When I’m not out kayak fishing, I’m online a lot (especially during the winter…) and am an active member of many online fishing communities. Thus, I believe that I have developed a good sense of what sites might appeal and be useful for freshwater kayak anglers.
Here are my personal top picks for online communities based upon the parameters of friendliness (especially to newcomers), expertise, content, and activity. I’ve focused on those sites that cater more to freshwater enthusiasts in the categories of 1) Kayak Fishing Forums, 2) Bass Fishing Forums, and 3) Media/Entertainment. Please feel free to comment and add links to your own favorite online spots!
KAYAK FISHING FORUMS
#1 – Kayak Bass Fishing
This is undoubtedly my favorite kayak fishing forum. You would be hard-pressed to find a more active, knowledgeable, and friendly freshwater kayak fishing forum. The owner, Chad Hoover is the author of the book “Kayak Bass Fishing” and is focused on promoting the sport and helping neophytes get started. The membership is very friendly and represent hardcore anglers to folks new to fishing. There are many opportunities for group fishing trips, such as the River Raid on the Susquehanna River that my son and I participated in last Fall. In addition, Kayak Bass !Fishing has many sponsored friendly challenges for prizes for any anglers with a competitive nature. The top notch web graphics makes this forum visually appealing as well. If you are a freshwater kayak angler and not involved with kayak bass fishing, you are missing out
Having gone through much revision, the Kayak Fishing Magazine Forums is back up and growing in activity. Very experienced and just plain great people are behind this site. Though a bit on the salty side, there’s certainly no snobbery found here and I look forward to the continued success and growth of this community. The articles found on the Home page are outstanding resources as well.
#3 - Kayak Angler Online
Backed by the first and long-standing subscription print magazine, Kayak Angler – the ultimate guide to kayak fishing information, equipment, and techniques Worldwide, the new forum is high quality, though not as active as you might predict. Because of it’s prominence and history, it will surely grow as the sport of kayak fishing does.
BASS FISHING FORUMS
#1 - BassFishin.com
I found out about Bassfishin.com only a few weeks ago, but already am impressed by the friendly and helpful community of bass anglers that I’ve found there. It has members from across the United States, but still maintains a local community “feel”. The home page for Bassfishin.com is chock full of high quality video reviews and demonstrations. This operation is a class act!
#2 - NYBass.com
Though focused primarily on the Northeast Region of the United States, New York in particular, this forum is a fount of both smallmouth and largemouth fishing information. It is very active and you will find a welcoming community at NY Bass with a great sense of humor.
#3 - BassResource.com
Though a bit lacking in the feel of a close-knit online community and very dull in appearance, Bass Resource is what it says it is, the ultimate bass fishing resource guide. The home website has many outstanding bass fishing technique articles.
MEDIA/ENTERTAINMENT
#1 – Kayak Fishing Tales
Kayak fishing videos Galore from Heliconia Press, the makers of Game On: The Kayak Fishing Movie! Useful information as well as dramatic kayak fishing footage that you will not find anywhere else.
It’s fishing shows on television 24/7 including Jim Sammons Kayak Fishing Show. See Kevin’s article on FishGator about the World Fishing Network for more information and ways to help get your cable provider to carry this outstanding new network.
#3 - Lunkerville
Mike D’s Lunkerville is also seen on the World Fishing Network, but deserves a link to the show’s website that has full-length episodes available to watch. This is my favorite fishing show. It is low-hype and humorous with real people and real fishing. I like it too because many of the shows are filmed on waters not too far away from me.
SHAMELESS PLUG…
Though I kept it out of the ranking and review because of my obvious bias, I would be remiss not to mention our very own…
Home of the Western NY Kayak Fishing Association and shameless other freshwater kayak anglers!
These are just a few of the online kayak fishing communities, resources, and media sites that I like in particular, but I know that there are many more showing up everyday. Let me know of others that you enjoy.
-Paul Shipman, Ph.D.
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Those would be the big ones, that's for sure. For pure information, without human interactivity, there a ton of little gems hiding out there in the interwebs. I'm writing a post on one of them right now….
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