Blog Article · Kayak Fishing ·Dec 10, 2025

Kayak Fishing & River Camping for the Joy Of It

4-minute read + ~1.5 hours of video content

Luis Delgado is a member of our National ProStaff team and founder of Northfisherman, a content creation business. Here, we highlight a 3-part video series he recently published on his YouTube channel that’s centered on kayak fishing and camping in the southern US.

We hope these videos inspire you to slow down and remember why you got into kayak fishing in the first place, especially if your fishing life has got you moving too fast and hard.

This first episode takes us deep into Alabama to a “secret river” where Luis and a few buddies take a few days to fish and feast:

Back to Why We Fish

“Earlier this year, I was really focused on the wrong things,” says Luis. “If I can be honest with you, I was really worried about getting more followers, betting bigger on social media, getting more paid sponsors, catching the biggest fish and being that guy…And it just put me in the wrong headspace. I wasn’t enjoying this anymore.”

This 3-part series is all about getting back to what Luis and his friends love about kayak fishing. The camaraderie, camping on the riverbank, cooking an early breakfast to prepare for a fun day on the water. And simply enjoying a relaxed day of fishing on a beautiful river with friends.

It could mean catching multiple species of fish, skipping rocks on the water, frying up their dinner, or cooking an early breakfast at the campsite.

Luis says, “You may be asking yourself, ‘Why is he so excited about a small striper or something he’s already caught?’ That’s because every day is new out here for me, and I put my heart into this. Every day is a day to grow…I try my best not to take it for granted.

“When I quit my job to do this, I really wanted to show people, hey, you can chase your dreams, no matter how simple or complicated they are.”

Luis Delgado holds up a fish he just caught kayak fishing

Catch and Cook Day

On Day 2 of their Alabama river trip, the group’s goal is to use some of their day’s catch for an evening fish fry.

Luis shares how his dad grew up next to a river in Mexico, and eating the fish they caught was part of survival for his family. So Luis grew up eating the fish his family caught, too.

He says, “Growing up, for me, eating fish was very normal. You ate what you harvested, and it was your right. And growing up in the Deep South, Eric did the same thing [one of his buddies in the video]. So we said, you know, let’s go back to that. Let’s harvest these fish.

“I think sometimes we idolize these fish. But the reality is, harvesting them every once in a while is probably one of the best things we could do. And you guys know I definitely believe in catch-and-release.”

At the end of the day, they had a dozen fish to filet and cook up for a nice spread of fish tacos at their campsite.

Kayak Fishing in the Saluda River

The second episode of this three-part video series takes the crew to Columbia, South Carolina. There, they experience the wild river as well as a stretch that runs right through the city.

“This adventure is about finding peace and connection in the middle of the noise,” says Luis. “It reminds me that fishing doesn’t always mean escaping civilization—it can also mean rediscovering nature right where you are.”

Watch it here (38 minutes)

Deep into Tennessee’s Hidden Rivers

Finally, Luis and his buddies bring us to Tennessee, where they chase musky and smallmouth bass.

He says this in the YouTube description for this video: “From long days on the paddle to cold campfire nights, this trip tested everything: patience, endurance and passion for the pursuit. With multiple musky encounters and a few epic hookups, every cast felt like it could be the one. If you love stories about grinding for big fish, camping under the stars, and chasing dreams with a rod in hand, this episode is for you.”

Watch it here (36 minutes)

Watch more of Luis Delgado’s fishing adventures on his YouTube channel, Northgafisherman.

Videos and screenshot courtesy of Luis Delgado.

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