TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Get The Right Equipment

ADVERTISEMENT

The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 2, 2007

If you're going out in a kayak, you are required to have two things - a personal flotation device (I sometimes sit on mine) and a whistle, or some type of noise maker.

A paddle also helps, but it isn't mandatory by law.

Like a majority of area fishermen, I fish from a sit-on-top kayak, which works better than a sit-inside kayak because I like to get out and wade when I fish in Tampa Bay. When freshwater fishing, I tend to stay in the kayak for two reasons: muck and gators.

You don't need to spend a lot of money on a kayak, but if you fish, it's worth the extra cost to buy one designed for fishing. Though not as fast, they are more stable than a touring kayak, and they have more options for storing fishing gear. Some have built-in rod holders and some can be outfitted with rod holders.

If you don't know how to use a fly rod, take some lessons. It might look easy to fly fish, but it requires a lot of practice and patience. When I freshwater fish, I use a 6-weight fly rod. In saltwater, I use an 8-weight.

When you catch a fish that first time using a fly rod, you'll understand why some of us swear by it.

Rick Folstad

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT