Kayak Bass Fishing Tips and Tactics

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Kayak Diary

Beyond the Limits of Powered Bass Boats

A big advantage to kayaks is that they let you access small ponds, rivers and backwater areas normally off limits to bass boats. Even more, these areas are often excellent areas for big largemouth. Before you launch, however, take some time to pick prime fishing waters.

Slop Fishing Stealth  

One of my favorite ways to target largemouth bass is with top water frogs. This presentation is a blast out of a kayak. Kayaks let you get right into the heart of this cover. In thick slop, weeds will wrap around paddles, making maneuverability and paddling more challenging than in open water, but the effort is worth it for the shot at a trophy fish.

Slam 'em on Spinnerbaits  

Without a doubt, a spinner bait is an excellent search lure for bass. What I like about a spinnerbait is that, due to its horizontal presentation, it's perfectly suited for the low-to-the-water seated position of kayakers. Another advantage to spinner baits is they're a single hook lure. Whenever I can, I avoid treble hooks when kayak fishing, and if I do use them, I try and always net-land fish.

Finesse 'em With Softbaits  

Soft baits catch a lot of largemouth, and there's no reason you can't fish them out of kayaks. In a light breeze, drifting and hopping, grubs, tube jigs or Texas-rigged worms is a deadly way to cover water and intercept active fish. You can also fan cast areas, which is good situation for swim baits. When conditions are calm and the bite's tough, casting wacky-rigged soft jerkbaits is deadly on bass out of any boat.

Dunk Weed Pockets

When bass are holding tight and deep in weeds, sometimes the only way to hook them is picking apart an area. Short-line flipping or pitching jigs into weed pockets can be done from a kayak, but often only in calm conditions.

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