How to Go Troll Fishing on a Kayak

Because the deck of a kayak is small and cramped, finding room for rod holders while fishing is a challenge. On the front deck, if it's close enough to grab, the holder interferes with paddling. Placing it on the back deck makes it hard to monitor. When trolling for fish, you need to watch the line to make sure that you can set it and bring the fish in before it gets away. One way to troll for fish while kayaking is by using a handline. A handline is 50 to 100 feet of fishing line wrapped around a handle that looks like a kite-line winder. One end attaches to the kayak and the other trails behind the boat with an attached lure.

Things You'll Need

  • Kayak fishing handline
  • Bungee cord
  • Carabiner
  • Fishing line
  • Fishing lure
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Instructions

    • 1

      Tie a loop at the end of a kayak fishing handline. Then tie a second loop in the hand line about 10 inches away from the line's end.

    • 2

      Attach a five-inch loop of bungee cord to the second loop using a girth hitch (see Resources).

    • 3

      Clip a carabiner to your kayak's perimeter deck line. Clip the end of the handline and the bungee cord into the carabiner. The bungee cord provides 10 inches of give until the handline goes taut. When trolling, watch the bungee cord. If it starts to stretch, you have a bite.

    • 4

      Tie a leader made from 10 feet of fishing line to the other end of the handline. Attach a fishing lure to the end of the leader.

    • 5

      Drop the lure into the water and unwind the handline from its handle. Start paddling forward at a leisurely pace.

    • 6

      Paddle forward in a curvy pattern. Because you change direction on the outside of the curves, the lure changes speed. This makes the lure look more organic than if it maintained a constant speed.