Sometimes, you’ve got to put aside your prejudices and look at things with an open mind.

When I was a kid, the word “kayak” conjured up images of a guy wearing a helmet, strapped into a cigar-shaped boat being tossed along a raging river, invariably getting slammed upside down by the torrent, struggling for his life and trying to get the craft righted before his head got bashed in by an underwater boulder.

That stuck with me through the decades, and it took a lot for me to change my mind about getting into a kayak. But over the past year or so, I’ve covered some city of Waco Parks and Recreation Department programs involving kayaking, and most recently, I have begun to realize the value of kayaks when it comes to fishing.

Jeff McNew and his family are sold on kayaks, and every member of the family has his or her own. Sometimes they take a casual paddle on an area lake or stream, but usually, there’s some serious fishing going on. Both boys have been featured in this column for catching monster-sized bass from their kayaks.

One of the top selling points of kayak fishing is that these lightweight craft afford an angler amazing stealth. Without even as much as a trolling motor hum, kayaks can move into an area without alerting fish to your presence. Kayaks can also go places where motorboats can’t reach.

In fact, while those hoping to launch their bass boats on Lake Waco last week met up with closed gates and barricaded boat ramps, kayakers only needed to find an opening along a riverbank or shoreline to get their vessels on the water. During the summer floods a few years ago, kayak anglers were cashing in on excellent fishing at area lakes while they were officially closed.

McNew says one of the things he likes best about kayaks is the ease of getting on the water, especially compared to getting a bass boat on the lake. There’s no waiting in line at a boat ramp, and no tags, trailer, battery, registration, fuel or wiring system to worry about.

All you do is load them up and they’re ready to go. You don’t have to back a trailer blindly downhill into the water to launch a kayak, and if everybody has his or her own craft, there’s no need to argue about who gets to drive and where to go next.

There are some drawbacks to kayaks, though — one of the most obvious being that paddling from one end of a lake to the other isn’t usually feasible. But kayaks are light and easily transported, especially with a pickup and some tie-downs.

Kayaks are relatively inexpensive, especially compared to motor boats. They don’t require much upkeep, so the majority of the cost is up front. They’re a nice investment whether you get outdoors every weekend or just a handful of times a year.

Available at most sporting goods stores, a wide selection of both new and used kayaks can also be found online. Cost runs from about $250 for a low-end model through the thousands, but a serviceable fishing kayak can be found for around $300 to $500.

These boats are fun for all ages. They’re enough like toys that kids can maneuver and enjoy them, but they also offer a unique perspective to serious anglers and those who just enjoy getting back to nature.

And once you’re in the water, you’re about as close to nature as it gets — it’s just you and the elements with a kayak in between.

The city of Waco, along with the Waco Paddle Club, will be scheduling paddles in upcoming weeks, and later this year, the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department will open the Waco Paddling Trails, which will include a 1.8-mile and a 4-mile route.

www.centexoutdoors.com

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