning. More rods are usually for convenience, not necessity.

new2BC4bass reply :

On 5/18/2016 at 8:46 AM, Bunnielab said:

It is in the car currently but I know it is within .25" - .5" of a L St Croix rod I also one, which has the lower grip in this picture:

Yup. That is short. I was measuring casting rods. My shortest spinning rod handle is 7-1/8 inch. on a 6' Lightning.

fishwizzard reply :

On 5/18/2016 at 9:21 AM, new2BC4bass said:

Yup. That is short. I was measuring casting rods. My shortest spinning rod handle is 7-1/8 inch. on a 6' Lightning.

Yea, I like them that way. I am on the verge of ordering another rod from the same guy, but a 6' M-MH for flukes and larger weightless plastics. I hike a lot as well and a short rod OAL is helpful there as well.

Maxximus Redneckus reply :

2 for me casting and spinning this includes saltwater and fresh.

levih725 reply :

I'd go with two casters and one spinning. If I don't take a spinning I aqlways regret it later.

Caliyak reply :

I fish with two or three rods.

But, that came by going out on my yak and finding what I like and need. I would recommend the same. Buy your yak, take 2 rods to start and then adjust.

The most important, have fun.

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