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Fishing Kayaks: What Suits Your Style?
By Angus MacLeod

When it comes to fishing kayaks, it can almost be like shopping for a new car. Do you get an 11 foot or a 15 foot? Which one will suit me better in the surf? Which fishing kayak will have the least amount of draft? Is tracking an issue when I'm kayaking?

So Many Questions

So many questions, and so few places to get answers from. Let's face it, you won't find a kayak dealership every 5 miles alongside every major highway in town. The first and best course of action before purchasing a fishing kayak is to research the different styles. After you've chosen a type that best fits your fishing plans, pick out the brand name and features you'd like it to have. Yes, fishing kayaks may not carry automatic windows and door locks, but they have more options than you might imagine.

The two major types of fishing kayaks are sit-on-top, and sit-in styles. The sit-in styles are the traditional Olympic kayaks with a rubber gasket that attaches around your waist completing a seal for the interior of the hull and seating area. The sit-on-top style is an enclosed hull, like a giant float with the top half formed into a seat. The majority of kayak fisherman choose the sit-on-top style as it is an easier boat to get in and out of (or on and off of). In addition to this, you can stow gear that is easily accessed on top of the fishing kayak behind you and in between your legs. The other major bonus of this style of kayak as that the hull is sealed whether you are on it or not. This means that if your kayak flips over, your kayak will not sink.

The sit-in style is generally used in sport kayaking in rivers and streams in addition to their use in strong surf conditions. The bonus of the sit-in style is that the kayak literally becomes and extension of your body. If the fishing kayak flips over, so do you. It now becomes your job to flip yourself and the kayak back upright. The negative side to this style of kayak, is that you cannot carry as much easily accessible gear on the outside of the kayak. As the hull is not sealed without your body in the kayak, your gear must be stowed under water tight storage lids located at the front and rear of the fishing kayak.

Interesting Fish Facts & Fishing Tips
Even though fish are cold blooded it is known that they can suffer a sensation similar to pain. They can also suffer from stress so the angler should take great care when releasing them from their hooks. Many anglers now use barbless hooks and practice catch-and-release.

Author Details:
Angus MacLeod, copywriter for various websites with his main interests being golf, fishing and fly fishing, especially when in fishing in Scotland.

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