Paddle vs. Pedal: Part 2, My Paddling Peeves.

An important fact that I should point out is the perspective from which this article is written. I am primarily a fisher person who dabbles in kayaking, as opposed to someone whom is primarily a kayaker who dabbles in fishing. Get it?

Here it is, what bugs me about paddling ...none of this bugs me enough that I don't have fun though, the positives far out weigh the negatives! I'd rather fish from my paddle kayak than a motorized boat any day of the week.

The shear amount of time I spend with a paddle in my hand when I'd rather be holding a rod. Their aren't many opportunities to just put the paddle away in the holder and just fish. Even with a light breeze a paddle boat with an efficient hull will drift fast, and drift fishing is usually the only time I actually get to put the paddle away. A drift sock or anchor scenario would allow this with the added complexity of the additional rigging, and more lines and _things_ to be aware of.

I can't effectively slow troll, although I have improved my hook-ups drastically due to changes in technique, I still miss more fish than I'd like to admit. I'd rather have the rod in my hand and feel every little tap as opposed to having the rod way out in front of me, beyond my paddle stroke. More often than not by the time I reach the rod after seeing a hit, the fish has came unhooked and is long gone.

It's hard work, especially into a head wind. I don't mean to sound like a wimp, I often fish spots which require a considerable paddle before I even get started fishing. Throw in a stiff wind, some current or tide action and this can require two, three or even four or more times the time and effort. In-fact throw in the effects of wind, tide and currents and I've probably done the equivalent to a number of 30 km plus outings. After a number of injuries over the years I find this a challenge and often find, upon arrival; I'm needing quite a bit of relax time before I get into any serious fishing ...and that's only if I can find shelter since I could be being driven back by wind or current. I realize if I wanted to take some paddle lessons I could minimize my wind profile with an offset paddle and better technique, but why when their are other options? My core gets pounded, even with months of pre-season core strengthening. My core starts to feel like lumpy jelly after four or five hours of hard paddling, and sometimes I get some really sore joints, particularly my elbows and also my wrists to a lesser degree.

I can't casually drink my coffee while paddling (or other things, ie. pick my nose, swat a fly, smoke a stogie or snap a picture). Well I guess I can however I hate putting that paddle down and loosing my momentum or even distance if the conditions aren't favourable, just for a sip. When I'm actively paddling and I'm enroute I just can't wait to get to my fishing spot.  Sure there are those stellar mornings where this isn't much of an issue, but I'm a big fan of fishing whenever I get the chance no matter what the conditions and I find those stellar weather outings are few and far between.

Stability, don't get me wrong, pretty much ALL fishing kayaks are stable, but the sleeker quicker models which are much more pleasant to paddle for my typical outings, certainly aren't as stable as others. It's not that I've ever tipped, I have come very close on a couple occasions, and if it wasn't for the fact that I'm really on my toes when things get hairy I'm sure I could have gone over many more times.  It doesn't hurt to watch for boat wakes either, had a monster wake get thrown at me from a coast guard ship that decided to gun the throttle out front of me (Pickering, Ontario). If I hadn't quickly and desperately got the kayak pointed head on into that wake I would have been over for sure. Something else I'm finding the need to do is stand on occasion, especially now that I more often fish smaller bodies of water than before. It's not that I can't stand in the Quest, I can, but it's not easy at all and I only recommend doing it when the water is a nice temperature and you have minimal gear.

It could be a drier experience. Quick and efficient paddle kayaks ride low  and aren't as stable or able to carry as much weight as others. I constantly have to be on my toes and work the side angle of the boat to minimize side soakers. I find even with waders on it's uncomfortable to get a soaker, yup, a cold clammy butt sucks. It doesn't bother me so much in the summer but during spring and fall it kind of bites.

Leashes, I use leashes, lots of them, I don't like having to constantly think about things going overboard. Even still I've lost a few items, a net and a few lures; thankfully I have not lost any nice tackle or electronics like a couple of friends have. Since I rarely take that paddle off my lap I have one more leash to contend with and this is the one that annoys me the most. I most often fish with a rod that is kept leashed in a holder on either side of me, I'm constantly getting these rods criss-crossed with the paddle leash. Now I think about it I probably should just dump the paddle leash altogether in favour of a small pack-able spare paddle to be kept in the hull, and possibly add some bright tape to my paddle shaft so I can easily find it floating if it goes overboard. I think this last idea will have considerable impact, I think I'll definitely give this a shot next time I go out in the Quest.

In a weird way, all of the above peeves contribute to the experience positively, they make it more challenging, the experience more consuming, and probably help take my mind off day-to-day stress, ie. work.  I find myself constantly thinking about ways to improve the experience. When I'm out in my Quest I am truly focused on 1) safety, and 2) catching fish, other than that I'm just taking it all in and having a great time.

YakDreams