Those of you who paddleboard or kayak understand the serenity of being out by yourself or with a friend. Although, most paddlers are restrained by distance knowing that they will need to return under their own power. There is so much more to explore with paddle sports, especially further away from shore…places where boats and even skiffs can’t get due to shallow depth or too narrow of a path. Using your boat to transport your kayak or paddleboard opens up a whole new adventure to where fish are not pressured. Paddleboards are becoming the choice of paddlers, because of the site advantage of standing.
Coastal states have hundreds of miles of coastlines, which can be fished with the right watercraft. Some of these areas are designated as No Motor Zones, therefore you must use a paddleboard or kayak to fish them. All of these areas are quiet habitats for redfish, speckled-trout, snook, tarpon, and black-drum. No pressure from boaters means a great likelihood of multiple hook-ups. Imagine hooking up on a large snook or a giant red while on a paddleboard. It is an experience that will keep you wanting more. These monsters will pull you around until you are able to bring them in.
If you live in and plan to fish Florida on a paddleboard or kayak, read the article “Portage to Paradise” by Matt Arnholt in the Florida Sport Fishing Magazine. Matt does a great job outlining and describing Florida’s No Motor Zones, such as in the Everglades and along the Space Coast.
Florida has hundreds of miles of coastline which can be reached by boats, but must be fished by paddling due to the remoteness. Places like Wacassassa, near Suwannee, FL you can fish for hours on end and never see another person. So, you can imagine the fish haven’t either.
Being able to bring paddleboards or kayaks with you on your boat opens up fishing opportunities. If you have a bay boat or a deep V, but want to shallow water or flats fish, now you can do so without buying a flats boat or skiff.
