A brute of a musky finally struck after hours of fruitless casting. I hit back hard to set the hook in her toothy jaws…and my kayak skated about five feet across the water. A couple powerful head shakes and she was gone, having not been pinned well. So much for my first ever chance at a musky from a kayak.
My first musky, actually boated from such a vessel, this time a small square-stern canoe, almost capsized me three times in the violent boat-side drama. All muskies and big pike leave an impression, but she left me trembling and wondering why on earth I ever decided to try such a feat.
Since then, catching quite a few muskies and many more big pike from kayaks and canoes has taught me some lessons I’d like to share here. Besides the challenges it presents, it’s worth considering because you can catch some big fish, including in small rivers or tough-to-access backwaters, that get little to no pressure. It still borders on absolute chaos each time a big, toothy critter hits, with the thrills including some safety risks, so that aspect will be addressed as well.
Equipping for Small-Craft Esox
As other yak and canoe anglers undoubtedly agree, not just any model of these types of craft works well for fishing. Stability is key, and with big, mean, toothy fish, it’s even more critical. I had to let go of the aforementioned small canoe after too much drama. I upgraded to a hybrid yak/canoe with incredible stability from a wide, practically tri-toon style hull. It’s heavy and cumbersome for tougher access and possible portages, though, so I also kept a lighter kayak, which has a catamaran-like hull that’s almost as stable as my main craft.
Rigging your chosen small vessel for big toothy fish gets even more interesting. A primary consideration is do you bring a net…or not? One might think it’s crazy not to, but let me explain, as there are definitely some pros and cons.
A big net can certainly help you catch a big fish, a major advantage, but maybe the only one. On the flipside, you have to keep it somewhere, and its overall size and large mesh bag can bring some headaches. Behind you and upright can impede casting and be tough to deploy while fighting an angry beast of a fish.
In front of you, this is what I do when bringing a net; it still leaves a big bag of snag across your bow. Your lures and everything else catch it, and I’ve had boat-side hits, misses, and hooked fish acrobatics all bring extra challenges, including almost losing a favorite net to a trophy pike that hooked the outside of the bag before I had a good hold of the handle.
So in my view, there is a lot to be said for hand landing a big toothy brute from a small yak or canoe. It takes some practice, and it can tire a fish more than is ideal when releasing it. But a three-foot-plus Esox tangled up in a giant sack with usually multiple large hooks is tough on it too, and can be more dangerous for you than the hand-landing risks. Bringing a large, dangerous fish into a tiny boat crammed with gear is not advised, and securing the net to deal with unhooking next to the boat can be a headache, too.
In any case, whether it’s net or not is probably the toughest decision point, it’s your call. For what it’s worth, I tend to bring one when muskies well over 40 inches are possible, and go without when on strictly pike water where I’m trying for fish up to the 40-inch class.
The other equipment considerations are more straightforward. I’ll leave propulsion and electronics choices out of this discussion since those pertain to all types of small vessel fishing and are a matter of personal preference. But the big Esox species make the rest of the equipment choices extra interesting.
You need more tools, as anglers after these species know well, but they have to be right there on you or next to you and completely accessible, since you don’t get to move somewhere to get them. Large pliers, jaw spreaders, and hook cutters are all useful tools. Additionally, lanyards are extra helpful since you’ll be working in or over the water.
As for tackle…well let’s see…your very small boat may have a pedal set-up, or a motor, a battery or two, a paddle at a minimum regardless of other propulsion means, probably at least one main electronics unit, cooler, rain gear etc. etc. Some of the yaks I’ve seen out there for other species, most often bass, seem to cram enough equipment on them to resemble a miniaturized Navy destroyer. So, where do you put at least a couple big rods and reels and a tackle box with big baits?
Like other factors, it’s a matter of personal preference, but there’s a lot to be said for a more minimalist approach to Esox tackle when fishing from such vessels. Two rods rigged and a handful of lures contained in something relatively efficient, like a couple of stowaways under your seat, and that’s plenty. How often do you actually use more than a handful of lures, anyway? The challenge here, though, is you have to decide which ones before you’re on the water.
BIG TOOTHY TACTICS
When we think of muskies and big pike, we naturally think of heavy, strong tackle, including oversized lures with large, strong hooks. It reminds me of “Tool Time” from the old Home Improvement show, their manly grunts when discussing extra-strong power tools. But as I learned from that first missed kayak musky and more, thick hooks and big barbs don’t penetrate well into hard, toothy jaws without some serious force. Lots of that from a tiny boat that rocks or even slides across the water easily isn’t the best way to hook these beasts.
Instead, and while you’ll still be using your typical stout Esox rods, reels, line and leaders, consider that more modest-sized baits with better hook options will help you actually catch these big Esox from small craft. Trebles are as thin, yet, strong as possible, with smaller barbs, penetrate more readily, especially when you’re not in a big boat that doesn’t budge when you set the hook.
Take the popular twitch-type body baits for these fish, like a Jake or Grandma. The 6 to 7.5-inch models fish well with thin, size 1/0 hooks, swapping out the factory hooks as needed. These take way less force to dig in compared to the 3/0 and bigger, thicker hooks on much larger baits.
Speaking of how big of lures, however, the resistance of even modest musky and pike baits brings a tactical consideration unique to this small craft angling. You can actually steer with them to spare your batteries, or manual pedaling or paddling. It’s become a regular part of my approach with preferably downwind (or downstream) passes through prime areas, or with a calm or nearly calm wind.
For example, big but not huge blade baits, say a size 6-8 bucktail, especially a double-bladed version, steer you by pulling towards wherever you’d like to go, or alternate sides to maintain a fairly straight path, like over a broad weedy area. Any other lures with substantial resistance do the same thing.
The infamous following habits of muskies and pike also bring a different twist to yak and canoe fishing. Seeing them and executing a big circle or Figure-8 is best done while standing, but this approach carries some risks when a big fish hits. While I’m confident my craft won’t capsize, their sides are shallow, and one can lose their balance and stumble out, especially on hook sets that miss the fish or your first counter-move when a good one is stuck. After they are on, I immediately sit down for the rest of the fun, grateful that I didn’t already end up in the drink.
In my experience, if strictly on big pike water, I can stay seated and trigger boat-side chances well enough, even if it’s tougher to see them initially. They respond well to twitches and pauses, not the continuous, faster circle or “8” muskies prefer, which all but requires you to stay standing for room to execute the maneuver. Where muskies are the target, I mostly stand and try to stay aware of my position at all times for safer hook-sets and boat-side moves. This means keeping a PFD on, too, despite the inconvenience.
There’s more that could be discussed on this, and big pike fans may want to check out my new book, Diary of a Mad Pike Fan, which covers a host of other pikey topics too. Meanwhile, don’t hesitate to try small kayaks or canoes for big muskies and pike. It’s challenging, thrilling, and can be highly effective. Plus, some hopefully well-managed danger just adds to the fun!
