Kayak Fishing Gone Crazy

Veteran kayak angler Drew Gregory says some aspects of his beloved sport have gotten too complicated. (Photo by Realtree)

Kayak fishing surged in popularity in the early 2000s. Thanks to new manufacturing methods, roto-molded boats arrived in sporting goods stores all over the world, allowing for easy, economical access to lakes, rivers, and coastal areas for millions of people who’d never dreamed of owning a boat. The economic downturn of 2009 sparked a massive increase in kayak sales for Americans. And a decade later, the Covid-19 pandemic put a premium on spending time outside, regenerating interest in the simplest of boats.

As kayak fishing grew in popularity, there was a major uptick in kayak fishing tournaments, some of which featured large cash prizes. Compared to the fields of expensive fiberglass boats — and the high entry fees — seen with traditional bass fishing tournaments, kayak events were accessible to just about everyone. Thousands of anglers entered them, too.

Kayak fishing surged in popularity because it offered easy, economical access to remote waters and the big fish that live there. (Photo by Realtree)

As the interest in kayak fishing increased, so did the desire to take the pastime to new levels. Larger, heavier boats became the go-to. Tricked-out rigs with trolling motors, pedal drives, and depth-finders are now standard equipment on the tournament circuits. Trailers are often required to haul these “mini bass boats.” And prices for complete set-ups now may surpass $15,000. Lost along the way have been many of the aspects that made kayak fishing so attractive in the first place including ease of use, low cost, and easy access to remote waters.

Realtree Fishing pro Drew Gregory is a veteran kayak angler who’s been watching the sport drift away from its simple roots. Gregory is an original stand-out in professional kayak tournament fishing, and the designer and developer of the world’s first kayak with a removable seat. He’s also a professional kayak tour director, and he doesn’t hesitate to point out the problematic direction of his beloved sport.

Gregory says the beauty of a small kayak is that it can fish locations inaccessible to bass boats. (Photo by Realtree)

“We’re not fishing out of kayaks anymore,” Gregory said. “These new boats can’t go anywhere a kayak was intended to go. People want this to be a bass boat thing. The public idolizes that image, and wants to push it toward kayaks. But we already have the bass boat world. We (kayak anglers) should be distinct.”

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Gregory has been a vocal opponent of changing kayak competitions to fit the mold of traditional professional bass tournaments. In the early days of competitive kayak fishing, anglers were permitted to launch from just about anywhere they wanted on a tournament lake. One of the beauties of kayaks is that they could be hauled to remote spots and dropped into shallow feeder creeks if needed. But paddling was required to access fishing hotspots.

Gregory is pushing for the tournament kayak fishing circuit to return to its simpler roots. (Photo by Realtree)

But many of today’s tournaments require launching from select, designated launch ramps only, often making it impossible for anglers to access far-away locales. Some competitors have adapted by adding trolling motors to their kayaks, sometimes toting four or more batteries to power them. No longer can anglers portage across logs and obstacles; instead they’re forced to fish waters that are accessible to just about any boat.

As a response to those limitations, some kayak anglers have turned to technology to catch more fish, including adding forward-facing sonar units and shallow-water anchors to their boats. That extra equipment requires a larger boat, of course, more weight and even less accessibility, and the cycle repeats. Competitors continue to lobby tournament organizations to allow even less access, snowballing the effect of techno-fishing.

Gregory couldn’t be more discouraged. “The beauty of a kayak is that it can go anywhere a big boat can go, and more. Kayaks access areas impossible to other boats. But, if we try to remove that aspect (of kayak fishing) from our sport, then why are we even in kayaks?” he asked.

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Standard kayaks range from 10 to 12 feet, and weigh in around 75 pounds. But many of today’s monster tournament rigs often span 13 feet and weigh over 200 pounds, fully loaded. Some have two seats and elevated casting decks, just like bass boats. As a leading member of the kayak-related business community, Gregory also questions the logic of expanding the sport.

“Bass fishing is capped, in terms of the number of participants,” he said. “Manufacturers are essentially selling goods to the same people, so the model is to get those same people to spend more money on new things.”

Gregory’s new Kayak Adventure Series, presented by GoPro, uses many of the original rules of organized kayak tournaments, opening up the competition to larger areas and more participants. (Photo by Realtree)

Gregory also pointed out that new waters aren’t being created, unlike new golf courses or pickle-ball playing areas. “The only way for this sport to expand is to fish where other people can’t get,” he said.

But what about those who don’t fish in tournaments? While 80% or more of all bass boat owners participate in some form of competition, many kayak anglers still encompass a group drawn to adventure and outdoor experiences, and some don’t even fish at all. Gregory is disappointed in the lack of representation for this sector. “The media doesn’t cover this portion of the sport. And dealers are primarily interested in pushing big boats with lots of options, and the greatest profit margins,” he said. Gregory gave an example where a light-weight intro rig may only make a dealer $75, where a “pro-tournament” model could generate several thousand dollars in profit.

Gregory, a world-champion angler who’s won just about every kayak tournament fishing award around, is doing his best to push the narrative back toward simplicity. His newest venture is the Kayak Adventure Series, presented by GoPro. This six-event tournament trail uses many of the original rules of organized kayak tournaments, opening up the competition to larger areas and more participants. Shallow-water warriors rejoice, as the old days of tossing a kayak in the back of the truck and going fishing are again a reality.

Gregory sincerely hopes that kayak fishing comes back to reality. With the exception of only one, Gregory has never relied on modern technology or trolling motors for his major victories. To him, the game is simply different, and better, when kayakers are allowed to do what kayaks do best.

“Besides, why would we use a kayak in big bass boat water?” he asked. “That’s like hammering in something that needs a screwdriver.”