Highlights From The First Ever Fishing Trip On My Newly Motorized SUP!!!
- By: Luke Simonds
- on
This was my first ever fishing trip on a motorized SUP paddleboard with an engine on the back and it was an absolute blast.
I teamed up with some fellow SUP fishing enthusiasts to fish super skinny water to try to find fish on my motorized SUP L2Fish Paddleboard!
Click the video below to see the entire trip and catch footage!!
First Ever Fishing Trip On Motorized SUP [VIDEO]
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Equipment Used:
- Rod: Slot Machine – 7’6″ Medium Power
- Reel: Daiwa Legalis 2500
- Line: 10 lb J-Braid 8 Grand
- Leader: 20 lb Ande Monofilament
- Scent: Dr. Juice Inshore Slam Scent
- Topwater Lure: Moonwalker
- Subsurface Lure: Mulligan rigged on Hoss Helix (3/0 hook with 1/8 oz)
On-The-Water Action
After seeing other anglers with motors and engines on the back of their SUP fishing vessels, I just had to do the same!!
I reached out to Austin, thesupangler on Social Media, to hit the water with my newly motorized SUP to see if we can find some fish.
It was an immediate thrill and I was ready to reel in fish the second we got the motors fired up!
Normally, I take as little gear as possible on paddleboard trips.
But with the motor and other things to deal with, I had a bit more gear than I was used to.
Once we got settled, I started out with the Moonwalker topwater lure.
The water was way down low due to a negative tide.
I figured a topwater plug could spark some bites and help me find the fish.
Nobody was able to reel in a fish at the first spot so we pushed further into the bay to find better fishing grounds.
We stopped on top of a shallow grass flat with potholes that had a decent amount of mullet all around.
So I switched over to the Slam Shady Mulligan Paddletail on a Hoss Helix Hook.
It didn’t take long for a strike!
I picked up a few solid redfish before the bite slowly died out.
After those fish, we picked up and moved and I was able to cruise around and get familiar with the motorized SUP.
Once we rode around for a bit, the wind basically came to a complete halt and the fish became a bit skittish.
Clear water, clear skies, with zero wind are some of the toughest fishing conditions.
Not long after I made my way back to the ramp and home!
Overall, that was a fantastic new experience that I can’t wait to continue to learn and get better at!
Key Lessons Learned
- Find the BAIT
Particularly around this time of the year, one of the easiest ways to find the fish is to find their food.
As soon as we entered areas with jumping mullet, feeding birds, or any type of action, that is where the predatory fish were holding.
- Artificial Lure Choices
It is also critical to match the hatch and use lures to match the bait in the water.
For the low light early morning hours, I recommend a topwater lure.
The Salt Strong Moonwalker casts a mile and is super easy to retrieve in a walk-the-dog fashion.
After a few hesitant strikes on topwater, I switched over to the subsurface Slam Shady Mulligan Paddletail.
All it takes is a 4-inch paddletail on a weighted hook and you’re in business.
The Mulligan in particular has been my absolute favorite and includes hidden advantages you won’t get in other lures.
Not only does it cast a mile, but the dimples also act as scales to attract and trigger more strikes.
- Lightweight Inshore Tackle
You already have a built-in advantage IF you are fishing with lightweight tackle and gear.
Open water areas on flats with minimal structure provide great opportunities to use super light gear and have lots of fun reeling these fish in.
Lighter is better in these situations.
You can cast farther and have an elevated overall feel which leads to much better hooksets.
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Oh, and if you are a Salt Strong Insider Member, if you buy any reel in our tackle shop, we’re going to give you FREE braided line AND we’ll spool it up for you on top of FREE SHIPPING!
All you have to do is pair it up with a fishing rod, tie on a leader, and hit the water!!
If you have any further questions or comments, please leave them down below!
Finding The Fish Help
In order to help make sure that you are targeting the right areas based on the latest feeding trends and upcoming weather forecasts, make sure to use the following 3 resources because they will save you a ton of time.
1. Weekend Game Plans (updated weekly)
These regional game plans will show you exactly what types of spots to target in under 10 minutes… just click the video to start, and you’ll be informed on what to do on your next trip.
2. Smart Fishing Spots Platform (updated every 15 minutes)
This exclusive software literally shows you where the most fish are likely to be feeding based on exactly when you’ll be fishing. It factors in the tides, wind, and weather to help you quickly see which areas to target throughout the day.
3. Community Reports (live feed)
The Insider Community platform is what you can use to see what is biting near you, and you can get to know other members who fish in your area. Plus, you can use it to keep a log of your catches so you can use past trips to help predict future catches.
Related categories:
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- Weekly fishing reports and TRENDS revealing exactly where you should fish every trip
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- Everything you need to start catching fish more consistently (regardless if you fish out of a boat, kayak, or land).
Does the Suzuki 2.5 have a reverse?
or do you just use the paddle?
It does not have reverse, so I have to get the board facing the right direction with the paddle before starting it up so I don’t get myself into trouble.
Love the new setup! Looks like a ton of fun even if just enjoying nature and add fishing and it’s a blast I’m sure
Is the motor short shaft or long shaft,
How fast do you think your top speed is with your motor
I believe it’s a short shaft. I recommend working with https://supcustoms.com/ if you plan to put a motor on a paddleboard because they make sure the motor and bracket are all aligned properly.
As for top speed, mine is about 8 mph.
Luke, did you use the keel fins with that setup or leave them off? I have a motor mount for my L4 that is on back order. Hopefully will be ready soon!
I didn’t use keel fins… no need since the motor is the keel and the board is so streamlined.
Fantastic video!! Which motor did you put on it? Suzuki 2.5? Did the L2 feel stable while powered? Would you still choose the L2 over the L4?
I got the 2.5 hp, and it’s plenty for the L2. The L4 is the better choice if you plan on using a motor because it’s much more stable.
Thanks! Did you feel like the L2 handled the 2.5 well or did it feel over powered? I’m a smaller dude and like the idea of weight savings of the L2 for quick trips but would want to put a small outboard on it most of the time. (Although paddle a lot too).
It definitely didn’t feel over powered… seems like the 2.5 is just right.
Thanks!!
I’ve learned so much from these videos I’m going to check out a subscription. Last question- if you were buying again would you get the L2 or L4?
Looks like fun! Keep the videos like this coming!
Btw – the rod link above gives 404 error.
So sorry to see that the link didn’t work for you. Here’s the full URL: https://fishstrong.com/products/slot-machine-custom-rod