Women and Kayak Fishing, with Jennifer Schall

8-minute read

Jennifer Schall is a member of our National ProStaff team. As one of the few female team members, we wanted to get her take on several kayak fishing topics as they might pertain to women.

Kayak fishing is for women and girls of all ages

Jennifer is an award-winning saltwater and freshwater kayak angler. She lives in Charleston, South Carolina, with her husband Jason (also a member of our National ProStaff team), where they’re both Certified Fishing Instructors. 

With her fishing and teaching experience, we knew we could glean some valuable insight from her. We also want to encourage more women to engage in this great paddle sport—and who better to encourage them than another woman?

Enjoy our conversation with Jennifer:

BENDING BRANCHES: What was your main reason for getting into kayak fishing?

JENNIFER: I love spending time outdoors, finding different things to do. I bike, walk, and just find different reasons to be outside. When I got married to Jason (we’ll be married for 10 years this year), he was really into fishing and had been kayak fishing for a while. So it was a natural fit for me to get into that as well.

One of the first things we did together was find a kayak that fit me. I’m a lot shorter than he is, and his kayaks were too long and heavy for me. So we found one that was a good size for me, that I felt comfortable in and could handle myself.

I wanted to be out there and do stuff with him, so it was a natural fit to start getting into that sport. I had a natural curiosity about it. I like to go out with him, but now I’ll go off on my own if there’s the opportunity and he’s not available.

BRANCHES: How far are you from your favorite local fishing spots?

JENNIFER: We’re very fortunate to be in a place where we can get to freshwater and saltwater pretty easily and quickly. One of our closest freshwater spots is only about 15 minutes away. We can get into some really good bass fishing there, also pike, crappie and others.

Then a little further away is some bigger water, the Santee Lakes, which is one of the best bass fisheries in the country. There are really good catfish there as well. Then we can go maybe a half hour in the other direction for saltwater. 

Jennifer (left) and a fishing friend

BRANCHES: Tell us about the local workshops you teach for women.

JENNIFER: One of my friends used to work for the South Carolina Wildlife Federation. She put on a women’s retreat and asked me to help out with a seminar on kayak fishing. That was a lot of fun.

We brought some kayaks and fishing gear. Some of these women had been in a kayak before and some had been fishing before, but had never done both together. A couple of them had never done either one.

We were fishing on Santee Lake, which is a big lake, so we wanted to be sure everyone was safe. We did a land-based intro first and went through safety precautions, made sure everyone knew how to cast, protect their gear and themselves, make sure they’re visible. Then we got out on the water to start fishing. It was a lot of fun.

We have a whole fleet of kayaks in the garage and a kayak trailer. So whenever people come to visit, we do the same thing—we either put on a clinic or take people out.

The thing I’ve learned—which goes for fishing and kayaking—is just to be patient with them and make it fun. Some people have had bad experiences in the past where they broke or lost something and got yelled at.

As long as you get back to shore at the end of the day, you’re safe, you’re alive, everything else can be recoverable! We’ve taken people out when we’ve lost gear or something got broken. But all of that’s replaceable. 

I try to make sure people have a good experience and feel positive. 

BRANCHES: What’s different for women kayak fishing than for men?

JENNIFER: I think it can be a little intimidating going out to a boat ramp. I feel judged a little bit sometimes. We feel more pressure not to make a mistake or do something that’s going to call attention to ourselves in a negative way. That can be a bit of a deterrent.

That’s something we still, unfortunately, need to get past and not let it bother us. I’m fortunate that I have Jason to be a cheerleader for me, and other men who recognize that women are just as able to excel.

I think women learn faster and more easily. There’s less perceived, “This is how is should be done.” So they’re more open to instruction and have fewer bad habits to unlearn.

BRANCHES: Why is kayak fishing a great fit for women and girls who love the outdoors?

JENNIFER: It’s peaceful. I love being able to go places that motorboats can’t go. You can get into quiet, secret areas. If you’re into birding, flora and fauna, the different seasons—it’s incredible how waterways change. Even if you’re not into fishing, it’s a beautiful way to enjoy being outside. 

I love being so close to the water. You’re just inches above it. You can see fish schooling and feeding. Sometimes you don’t even want to cast because it’s so cool to watch them. It’s a different way to be part of nature.

BRANCHES: What are good things for women to know if they want to get into kayak fishing?

JENNIFER: Figuring out how you’re going to transport your kayak is important. There are lots of ways: roof racks, inflatables, different devices. I’m five-two, and it’s harder for me to lift and load. But you can use YouTube to learn how people have been able to come up with different processes and tools to make it work.

There are a lot of different kayaks out there that are lightweight. Go to your local outdoor store and they can help you out. A lot of them let people test them first. So look for one you can handle and maneuver yourself. You’ll want to figure out how you’re going to move your kayak from A to B before you commit.

Then, the hardest part is learning how to manage all the gear, especially once you have a fish on your line. Trying to land a fish by yourself is a challenge, and the bigger the fish, the harder it’s going to be.

You might have a couple of extra rods, a bump board to measure, pliers, your tackle bag, your paddle. Then you bring in a fish that’s extra squirrely and into the boat…things can get broken or pushed overboard. So when I teach women, I encourage them to really limit the amount of stuff they take out so they have a lot of room to maneuver. 

BRANCHES: Is it beneficial for women to know how to kayak first or fish first before they combine the two?

JENNIFER: I learned the fishing first, but I was pretty new to both of them when I learned kayak fishing. I would suggest having a comfort level with your kayak first, so you know its stability. 

Have that comfort level with your boat, because once you start fishing, you’ll be tying hooks, changing baits, a lot of looking down, and not paying attention to where you are in the water. You want to have that comfort level with your kayak so you can recover quickly if you need to. Then add the fishing to it.

Then, when you start to kayak fish, do it in a place with no current if you can, or other big boats around causing waves. That way you’re not distracted and constantly worried about other things.

BRANCHES: What are the advantages of using a kayak designed for fishing versus a recreational model?

JENNIFER: A fishing kayak is built for stability, while recreational kayaks are more streamlined and less stable. Fishing kayaks are wider, and you’re going to have less chance of flipping it. 

Also, fishing kayaks are open. They’re sit-on-top style, so you have a lot more space to catch a fish and have room to work, and to do all that with your catch and your equipment. 

So if you’re going to get into kayak fishing, you want at least a sit-on-top, or even a paddleboard. A recreational kayak is going to be a lot more restrictive when you’re trying to fish.

BRANCHES: What are your basic gear suggestions for women just starting to kayak fish?

JENNIFER: Assuming you already have your kayak and your Bending Branches paddle [Jennifer’s favorite is our Angler Pro Carbon, but we have many others to choose from as well], it’s your safety equipment—your life jacket and whistle. You want to have some sort of visual if you’re going to be on big water, some sort of flag on the back.

We’ll start with freshwater fishing. You want whatever rod and reel you’ll take out, just one to start with. A pair of pliers to take the hook out, a pair of scissors if your pliers don’t have a little cutter, a small tackle bag for your extra hooks. Weights, if you’re using live bait, a small Plano tackle box or two. Fishing kayaks will have slots and spaces to store those items. Unless you’re using heavier line (12-15 lb), you’ll want a net to bring in the fish.

That would be it for really basic gear. That’s what we put on whenever we take people out to kayak fish for the first time.

Some great tips from Jennifer Schall—a big thanks for her time to share her expertise with us! You can follow her and Jason on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube at On the Water with the Schalls.

All photos courtesy of Jason and Jennifer Schall.

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