Photo: 2018 MKA Motherlode Series Lake Don Pedro Event - Obedie Williams fishing with a Lowrance at his side.
Fishing from a kayak allows you to have a whole new experience bass fishing.You can sneak up on fish and reach spots that bass boats could never possibly get to.
Kayaks also have their own needs when it comes to electronics and there are several modifications and equipment that can help anglers better utilize Lowrance technology while fishing from a kayak.
Steve Melander of Motherlode Kayak Angler shares how he utilizes his Lowrance while bass fishing from his Hobie kayak
Electronics Screen Size
The big trend in electronics is to make screens bigger and bigger. This allows anglers in a bass boat to see everything more clearly, but from a kayak, it is not nearly as important.
“Your space is obviously limited on a kayak, so a 7” screen is perfect. I run an Elite 7 TI on a RAM mount and it is right there in front of you,” begins Melander. “You could use a bigger screen, but you really don’t need to when fishing from a kayak.”
READ RELATED: Kayaks Are Serious Fishing Machines
Transducer Protection
One of the benefits of a kayak is the ability to get as shallow as you need to.
“If I get hung up, I’ll go right up and get it no matter how shallow the water is. I also like to get really shallow and fish from deep to shallow and it is much easier to do with a kayak,” he says.
This shallow water movement can damage a transducer so Melander uses different methods to protect his transducer and still allow him to utilize Lowrance DownScan, StructureScan and 2D sonar without interruption.
Melander fishes from a Hobie Outback and says one of the best things about it can come rigged for Lowrance units.
“All of the wiring is internal and it has a protective cover to help protect the transducer from scraping the bottom. Your transducer hardware is also very important because of the places we can get into,” he adds.
Another thing you can do is to use a Scotty Kayak/SUP Transducer Mounting Arm (shown right) that can simply be described as a composite arm that extends from the kayak and allows the transducer to mount to it.
“It allows you to run your transducer right next to your graph and it keeps it protected,” says Melander.
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Lowrance Durability
Melander has used Lowrance for years, even before switching to being primarily a kayak angler.
“One thing, in my opinion, that makes Lowrance better for the kayak angler is the durability. Some of the other graphs on the market are built more like home electronics and with a kayak you need something that is going to stand up to some abuse,” he says.
Why Kayak Fishing?
“People are primarily starting to fish from kayaks for two reasons; to have a new challenge or the lower cost to get into it. I do it because it is more like hand-to-hand combat with fish in a close quarters environment,” he begins.
“Some are getting into it because it is much cheaper to get started. This is true of the kayaks and the electronics. My setup for all of the gear for electronics is well under $1,000 and for that, you get some amazing technology,” he says.
There is no need or room for three HDS 12 units on the kayak and that is ok with Melander.
“There is not much need for anything more than a single 7” graph. It is perfect for a kayak,” he says.
Kayak Bassin' Differences
Kayak bass fishing does have a few differences from bass boats and Melander says that comes down to space for batteries and the angle you are viewing your electronics.
“I run a single 12 volt, 18 amp hour battery and that is enough to power your Lowrance for days. One thing you have to consider in a kayak is the space, weight, and placement locations of your battery,” he says.
The other thing that is a little different when viewing your graphs is that instead of looking straight down on them like is often the case with bass boats, you are looking at them right in front of you at arm's reach.
“Lowrance is great for the ability to see your screen but it is sometimes harder in direct sunlight. If you add a visor to see the screen you can it perfectly in any lighting. When you are in a kayak the graph is right in your field of vision because you are much lower to the water.”
Fishing from a kayak is a whole new way to experience bass fishing. It is exploding in popularity and with good reason, it is a fun way to target bass. The good news for bass anglers switching over from bass boats is that you can still use the Lowrance products you already know and love.
Photo: (Bottom Right) Lake Don Pedro Event - John Myers with the thumbs up!
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