Lenny Jusiak of Lancaster casting the back bay in Wilson Harbor.

Kayak fishing was made for a pandemic.

It had grown by leaps and bounds the past decade in the state and around the country, but Covid-19 did little to slow it down. It’s the perfect activity to maintain social distancing if you paddle with others, but you can kayak by yourself on any body of water as long as it’s in a safe and responsible manner.

Joel Spring of Ransomville, author of "The Ultimate Guide to Kayak Fishing," had this to say about kayaks and kayak fishing:

“Getting into kayak fishing, there are a great many resources available to the beginner, including instructional videos and books. The best resource, however, is consulting with active kayak anglers, and discussing what works best for them, especially if they are fishing in your area and for your desired species.”

“Kayak fishing is often discussed as being limiting, due to the shorter range of a human-powered craft,” said Spring. “While you may not be able to cover as much water, you can more than make up for it by accessing areas that the larger boats wouldn’t dream of attempting, such as the upper reaches of the Great Lakes tributaries. In those areas, kayaks excel in providing access to unpressured and untapped waters.

“The selection of angling kayaks has increased dramatically in recent years. From the stripped down, affordable boats that beginners often seek, to fully outfitted fishing kayaks, complete with electronics and pedal or motor drives, there are kayaks available for every budget and skill set.”

Picking up Spring’s book is a great way to get started or to expand your angling repertoire of tips and tactics when you are on the water.

It’s only natural that the New York Kayak Bass Federation is also growing despite a pandemic, now including an expanded Western New York Division. The group has the more established Central Division that includes water bodies from Oneida and Otisco lakes to the east, as well as to the Finger Lakes as far west as Conesus and Honeoye. This is an exciting time if you are into competitive kayak fishing with a focus on black bass or if you just want to give it a try to see how you fare against other anglers.

“NYKBF was started in 2016 by me and a few more like-minded people that really just wanted to make a group where everyone (regardless of skill) felt comfortable getting involved with kayak fishing,” said Jason Hausner of Geneva. “It was important for us that we created a community that brought people together and showcased the beauty that we have here in New York.”

“We’ve come a long way in a short amount of time,” insists Hausner, one of the group’s Tournament Directors. “When we first started, we were having events that were made up of about six people. Now in 2022, we anticipate having over 100 paid members and our events averaging about 50-60 competitors for each one.”

“This year will be our second year hosting our new Western trail, WNYKBF,” Hausner added. “We have seen a large request from our members to do more Western New York bodies of water, and we have now made it a reality. We will be hosting four events throughout the spring and summer with a focus on the western section of the state.”

The action for both divisions will begin with the Honeoye Lake Charity Event on April 30, a great tune-up to get those competitive juices flowing. The tournament schedule is set up in such a way so that you can fish every single tournament throughout the entire season, if you desire.

For the WNYKBF schedule, Lake Ontario will be the focus out of Niagara County, but out of Wilson and Olcott harbors, which includes 12- and 18-Mile creeks on May 21. On June 18, Buffalo Harbor and Lake Erie will be the tourney site, followed by Chautauqua Lake on July 9 and the Oak Orchard River in Orleans County on August 6.

For the more established central region of the state, Otisco Lake bats first on May 14, followed by Owasco Lake on May 28, Cayuga Lake on June 11, Oneida Lake on June 25, July 23 in Sodus Bay, and August 20 in Conesus Lake. The state championship will be held for all competitors someplace in the state on Sept. 17-18.

“Kayak bass fishing is a great sport to get involved in,” says Hausner. “We have competitors that hold their own with the very basic of set ups. This sport is something that you can enjoy while you invest over time. The only thing you need is a kayak, paddle, lifejacket (required for all our events), fishing gear, camera phone and a "Bump Board," which is our measuring device.”

“Kayak fishing for our tournaments is completely CPR – Catch, Photo, Release – so everything is done by length and scored online through our tournament software ‘TourneyX.com.’ ”

Yes, perfect for a pandemic.

Getting involved in the NYKBF circuit is easy. Go to www.nykbf.com to find rules, schedules, membership information (not required to join an event) as well as partnership information for companies. A membership costs $50.

“We do all of our community building through our Facebook, Instagram and YouTube Channels,” says Hausner. "Just search NYKBF if you are trying to find us."

Hausner, originally from Rochester and currently on the National Pro Staff for Jackson Kayak, started fishing competitively in 2009.

“I really enjoy this competitive style of fishing,” he said. “I am always looking to get people involved in kayak fishing and to join our group. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me through our website or social media channels.”

The April 30 fund raising kickoff will see all proceeds benefitting a suicide prevention charity, the Tristan Foundation. Registration is $40 for NYKBF members and $50 for nonmembers. The first cast is at 6:30 a.m. and the last cast is at 2:30 p.m. All public launches are open and the entire lake is eligible. For measuring devices, the official board is a “Ketch Board.” Contest winner will be based on the five longest bass combined.

Get out there and have some fun.

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Lenny Jusiak of Lancaster casting the back bay in Wilson Harbor.

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