How Far Should Plan On Paddling To Your Fishing Spot

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gunnels
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How Far Should Plan On Paddling To Your Fishing Spot

Post by gunnels »

When you are planning a fishing outing and you are looking at maps to figure out what you can get to, what is the maximum distance as a rule of thumb you will plan on. I have been told six miles for the total trip. Two miles out, two miles for fishing, and two miles back. Does this sound about right?

I have been wade fishing POC for years with a guide out of a boat. I recently started kayak fishing and I am trying to figure out which of the spots I can realistically get to in a kayak.
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impulse
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Re: How Far Should Plan On Paddling To Your Fishing Spot

Post by impulse »

GPS tells me my lazy pace is 3 mph, with spurts of up to 5 mph. I can keep up the lazy pace all day long, and I'm an old fart with a paddling kayak. Someone younger or with a pedaling kayak may outrange me by miles. I'd suggest you find your comfortable pace with a GPS smartphone.

My rule #1... Paddle against the wind on my way out, when I'm enthusiastic and not worn out. Then hope the wind doesn't shift.

Other than that, my range just depends on how much time I have and how badly I want to hit that special spot. 4 hours of paddling for 30 minutes of fishing may be worth it. But probably not.

And always be careful that the wind doesn't shift on you and catch you with an impossible distance back to your car against a stiff wind. And don't be embarrassed if you have to beach your kayak in a squall rather than risk riding it out.
SWFinatic
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Re: How Far Should Plan On Paddling To Your Fishing Spot

Post by SWFinatic »

It's about what you're capable of. You should track distance on each trip that way you know how far you went and whether or not you could have safely paddled further. Not a good idea to max out your distance until you get a few years experience under your belt because conditions (mainly wind and tide) can and do change. There's a huge difference between paddling back to your vehicle after q day of fishing with the wind vs against wind and tide.
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Re: How Far Should Plan On Paddling To Your Fishing Spot

Post by ben_beyer »

Plan out your route if especially if you plan to fish more than a certain distance from you launch spot. Since it sounds like you are paddling, then 1.5-2 miles would be a good starting point.

The weather can change so be sure to check it periodically along with taking a handheld GPS and Satellite phone (both around $100) just in case.

If you have a Pro Angler, be very careful and take parts and tools. One podcast I listen to, both the main guy and his son fish out of a Pro Angler. The host has had to pedal back with one fin and his son had to fight wind and current after his drive failed in a tournament. His son was done at the end of the tournament and he only had to go a little over a mile.
WC53
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Re: How Far Should Plan On Paddling To Your Fishing Spot

Post by WC53 »

As said, wind and tide. To use the example of a lazy 3mph paddle, if the tide change is also three, then it is no longer a lazy paddle. Don’t neglect the wind, and look at the “forecast “ to see if it switches direction later in the day. These days I try to limit it to a couple miles as for some reason the return trip has gotten tougher over time.
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Ron Mc
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Re: How Far Should Plan On Paddling To Your Fishing Spot

Post by Ron Mc »

The smart plan takes you somewhere you'll be paddling mostly upwind to fish structure, then drift fishing home.
Of course when your drift is good, you paddle back up and do it again.
Trail courtesy of Neumie - this day is Estes on SSW wind.

Image

It's always nice heading in with the wind helping.
Six to 8 miles is a good day, so look at about 3 miles heading out in the morning.

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Re: How Far Should Plan On Paddling To Your Fishing Spot

Post by Kayak Kid »

Paddling my Seda, I could paddle/fish into a typical gulf coast wind for most of a summer day. The most miles I ever kept track of was seven miles going...,seven miles returning. I always took a large very sturdy golf umbrella with me and used it as a sail on the return down wind trip.
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Ron Mc
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Re: How Far Should Plan On Paddling To Your Fishing Spot

Post by Ron Mc »

of course KK had an usually fast boat, and that distance is comparable to a day offshore.
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Cityfisher
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Re: How Far Should Plan On Paddling To Your Fishing Spot

Post by Cityfisher »

That is a good question. It really just depends on the day and the days forecast. 1 1/2 to 2 miles one way is about my usual. If it is a really calm low wind day I may explore further areas. The weather changes in an instant. I was out with a friend one day and the forecast called for a front to hit around 1pm that day so off we went in glassy conditions. Got about 3/4 mile from the launch and was fishing close to a reef island when I looked up and saw it coming. It was 3 hours early! A black wall of clouds. Soon after I saw it coming all I could hear was a freight train coming across the bay. Started paddling towards the island that was maybe 100 yards away and it hit me. Tried to get to the island and the wind pushed me by and I overshot the island. All I could do was hold on and try and stay up right until I came close to another island that the wind had created a current that whipped around the corner and sucked me in closer to the island. Got on dry land, temp dropped 10 degrees, turned my kayak sideways to block the cold wind and waited it out for 3 hours til it was calm enough to paddle back to launch. That was kinda scary.
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Ron Mc
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Re: How Far Should Plan On Paddling To Your Fishing Spot

Post by Ron Mc »

time to top this thread for GP
Speck Tackler
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Re: How Far Should Plan On Paddling To Your Fishing Spot

Post by Speck Tackler »

I don't really set a limit on myself but I am mindful of a few things...….. I have a Hobie Outback so it does help. Average speed is around 4 MPH. I usually cover around 12 miles on tournament days.

1. Weather conditions:
A How hot is it going to be? I have gotten into a bind in July once
B What are the chances of rain? (If I know a storm is rolling in I will limit the distance from my truck.
C Wind direction and speed. Is the wind going to pick up and what will that do to the larger bodies of water.
2. Tide flow and direction: That can really make for a tough paddle
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karstopo
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Re: How Far Should Plan On Paddling To Your Fishing Spot

Post by karstopo »

It’s fun to study all the water surrounding a particular launch. What all can I get to from launch ____, how many times have I asked myself that! Checking off that long range extended trip box, maybe something out 10 plus miles, what a thing to pump you up, literally!

Truthfully, there are great spots very close to a number of public launches. Kayaks don’t excel on range, that’s likely their biggest weakness.

Anyway, three or four miles these days might be all I want to bite off. Weather, the kayak in question, the paddler in question, hard to put a number on it. Good adventures available at a 100 yards or 10,000.
Unwinder
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Re: How Far Should Plan On Paddling To Your Fishing Spot

Post by Unwinder »

For me it depends on how good the fishing is likely to be. If I've been there before and know it's a good spot, then I will go many miles. If I have not been there before but have data from reliable sources, then I'll go pretty far, but not as far as if I've been there before. If I am exploring a new spot and don't have much info ahead of time, then I'm not willing to go but 2 to 4 miles.
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