Author Madalyn Roberts proudly displays one of her first crappie caught
on her Nucanoe Frontier 12 utilizing forward-facing sonar. (Photo: Madalyn Roberts)
A Kayak Angler’s Journey Outdoors
by Madalyn Roberts
When I think back on my childhood, some of my best memories include my dad rounding up my sister and I and hauling us off to the lake for a day of fishing. For us this generally meant an afternoon spend sitting on a cooler in his camouflaged jon boat, which doubled as his duck blind in the cold, winter months. Although we largely fished for bluegill using a popeye jig tipped with a meal worm under a bobber, I can vividly recall one particular afternoon when my dad’s friend invited us to his private pond to fish for catfish. Unbeknownst to my sister and I, we signed up for a much bigger adventure that day.
This fishing trip was one that required a different strategy for us young girls, one which required my sister and I to work together to reel the fish in – one of us held the rod while the other reeled. All afternoon, we worked together to reel in a huge stringer of catfish, the biggest fish we’d ever seen. To this day, I look at the photo Mom snapped of us in our driveway – my dad holding out the stringer of catfish, my sister and I at his side. I recall how proud I was of our feat – as if the pride wasn’t clearly visible in my puffed-out chest and the smug expression I wore. This day is one of my favorite childhood memories.
As I grew older and got involved with competitive sports, fishing fell off the table for me. However, after I moved to Lexington, Kentucky in 2009, the great outdoors began calling again. It began as a weekend hobby, recreational kayaking the rapids of a 3-mile run of the picturesque Elkhorn Creek in Frankfort, KY. That beginning, however, would lead me back to a life chock full of fishing adventures.
For several years when I went out kayaking the creeks, I would always bring a rod and reel with minimal tackle to wet a line – but there wasn’t a lot of fish-catching at that time, mostly just enjoying the scenery and the peacefulness of being present in the outdoors.
When COVID hit in 2020 and I found myself engaging more and more in life outdoors, I made the jump in investing in a fishing kayak in May of 2021 and in the following summer of 2022, I begin rigging it to best fit my fishing needs.
At the time, long-lining was the only method of crappie fishing with which I was familiar, meaning rod holders and a trolling motor were must-have additions. Terry Barker, owner of Cumberland Crappie, fabricated and installed two solid, 3-pole rod holders, in addition to installing my trolling motor mount and making some minor trailer modifications.
Being the independent woman I am, I thought I could take it from there. In doing so, I found too much of my time was spent fiddling with my rig rather than actually fishing out of it. It took me three trips out on the water alone to figure out the standard marine battery I’d purchased for the trolling motor wouldn’t balance properly whether it was placed in the front, center, or rear of the kayak. And the Lowrance fish finder unit that came with the kayak purchase was faulty, needing replacement altogether.
Luckily, Chris Hogan, a local Louisvillian kayak angler and friend pointed me in the direction of another kayak company (now closed). I made the drive and the owner listened to my needs, showed me what my options were, and together, we came up with a plan of action. What items they didn’t have already in stock were ordered and shipped promptly.
Over the course of a weekend, we transformed my kayak into an elite fishing apparatus. Even so, it seems like I still make at least one minor adjustment or modification each time I go out on the water – be it to my tackle, rig, or method of fishing. Much like my life, my kayak is always a work in progress. However, choosing to utilize the expertise of some knowledgeable experts in the beginning, left me with a product in which I can feel confident and safe when I’m out on the water on solo trips.
To this day, every trip I make out on the water, at least one passing fisherman at the dock compliments my setup. Some even go out of their way to come over as I’m loading in or out to get a closer look. They always seem surprised at my admittedly somewhat intense setup. I always find these interactions amusing as I’m still trying to figure out just what exactly is so surprising about it all.
After all, I’m just a lady that likes to fish.
The newest contributor to CrappieNOW Magazine, Madalyn Roberts is originally from Kansas City, Missouri. However, she considers herself a southern transplant having now lived in Kentucky for 16 years. She serves her Louisville community by working for a non-profit organization facilitating free home repairs for elderly and disabled homeowners. In her spare time, she enjoys being in the outdoors in all capacities most especially fishing, hiking, & camping. We look forward to her future contributions.
