In 2013, nearly 2 million new participants took to the sport of stand-up paddleboarding, according to the Outdoor Industry Association. The options for these new paddlers include touring, SUP surfing, fitness/yoga, racing and fishing.
After having checked off a couple of requisite boxes in the SUP bucket list, the topic of fishing from a SUP frequently arises. Usually in a “hey, can you really fish from these?” kinda way, in the same way one would ask if rainbows really have a pot of gold. We know the answer, but ask anyway, hoping for a favorable response. Well, in this case, you lucked out as the answer is “YES”, you absolutely are able to fish from a SUP. In fact, you owe it to yourself to try it.
Prior to doing so, there are a few things to consider. Firstly, the board itself should be a large, stable board, such as the Three Brothers boards 12′ Jason Ryan, which affords the rider with a wide well well-balanced platform from which to begin your SUP fishing adventure. Typically,y you would want to bring along a cooler, a rod holder and a bait bucket. These are all items that will fit on the Three Brothers boards, 12′ Jason Ryan. In fact, you can order a rod holder as an option on your new board or have your current board outfitted with Connex fittings by Lift SUP to allow customized attachments from a rod holder to a camera or lashing straps.
Once on the water, your options are numerous. Many find SUP fishing in the flats affords them easy access to the shallow areas they would otherwise miss by boat. The shallows are also a good place to hone your SUP fishing skills with the safety of shallow water. Of course, deeper water fishing is always an option. If you’re venturing out to deeper water, follow all applicable boating regulations. Bring a buddy or at least notify a responsible party of your plans.
Be prepared with the right bait and rigging for the conditions. See your local bait shop for advice. If on the Gulf Coast, stop in to one of two locations for Angler 360 Bait, Tackle and Apparel. We spoke with owner Logan Langlois recently regarding fishing the local waters of Tampa Bay. According to Langlois, summer and winter fishing in Tampa Bay provides inshore shallow water anglers in all capacities a chance to target Redfish, Snook, Trout, Cobia, and tarpon among many others. You don’t have to travel far to locate these species. We have miles of saltwater inlets, estuaries, bays, and even ponds that hold plenty of fish year-round.
During the summer months, we recommend live bait, large pinfish or grass grunts, medium shrimp, finger mullet, and creek chubs. Tampa Bay in the winter months really heats up. Warmer water temperatures from the nearby gulf bring a heavy influx of trout, redfish, sheepshead, and snook into our backyards. This makes for excellent fishing for waders, kayakers, boaters, and stand-up paddle boarders. Smaller live bait such as shrimp, creek chubs, small pin fish, and finger mullet are very effective with little to no weight necessary.
Please be sure to wear a PFD and have a whistle or other signaling device on board, as well as have your FL fishing license handy ( http://myfwc.com/License/ ). Three Brothers boards carries a full line of PFDs to help you get on the water and do it safely.
Fishing from a SUP
