“My First Paddle Board Fishing Trip” by Nick Lytle

It’s paddle board fishing time!

And the best news is that you don’t have to hear Salt Strong co-founder Luke Simonds talking about how much he loves paddleboard fishing for once…

Why?

Because Luke’s articles and videos about why all kayak anglers should at least try SUP fishing finally convinced our very own Salt Strong Ambassador Nick Lytle (who loves kayak fishing so much he sleeps in his kayak many nights) to give it a shot.

Here is Nick’s first experience (with some video footage at the bottom) of saltwater paddle board fishing.

Enjoy.

My First Paddle Board Fishing Tip [VIDEO]

by Nick Lytle

Hey, fellow tribe members!

Last week, I decided I was going to go fishing from a paddleboard for the first time.

Which by the way, I thought was crazy because I am a die-hard kayak angler…

Before I discuss how awesome paddleboard fishing is, let me tell you the story that led me taking a paddleboard out saltwater fishing!

Last month, my wife, two of our friends, and I, embarked on our first ever paddleboard trip.

We had a blast!

The paddleboards we rented were far from top of the line (the paddle boards we used really lacked stability), but we still managed to love pretty much every minute of it (minus a few spills).

Our wives opted for sitting down, but Jonathan and I were entirely too stubborn for that non-sense.

Of course, that also meant that Jonathan and I ended up going swimming in the drink multiple times in the few hours that we were on the water (we were relatively close to a channel and boat traffic was relentless!)

We eventually found protected waters and spent some time in a small estuary.

As I explored the area, I saw Trout, Redfish, Crabs, and baitfish from an entirely new perspective.

The new view from above while I was paddling out was pretty awesome. I was now beginning to see what Luke was saying about the height advantage while in exploration mode with a SUP.

The small area was teaming with life that I normally wouldn’t be able to see, and my presence didn’t seem to be a disturbance!

Here’s the view from my SUP.

Sight casting Redfish has always been my passion, and that small estuary finally opened my mind to the idea of paddleboard fishing.

After returning the boards for the day and heading home, the idea of paddleboard fishing slowly faded from my mind.

As the weeks passed, the quality of fish improved. As I began to find a few fish schooled up in the shallows, one thing came to mind…

Sight casting Redfish from a paddleboard!

I recalled that Luke published a few articles about paddleboards and fishing, a few months ago.

I read the articles and watched the videos again.

The first article was titled “How To Choose The Best Paddle Board For Fishing [Video]” (see it here now) and it explained why the paddleboards we rented lacked stability (They were designed for the surf, not for flats fishing).

After learning about the boards, I moved on to the next article titled “3 Reasons All Kayak Anglers Should Consider Paddle Board Fishing (see it here now).”

After reading this article and watching the video again, I was still skeptical…

However, I went into work with paddleboard fishing on my mind.

I talked to the boss man and he allowed me to take out one of our demo boards the next morning!

So, I loaded the board and a few essential items into the truck before going home.

The next morning, I was up long before sunrise, and eager to set out on my paddle board adventure.

I was armed with one rod, one camera, a few select lures, and a pair of pliers.

Just before sunup, I pushed off of the shoreline and headed west.

I was instantly comfortable and impressed by the stability the Bōte Rackham.

The thoughts of falling off quickly slipped away and off I went.

I was confident that I would be able to make it to an area that always produces a few fish.

Within twenty minutes of paddling, I approached an area that was loaded with Mullet.

I reached for my rod and saw a Spanish sky on a small baitfish.

I wanted nothing to do with the Spanish mackerel and decided to keep moving.

As the sun continued to rise, I began to SEE the advantages of fishing from a paddleboard.

The elevated platform allows an angler to see the slightest ripple on the water and the paddleboard is so quite!

The ability to enter an area quietly is essential when targeting spooky Redfish.

Unfortunately, I never did see a Redfish!

This was unusual for the area but I wasn’t upset.

I pushed out to deeper water and quickly began catching quality Trout on top water.

After landing several small Trout, I hooked and landed my first keeper from the paddleboard!

The wind quickly moved me off of the spot and I decided it was time to head on in.

I had an amazing morning and am glad I took the paddleboard out.

Here’s The Video Footage Of My First Paddle Board Trip

I thoroughly enjoyed my trip and look forward to next time.

If you haven’t considered giving paddleboard fishing a shot, then you should!

Fall is coming and the inshore bite will only get better.

Fish on!