The BKC Blog

3 Popular Kayak Myths Debunked

The kayak fishing market is continuing to grow.

New kayak anglers are purchasing kayaks every day. Many, though, are making assumptions about their kayaks that simply are not true. Many are not informed correctly. Whether placing the blame on the sales company or the customer for not asking the right questions at the time of purchase, these kayak myths should be explained.

1. My Kayak Should Not Have Any Water In It After A Long Day of Fishing

Your kayak shouldn’t have gallons of water in it, this is true, but a couple of ounces isn’t hurting anything or anyone. So many new anglers obsess about the little bit of water that gets inside. No kayak is waterproof. Even submarines and battleships can take on water so the kayak is going to be ok with a little bit of water after you’ve been fishing If you want to locate a leak, check your hatches first, whether they were open or sealed properly. Next you can check for cracks or deep scars on the keel. If you had a big problem, you’d definitely know it. A little water won’t to hurt.

2. I Bought the Kayak For $800 So I Should Be Able to Sell For That Price

Kayaks, like cars, lower in value once they are used. I see a lot of people buy a kayak, add a bunch of accessories to it and then expect to sell it for the price of a new one. Kayaks are not houses. You can not buy a kayak and sell it for a quick profit. Doesn’t work like that. Why? Fishermen almost always want to choose their own stuff. I’d rather buy a brand new kayak and just upgrade over time. You can try to get back money on the price with adding accessories but that will usually take you longer to sell.

3.One Kayak Can Do Everything Well

This is another totally wrong statement.

Buying one kayak that can do many terrains such as saltwater, freshwater, rivers, lakes, swift water and beyond breakers just isn’t going to happen. You can buy one kayak and do all of those things in it but to expect it to be great at all of them just isn’t possible. My recommendation is to find a kayak that can do a little bit of everything you want to do and don’t expect it to be awesome at everything or buy multiple kayaks, each suited for a particular purpose.

We've put together 6 bass fishing tips for those wanting to get out there in your kayak to get that largemouth bass score! #HappyFishing

The higher water temperatures of summer can make bass fishing frustrating. But finding the right environment where the fish are taking cover to stay cool or choosing the best time of day to bass fish are part of our tips for bass fishing in the summer.

Try These Bass Fishing Tips

1. GO SUPER EARLY, OR GO SUPER LATE

If you want to know when to go bass fishing in the late summer, you need to get out on the water before sunrise. This is key. If you can’t do this, try to go more around dusk. The cooler periods of the day are the best times for bass fishing. For beginners, this is the foundation tip you should beware of.

2. THE WATERS YOU CHOOSE ARE SUPER IMPORTANT

Reservoirs that are either thick with vegetation, or that are relatively deep are a great start. Consider ponds, lakes as well. The vegetation gives more oxygen to the area which the bass needs as temperatures go up throughout the day. Also, the deeper water is usually colder. So as the temperatures go up, the bass will slowly move deeper into the water.

3. BEGIN AT SHALLOW WATER, THEN MOVE TO DEEPER WATERS

You should start in the shallow during the early parts of the morning, then slowly but surely move into the deeper waters as the air and water temperatures rise during the day. It’s time to expand your mind when it comes to where to fish. The deeper you go in the middle of the day, the more likely you are to get a bite or two.

4. USE A TOPOGRAPHIC MAP OR A CONTOUR MAP

When you are learning how to fish, one of the most helpful things you can do is to use a contour map. This will help to locate different structure in the deeper waters. The map is really useful for late summer fishing trips for bass, when the very warm weather forces the fish to areas that are deeper, where the water is cooler for them. This map will help you find helpful clues and insights the area you are currently fishing in. Pay attention to any types of channels, submerged points, humps, flats and rock piles,

5. GET OUT YOUR SOFT PLASTIC RIGS CRANKBAITS AND SPINNERBAITS

Make sure you take your deep-diving baits, spinnerbaits, and soft plastic rigs as well. Early in the day in the shallower waters, use the Texas-rigged or Carolina-rigged soft plastic worms. However, you will then need to bring out the deep-diving crankbaits and to help in the deeper areas of the water as the day progresses and the hot temperatures rise.

Check out our fishing kayaks and kayak accessories to see what works best for your fishing needs!

It's important to find the right rod that optimally performs with your particular reel and fishing style. Here are 5 tips on finding the right fishing rod for you.

1. USE A ROD MADE OF ONE PIECE

There are both 1 piece and 2-piece rods on the market. Sometimes, you may choose to use a 2-piece rod as you are used to it. But, as a newbie, one-piece rods are the best choice for you. it will let you feel for more if you are fishing in deeper water. So, you will be having less missed bites.

2. TRY FIBERGLASS OR COMPOSITE RODS

Fiberglass rods usually provide more flexibility than other types of rods. It will still leave you with enough backbone for all different types of fish. There are also fiberglass and graphite available that are light, but also durable. If you want to do a lot of offshore trolling, you may need to use a medium heavy, extra fast or fast action fiberglass or composite ROD. But remember, offshore jigging and fishing will usually need more power and strength.

3. MAKE SURE TO LOOK FOR CORROSION PROOF FISHING RODS ALWAYS

Any saltwater fishing rod or reel you use should typically be made to withstand corrosion. Usually, a lot of the guides and reel seats should be made with some type of non-corroding material, for example, stainless steel or aluminum. To help the gear last longer, make sure to give all of your saltwater rods and ocean fishing reels a heavy rinse in some freshwater when you arrive back at home or as soon as possible.

4. USE RODS THAT HAVE A SPECIAL UV PROTECTIVE COATING

A lot of ocean fishing rods are usually made with a protective coating to help protect the blank of the rod from cracking, fading, peeling and chipping. This can occur also with the ongoing of items in the shining sun light.

5. MAKE SURE THE ROD YOU USE HAS CLOSED CELL FOAM

Closed cell foam, can usually help a rod withstand major temperature changes and bad saltwater conditions for more prolonged periods of time. Now that you are aware of some of the features available for your fishing rods, you can better make a wise educated decision about what kind of saltwater rod will help you out and be useful and withstand all conditions through your catches. Just make sure to always check the saltwater fishing regulations for your state and also to make sure to buy your FISHING LICENSE ONLINE before you leave. #happyfishing everyone!

What is a crankbait? A crankbait is a lure with a shape that enables it to dive and stay under water, typically via a flat lip on the front.

5 Different Types of Crankbait

1.Shallower Water Crankbait

These have small bills on the baits body, and can only go 0 – 5 feet deep. A square bill type crankbait is the most common of the shallow diving crankbaits. It is used most often because of how it can deflect and bounce off of shallow covers.

2. Medium Diving Crankbait

Medium diving crankbaits have a little bit of longer bills on the front side. These baits can go down effectively from 5 – 12 feet waters. An effective medium diving crankbait can get the job done when the bass aren’t sitting up in the shallow stuff, hold a little deeper on the edges.

3. Deep Diving Crankbait

These crankbaits have bigger bills and are much beefier than the medium or shallow diving crankbaits. Typically, you need some beefed up gear to throw one of these bad boys around. Deep diving crankbaits are best used anywhere from to 12 – 20 feet deep for diving down to bounce off the bottom or cover.

4. Lipless Crankbait

Lipless crankbaits don’t have a bill at all hence the name lipless. They sink down into the waters and have a tight vibrating motion on the retrieving aspect because of the small flat surface on top of the bait. These crankbaits tend to work the best when fishing around grassier areas of water. Ripping a lipless crankbait over the top of grass vegetation is a really popular and effective method for catching bass fish. A lipless crankbait can be fished at any depth of water. They typically come in heavier sizes for fishing deep, and lighter sizes for fishing in shallower areas.

5. Jerk bait

A jerk bait is a type of crankbait that suspends in the water, and is used with a twitch and pause motion. They are typically used in colder waters to imitate a dying baitfish. Usually the deepest they can go is about 12 ft deep. Most of these have small bills and can only dive down to about 5 feet, and stay up in waters on the pause.

Make sure you consider these 3 variables when choosing our crankbait.

1. water clarity

2. water temperature- using water clarity, and water temperature will help you determine the style of crankbait you should use.

3. water depth- the depth you are fishing should help you determine the type of crankbait you should use.

All of these are key factors when choosing the right crankbait for you!