Tandem Kayak Fishing - AKA Divorce Boating

A lot of people wonder about a tandem fishing kayak, and if it is a decent outlet to get you and a friend or spouse out on the water together. I understand why people could get this illusion, because they haven't really done a lot of fishing from a two person kayak before. I am here to answer peoples questions, and put a few myths to rest.

People assume that tandem kayak fishing would allow 2 anglers to share a smaller craft, and get out on the water. While this is true, 2 anglers does not work on them. You are spending time hooking each other, positioning, and repositioning the boat, getting hooks out of debris, hooking each other, arguing, and generally disliking the experience.

I put extra emphasis on hooking each other, because it doesn't matter how you position yourself, or your cast, you are going to hook your partner. Front seat, or back, it doesn't matter. This is why, even if you choose to have 1 person position, paddle, and dodge hooks, you still end up nailing each other. It's just not worth it. If you must try though, do it big, and try with fly fishing rods. Guaranteed ear piercings, eyelid, eyebrow, lip, and nose piercings. It's not pretty.

When an angler gets his bait into a tree, which is common when fishing from a kayak, it sometimes helps having a second person to position you. Where it all goes wrong though, is when you both lean the same direction while one of you are standing. Both of you go down in the water, along with your gear. Hopefully you strung everything to the boat, right? It has happened to me numerous times, even more in a canoe.

The positioning of the boat is the biggest factor. You can't read your fishing partners mind, and if you start talking, your voice is going to echo through the boat into the water. This will make fish nervous, and you will catch less -- I promise. Once you have been in the boat for more than an hour, you are going to start arguing. This is where things go down hill fast. Pretty much, just stay away from tandem kayak fishing.