Solo Kayak Fishing Safety Essentials
7-minute read
If you love to kayak fish alone often, or even occasionally, you must understand and practice these safety essentials. We want you to be able to enjoy this great sport for a lifetime!
(Photo: Cameron Smith)
We’ll start with the safety essentials all kayak anglers should follow, then we’ll talk about those practices that are specific to fishing alone.
Wear Your PFD…Period
Like the seatbelt in your vehicle, your PFD (Personal Flotation Device) is there to help protect you when you don’t expect it. Things happen. That’s just life.
Invest in a kayak fishing-specific PFD that fits you well, is comfortable to wear, allows plenty of shoulder movement, and includes pockets, D-rings and other handy features that aid your fishing.
Wearing your PFD every time you’re in your kayak means you're better able to help others in an emergency. And if you fish alone, it could save your life.
Hone Your Paddling Skills
Knowing the basic strokes and being able to execute them skillfully is part of kayaking, even if your main focus is fishing. This is true whether or not you also use a motor or pedals.
The right strokes will help you out in many iffy situations: handling high wind and waves, handling tricky current, and avoiding river hazards like boulders, strainers and bigger and faster boats.
Don’t Fish on Waters Above Your Skill Level
Small lakes and shallow, slow-moving rivers are great water environments for those just beginning their kayak fishing journey.
Other environments demand more skills and knowledge, though, like:
- Large lakes that can throw up big waves and be brutal in strong wind
- Rivers with strong current and lots of hazards
- The ocean, with its tidal currents and swell
If you want to fish more adventurous waters, be sure your paddling skills can handle them so you stay safe out there. Look for local paddling courses by a certified instructor to up your game and build confidence, even in emergencies.
Know the Weather Forecast
Before you head out for a day of fishing, check the forecast for wind speed and direction, impending storms, lightning risk and other weather hazards. The bigger the water, the more important it is for you to be weather-prepared.
Also, keep your eyes on the skies while you fish, in case something blows in that wasn’t on the forecast.
Be Aware of What’s Around You
It’s easy to get caught up in your fishing, especially when landing a big catch. But don’t ever lose sight of the big picture around you and your boat.
Besides the weather that we already mentioned, keep an eye out for hazards in the water, whether you’re on a lake, river or the ocean. Be watchful of other boat traffic, especially fast motor boats driven by folks not looking for kayak anglers. If you fish in current, always be aware of where the current is taking you (or invest in a reliable anchor system).
In some places, you’ll need to be aware of potentially threatening wildlife, either in the water or on a nearby shore.
Be Easy to See by Other Boaters
When you’re in a fishing kayak, you’re one of the smallest boats out there and sit very low on the water. It’s very easy for other boaters to miss you, especially if racing across the water, intent on where they’re going.
It’s wise to have or wear some high-visibility colors while you fish. It could be your PDF, your shirt and/or cap, your kayak or your paddle—or a combination of these. The fish won’t care about bright colors above the water—but other boaters are much less likely to hit you if they can see you easily.
(Photo: Luis Delgado)
Now, let’s talk about a few safety essentials that are especially important for solo kayak anglers…
Know How to Self-Rescue
Self-rescue skills are a must for anyone who kayak fishes alone. The bigger and more challenging the water environment, the more necessary it is.
You can learn self-rescue from an in-person paddling course or from a YouTube video. The important part is that you practice the skills and become confident in them.
Practice with the kayak you use to fish, your PFD and other clothes you wear while you fish. Practice on a calm, warm day in warm water. Practice until it’s easy for you to get back on your kayak even in deep water.
While fishing kayaks are designed to be very stable, they can capsize. You need to be ready for it. Along with that is…
Dress for Immersion
To “dress for immersion” means that if you take an unintentional swim, you’re prepared for cold air and water temps.
If you fish on a beautiful sunny day in the summer on a warm lake, no worries, really. In fact, you’re more likely to need to think about sunburn.
But if the water temperature is cold enough to induce hypothermia before too long, or if the combination of the water and air temperatures is below 120º, you need to consider your options for safety:
- Apparel that dries quickly, like synthetic performance wear
- A wetsuit underneath your outer clothing, although these will be uncomfortably hot if the air temperature is too warm
- A dry suit over a breathable insulating layer—the most expensive option, but also the most reliable in very cold water and weather
Give Someone Your Float Plan
When you kayak fish alone, be sure to give your float plan to someone on shore so at least one person knows where you are and when you plan to be back.
Include the lake or river you’ll be on, your planned launch spot, your planned take-out (if different) and how long you expect to be out.
You can use an app like Paddle Logger with its PaddleLIVE service, which sends automatic location alerts in case something goes wrong.
(Photo: Seth Ezekiel West)
Bring a Communication Device Along
You’ll probably have your cell phone with you anyway, so—assuming you have cell service where you’ll fish—be sure the battery is fully charged before you launch. Keep it in some type of waterproof case and attached to your body (on a lanyard or in a PFD pocket). That way, if you capsize and your boat floats downstream, it’s with you.
If you like fishing in remote areas that have little-to-no reliable service, invest in a satellite radio. Again, keep it attached to your person so it’s with you, whether you’re in your boat or get tossed in the water.
Bring a Stocked Emergency Kit
Choose a designated waterproof dry bag to hold a few emergency supplies that you bring with you every time you fish. Especially when you fish solo. This kit can include:
- A well-stocked First Aid kit with treatment for hook injuries, fish teeth and scales, and other common but minor issues. Also, any meds you’ll need to take, including treatment for allergies like bee stings.
- A fire-starting kit. This may seem over-the-top, but if you’re remote, on big water or in rough weather, it could be imperative that you get warm and dry.
- A spare set of dry clothes. Just in case.
We hope all your solo kayak fishing trips are enjoyable, productive and safe. The more you know what safety hazards you may face and the more you prepare for them, the more comfortable you’ll be out there—because you’ll feel ready to handle emergencies.
Here are a few more blog posts that address specific kayak fishing situations where the stakes are higher:
-
Winter Paddling Safety by Brad Hicks, Regional Ambassador
-
Ocean Kayak Fishing Safety with Moo Lee, Regional Ambassador
- Kayak Fishing Dangers with Anderson Guedes, National Prostaff Team
(Photo: Brooks Beatty)
Happy—and safe—fishing!
What paddling questions can our friendly Customer Service team help you with? Contact us at 715-755-3405 or bbinfo@bendingbranches.com, or choose our online chat option.
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