A Story Worth Sharing

Kayak fishing can teach us lessons that go far beyond catching fish.

Patience: Not every cast produces a bite.

Adaptability: Conditions like weather, wind, water clarity, and fish behavior change.

Resilience: There will be tough days, missed fish, equipment breakdowns, long hours without a bite.

Respect for nature: Being so close to the water gives the kayak angler a deeper appreciation for wildlife and conservation.

Community: Helping others, sharing knowledge, and celebrating success together. It reminds us that competition and camaraderie can coexist.

Self Reliance: Making decisions and trusting your judgement and solving problems. Humility: The fish don’t care who you are and every trip is a reminder that there is always more to learn.

Confidence: Each challenge we overcome and each fish caught builds confidence—not just on the water, but in life. Kayak fishing teaches us to overcome setbacks and keep moving forward.

These attributes are vital to success of the kayak angler and can be applied to our everyday lives. The lessons learned from a kayak can help shape a young angler into a responsible, capable, and respectful adult. This is one of the many reasons for Kayakjak’s Outfitters is continuing to offer youth kayak fishing events each year.

For many years my son CJ and I enjoyed many outings together exploring new waters, catching fish, and making lifetime memories. Nothing else mattered, just time on the water enjoying God’s creation. Now that he is grown and on his own there is still an opportunity to help other youth grow and learn from this incredible activity we call kayak fishing.

This past week as I was planning for this year’s youth kayak fishing championship at Duck Creek Lake a parent reached out to me about her son participating. They were from Omaha and he was very interested in fishing the event. I sent details and let them know that we could provide whatever he needed for the day. She mentioned that he didn’t have a kayak so I let her know that we could provide one for him.

On the morning of the event I arrived at the lake with the sun rising in the east and a glow that mesmerized the surroundings. It was a uncharacteristically cool June morning with calm conditions. A perfect day for the youth about to fish from their kayaks. I started setting things up and anglers came trickling in with kayaks with most strapped to the back of pickup beds. The family that inquired earlier in the week arrived and we introduced ourselves. Ezekiel, a future fifth grader, had his gear ready for the day. I could tell he was excited about fishing this event. We got him set up with a kayak and a fishing rod. I asked him about his experience with kayak fishing and he said he had been in a kayak but hadn’t had not fished from one yet. This helped me determine that it would be a good idea to mentor him in the event so that he would have a chance for success. All of the kids were eager to get started. After the tournament briefing the youth’s launched and started paddling to their favorite spots.

After helping everyone get launched I focused my efforts on supporting “EZ” (Ezekiel) as I called him. We started paddling to a spot on the other side of the lake and I could tell he hadn’t had too much experience with the kayak so I coached him up a bit so that he could be more efficient in getting to spots that held fish. The first hour or so we didn’t have any bites. The sun was bright and I felt the fish had set themselves up in ambush mode deep into the shoreline vegetation. We decided to hit the dam and ventured on to a spot I knew well with some submerged rock that usually held fish. At this point EZ was getting pretty good with casting from the kayak and could easily hit the areas that I pointed out to him. It wasn’t long before he got hooked up with a nice sized bass. As he got it close to the kayak I tried to help him land it with my net. Unfortunately, the bass disengaged itself from the hook and we lost it. This didn’t faze EZ any bit at all which was great to see. He kept at it and once again hooked another nice bass from the same spot. He raised his rod with the fish out of the water and it also shook loose. I spent some time coaching him in landing a fish and he responded with a great positive attitude.

We traveled back toward the ramp fishing along the way with no bites. Then we crossed under the bridge and went back to a cove that I knew always held bass. Unfortunately, it had just been fished by another kayak angler not in the tournament. We visited and he said that he lost a couple back there so we gave it a shot. Sure enough, EZ hooked into a 12.75” inch bass and he was very excited to land his first fish from a kayak. We went a bit longer but didn’t land any more there. We headed back out to the main lake and fished a main point that usually held bass. With the sun up and not much breeze I thought the bass might be in a bit deeper water. I gave EZ a different rod that had a drop shot rig tied on. It wasn’t but a couple minutes and he hooked into a 14.25” fish. EZ was getting pretty excited now. To help him out I would latch on to his kayak and pedal him back into position as the breeze was taking him away from the “sweet spot” in this area. Then I would back away and observe. EZ showed much patience. He fished that drop shot rig like a boss! He then hooked into another 14 incher and now had three fish to his credit. Invisiting with other youth anglers the fishing had been tough across the entire lake but one angler in the older division said he had a limit.

One of the Dad’s fishing with his son right by us had his livescope on and we asked him if he noticed fish where were casting. He obliged and told us there were numerous fish in the depths which gave EZ even more confidence. He kept casting and soon after hooked into his fourth fish, another 12 incher. With four fish and an hour to go EZ had a very good chance at catching a limit. His Mom was on the shoreline cheering him on and EZ kept casting getting better at positioning and recognizing bites. I pointed to a small area that had a couple of laydowns and EZ fished it. He caught his fifth fish which was a 11.75 giving him a limit. He thought that was all he needed but I told him that just like in a soccer game which he loves to play, would he let up after taking the lead there? He understood that giving your best effort for duration of the competition is important to achieve success. This attribute is also important in our everyday lives. Finishing strong in whatever we are trying to accomplish.

At noon we arrived back at the launch with all of the other anglers. There was plenty of excitement and the buzzing of stories about lost fish, experiences with nature, and lots of laughs as the young anglers put their equipment away for the awards ceremony.

There was much suspense as the anglers gathered around. We had the youth all draw a numbered fishing bobber from a GI Joe plastic box for the drawings ahead. They wrote the number on their hand and we put them back into the box for the drawing. A little guy drew them out for us. In the meantime, they all had a chance to draw a bag of lures from a sack. We do this at every youth event and they are not allowed to peek into the sack but can trade after they draw for their package of lures. These lures are donated throughout the year by area adult anglers who no longer have a need for them. The kids love this tradition and some even try out their new right there near the boat ramp.

The awards went well as we revealed the winners. The kids all had fun and it was a perfect day for this event. EZ ended up winning the 12 and under division overcoming some early morning adversity and catching a limit of bass in the long run. He stayed positive the entire day continuing to be a sponge in learning tactics to catch bass. My hope is to spread the word of what this activity can teach young anglers and spread it nationwide just as we did with kayak fishing in general through the past three decades.

As seen above, being in the outdoors teaches responsibility, patience, perseverance, and self-discipline. Whether it’s fishing, hiking, hunting, or camping, young people can learn that success comes through their effort and persistence. Not only does being in nature teach character but also improves mental and physical health. It encourages exercise and movement, reduces stress, anxiety, and improves mood and focus. This can result in a lifelong healthy lifestyle. Being in the outdoors helps these young people develop problem solving skills such as how to adjust to changing weather patterns, navigating unfamiliar places, and adapting when things don’t go as planned. Confidence is gained and decision making skills are improved

One of the greatest attributes is how outdoor activities like kayak fishing strengthens relationships. Especially parents with children, grandparents, and mentors who spend time investing in them. Meaningful conversations happen naturally and a greater understanding of community is usually the result. We witnessed this first hand in this event.

Every hour a young person spends outdoors is an investment in their future. The fish they catch may be forgotten, but the lessons they learn, the confidence they gain, and the memories they make will stay with them forever.

We want to thank all of the sponsors who continue to support our efforts to promote kayak fishing. Also, to all of the area anglers who donate excess packages of lures, rods, reels, and accessories for these kids. So much appreciated! Thanks!

Sponsors: DHUKR, YakAttack, Kayakjak Outdoors, ZMan Fishing Products