Fishing From a Stand-Up Paddleboard
Of all the ways to target different species of fish, none seems as unique as stepping on a paddleboard. Here’s why. The concept of minimalism simply means restricting yourself to the basic necessities and being as streamlined and efficient as possible, and this becomes particularly apparent in paddleboard fishing. Fishing from a boat allows for more gear and greater range; but, at the end of the day, I know I can take a paddleboard out with two light setups, a small box of artificials and some terminal tackle and still have a great time casting to my favorite inshore predators with incredible stealth.
The concept of minimalism is rather intriguing within the world of sport fishing. Some anglers are avid believers in this idea and apply breathtakingly simplistic approaches to their favorite pursuits, while others cram every bit of gear they possibly can on their platforms. Most of the time I fish, it’s from a kayak, and people who know me personally would agree that when I go fishing, I like to bring everything including the kitchen sink. However, when I decided to try my hand at fishing from a stand-up paddleboard (SUP), I knew my usual gear load had to be significantly streamlined. This forced me to think about what I really needed out on the water and I was forced to venture out with much less to work with. Does this mean I was bound to catch fewer fish? Not remotely.
One of the biggest pills to swallow in this pursuit is that less is more. What I mean by that is you can certainly try to pack your board down with as much gear as it can hold, but you might be less effective if you do so. Instead, try focusing your efforts on one or a few techniques or fisheries. While it’s nice to be able to switch plans on a boat and equip yourself with different tackle and gear for different tactics, this is simply not in the cards on a paddleboard. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be prepared for different conditions and scenarios, but just know heading into it that you’ll be limited. To me, that challenge is part of the fun. It’s quite satisfying to take a few rods and a small container of tackle to ultimately catch more quality fish than plenty of other anglers out there fishing from expensive boats and more gear than they know what to do with. And, believe it or not, there are even a few advantages to fishing from a SUP.
When SUP fishing, certain accessories can make the process a bit more streamlined. These include rod holders, anchor cleats and paddle holders, as well as specialized attachments to fasten your gear to your board. A lightweight carbon fiber paddle, though not cheap, is a worthwhile purchase in this pursuit and another tool to help you out on the water. Your paddle is basically your engine in that it’s something you’ll be relying on most of the day, so you want one that creates maximum propulsion but won’t weigh you down. Furthermore, a rotomolded cooler of some sort to store tackle, food and drinks and use as a seat is highly recommended when SUP fishing. Though you will be standing up on your board, it’s nice to have a stable seat beneath you from time to time. On this note, however, I should let you know that not all paddleboards are suited for effective fishing. Some boards designed for nothing more than recreational paddling might become unstable or difficult to control with different accessories on board.
If you find yourself in the market for a SUP, there are quite a few brands with unique pros and cons, as is the case with any boat or kayak. A great way to see if this sport is for you is to “try before you buy” at a dealer such as Nautical Ventures (nauticalventures.com). Nautical Ventures is a prominent watersports dealer and superstore in South Florida with an excellent selection of paddleboards, kayaks and boats. After speaking with a representative, I was given permission to use a board of their recommendation and successfully gain experience with the paddleboard lifestyle. However, just any paddleboard would not have worked. I explained that my goal was to be able to successfully fish from an SUP, and Nautical Ventures was easily able to accommodate my request.
I was outfitted with a catamaran-style SUP from LIVE Watersports (livewatersports.com), specifically designed with fishing in mind. This means that, unlike a basic board designed just for recreational paddling, this board was a little bit wider and more stable, allowing for maximum stability and ideal cooler placement. LIVE Watersports offers two models suitable for hardcore fishing, the L2Fish, measuring 12’6” long and 34” wide, and the L4Expedition, measuring 14’ long and 34” wide. While the 65-pound L4Expedition provides a larger platform and higher weight capacity at 700 pounds, it is slightly heavier than the 54-pound L2Fish that can hold 500 pounds. BOTE (boteboard.com) is another reputable brand that features a much larger selection of fishing SUPs with additional accessories like coolers, bucket holders, rod holders, motors and more.
If you are coming from the boating world, fishing from a SUP might be quite the learning curve. After you finally get comfortable with the board itself, there is no help when you’re trying to position yourself for a cast along the mangroves or make headway into the current or wind. These situations on the inshore or even offshore side of things can be serious and each trip should be planned meticulously with safety at the forefront. Speaking of safety, be sure to always wear a personal flotation device (PFD). Fortunately, there are many lightweight options out there that won’t be too bulky, as well as “fanny pack” style PFDs that inflate upon submersion or with an easy pull tab.
In this pursuit, don’t fight the tide; work with it instead. There is no trolling motor or fishing partner poling you on the flats; you are front and center on the board with the paddle in hand stealthily moving across the surface of the water one stroke at a time, making sure the orientation of the board is proper before setting the paddle down and casting. Fins installed in the rear of the board allow for easier and true tracking and come highly recommended unless you plan on going into water depths under 10 inches.
While many of the scenarios faced by beginner SUP anglers make them wish they were on a boat, there is a distinct stealth advantage. For example, I was chasing black drum in extreme shallows in an area where I knew them to be very spooky and I noticed I could get closer to them from a paddleboard than I ever had before.
Most paddleboards can easily be carried by one person and weigh under 100 pounds, which opens up the possibilities of car travel and deploying the board in various bodies of water. Whether you PAD DLED THE Path Less S.U.P. SURF ESTD. 2008 PADDLED want to stick a dive flag on the board for an easier beach dive or dip into a secluded pond, the range of a paddleboard is vast. Landing big fish on a SUP is also possible, though not for the faint of heart. A sailfish or tarpon will easily take you for a sleigh ride which, if you’re lucky enough to experience, I’m sure you won’t soon forget. To slow a fish down in shallower areas, anglers can deploy small anchors with set amounts of rope to stack the odds in their favor against formidable fish. Depending on the bottom structure, the anchor will hook and allow you to fight the fish on a more even playing field.
With the endless waterways in Florida and the SUP community growing rapidly, whether it’s for recreational paddling or fishing, the freedom of having one lightweight, simple board is a dream come true for the adventurous anglers who eagerly await the path less paddled.
Source: https://floridasportfishing.com/fishing-from-a-stand-up-paddleboard/
