Lake Tahoe Kayak Fishing is absolutely thrilling. Being on a good Lake Trout bite and having a double digit fish tow you around will have your heart racing. So will all the dangers that come along with it. If you’re looking to start your kayak fishing adventure on Lake Tahoe this will be a good starting point to prepare yourself.
The best tip I can give you is to hire a fishing guide. Come fish with us at Mile High Fishing for a day and get your bearings. Lake Tahoe is huge and has so many places to fish that you will be completely lost without getting on the water with an experienced guide. Fishing Tahoe from a boat is difficult. Fishing from a kayak often magnifies those difficulties. Most anglers that bring their own boat to Tahoe often fish with us for a day so they have an idea of how to fish the lake. The reason for this is that they’ve spent 2 or 3 days of fishing without catching anything or they have had very limited success. Get on a boat with someone that fishes Lake Tahoe for a living. Ask questions and pay attention.
Once you have your bearings and a sense of how to fish Lake Tahoe, you need to be aware of the dangers and safety issues. Lake Tahoe is gigantic and overwhelmingly deep. Awareness of the water should be your number one priority. Be conscious of how far away from shore you are. If it’s further than you can swim without a life preserver, you are too far out. You can find great fishing spots within a few hundred yards of shore.
Recognize that Tahoe is extremely busy in the summertime and boat traffic will increase throughout the morning. The worst thing you could do is match your blue kayak with your blue jacket and hat. Be as visible as possible. Wear a safety vest if you don’t have a bright shirt or jacket. The next danger is the weather. Tahoe weather is mild or wild and slightly unpredictable. Look at the forecast and then look at the water. If it’s questionable, go to breakfast. Pay special attention to the wind. Tahoe is 22.5 miles long, and getting blown across while trying to stay upright is something you don’t want to experience. The next issue is water temperature. It’s a cold alpine lake so consider the time of year and your chances of survival if you’re fishing during the colder months of the year. Safety is your biggest concern when on Lake Tahoe and it is often overlooked. Be aware and prepared.
One of the more enjoyable ways to catch Lake Trout on a kayak is jigging. This method is best used if you have a fish/depth finder on your kayak. Get yourself a braided line setup with about 20-30 ft of 12lb <a href=”https://www.fishtahoe.com/its-between-you-and-the-lure/”>fluorocarbon leader</a>. The jigs we use are made by CR Jig co. and they’re available at Mile High Fishing’s bait shop located in South Lake Tahoe. Crippled hearings are also productive and if you have a jig that you personally like don’t hesitate to use it. Make sure it’s 3-4 oz’s and you should be good to go. At the end of the day your best bet will be using the CR jigs. They’ve been around forever and they work great. The last little detail is to tip the jig with a minnow. Whether it’s in the head with a treble or threaded on with a bait hook you will increase your chances greatly. Work you way around 120 to 180 looking for a school of Lake Trout and once you find them drop that jig on their heads. It’s a great way to fish for them and it’s typically very productive. Another way to attack these fish is using a simple drift line with a live minnow.
