Published Nov 18. 2002 - 21 years ago
Updated or edited Feb 6. 2016

Book review: Kayakfishing

The Revolution
Info
Author: 
Ken Daubert
Publisher: 
Coelacanth Communications, Florida USA
Publishing year: 
2001
ISBN: 
0-9678098-2-7
Pages: 
256
Price: 
15.95
US$
Reviewed by: 
This is the first book I have found dealing entirely with fishing from a kayak. Most other kayak books are about kayaking, and might mention fishing, but Ken Daubert does it the other way round, and covers the fishing part extensively, not forgetting the more common aspects of kayaking.

Daubert is an enthusiast in the best meaning of the word. The first words of the book reads: "The purpose of this book is to convince you to join the revolution to combine two of our greatest outdoor recreation and nature oriented sports into one enjoyable and exiting adventure - ". The author works on fulfilling this purpose all through the text, and does a very good job of it.
Initially the book seems a bit on the ugly side - in lack of better words. The cover is colourful and messy, the paper is a bit yellowish and rough and the pictures are all B/W and seem unsharp and with too little contrast. But in spite of its lacking appearance you still get caught by the content of the pictures, the captions and the enthusiastic text.
And the book is richly illustrated in spite of the fact that most pictures could be better reproduced.

Ken Daubert covers the subject extensively over the 250 pages in the book, going through all aspects from selecting and equipping a kayak for fishing over learning how to paddle and onto the main subject: fishing.
This part is of course the largest in the book with separate chapters on fly fishing, bait fishing and lure fishing. Fighting and handling fish also has each its own chapter as has safety, so having read this book, you are well prepared for facing the challenges on the water.
But Daubert's book also embraces some other aspects of the kayak fishing pastime with related subjects such as the kayak fishing community, kayak fishing on the web and other resources such as shops, guides and general experts.

Content wise I have only one point on the negative side: the book is very US centric, and not least warm water centric. I do not expect Daubert to cover arctic fishing, but almost all pictures in the book show fishers in shorts and T-shirt, and there is little mention of warm clothing or cold water. Most of the world has colder water than what the author fishes, and I think some coverage of this aspect would have been appropriate.
Being a fly fisher almost exclusively I obviously find the sections on cooling of live bait tanks and similar subjects more entertaining than useful, but I respect Ken Daubert as a versatile fisherman and I am sure many kayakers will find these parts helpful too.
On his web site Ken Daubert announces a book entirely on fly fishing, and I am sure this coming volume will put my remarks on this subject to shame.
Altogether the book is still great and can be highly recommended to the aspiring as well as the seasoned kayak fisher.

More on the subject on Daubert's own web page
.

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