Tackleboxes are the tried and true transport of choice for shore-bound anglers. And while they’re great for short trips they aren’t exactly well suited for longer journeys. In addition to your hooks and lures you’ve got rods, bait, refreshments, cell phone chargers, and so on. It quickly adds up to more than a handful, or two.

These types of situations are where fishing backpacks shine. Hard to reach fishing holes require a custom tailored solution that’s well suited for long treks. The proper rucksack for your rods and reels can make your next hike to the honey hole a short jaunt rather than a lengthy drudge.

We’ve put together a list of some of the best purpose-built fishing backpacks on the market along with a shopping guide on what to look for and why. These bags offer angler’s space, comfort, and most importantly, gear security. Nothing is worse than dropping an open tackle tray with terminal tackle. Those micro hooks…they’re gone. Check out some of the best fishing backpacks 2021 has to offer below.

The Best 6 Fishing Backpacks in 2022

Ghosthorn Fishing Tackle Backpack

Ghosthorn’s offering is a fully adjustable backpack uniquely designed for anglers, but with a tactical flavor. Exterior MOLLE webbing provides easy anchor points for compatible accessories that makes for easy customization.

MOLLE stands for Modular Lightweight Load Carrying Equipment. It’s a staple in military spec gear because it offers a simple but effective way to change loadouts on the fly. Accessory components attach via male/female interface on the pouch attachment ladder system (PALS) webbing.

PALS webbing on Ghosthorn’s fishing backpack means you’ve got the ability to attach an AR holster along with a few extra grenades for good measure. More likely though you’ll end up using these for less violent delights. A first aid kit, bottle holster, or fishing accessories can tie in or clip on with a carabiner.

If you’re a fan of gear that’s tough enough to rough it out in any situation than consider the Ghosthorn fishing pack as an option for light load trips. It’s a versatile pack that works well even on trips where you’re not fishing – but who wants to do that? Add in a one-year warranty and it’s easy to see why this is one of the best budget-friendly fishing backpacks on the market.

EGO Kryptek Tackle Box

Ego’s Kryptek tackle box backpack is the biggest and most expensive pack on our list. And also one of the best. Ego turned the dial up to 11 on style, durability, and customization to make a backpack suitable for serious fisherman.

This tackle backpack weighs in at 6.31 lbs primarily due to the generous use of PVC coated 1000D nylon fabric in construction. The exterior features laser cut MOLLE loops for adding attachments rather than more traditional webbing. Not only does this look better, but it’s also much less likely to catch a hook. A rubber base protects the bottom and helps keep the pack upright when it’s off your shoulders. Included with the backpack are four 10″x7″ tackle trays that stack neatly into the lower pocket.

Above tray storage is a voluminous insulated cavity that can hold between 8 and 10 frosty beverages, or a bevy of tools and line. Side pockets feature internal organizers and there’s a minimal use of webbing on the inside which is super helpful for keeping lures unstuck. Abundantly padded should straps with locking clips keep loads comfortable. Finally the bag is adorned in a modern tactical-fishing aesthetic that just looks awesome.

The only knock against the Ego Krypteck is the lack of rod holders. But that’s easily fixed with available accessories or some creative tinkering. Overall this is an amazing bag that we’re confident can survive anything you throw at it.

Piscifun Fishing Tackle Backpack

Piscifcun’s fishing backpack is a quality pack with a reserved look. If you’re into clean lines and straightforward designs then this is a great option. This medium-large bag is mostly made of 1200D Nylon and has 11 separate spaces for storage with SBS zippers.

The bottom compartment holds four durable tackle trays that can be stored vertically or horizontally. Above that sits a removable clapboard to separate the upper compartment. With the divider removed this pack offers a huge internal volume if you need to haul something bigger. On the top sits a water bottle pocket and a reinforced pouch for sunglasses. While on the bottom a flat compartment holds a waterproof cover to keep your pack dry during the unexpected downpour.

Thick padding on the shoulder straps and ergonomic design will help prevent fatigue on longer treks. At a little over half the weigh of the Kryptek, and a significantly lower price, the Piscifun pack takes our pick for best value for a larger size backpack. It’s available in three different colors: black, camo, and tan.

MoiShow Fishing Tackle Backpack

It’s been said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Moishow must be fairly familiar with that saying because their backpack is strikingly similar to others on that list (i.e. Ghosthorn). But that’s not a bad thing. Moishow has iterated on a proven design and optimized for an ultra lightweight fishing solution.

Weighing in at only 1.2 lbs the Moishos Backpack is the lightest entry on our list. It’s made from water resistant 600D fabric and features MOLLE compliant webbing on the lower front. Straps are highly adjustable and permit different backpack orientations. Feel free to use this as a chestbag, handbag, or even as a regular travel bag depending on your style and needs.

The Moishow is available in a slim selection of colors and two different sizes; standard and large. It’s an excellent bag for short daytrips or pond-skipping and is a great candidate to live in your truck full time. If you’re on the lookout for an affordable and lightweight bag then you’ll be hard pressed to find one better than the Moishow.

Kast King Day Tripper

We’re pretty big fans of Kast King products here at Yak Logic. They’ve taken a budget conscious approach towards fishing gear and offer high value for the price. The YL arsenal is stocked with a few rods and reels from this NY company, and to date there hasn’t been a single purchase we regret.

This Day Tripper is a one way ticket to comfortable treks with high loads. Constructed from tear resistant 420D rip-stop Nylon and sporting 8 exterior pockets this bag is a high value contender. The biggest differentiator is this bag’s waist and chest support. Padded and breathable shoulder straps pair with a pocketed waist band that helps distribute the weight more evenly across your torso for a more comfortable experience. Two rod pockets and accompanying bungees on the left side are great for carrying extra sticks.

Kast King’s pack can fit up to four 3600 sized tackle trays in the bottom cavity, and unlike other packs opens from the side rather than the front. This design choice enables anglers to more easily access trays; just sling the pack over one shoulder to grab a box. Speaking of trays – they’re not included standard with the day tripper, but are available as a separate item. We think this is a smart choice, as most of us have too many trays to begin with. All in all this is a great backpack for short or long trips available at an attractive price.

Plano 3600 A-Series Tackle Backpack

If you’re known for making some of the best tackle trays in the history of fishing then it might not be a terrible idea to make a bag to carry them. We’re guessing the execs over at Plano had that same idea, and the result is the aptly named 3600 Tackle Backpack.

Introduced in the Summer of 2020 Plano’s updated fishing backpack is a stylish and heavy duty bag with a cool old-school aesthetic. It’s easy to imagine uncovering a bag like this in your grandpa’s attic stocked with bronzed rooster tails and first gen rapalas.

The bag is made from a sturdy canvas fabric and holds five 3600 boxes that are not easily accessible – you’ll have to unzip the entire front panel. Above the divider a mesh liner keeps your raincoat or loose gear secure while pulling a tray. Two side pockets and a front pouch provide extra room for knick knacks and tools. Four 3600 sized boxes come included.

The Plano 3600 backpack is not the biggest, or fanciest, or most advanced bag on this list. But it looks darn good. This is the one bag on our list that would be perfectly at home on a picnic at the winery, or in the bow of a canoe. If you’re a fishing purist, or rolling our flys, then this is the perfect pack to blend into the background while you master your art.

Why Buy a Fishing Backpack?

If you’ve already got your kayak kitted to perfection then why do you even need a fishing backpack? The answer is simple;

Convenience

More than likely your kayak based tackle starts off organized before the trip, and ends scattered around the deck. If you’ve got a junk drawer, it’s filled. It’s a pain in the butt to sort through all that and throw it in a bag any time you want to go on an overland expedition. And when your finished you’ve got to unload from the bag and repack your boat.

A proper fishing backpack bridges the gap between land and sea to make tackle transfer breezy. Rather than scrounging around for your favorite jig-head in the center console you can just grab the bag and go. Having a dedicated go-bag just for fishing makes impromptu adventures just a quick hike away.

Comfort

Remember your old Jansport in high school loaded up with textbooks? After a day of lugging around 20 pounds of books your back and shoulders are aching for relief. Trekking through the brush towards a bank can put an equal hurting on your upper torso without proper load balancing and weight distribution.

Both large and small fishing backpacks offer a comfortable means to haul out to a spot. Many smaller sized packs can be worn in a variety of positions. Larger variants offer reinforced padding, back support, and adjustable straps to get the perfect fit.

Features to Look For

Size and Storage Capacity

Every fishermen has their own unique style. Some of us load up an arsenal of gear to be prepared for any situation. While others hike out with one rod, one reel, and a can of worms. Whatever your approach is it’s important to match your load-out to your style and trip.

If you’re headed for a 3 day fishing trip on a raft down the Mississippi; then a fanny-pack with a whopper-plopper isn’t going to cut it. Conversely if you’re swinging by the local pond for a few hours of fishing then there’s no need to pack a department’s store worth of soft-plastics.

Fishing Backpacks generally come in two flavors; medium and large. Regardless of size they all feature smartly designed storage to bring along more than just the essentials. So if you’re an absolute minimalist then you may want to consider a fabric tackle-bag or fishing-vest instead.

Materials & Durability

Both synthetic and traditional fabrics hold up to general wear and tear pretty well. What’s more important is thread density and water-resistance. Lower thread count fabric (measured in Denier, or D) is lighter and more pliable, but easier to tear or snag a hook on. Higher D fabric is heavier, resists punctures, and repels water more effectively; but it’s also considerably more expensive.

Fishing gear is designed to get wet, so water resistance isn’t the most important factor in choosing a backpack. But it’s also not something you should completely ignore. Certain bags take a more pro-active approach towards keeping gear dry that can be important if you end up stowing electronics or food in your pack. There are totally waterproof bags available that sacrifice accessibility and ease of use for their added protection. If you’re really concerned about keeping dry then a waterproof backpack cover could be a worthwhile investment.

Special Considerations

One of the most important features for any backpack your considering is tray size. Most backpacks are designed around tackle trays that mirror a Plano 3600’s dimensions: 11″ x 7.25″ x 1.75″. Plano set the standard and competing brands have designed their own medium tray boxes to closely match. However, that doesn’t mean your tray will fit. We’ve provided bag dimensions so you can double check your own tray collection for fit. The fabric use in these trays doesn’t stretch much; so if your tray is more than 1/4″ out of spec then you’ll probably need to adopt into a new ecosystem.

The last big variable between bags is the inclusion of, or the ability to add, a rod holder. It’s not an absolute necessity; you can comfortably carry 1-2 rods in your off hand. Rod holders on your backpack are handy if you’re bringing more than two rods on a trip. They’re also useful for keeping rods off the ground when they’re not in use. We think they’re a must-have feature for surf-casting, but entirely up to you for other use-cases.

Overview on the Best Fishing Backpacks

The backpacks above are our choices for the best fishing backpacks available in 2022. These bags are perfect for hauling a decent amount of gear on both short and long adventures. But like any product they’re not perfect in every situation. There’s a big market of hard plastic tackle boxes, duffel bags, and waterproof storage to suit all sorts of applications.

Remember, your fishing trip will be much more enjoyable if you can reach all of your equipment and tackling supplies quickly and easily. Fishing backpacks can make that happen. Thanks for reading and have a great time out there!

The post The 6 Best Fishing Backpacks in 2022 appeared first on Yak Logic.

One of the best parts fishing is choosing your tackle (at least while you’re off the water). Brightly colored lures and worms are like the adult version of Pokemon cards; you gotta catch em all! While the efficacy of all these different baits is debatable, one thing is for certain, new baits are great at catching eager shoppers. In 2012 U.S.anglers spent ~$42 billion on lure, baits, and tackle and growth has steadily continued since then.

As demand has continued to grow numerous companies have capitalized with subscription based business models. Firms leverage buying power at scale to scoop up large lots of overstocked inventory at low prices and pass these savings on to subscribers. The result is a curated assortment of lures and baits made available to consumers at lower than retail prices.

Monthly fishing boxes offer a price effective way to grow your tackle collection; or simply replace the ones you’ve lost. These fishing subscription boxes are a great option for beginner and experienced anglers alike. They’ll save you a trip to the store and expose you to brands and tackle you might not normally try. We’ve put together the most comprehensive list of fishing subscription boxes for your perusal below.

What Makes a Great Box

Before we dive in it’s worth noting what makes a subscription fishing box great, and what makes them…smeh.

Quality Lures

Designing a good lure takes time and skill. But designing a great lure takes experience, master craftsmanship, and passion. The mainstays lures of today like the Heddon Spook, Rapala Minnow, or Mepps Roostertail didn’t just happen overnight. They were perfected over countless iterations spanning multiple decades.

Making fantastic lures is a full time job; and there are plenty of talented small and middle sized companies that deliver innovative and unique new lures to the market. Subscription boxes that showcase both new and established brands and lures to anglers are awesome. Companies that slap a new label on a cheap plastic lures cranked out from a Chinese factory, are not. And unfortunately that’s commonly the case with many in-house brands.

With that being said not all in-house brands are equal. Some in-house brands outsource production to bonafide lure/tackle companies. But it’s pretty easy to see who’s relabeling cheap crap and who isn’t.

Engaging Content

New lures and fishing techniques are always fun to try – especially when they result in a catch. But the learning curve for any new bait can vary between “put it on a hook” and “what the heck is this”. We love to see brands that go the extra mile with pamphlets or guides that explain how to rig the baits in the box; which is especially helpful when you’re out of cell range on the water.

Additionally brown boxes are boring. Colorful designs, stickers, and schwag may not be the most important thing in the world. But these extra touches convey a dedication to improving the consumer experience. And they’re just plain fun.

Flexibility

Let’s be honest – only the most dedicated of fishermen needs new baits and lures year-round. Once your tackle box is overflowing and the winter months arrive you’ll probably want to press pause on your monthly fishing box. That’s why we feel it’s important for companies to offer consumers control over their account and plan via interactive websites. Brands that incorporate automated systems to process order changes are great. Brands that use manual processes like email to cancel an order aren’t necessarily bad, but they are more error prone.

The Best

6th Sense Super 6 Sack

While technically not a “box” the 6th Sense Sack still offers anglers access to some spectacular gear. 6th Sense has built a name for itself off of impeccably crafted crankbaits. Their hardbody lures are some of the best looking in the business and boast amazing action as well. From a crankbait foundation 6th Sense has also moved into soft plastics, rods, terminal tackle, and innovative gear and apparel.

The 6th Sense Sack is a little different from other offerings on this list in that it only includes 6th Sense products. Three tiers; Standard, Premium, and Tailored are available at $23, $37, and $43 respectively with savings for buying multiple months at once. 6th Sense Sacks group products together by their designed depth in the water column. And the Tailored option allows customization for hitting your target depth with your favorite colors. Sacks include a rotating variety of 6th Sense products such as baits, hooks, jigs, and even apparel. Use the code BaitmanSuper6 for $10 off your first order.

Mystery Tackle Box

Mystery Tackle Box (MTB) is one of the most successful and well known fishing subscription boxes available. Founder Ross Gordon started packing MTB boxes in garage and his business quickly exploded into a fishing staple. MTB’s boxes are beautifully designed and include detailed instructions on rigging and fishing techniques for the included gear. Big name brands like Googan Baits, Z-Man, and Rapala are all commonly featured as well as newer upstarts and foreign baits.

MTB has three different box tiers priced at $20, $30, and $40 a month with additional savings for buying more up-front. Boxes are targeted at both fresh and saltwater species (bass, walleye, reds, etc.) and there’s no required commitment. You can change your species, tier, or just cancel altogether at any time. Use the promo code TRYMTB10 for an extra $10 off your first box.

TrueFly

Truefly specializes in fly fishing flies and gear for both fresh and saltwater species. Their monthly “Supply Drops” come in standard and pro editions priced at $29 and $49. Each drop includes between 9 and 24 (dependent on package) along with an assortment of gear that’s valued at $45 (standard) and $85 (pro). Truefly also features a robust customer loyalty program where participants can earn points that can be spent on add-ons and gear. They also feature a totally customizable box if you’re more finicky.

Truefly offers fisherman customization, account self service, and most importantly – stickers! This is a great option for fly fishermen who want more than just flies each month.

MonsterBass

MonsterBass is an all American owned and operated company based out of Los Angeles, California. Founder Rick Patri split from his ventures with Lucky Tackle Box to provide consumers with more focused and high quality lures. They’re unique from other companies in that they focus their efforts on the pursuit of a single fish – the Bass (duh) and tailor lures to different U.S. regions. Bass behavior varies geographically due to a multitude of factors; so lures that work in one spot might be totally ineffective a few hundred miles away.

Two tiers are available with MonsterBass: the National Level that comes with 6 different lures, and the Regional Pro with 8. The Regional Pro is priced at $35 monthly while the National comes in at $25; there’s no monthly commitment and upfront savings are available. MonsterBass partners with some great companies like V&M, Booyah, and Daiichi and boxes are packed with awesome baits. Use the code SAVE10 to save $10 on your first order.

Post Fly

Post Fly claims to be the original monthly fly fishing box and is one of the better options for fly fishermen. Boxes are species specific, or subscribers can opt for a fly-tying box for fishermen who prefer the DIY route. The O.G. tier runs at $25 a month and delivers flies, leaders, and gear valued at $35. The Guide Series tier doubles up the flies and provides gear valued at $85 for only $45. Upfront savings are available and users can cancel anytime.

PostFly includes third party and in house flies/gear. This is one case where in-house brand isn’t a bad thing – PostFly’s gear is well made and packaged to keep it safe during transit. These boxes are a great option for fly anglers who want more than just flies each month.

iFlies

iFlies offers fly fishermen a simple and cost effective option for growing their never-ending supply of flies. This UK based company started shipping curated flies 2014 and now supplies anglers around the world with high quality flies on a monthly basis. Flies come neatly arranged in a pocket sized tins which are perfect for storing in your vest or satchel.

Tins are available in 5 and 10 fly counts, as well as a double up option for duplicates. Anglers can choose flies targeted towards trout, salmon, or warm-water fish. 5 fly tins run £7.99 and 10 fly tins for £10.99 with additional savings for buying multiple months at once. There’s a small additional shipping fee that varies by country. iFlies is an elegant option for the consummate fly fisher looking for a tidy supply of monthly flies.

The Rest

Freestone Fly

Freestone Fly is another monthly fly fishing subscription service. They offer two tiers: the Original membership at $20 a month and the “A-Fish-Inado” (aficionado) membership at $40. Boxes are available in 5 different flavors (salmon, warmwater, etc.) and feature a mix of 3rd party and in house brands. Upfront savings are available and consumers can manage their accounts via the website.

Freestone Fly looks to be a new and upcoming entrant in fly-fishing boxes that presents an attractive offering. Flies are decent quality but we’d like to see some better packaging. Flat-pack envelopes can lead to smushed flies that need a little tlc before going on the tippet.

BadFish

If you’re a coastal fisherman going for inshore species like reds and stripers than you should strongly consider Badfish Supply. Based out of Newbury, Massachusetts Badfish focuses on anglers in the North-East and South-East regions of the U.S. They offer two tiers: the First Mate’s Box and Captain’s Box priced at $29 and $50 respectively which deliver $60 and $100 of value. Baits are sourced from new and existing brands such as Yo-Zuri, SeaGar, and Bubba. Badfish also offers a generous 10% discount for purchasing in 6 or 12 month increments and starter boxes for those just getting into hunting for big reds and stripers.

Lucky Tackle Box

Lucky Tackle Box (LTB) is a big player in the monthly fishing boxes market and has been around since 2013. Their offerings are split into two categories: Bass and everything else. There are two tiers available: the Classic XL with 7 items and the Classic Extreme with 14 items, priced at $27 and $42 respectively. There’s no obligatory commitment and upfront savings are available.

LTB provides a pretty decent value for anglers; you’d be hard pressed to pickup 7 lures for $27 in any retail store. However these boxes are a mix of 3rd party and in-house brand lures and baits – which can be of dubious quality at times. We think LTB is a great option for beginners looking to expand their collection, but seasoned fishermen might be dissapointed.

Warrior Tackle Supply

Warrior caters to freshwater fishermen and donates a portion of their profits to first responder and veterans support charities. Their boxes include both in-house brands and third party names like Keitech and Lunkerhunt. There are three tiers; Standard, XL, and Professional priced at $24, $30, and $43 with additional savings for upfront purchases.

Warrior offers a decent selection of bait and but inclusion of in-house brands isn’t encouraging. In addition cancellation is accomplished by email rather than through an automated system. However they do offer a 100% money back guarantee if you’re not completely satisfied. We think this one is worth a try.

Coastal Fishing

Coastal Fishing offers saltwater themed monthly fishing boxes that’ are tailored for fishermen targeting pelagic species. The Salt Box is available in three different tiers: Standard, Pro, and Tournament priced at $30, $50, and $70, which makes the Salt Box one of the more expensive options on our list. That makes sense considering that offshore baits are typically far more expensive than inshore and freshwater versions. Bigger fish need bigger baits after all.

The Salt Box features third party brands but also relies on in-house lures. Not all in-house lures are created equal, and Coastal Fishing lures look pretty darn good, so we think this box has high potential.

The Salty Fisherman

The Salty Fisherman offers a saltwater themed box at $35 a month. And that’s pretty much all the information we could find. With so few details available this is a risky buy at best.

Bass Baits

Bass Baits Monthly is a newer monthly fishing box that appears to have spun up around 2019 -2020. Although there isn’t a lot of info available it appears Bass Baits Monthly has managed to partner with some brands like Strike King, Missile, and Gambler. Bass Baits Monthly has a single tier priced at $35 with no ongoing commitment, nor any options for upfront savings. Use code PROMO20 at checkout for an extra 20% off.

Fishing Care Package

Fishing Care Package is perhaps the most infamous of monthly fishing boxes, and not for good reasons. Their offerings are enticing on their face due to prices that are much, much lower than the competition. But it’s an unfortunate reality that if something seems too good to be true, then it usually is. There’s a litany of complaints filed against Fishing Care Package because of packages that were never delivered and unresponsive customer servicet. We can’t recommend you roll the dice on this one.

Overview on Monthly Fishing Boxes

Monthly fishing boxes are a great way to build your tackle collection and explore new fishing techniques. You can easily push the boundaries of your fishing comfort zone without ever leaving your home; which is pretty handy given the current environment. We wouldn’t be surprised to see more companies entering this space in the near future; and we’ll continue to update this article as they do.

You’re going to need somewhere to store all that new gear from monthly fishing boxes, check out the best kayak crates for on the water organization.

The post Monthly Fishing Boxes 2023 | The Best &The Rest appeared first on Yak Logic.

While there’s a lot of gear that will help you be a safer kayaker, we’ve narrowed this list down to the five items we think provides the greatest impact on your over-water safety. The gear below will help keep your next outing from being a one way trip.

Life Jacket / Personal Flotation Device (PFD)

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) drowning is the 3rd leading cause of unintentional injury death worldwide (1st is poisoning/motor vehicles, 2nd is falling). The best way to avoid becoming one of these statistics is to always wear a Life Jacket. Seriously, always wear your life jacket. I mean, it’s called a life jacket – so if you don’t have one on then what are you wearing, a death scarf? A hell-bound pashmina? Save the gothic attire for your funeral and spring for a PFD that is both functional and comfortable. If it’s not comfortable then you’re more likely not to wear it – and then it won’t save your life.

There are lots of different types of PFD’s available for different purposes. We take a look at some of our favorite life preserving apparel here.

Knife

I’ve been in the habit of wearing a pocket knife on me at all times, a practice I learned in the Boy Scouts, and it’s served me well over the years. Now I haven’t had to fend off any bloodthirsty piranhas, or stab a shark in the eye, but I have been able to open cardboard boxes a lot faster.

In all seriousness though having a knife out on the water is not only extremely useful for cutting fishing lines or chopping out gills, it’s also a huge asset in just about any safety situation. In an emergency a knife will be much easier to use then any sort of specialty line cutters or pliers. Imagine trying to tread water, and get back on your kayak, when you find you’re also tangled up in some rope – nail clippers aren’t going to help you except by saving the mortician a few minutes. Did you just anchor down mid stream and now your boat is trying to capsize – you’ll be glad you had a knife in your pocket to quickly cut the line.

Bring a pocket knife with you and keep it somewhere familiar. Your brain juice doesn’t always pump so fast when you’re in high-pressure situations, and as a result muscles tend to think for themselves.

Radio

A human male’s voice can travel around 600′ outdoors in still air. Add in wind, choppy water, birds chirping, and you can imagine that it quickly becomes difficult to get the attention of your friend only 200′ away from you on the water – especially since he just hooked a big one (spoiler it’s a tree branch). If you do get into a spot of bother on the water you’re going to want some help and fast – yelling won’t help you if everybody’s out of earshot.

But wait! My smartphone!! Even if you do have coverage there’s a good chance your friend has their phone in a waterproof container – making quick access and hearing the ringer (if it’s on) all that much tougher. A pair of floating 2 way radios can prove super useful for communicating on the water. They work where cell phones don’t, usually have a respectable range, and are likely to be immediately accessible since they’re waterproof. I always wear my walkie talkie on my PFD just in case I take an unplanned dip. Do yourself a favor and invest in a pair of radios to keep on the yak.

Lights

Sometimes when the fishing is good and the weather is perfect it’s easy to lose track of time on the water, and before you know it you find the sun starting to go down. You’re heading back across the channel to the dock when you see a gnarly motorboat pulling a wake-boarder screaming towards you. Since you’re only a few feet off the water the captain doesn’t see you and your last thought as his hull careens into your face is “Sick tailgrab bro”.

Kayakers are at a natural visibility disadvantage on the water – the average air draft (distance from surface of water to the highest point of the boat) is often between two and four feet, depending on kayak type and body height, while most other personal watercraft are sitting much higher in the water, making it more difficult for captains to see you when they’re closer. Lower visibility at dawn/night compounds the danger of colliding with low-sitting watercraft.

Considering that a collision with a motorboat is one of your biggest and most dangerous risks while kayaking it’s a really great idea to do everything you can to help other people see you. Adding some leds and/or navigation lights to your kayak will boost visibility and let others know where you are. Lighted flagpoles, or anything that puts lights up higher, are great options to ensure you aren’t featured on a fail video any time soon.

A Friend

Kayaking is a dangerous activity – according to the US Coast Guard 2018 Report on Recreational Boating Statistics kayaks are the vessel type with the second highest percentage of deaths at 13% (motorboats are number 1 with 50%). In 2018 there were 4,145 accidents, 2,511 injuries, and 633 deaths recorded by the USCG. I’m not sharing these numbers to try and scare you away from kayaking, but to emphasize that bad things happen on the water.

If you find yourself in bad case scenario, or even worse, a worse case scenario, then the best gear in the world won’t help as much as the guy who has your back. Having somebody who’s willing to dive in after you, or at the very least go get help, can make a world of difference. In a 2007 study commissioned by the American Canoe Association the researchers found that the number of people involved in an incident had the biggest effect on lowering the fatality rate. It’s also a heck of a lot more fun to talk trash when you catch the bigger fish.

I realize that it’s not the easiest to sync up schedules with buddies, or even agree on where to go, so at the very least let somebody know where you’re headed. If you don’t have any friends who like to fish or kayak try bugging them to try it just once, and I’m sure they’ll get hooked just like you did.

Closing Thoughts

When I was fourteen I was fortunate enough to go to the Boy Scout Sea Base High Adventure Camp where we kayaked out to a small island and camped there for a week. It was amazing being immersed in the ecosystem – seeing Key Deer right next to camp, climbing tourist trees and avoiding the poison trees. One of my camp counselors had a motto that he continually drilled into us during our week on island to reinforce safety: “ETU” Expect the Unexpected.

ETU is an apt philosophy for being on the water, because in many way’s you’re out on an island. While Be safe and be smart out there, and remember to always wear your life jacket. 77% of fatal boating accident victims drowned, and out of those 84% of them didn’t have their life jacket on. So again, always wear your life jacket.

If you’re interested in more kayaking statistics, and want to know why 4:00 pm on a Saturday in July is the most dangerous time to go kayaking, consider reading this.

The post Kayaking Safety | Essential Gear for Responsible Fishing appeared first on Yak Logic.