The short version
I’m Clete. I live in central Oklahoma, I fish from a Bonafide RS117, and I built this site because when I got into kayak fishing, I couldn’t find the kind of straightforward, no-nonsense information I was looking for. Simple Kayak Fishing is exactly what the name says — a place to find clear, practical info on kayak fishing without wading through 3,000-word articles that bury the answer you need in paragraph twelve. Lake guides that tell you where to launch a kayak (not just where to launch a bass boat). Gear reviews from someone who’s actually using the stuff on Oklahoma water. And tips that assume you’re smart enough to figure things out if someone just points you in the right direction.
How I got into kayak fishing
I’m not a pro angler. I didn’t grow up tournament fishing or guiding trips. I’m a dad of three with a full-time job who wanted to find a way to get back on the water without the cost and hassle of owning a boat. A kayak solved that problem. No trailer, no marina fees, no trolling motor batteries to charge. Just strap it on the roof, drive to the lake, and go. I picked up a Bonafide RS117 and started figuring things out — some of it the easy way, a lot of it the hard way. The more I got into it, the more I realized how hard it was to find information specific to kayak fishing. Plenty of sites will tell you what lure to throw for largemouth bass. Almost none of them tell you how to manage a rod, a paddle, and a landing net in a 12-foot kayak while the wind is pushing you into a brush pile. The kayak part changes everything, and most fishing content ignores it. That’s the gap this site exists to fill.My setup
What I fish from
Kayak
Bonafide RS117
Fish Finder
Garmin Striker
Anchor System
YakAttack Anchor Trolley
Home Base
Central Oklahoma
Favorite Lake
Grand Lake o’ the Cherokees
Species I Target
Bass, Crappie, White Bass, Catfish
My favorite spot
If you forced me to pick one place to fish for the rest of my life, it would be Grand Lake o’ the Cherokees. I keep an RV out there and get on the water whenever I can. My go-to spot is near Sailboat Bridge where Wolf Creek meets the Neosho River. I’ve pulled crappie, white bass, largemouth, catfish, and drum all from that same stretch of water. There’s something about working that confluence from a kayak — you can get into spots that bass boats blow right past.What you’ll find on this site
Lake guides — Detailed kayak fishing guides for Oklahoma lakes (and expanding). Where to launch a kayak specifically, what species are there, what to throw, and what you need to know before you go. Starting with the lakes I know best and building from there. Gear reviews — Honest recommendations on kayaks, fish finders, rods, tackle, and accessories. I don’t review things I haven’t used or researched thoroughly, and I’ll tell you when something isn’t worth the money. Some links on this site are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission if you buy through them — it doesn’t cost you anything extra and it helps keep this site running. Full disclosure here. How-to guides — Getting started, rigging, techniques, seasonal tips. Written for people who want clear answers, not a college lecture on aquatic biology. Species guides — How to target specific fish from a kayak. Because fishing for crappie from a kayak is a completely different game than fishing for crappie from a pontoon boat.Why “Simple”?
Because kayak fishing should be the simplest way to fish. You don’t need a $4,000 kayak, a $500 fish finder, or a garage full of tackle to have a great day on the water. You need a decent kayak, a few good lures, and the knowledge of where to go and what to do when you get there. That’s what this site is about. Keeping it simple, keeping it practical, and helping you spend less time researching and more time fishing.
The best part of kayak fishing: strap it on the roof, pick a lake, and go.