Paul Shipman, Ph.D.
Being totally honest, I really don’t like to “fish”. I suppose the only reason that I’ve fished off and on throughout my life is because of my general love of the outdoors and my intense interest in nature as a biologist. Before you ask yourself why you should continue to read this, know that I absolutely love the rush that comes from hooking into a BIG FISH. The feelings of exhilaration and satisfaction that I get from successful fishing trips rank highest among my enjoyable outdoor experiences.
Prior to kayak fishing, I did not equate the hassle of preparation and physical act of fishing with being a successful angler. My past relationship with the act of fishing could best be described as a fleeting seasonal obsession rather than an enjoyable pursuit. Each spring, the changing weather caused my mind to race with thoughts of a hooking a lunker, but a few unsuccessful attempts quickly extinguished this desire and over time, caused my enthusiasm to wane.
Fishing in my Malibu Stealth 14 on Lake Champlain. (Photo by Alexandra Shipman)
I don’t particularly enjoy spending hard-earned money on licenses, tackle, or bait. Nor do I take pleasure in countless hours adorning a shoreline while going through the repetitive motions of casting and retrieving. Too often, only a few measly fish or a big white stripe down my back have been my rewards for these efforts. Insult to injury was added while dealing with snarled lines or losing brand new lures to unseen depths. Likewise, I considered going out on a boat as only increased expenditures and additional hassles only to produce the same results. It has always been difficult to reconcile the internal conflict that required this significant output with a relatively low return on investment.
In contrast, before I ever thought about fishing from a kayak, I loved to paddle. For me, the ease of moving through the water under my own power and ability to observe closely things not easily seen from shore or larger watercraft is a reward unto itself. I like going places where many cannot. Kayaking provided a superb way for me to scratch my itch for exploration. In this respect, the rewards of kayaking outweigh the costs.
Once I had attained a relatively stable station in life having been married for many years with two children, a career, and numerous other successes, I couldn’t help but ponder about getting after those lunkers again. Was it my true affinity for nature or a personality trait of hating to lose that was the biggest factor? I am really not sure. Moving from Oklahoma to the Finger Lakes Region in Western New York left me surrounded by ample and diverse fishing opportunities. With a little more change in my pockets, I began looking around for a bass boat.
I enjoyed taking out my sit-inside kayak on the local lakes and creeks, but never once considered fishing from one. During a conversation with my father, his simple observation changed my outlook forever. I had spent hours researching fishing boats and discussing my plans when he made the following comment, “You have a kayak. Why don’t you fish from it?” I was at a loss for words. The thought hadn’t occurred to me before. In fact, I hadn’t considered fishing from my kayak and was unaware that the seeds of this quickly growing sport had previously been sown just a few short years before.
I began to feverishly modify my kayak by adding rod holders, anchor trolley and a fish portable finder. I took pleasure in dreaming up new improvements for my fishing vessel. I remember going out on my first kayak fishing trip into a location where larger boats could not follow. The area was also too brushy and overgrown to fish from shore. This short trip– about an hour before sunset – yielded a 4lb bass and several smaller fish. I might not like fishing, but catching fish is a different story! The fish jumped and flipped, pulled and tugged, but it was actually me who was the one hooked.
I enjoy my outings in a kayak so every trip is rewarding whether I catch fish or not. The frustrating thoughts of getting out on the water have now been replaced with an insatiable desire to explore, tinker, create and experiment. For the first time, the trade-off between expense and effort are commensurate with reward. The days when I don’t catch anything are becoming increasingly rare – the inevitable result of spending many hours on the water chasing the BIG FISH.
As a hunter, I’ve often likened kayak fishing as being to fishing what bow hunting is to hunting. I know many bow hunters who wouldn’t pick up a rifle or shotgun to take a whitetail. I guess that kayak fishing is the same for me. I don’t disparage fishermen who use motorboats, but I prefer the more intimate foray to stalk fish where others can’t to get at them.
Paul Shipman, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in Biological Sciences at the Rochester Institute of Technology. He is co-founder of the Western New York Kayak Association, a regular blogger for www.fishgator.com, and a Team Malibu Kayaks Pro-Staff member. He resides in New York’s Finger Lakes Region with his wife and two children.
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Very well said paul. Towards the end you wrote,
“As a hunter, I’ve often likened kayak fishing as being to fishing what bow hunting is to hunting. I know many bow hunters who wouldn’t pick up a rifle or shotgun to take a whitetail. I guess that kayak fishing is the same for me. I don’t disparage fishermen who use motorboats, but I prefer the more intimate foray to stalk fish where others can’t to get at them.”
I look at kayak fishing more as one tool in my arsenal of fishing advantages. You need the right tools to complete any job. Kayaks just happen to perfectly fit this role in this region. We have soooo many small ponds, small deep rivers, larger lakes with very little access, swallow bays jamed full of weeds. However, i dont see it as a perfect ultility for always catching fish. I doubt the bowhunter you mentioned would prefer his bow over a rifle if a kodiak bear was charging him. Sure he might take it down, if he got a throat shot, similar to me landing a king salmon in the next two weeks in my Loon 100 (if a miricale happens), but its not always the best tool.
Either way, to put it simply, i dont fish because i enjoy it. I fish because it de-stresses me. (and it gives me a break from my gf, bills, drama, etc.) When im not stressed, i enjoy life alot more. The fact that im really good at it, is a bonus. I use a kayak because i cant afford a boat.
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