Lake Erie is the shallowest of the Great Lakes and one of the most productive freshwater fisheries in North America. That combination makes it a dream and a danger for kayak anglers. The shallow Western Basin kicks up fast in the wind, the Central and Eastern basins run deeper and colder, and all three hold … Read more
Lake Tahoe is a big, clear, and cold high-elevation lake that fishes very differently from small local reservoirs. Drop-offs are abrupt, wind can build fast, and water stays cold most of the year—but the payoff is quality mackinaw (lake trout), rainbow trout, kokanee salmon, and smallmouth bass within kayak range if you understand structure, seasons, … Read more
Lake Michigan fishes more like an inland ocean than a typical lake. Clear, cold water, steep drops, and long shorelines hold salmon, trout, smallmouth bass, and perch—but conditions can flip fast with wind and storms. A kayak gives you a quiet, low-cost way to work nearshore structure, harbor mouths, and river plumes that big boats … Read more
San Diego Bay is one of the most consistent kayak fisheries on the West Coast. It’s a long, narrow, mostly protected bay with steady tidal flow, deep channels, flats, eelgrass edges, and man-made structure. That mix creates year-round habitat for spotted bay bass, halibut, mackerel, and even the occasional yellowtail pushing in near the bay … Read more
Puget Sound is a deep, cold, tidal fjord system with salmon, lingcod, rockfish, and flounder all within small-boat range. Covering more than 100 miles from north to south, it fishes like a chain of connected bays and channels, each with its own currents, bait, and structure. For kayak anglers, the Sound offers everything from quiet, … Read more
Everglades National Park is one of the most unique kayak fishing destinations in the world. Vast mangrove mazes, endless bays, creeks, and salt marshes create a shallow-water playground that’s made for a quiet, stealthy kayak. From snook and redfish tight to the roots, to tarpon rolling in remote creeks and bays, the Everglades are built … Read more
From an angler’s perspective, the Bay fishes like three different systems—upper, middle, and lower—each with its own personality. A kayak lets you quietly pick apart shoreline structure, marsh edges, and shoals where big boats can’t or won’t sit. This guide breaks down where to go, how to access it, what to expect by season, and … Read more
Cape Cod is one of the most productive saltwater kayak fisheries in the Northeast. The Cape’s bays, estuaries, rips, and open beaches all funnel bait and gamefish into tight corridors that a small, quiet kayak can work far more efficiently than most big boats or surf anglers. Striped bass, bluefish, and bonito all push close … Read more
Destin, Florida is known as “The World’s Luckiest Fishing Village” for a reason. Clear Gulf water, productive bays, and easy access to channels and sandbars make it a powerful kayak fishery—if you know where to launch and how to play the tides. From inshore redfish and speckled trout to nearshore snapper and jack crevalle, a … Read more
Tampa Bay is one of the best inshore fisheries in Florida. It has grass flats, mangrove shorelines, oyster bars, shipping channels, and bridges all stacked into one system. A kayak is perfect here because you can quietly slide into shallow water that big boats can’t reach and pick apart small pieces of structure that hold … Read more