Dan Carns
I’m a lifelong fisherman and started kayak fishing before it was a thing. My old sit inside kayak was the most popular style boat available at the time. As in most things, improvements have changed fishing kayaks and now I find that the majority of people are either using a Sit On Top (SOT) or requesting to fish from an SOT. Another trend is the transition from paddling to peddling one, so after many years of resisting this change I’ve made the decision to start teaching not only from a SOT but a peddle drive craft as well. Like most of you there was a set of criteria that my new boat was going to have to meet in order for me to make the switch, so I test rode three major players and settled on Vanhunks Fishing Kayak appropriately named the Mahi-Mahi. This kayak is only 11’ long and weighs about 15 Lbs, less than many but is rich in features and stability! I sit comfortably on the raised mesh seat (that is adjustable front and back) with the added ability to adjust the foot pedals. Super stability allows me to stand and fish and I can paddle it like a SUP for some spectacular sight fishing. There was a fairly steep learning curve in the first couple of weeks as I got used to peddling and steering, but soon got the hang of it and started focusing on the fishing. I was competition fishing and the advantages of peddling are tremendous! Virtually all tournament winners are peddling as you can fish the entire time and continue to re-rig and outfit gear while posting from spot to spot. Once you’ve arrived at the next location you can position yourself so that subtle rudder changes and light peddle strokes help you maintain perfect position. Often the fish will strip out line and run for the first piece of structure to break free from their predicament, but with the peddle drive you can proactively stop this by keeping constant pressure on the fish while peddling away from any obstacles.
If you’ve been kayaking for a while and make this same transition from paddle to peddle you must consider how you’re going to pick up, load and transport your new kayak so go test drive one! It’s A Wild World-Get Out There! Fishman Dan