Kayak Fishing and Paddling - The New Standard in Fishing Kayaks. Fishing Kayak Reviews, and Kayak Fishing Trip Reports, Movies, Pictures and Articles By and For Kayak Anglers.
Donavan Campbell is a stream kayak angler from North Carolina, who got his W300 in the summer of last year. He took his time to write a review, and it was worth waiting for…:
I wanted to share my review of the W300 with you…
-”Look at the teeth on that Muskie!”
I use the W300 on the New River in the NC mountains (Sparta, Jefferson) for smallmouth bass fishing.
I was very impressed with the stability of the W300 for river fishing and it’s tracking.
Water depths range from 10′ to 6″ on the New River and the W can handle either along with occasional sharp rocks.
I keep the rigging light for easy maneuverability out of the water and plan to add an additional rod holder and the “wheels” I see from other owners. I fish with other standard kayaks and am glad I purchased the W, I strongly recommend the W to everyone that asks, thanks.
Donavan Campbell
Statesville, NC
Added some fish pictures, first calendared fishing trip for 2010 is March 26th & 27th!
PS- If anyone in western NC wants to check out a wavewalk I would be happy to help them…
The main message it conveys is that there’s no need to hurry and start outfitting your W kayak for fishing as soon as you take it out of the box in which it came, and it’s advisable to use it at least several times as is before you decide if and what type of rigging you’d like to add to it.
The article discusses typical rigging questions like rod holders, paddle holders, rudder, seat, outriggers, motor, anchor, milk crate etc.
We recommend that prospecting clients as well as new owners of W fishing kayaks read it.
The notion that kayak fishing is booming has been repeated for years by various interested parties, but a search in Google News archives revealed these intriguing facts:
1. From 1990, the number of news articles about kayak fishing kept increasing, and it peaked in 2007.
2. Since 2007, the number of published news articles about kayak fishing has kept decreasing. In fact, the number of news articles about kayak fishing in 2009 was lower than its level in 2004.
This chart was taken from a screen shot of the Google page above:
Interestingly, the number of websites and blogs related to kayak fishing has visibly gone up in the past decade, as part of the media explosion brought by the Internet. In addition, big and small kayak manufacturers have focused on the kayak fishing market in every way they could, and tried to bring the public’s attention to their products by all means.
So what’s the reason for this decrease in media coverage of kayak fishing in the past two years?
The first explanation that comes to mind is that it could be related to the economic recession, but does it make sense? The recreational fishing boat market has been severely hit, but what kayak manufacturers and other vendors and affiliated professionals have been saying is that now, more then ever, a kayak offers a the cheap way to go fishing, and consequently, they expected sales of fishing kayaks and to go through the roof, and interest in kayak fishing to explode. They even promoted the idea of stand-up kayak fishing from their obviously inadequate kayaks, thinking the public would go for it.
However, we think, as we’ve stated in the past, that many kayak anglers quit practicing kayak fishing after some time, as they find it to be less rewarding than they had initially hoped it would be. Usually, the kayak angler’s expectation is to be able to spend a few hours on the water, having fun catching fish, while the reality in many cases is that doing so results in a sore back, an aching butt, and numb legs - on top of being wet, especially if you fish from a SOT kayak.
In other words, a significant proportion of kayak anglers drops from the sport, and it could be that their numbers are now equal to, or exceed the number of new kayak anglers who enter the sport. Consequently, the public’s level of interest in kayak fishing has begun to decline, and the lower level of media exposure reflects this trend.
At Wavewalk, we’ve experienced a totally different reality, with sales increasing year after year at a faster pace, and 2009 being a boom year. Read more >>
This success has to do with the fact that our W kayaks offer a truly good user experience, less fatigue, no back pain or any other physical pain and discomfort, plus they’re stable enough to offer stand-up kayak fishing in confidence and safety.
Dick Sherman, from Florida, got his yellow W500 fishing kayak a short time ago. He ordered it after testing his friend’s Gary Rankel green W500.
“First of all, I have to thank Gary for introducing me to the Wavewalk and guiding me through the maze of islands and passageways. Without him I probably would still be trying to find my way back.
The Wavewalk was great. It was easy to launch, paddle and fish out of. It is just amazing the places you can go to in the Kayak. We went out at low tide and were often scraping bottom. There would be no other way to get into this area to fish or to view the beautiful scenery. It was really great. No motor noise, beautiful birds and crystal clear water.
Unfortunately our recent cold weather had the fish huddled around a heater that we were unable to find, but I didn’t need to catch fish to have a great time.
–Dick”
And Gary adds:
-”Unfortunately, our recent cold snap seems to have chased the fish to deeper water, so I don’t have a picture of Dick hauling in a big one. He did, however, seem to be very happy with his new kayak, and is excited about learning a new way to fish.
We ran into Adrian Englert on the water, who reminded me that there will be a Paddlers Picnic and Customer Appreciation Day in Crystal River on Feb 20. Adrian plans on setting up a station to inform folks about the new kayak fishing club he is starting.
I’ll bring my W500 for folks to look at, and may even see how I fare in the competition.
Food will be served and gifts and prizes will be handed out. The day should provide an opportunity for folks to compare the W with other kayaks on the market. The event has been covered in our local newspaper so, hopefully, the weather will cooperate and we’ll have a nice turnout.
Since this question is an important one, I’ve decided to post this kayak fishing and paddling safety article on our main blog.
Thousands of kayak anglers are risking paddling and fishing accidents because of their kayaks’ poor ergonomics. The hazards are many and diverse:
First, there’s the danger of being unable to paddle back to shore, as a result of fatigue, and even exhaustion.
Strong wind and tidal current are external forces that could be hazardous to a tired kayak angler, especially if elderly or inexperienced. If your kayak makes you prematurely tired, you need to consider switching to something more comfortable that tracks and paddles better, namely a Wavewalk kayak.
Additionally, overheating in summer, and hypothermia in winter should not be underestimated, since they reduce your ability to paddle effectively and get back to your launching spot, and could even prevent you from getting back to shore.
If your kayak exposes you to cold wind and water, you should avoid paddling it under such circumstances, unless you’re willing to spend hundreds of dollars on a dry suit. Remember: wearing waders and boots while operating small boats is very dangerous, since such heavy clothing might prevent you from swimming, and from getting back into your boat, or kayak.
Furthermore, there’s the hazard of cramps, leg numbness and being practically paralyzed by pain in your back, or in your butt.
Cramps in your legs can be very painful, and last a long time if you can’t stand up safely and relax. Sit-in and SOT kayaks offer only one position, which is sitting in an L shape, with your legs pointing forward and being restricted by footrests. Paddling or fishing in this position for a long time is s recipe for cramps, and for leg numbness, which is not as dramatic, but still most unpleasant, and undesirable as far as paddling is concerned.
Both leg pain and leg numbness are also dangerous because they prevent you from balancing and maneuvering your kayak efficiently.
Pain in your back or butt is dangerous, since it can literally cripple you, and compromise your paddling efforts. Moreover, you might find yourself close to shore and still unable to beach your kayak, or get out of it, as Don, this California kayak angler describes in his kayak review:
-”I fished for 8 years in an [Brand, Model]. The “L” sitting position and it’s effect on my back is what finished standard kayaking for me… One day I beached the bow of that 16 footer and was still about 10-12 feet out in the water where I was sitting. I discovered I couldn’t move my legs. Getting out of that thing without causing all kinds of laughter from spectators was one of my greatest physical accomplishments.
I was sure I’d avoid those scenarios with the”W”, and I could hardly wait to find out all the wonderful differences.”
This is not a rare example, and in fact many people report experiencing similar things with their sit-in and SOT kayaks.
Actually, most kayakers and kayak anglers have grown used to frequently stopping their paddling and fishing, just to go on shore an ‘unkink’. This ‘unkinking’ basically means stretching, and allowing some rest for the sore back and aching legs. Stretching your legs and back improves circulation, and relaxes muscles and tendons.
Some kayak fishermen in warm regions just stand in the water, if it’s shallow enough. If such frequent ergonomic stops are impossible, the only solution anglers face is to cut short their fishing trip, and paddle back to their launching spot.
The combination of back pain or leg pain and cold is dangerous because the cold further contracts your muscles, and thus increases the pain, and therefor makes it harder for you to paddle.
Paddling in intense heat, especially if you’ve suffered from a sun stroke or dehydration is dangerous if you have pains, because such combination can increase the danger of premature fatigue and exhaustion.
Doug had already contributed a short review of his W300 fishing kayak:
-”Just came in from a couple hours in the inlet after work — 1 14# bass. Got a 30 and a 16 last Sat night. I don’t fish from it too often; I might throw a swimmer out on my way to and fro. For the season so far I have around 75 bass over 10#/30″. I’m running second place in the season long New York Surf Fishing contest. I’m totally satisfied with the Wavewalk. If I wreck this one somehow I’ll order another within a week. It gets me access to good fishing areas and it gets me away from the crowds. Only ‘problem’ is I put a couple pretty deep gouges on the bottom while fishing in mussel beds and around rock jetties –
Doug”
Now Doug sent us some pictures of a special kayak trolley he got for it:
Says Doug:
-”Here are some photos of a cart special made by paddlecart.com I use it all the time. Works over rough terrain, rocks, down embankments,etc”
-”Attached is the drawing I sent to Paddlecart in case users inquire” :
Gary got a second W500 GF2 fishing kayak, and sold his old W300 to a friend.
He writes:
-”As per attached, the two 500’s fit nicely in my pickup, still leaving room in the top W500 for paddles, rods, etc. - should work out great when I’m taking a friend out.
We’re finally getting some decent weather. Headed out yesterday. Five hrs without one hit - first time that has happened. The cold water has really done a number on the fish - saw a few big snook belly up on the bottom, and F&G has just canceled the snook season for the year. Hope the redfish and trout didn’t get hit too bad.”
That’s right - today YouTube reports showed that the total number of views for all Wavewalk Kayaks’ movies posted on that website topped 250,000. That’s a quarter of a million, and a big number for a small company
The most viewed is the movie entitled ‘WALKING ON WAVES’ (22,600 views):
The second most viewed is a movie named ‘Demo of Fishing Kayak Stability’ (17,600 views):
And the third most viewed is called ‘Stand Up Kayak Paddling- Fishing Kayak Surf Launching’ (16,200 views):
Jeff’s movie named ‘Rigged W300 Wavewalk Fishing Kayak’ comes fourth, with 15,500 views, and the movie he shot called ‘Super Fishing Kayak Stability Demo 2009 Wavewalk’ is fifth, with 14,400 views.
This is an opportunity to thank Jeff again for his huge contribution, as well as others who’ve contributed interesting, fun and otherwise valuable material to our website.
These numbers give YouTube’s motto ‘Broadcast Yourself’ a real meaning for us.
Most people think that paddling a kayak in flat water isn’t very interesting. They are right, when sit-in and SOT kayaks are considered, but flat wrong when W kayaks are:
This movie is one of my favorites. It shows the W300 performing like no other paddle craft before, and highlights some of the W important advantages for paddling, touring and kayak fishing.
The reason I chose to post it again on this blog is because I recently discovered how to add annotations to YouTube videos
Jeff McGovern to conduct kid’s inshore fishing clinic at Genung’s Fish Camp, Crescent Beach, January 23
Palatka, FL 1/4/10—Come spend an exciting, fun day with Jeff McGovern at Genung’s Fish Camp from 9 AM to Noon on January 23, 2010. Learn how to choose lures, bait, line and rigging to catch more fish in fresh and saltwater.
Emmrods will be featured and there will be a drawing for an Emmrod Packer Combo donated by Jeff’s Tackle Box at the end of the program. This free event is open to youth and youth groups of all ages and their parents and chaperones.
Coffee and donuts will be provided.
Registration is strongly recommended to avoid disappointment.
Genung’s Fish Camp is located at 291 Cubbedge Road (just below the 206 bridge at US 1), Crescent Beach, FL. For more information or to register, please contact Johnny at (904) 471-4144.
I thought it may be interesting to revisit the subject of motorizing fishing kayaks with an outboard gas engine.
To the best of my knowledge, so far only one W kayak angler has used such an outboard motor: Jim McGilvray, from Norfolk, UK, who rigged his 2007 W300 fishing kayak with a 2.5, 4 stroke engine, and a pair of DIY outriggers.
This is the movie Jim sent us, over two years ago:
This rig allows for more than trolling, obviously. The speed and stability are remarkable.
Safety and ergonomics are closely linked in many products we use, including kayaks.
Here’s a new article discussing the issue of kayak fishing safety from a comfort perspective, that is comfort being a factor in your paddling and fishing safety:
The first unofficial Wavewalk group fishing outing in Florida was held December 14, 2009 at Crystal River, Florida. Gary Rankel, Ed Wheeler and I participated, fishing out of the new 2009 W500 fishing kayaks. Ed and I were in our bright yellow boats and Gary was in his green “Packer Yaker” (the name of which I understood only after asking him about it–seems he is a life long Green Bay Packer fan with as much passion for the team as he has for fishing.)
We started the day at our usual breakfast place right on highway 19 in Crystal River the day with a hearty meal for the task ahead. We hit the road in heavy fog, heading over to the Ozello area for launch from the parking area of a local seafood restaurant. They have a great kayak and canoe launch directly off the lot and, as long as you park well away from the patron spaces, you are fine. Besides, nothing beats a fried grouper sandwich at the end of a day of fishing and, since you are already there, why not partake?
We launched into water that was as smooth as a sheet of glass in the fog. It was wonderful. The temperature was ideal and only a few of the flying teeth (sand gnats) were bothering us. We headed out on a falling tide using a large culvert to take us through to the other side of the bridge. That saved us at least a mile of extra paddling while heading to Gary’s favorite fishing spots that he was anxious to share. Our trip out was aided by the tidal flow, so each stroke was easy and effortless.
We began casting as soon as Gary indicated we had reached his spots. I started right off with a small sea trout and soon after, Gary landed a really nice one. I also managed to land a number of lizard fish on my lures. These fish are not considered a game fish and serve only to keep the fish I really wanted from getting to my baits.
Our rigging was standard inshore Florida style. We used both bait casting and spinning gear. Ed and Gary used superlines, while I relied on mono for my bait casters and reserved the superline for my spinning tackle. We used both fluorocarbon and mono leaders as the presentations dictated. For lures, top waters are always a good choice in the Crystal river area. Gary preferred the IMA Skimmer, a very thin pencil style top water from the Japanese bass fishing market, while Ed and I stayed with our proven Spook Jr’s and Mirrolures. The baits all managed to produce hits, but the actual hookup percentage was low that day. That’s why we call it fishing and not catching.
The entire day was memorable– both for the company and the adventure. We saw lots of new water in a different way and enjoyed the antics of both birds and dolphins. At one point, while we relaxed wading near a small island, two dolphins decided to share our fishing spot. They were in a deeper cut a few feet from us, just ripping into schools of mullet. Times like this show who the really talented anglers are– the ones that swim with the fish, to be exact. Sure they ran off our quarry, but watching them is always fun. Besides, who knows, maybe we can pick up a thing or two from the real experts in these waters?
We ended our day around 2PM and headed in back through the same culvert we used first thing in the morning. With a slightly stronger incoming tide, that short ride was fun with the W500 shooting right through the center, using the paddle only to keep from hitting the sides. A really remarkable thing that struck me about this whole day was the comfort we had fishing from these boats. None of us are young men –I am the youngest at 55, both Ed and Gary are the 70 year old range. Between us there have been back issues ranging from simple sciatic problems to major surgeries. To a man, the W500 is a boat we could use easily and comfortable. In any other fishing kayaks, our range would not have been as great and there would have been many more stops to get out for unkinking. This trip was only the start. There will be many more to come, fishing the waters off Florida’s west coast in the world’s most comfortable and fishable paddle craft.
Our sales this year grew by 64% compared to 2008, which was our best year so far. This is encouraging in view of the continuing slump in the boat and kayak markets, caused by the economic recession.
Our new W500 kayak series turned to be a resounding success, with W500 kayaks taking the lead over the old war horse, the W300.
Most pleasing is the fact that so many W500 clients have taken the time to send us great reviews and stories.
The W500 seems to be a kayak that people simply LOVE, including those who’ve already owned or used a W300 before. As some of these clients have put it: -”Wavewalk took the world’s best kayak and improved on it!”.
Some W anglers go as far as saying the W500 is better than any small fishing boat, and not just fishing kayaks.
This year we expanded our exports, with shipment to clients in Norway and Australia, and increased our sales in New Zealand and Canada. We look at this geographic expansion with particular satisfaction.
In 2009, more clients have ordered a second, and sometimes even a third W kayak from us. This shows to us that once people get used to W kayaks for either paddling or fishing, they’re not likely to change, or go back to an old-fashion sit-in or SOT kayak. In other words, it means we’re on the right track.
Our website wavewalk.com attracted over 150,000 individual visitors this year, including tens of thousands of returning visitors. This is an annual increase of over a third compared to 2008. Our blog is vibrant with stories, pictures, movies, comments and discussions, and has a growing number of fans - some of which aren’t even Wavewalk customers (yet…) In other words, although we’re still a small company, we’ve already established a significant web presence.
The more we listen to our customers the more we learn, and it helps us improve our products, as well as the service we provide. We would have not succeeded in making the W500 as good as it is without people commenting on their experience with the early models of the W300, and its latest version - the 2008. The blog we introduced in 2008 proved to be an increasingly useful means of communication between our customers and us, as well as between the customers and themselves. This blog is also fun, which is a bonus for everyone
And last but not least - our customers: You people proved to be courageous, patient, creative, supportive, productive and loyal beyond anything we had expected, or deserve . You people made this year great for Wavewalk, and we are very grateful to you!
I got out today and thought it would be good to add to the blog. Granted we don’t have the winter weather some folks are getting slammed with but I did brave 52 degree air temps this morning.
Fishing wise the day was awesome, trout after trout, red after red, and of course those darn little blue fish tearing up lures. The trout fell to Mirrodines and DOA shrimp both classic trout lures. I managed 11 of them with all but three in the legal range, a nice bunch of fish. The redfish all hit the same topwater lure a Super Spook Jr in white & chrome with bright red eyes. The blue fish hit anytime a sinking lure got in their way near the surface.
As long as I got it under them the trout could get it. This was typical Florida winter fishing, loads of action so long as you could find the spots holding fish. As it was my final tally was 11 of those trout, 8 redfish, and at least 20 of those crazy little blues. Of course the W500 performed like a champ. By the way when I got back to Genung’s Fish Camp a number of folks were checking out the W. Hopefully some of them will be interested in buying.
December 2nd Season ending trip for Rainbow Reservoir.
Well the ice has come to Ct, and I am very sad.
Dec 2nd was my last trip, I was hoping to get out one more time, but I’ve been busy, and when I got to my Favorite Smallie waters, they were iced over with 1 1/2″ of ice on Monday December 9th, Tuesday was no better.
Time to switch gears, get ready for ice fishing, and chase some trout on the upper Farmington river, which never freezes here in Ct.
All Smallmouths caught on a 1/8oz jig, rigged with a 2″ paddle tail white, with a red dot added to the belly with a red magic marker. (I always carry red and black markers)
I cast out to where the waters run to and around an old dam, letting it drop to the bottom and popping it with long pauses, and waited for that little tic, and only lifting my rod tip to set the hook, if you set it to hard, it resulted in missed fish.
Water temps were 42 degrees, slight winds at 8mph, Air temps were 40 degrees. Current was moving pretty good, they had the lower dam open for the upcoming rains.
. You people made this year great for Wavewalk, and we are very grateful to you!
