Kayak Fishing Tips

Fishing from a kayak is great way to stay active and get up close with nature. There’s a unique angling challenge around each bend. Try these tips to get you started.

Travel light

Leave your packed tackle box at home. Bring only the basic tackle you need for the specific fish species you are trying to catch.

 

Be Confident

Make sure you are confident paddling before you load your kayak with fishing gear. Learn the basic paddling strokes and how to rescue yourself if needed. Hands-on instruction and online paddling safety courses are available.

Stay Safe

Check water levels before you go. Fish with a buddy and let someone know where you’re going. Wear a properly-fitted life jacket and bring along a basic first aid kit. Carry your cell phone in a water tight dry-bag for emergencies.

Go with the flow

If you’re on a lake with a light breeze or a current, start fishing the shoreline on its windward side and let it push you down the shoreline.

Stay hydrated

Bring along plenty of water to drink. Wear light, loose fitting clothing that dries quickly. Make sure you have a hat, good sunglasses and plenty of sunscreen.

Be cautious of your surroundings

Stay well downstream of any low head dams. Use caution fishing around wood debris (strainers) on the outside bends of smaller fishing streams. Be careful paddling around obstructions - new snags, log jams, submersed logs and other debris.

Get an appropriately sized anchor (~10 lbs or less)

Major sporting goods retailers sell specialty kayak anchors that have a folding “claw” system for a better hold in current or winds. Most kayaks move at the slightest breeze or even from your casting motion. An anchor is helpful when you want to lock in your position so you can continually cast into a school of fish or a piece of cover/structure.

Secure your gear

Tie down your paddle, tackle box and other fishing necessities to avoid losing them.

 

Use your strengths

Kayaks are smaller, quieter, and more maneuverable than almost any other boat on the water.  Head deep into the flooded timber on a relatively new reservoir (e.g., Brushy Creek or 12-Mile Creek Lake).  Get close to shore in areas where other boats have to rely on less accurate, long distance casting. 

Fishing Fridays at the Iowa State Fair

Join the IDNR Aquatic Education Program, IDNR Fisheries biologists and staff, and several Fish Iowa! school groups for a fun-filled fishing Friday!

August 14 & 21, 2015

Noon to 4:00 PM

Iowa Department of Natural Resources Building Courtyard

at the Iowa State Fair Grounds

Activities will include:

• Fish cleaning and cooking demonstration – try a sample of Iowa fish!
• Casting – try your hand at casting for accuracy.
• Fish printing – create fish prints on paper.

Hooking Summer Catfish

Fishing for catfish is a fun summer activity for the whole family. Bring along a cooler with ice to keep your catch cold and preserve that great taste. Try these simple tips for catching Ol’ Whiskers.

Fish Rivers
Iowa rivers are loaded with catfish. Look for eddies, fallen trees or brush piles, below riffles or the outside bends of rivers where the water is deeper and there are snags or log jams that provide cover for catfish. Fish upstream of the snags and log jams and cast the bait (prepared cheese/stink baits) back towards it so the scent of the bait is carried downstream into the structure by the current drawing the catfish out. Use the smallest slip sinker possible, a longer rod and 8-pound test line. Also try below navigation and wing dams on the Mississippi River.

Move Often

Catfish will either react to the bait or not. If there’s no nibble in 15 minutes, it’s time to move.

Try different baits

Try different bait on each rod to help figure out what works best (e.g. worm on one and chicken liver on another).  Other great catfish bait include cut bait, stink bait, crawdads, frogs or live minnows, and chubs.

Fish after Dark
Catfish are bottom feeders, so they are more accustom to cooler water. The water in the shallows gets cooler at night, drawing the catfish in.

Go Live for Large

Catfish longer than 15 inches primarily feed on live bait such as large minnows, sunfish or night crawlers.

Cats Fight Back

Catfish have three spines that can cause a nasty puncture wound or cut: one on each pectoral or side fin and one on the dorsal or top fin. The barb is sharp and serrated. Use a glove if you are not comfortable handling a catfish.

Visit the DNR website for more information about Iowa catfish and tips for catching channel catfish throughout the year. Sign up for the weekly fishing report to find out where the catfish bite is the hottest.

Test Your Fish ID Skills

How well do you know your game fish? Being able to properly identify the fish you catch will help you know follow Iowa fishing regulations. Test your fish identifying skills with this simple quiz.

Which is the White Crappie? 

The easiest way to identify a black and white crappie is the pattern of spots on the side. White crappie have spots arranged in vertical bars; spots on a black crappie have no distinct pattern. Identifying fish solely by color is not always reliable so double check by counting the number of dorsal fin spines. Black crappie have 7-8 dorsal spines while white crappie have 6. 

Can you identify the Smallmouth Bass?

A smallmouth bass has a smaller mouth than the largemouth bass. Hence their common names. Look at the location of the upper jaw and eye. A smallmouth’s upper jaw does NOT extend past the eye. The upper jaw of a largemouth bass extends past the eye. 

Which fish is the Bluegill? 

Bluegill have an olive green back with sides that are yellow or reddish brown and often have dark vertical bars. A bluegill’s chin and gill cover is blue with a black, flexible tip at the rear of the gill cover. A green sunfish is mostly green with a yellow belly. Its ear flap is black with a white or yellow margin. 

Which one is a Walleye?

A walleye has a white tip on the lower lobe of the caudal fin and no distinct dark bars or mottling on the side.  A sauger has 3-4 dark saddles extending down the side with 2-3 rows of dark circles on the first dorsal fin. 

Can you pick out the Rainbow Trout?

Rainbow trout have a pink horizontal stripe along the side with dark spots. Brook trout have light colored “worm-like” markings on the back and a white line on the front edge of the lower fins. Brown trout have dark brown backs and a greenish yellow belly. The spots on the side of a brown trout are surrounded by a yellow “halo”. 

Which is the Muskellunge?

Muskellunge (or muskie) have an olive to dark gray back with light colored sides. Dark markings on the sides are arranged in vertical bars. Northern pike have irregular rows of light colored spots which are arranged in a horizontal pattern.

Find more information on fish identification and waters where these species are located on our Iowa Fish Species website. 

Tips for Cooking Fish

Wash cleaned fish thoroughly. If you are not going to cook the fish right away, freeze immediately in a container (milk carton, pop-top plastic container, freezer bag, etc.) filled with water. Thaw fish in the refrigerator or under cold running water. Do not thaw fish more than one day before cooking.

Rinse fresh fish in cold water and pat dry. Make several shallow, diagonal cuts in large fillets to shorten cooking time. Cook refrigerated fish within three days.

There are several ways to cook fish. Fish cooks very fast. When done, it will pull apart and flake. To check if it is done, cut into the thickest part and make sure there is no opaque color or jelly texture left. Do not overcook.

• Pan Frying 
• Frying Catfish 
• Deep Frying
• Baked Fish 
• Microwave
• Grilling
• Blackened
• Pickled

Top Reasons You're Not Catching Fish

Are you struggling to catch fish this summer? Don’t get discouraged – you are not alone. Here are some common reasons why you aren’t catching fish and tips for being more successful.

Fishing too deep
Don’t fish deeper than 10-15 feet in most Iowa Lakes after mid-June. Anglers often fish too deep – below the thermocline, a natural barrier between warm water in the top of the water column and cold water in the bottom. These warm and cold layers do not mix. Cool water is heavy and sinks to the bottom of the water column. The lack of mixing with surface waters prevents new oxygen from entering this cool water and over time, organisms use up most of the oxygen. By mid-summer, the oxygen levels below the thermocline fall to the point where fish cannot stay for long. Use our handy infographic to know how to fish by depth.

Wrong time of day
Fish bite best in the morning and evening.

Hook too big
Size 6 or 8 hooks are best for panfish.

Bobber too big
Try a 1-inch or smaller bobber to catch panfish.

Fishing in the wrong location
Fish close to structure like brush piles and stumps. Downloadable fishing structure location maps are available on the DNR’s Where to Fish website. Use these maps to pinpoint panfish hotspots.

Retrieving bait too fast
Fish often become lazy and sluggish in the summer heat. Reel in your line a bit slower to make your lure an easier target.

Find a great place to fish close to home on the DNR website along with tips for catching specific fish species this summer. Sign up for our weekly fishing report to find out what’s biting where.

Summer Fishing Tips

Making plans for summer outings with family and friends this summer? Add fishing to your list. Whether it’s part of your camping trip or just a day trip, schedule time to go fishing. Try these simple tips to get you started.

 

Fish Early and Late

Fish are more active during these times. Avoid the brightest, hottest part of the day - fish move to deep water to cool off. Know when to go and what depth to fish at with our handy summer lake fishing infographic.

Think Small

Use light tackle with small baits to catch panfish.

Match the size of the lure to the size of the prey.

As prey species like gizzard shad grow through the summer, predators become attuned to a certain size prey. Match the size of the lure to the prey to increase your chances of catching a fish.

Keep Your Catch Cold

Put fish you plan to clean and eat on ice immediately in a cooler. This will help preserve the flavor of the fish. Fish are very perishable; the flesh will deteriorate rapidly and lose flavor if not kept cold.

Stay Comfortable and Safe

Bring along insect spray and some vanilla for the small gnats. Wear light-colored clothing to reflect the sun and keep you cooler. Don’t forget sunglasses, a hat, and sunscreen, and of course, your fishing license! Check the weather conditions often.

Use our interactive Fishing Atlas to start planning your summer fishing trip. For summer fishing tips for specific fish species, visit our Howto Fish For website.