Uppa

My brother and I and our families are headed for a week on Kawagama Lake (Dennison Island) beginning this Saturday. By the looks of things the weather's going to be ugly for the first few days. Any advice that will get us out of the cottage and into some fish is appreciated - we've never been on the lake or nearby before. We've got a boat and a few kayaks, so we can go anywhere there's water. Tips on anything in the area is appreciated - we're not fussy about what we catch, as long as we're not catching cabin fever.

'Yak fisher here, although relatively new to it. I bought a sit-in style, not through any belief that it was a better design for fishing but because that's the type I'm familiar with and enjoy paddling. Now that my biases are out of the way... Sit on: A little higher out of the water, can help if you're trying to eyeball structure through the water surface glare (the higher the better). Can offer more comfort - dangle your legs over the sides and relax! Mounting extra gear (rod holders, etc) requires a little more care as any holes drilled will need to be sealed properly. Probably more challenging to mount a fish finder, at least if you're wanting to mount the transducer inside (shoot-through-the-hull). Easier to store and get at your gear for the most part. Sit in: For me, the main advantage is stability. Very low center of gravity, comfortable and easy to control. I drilled holes for a rod holder and fish finder display with no real concern since the holes are nowhere near the waterline and don't impact any seals. I epoxied the fish finder transducer inside on the base and it works very well - will likely require a re-epoxy every couple of seasons, we'll see how it goes. Being able to use a skirt is a definite advantage if you fish in waters that can get choppy. My 'yak weighs 36 pounds (probably more like 46 with anchor and gear inside) which makes it easy to portage with (and put on the roof of the truck.) The best advice I can give is - try both! Find what feels comfortable, and don't limit yourself to "angler" kayaks - anything you need for fishing can be added with a drill and a little care. Unless you're planning on also taking the kayak on multi-day expeditions I'd recommend a shorter model. While the sleek ones are great for paddling long distances, they're not easy to turn. With a shorter style you might not want to paddle as far, but maneuvering around that piece of structure on the bottom will be a whole lot easier. If you're planning on drilling holes, make sure you ask if the material is suitable! I'm pretty sure most 'yak materials are, but better safe than sorry.

My main advice would be to focus on the kayak you like and are comfortable with, without restricting yourself only to models pre-outfitted for fishing. It's easy enough to add rod holders, etc, to pretty much any kayak on the market. My wife was a little horrified when I started drilling holes in a 'yak I'd owned for 2 hours, but she calmed down when she saw the finished product. Beyond that, just ask yourself where you see yourself using it, and just as importantly how far you see yourself paddling in any given day. If you're just using it as a way to get off-shore, pretty much anything will do. If you can see yourself putting serious mileage on it while you paddle around hotspots on a decent sized lake, it'll be worth it to pay a little more for one that tracks well and is less effort to paddle.

Hi all, I've recently been bitten by the fishing bug after not being out in more than a decade. I feel more like I'm pretending to fish than actually fishing, but I'm learning as I go. This weekend I'm planning to head for Dalrymple lake, thanks to the "close eyes and randomly point at a map of Ontario" method. I've tracked down the boat launch and a map that gives some idea of where I'll find what, but I'd greatly appreciate any pointers or good spots to try. I'm not fussy about what I'm catching (provided it's in season). I'll be fishing from a kayak - which I'd owned for less than 2 hours before I cut a hole in it to mount a rod holder. Think that voids the warranty? Any advice appreciated!