Sit-On-Top kayaks began becoming popular for fishing about 15 years ago. But would a sit-on-top (SOT) be a good option for your recreational kayaking? I’ve been giving talks at Canoecopia in Madison for years. About a dozen years ago, working the area for the kayak company I was involved with, a more senior couple came up and asked me about SOT kayaks. I asked them where they fished and their response was, “we don’t fish, but they are so much easier for us to get on and off of for our recreational kayaking!”
That got me thinking about all the kayakers who might be getting older, may have a disability or injury, might want to take a child or pet out with them and find getting in and out of a sit-in kayak a challenge. Sit-in kayaks are lighter, but they can be a challenge for anyone getting in or out of and are less stable than a SOT.
Having fished from SOT kayaks for years, I now know firsthand how accessible a SOT is with a disability or injury. On July 5, I slipped on a wet boulder top in the sand on a waterfront walk. I was shocked two days later to learn I have a vertical fracture of my Patella and was going to be in an immobilizer brace on my left leg for 10 to 12 weeks. This wasn’t good news for an avid smallmouth bass angler. I can’t use my YarCraft boat, pedal kayak or even wade fish. Fortunately, I have a Jackson Kayak SOT kayak that’s perfect for the big waters of Door County. Even with my injury, I used it twice last week, loading and unloading it from my Malone trailer. Wearing Frogg Toggs waist-high waders to keep my brace dry, I could easily sit on the seat and swing my immobilized left leg up onto the kayak. Getting onto and off a SOT kayak can make kayaking so easy for anyone, especially someone with limited moblility! So, for me, instead of sitting on the sidelines during my favorite time of year to fish, I’m on the water doing what I love, catching and releasing smallies!
If you have any questions about SOT kayaks, kayak fishing, or kayaking in Door County, you can email me at kayakfishingwisconsin@gmail.com, and I’ll be happy to answer your questions.
