Kayak Fishing

Kayak fishing has grown from a niche pursuit to one of the fastest-growing sectors of the guided fishing industry. Guided kayak trips offer access to skinny water that powerboats can't reach, from flooded timber and backcountry mangrove tunnels to oyster-bar coves and headwater trout streams, at a price point well below traditional charter fishing. The American kayak guide industry is anchored on the Florida Gulf Coast (where backcountry redfish, snook, and tarpon are the targets), the Texas coastal complex around Galveston and Aransas Bay, the Carolina sounds, the Chesapeake Bay tributaries, and the bass and panfish lakes across the Mid-South and Midwest. Pacific Coast guided kayak fishing targets rockfish and lingcod in the kelp forests of California and Oregon. A guided kayak trip typically provides the kayak (sit-on-top fishing kayaks rigged with rod holders, anchor systems, and electronics), paddle, lifejacket, and rigged tackle. Most operators run trips of two to six guests with one guide; the format works well for guests who prefer a quieter, more intimate fishing experience than a powerboat charter.