I've fished with my spin rod from my kayak for the past number of years, and I always planned to 'graduate' to fly fishing. Well I finally got my first fly rod this Christmas! But I've been thinking that I've never seen anyone flyfish sitting down before. Float tubes are close to the water too but the person is basically in an upright position. I'm just wondering if anyone has any tips on being able to cast while sitting down in a kayak - is it possible? Is there enough height from the water? Will it kill my back? Thanks.
I fly-fish off my OK Prowler all the time, Difficult at first - but easier as you get experienced. I fished the Island - Salmon point (oyster bay) last season, a few of my mates where on float tubes and pontoon boats, no comparison at all - I managed to connect with the coho pods and stay with them all the way down the swim - left all my mates kicking and rowing their arses off (he he)
Anyhow here is an article I did on Kayak fishing a while ago.
The Kayak Advantage
The cell phone starts to vibrate, I garb it quickly to push the red button, Don’t want to wake up my wife , who is curled up like a cat next to me. I peek over and see the boys are sleeping, silently I slip out of bed , grab my shorts and tee shirt and sneak out of the tent as quietly as possible. I make my way down to the beach, the sun is still below the horizon and the sky is a lovely colour - “Sky Blue Pink” as my Dad used to call it.
I quickly get into my waders , throw on a light cag and get the Yak ready. All I need are two fly rods, a 6 and 8 weight, both loaded with sink tip lines and deceivers - one is about 3” long blue and white, with a hackle the other, a smaller chartreuse and white similar in all respects but smaller - only 1.5 “ long. I garb my fly wallet - loaded with flies - spare leaders and 8lb mono tippet.
I clip on the comfortable padded seat , slip a energy bar and bottle of water in the back pocket, mount the fish finder and clip the battery clips on - Now im ready to get down to the water, I take my anchor bag - fill it with fist size stones and clip the end of the rope onto the anchor trolley- final thing is to slip on my PFD and take a good look at the wave action on the beach. I chose a calm period and launch…………
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Time is of the essence now - so I get out about 50 yards - turn left and head down the rocky shoreline, I’m constantly scaning for any movement, Ripples, splashes , swirls anything out of the ordinary, I spot a seagull sitting on the water trying to ignore me , but keeping a beady eye on area a few feet to its left, I slow down grab the 6 weight rod and start to strip the line off the reel, my momentum drifts me towards the nervous looking bird, I false cast a few times, and shoot the line to the left of the bird, strip in, six inches at a time and wham!! The fish turns and runs, my line is uncoiling off the deck - onto the reel, and that squeal starts to ring, the fish is feisty and runs deep, my rod bends and I start to strip line back in - I win a few yards and the fish wins a few yards - so we go on for what feels likes minutes - then slowly the fish starts to tire - I get my line back up to the clear tip. Aha, only fifteen feet to go, then the fish can be brought up next to the side - The fish spots me and surges away again, but I’m ready, and bow the rod to the fish who turns and ducks under the boat, slowly I win and the Bass shows its head, its huge bucket like mouth is open and it looks like its gasping for breath, I lift the rod and drag the fish into my waiting hand, careful to grab it on the lip, as taking it on the body will lead to a spiking, I lift the fish, remove the fly and give it a peck on the head, got to say thank you……
I release the fish by letting it swim next to the boat a few second s to regain it’s breath - 2.5 pounds of fighting muscle rejuvenates and with a swish of its tail its off to fight another day.
I continue heading down the rocks - looking for my next target, the birds have flown, and are sitting further out, away from my intended path - I keep a watchful eye out for those tell tale signs - Rounding the headland - I see the water looks nervous - ripples everywhere and I know it’s Mackerel time, - I slowly and quietly position myself up current of them, drop the drogue and position myself in such a way' that my Yak will sit broadside to the fish, I swing my legs over the side and flick my fly into the mêlée. The action is fast and furious, mackerel have to be one of the feistiest fishes we have on our coastline, I will keep five for the BBQ, but the rest are released without me touching them - as they will certainly die within a few days if I do, Barb-less hooks help here and all I do is grab the hook shank and give it a tug as the fish falls away and continues in the shoal……………
Like all things the action lasts for half an hour forty five minutes and then they are on their way again. Time to pull in the drogue and head for the reefs that are in deeper water, I know there are a few Bass lurking there.
My fish finder indicates that I’m over structure - so its time to slow my paddle down, twenty foot of water and three quarter of a mile off shore , my land marks are almost lined up so full concentration on the Fish finder, the drop off comes up and I drift another few yards before dropping the anchor, I position the boat so that the current is on the nose and I get ready to start fishing with my eight weight.
Before to long its 9:30 and time for Bacon and eggs - so back to shore for the day - I will be back this evening and boy I cant wait…………………………….
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What Kayak?
There are essentially 2 types of kayaks used for fishing; the sit-inside (SIK) and the sit-on-top (SOT). I highly recommend the SOT as the ultimate kayak for fishing. SOT kayaks are extremely easy to get in and out of, very stable, tough, and reasonably comfortable. A SOT kayak is the safest way for a beginner to get into the sport because if you do happen to flip the boat , you can simply flip the 'yak over and climb back aboard. In fact, SOT's are the perfect water taxi to reach those hard-to-reach flats that you can easily get out onto and explore on foot. This is a great way to learn new water and find those honey holes.
I will not get into all the specific brands or models here but will recommend you do a quick on-line search to get familiarized with all the different boats available. I fish a P13 OK Boat, its not too big and cumbersome and allows me the freedom to fish both off shore and close in. Throw in a good quality lightweight paddle, PFD, and an adjustable backrest and you are set to go. I paid somewhere in the vicinity of £500 for my kayak, paddle, and PFD and it was worth every penny.
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There is one thing that many aspiring yak fishermen worry about with a SOT, and that is the "elements." In the Summertime it is a non-issue, as there is no better way to cool off as going for a paddle on a local lake in a pair of shorts, sandals, and a t-shirt. On the other hand, Spring and Autumn pose a slight problem and you will definitely want to wear some protective clothing. I find that a pair of breathable stocking-foot waders, neoprene booties, a snug wading belt, and a waterproof top with adjustable wrist, waist, and neck closures is the ultimate combination for comfort and safety. The wading belt and waterproof paddling top will ensure that you stay nice and dry if you do take a spill, at least long enough to get back into the boat. I highly recommend a few “test spills” in order to learn how this combination of waders and dry-top will behave. Even though I’ve never flipped my boat while fishing, I feel very confident that if I do it will not be a big deal.
The Waters
SOT kayaks can be used on any body of water from lakes, ponds and streams, to oceans and bays, but in my opinion they thrive on those estuaries and inshore reefs. That is the bulk of my fishing and it really is a beautiful thing to be on the water at sunrise with nothing but the sounds of your paddle and feeding fish to guide the way. Any small pond or lake that has enough shoreline to be able to launch from is worthy of exploration as you truly never know what you will discover.
The Tackle
When it comes to fly-fishing from a kayak I like to follow one rule….K.I.S.S. You do not need to bring every fly in your arsenal or a variety of rods, reels, lines, and what-not. I usually carry no more than two rods from 6 - 8 wt. and no longer than 9 ft. Many people like to use longer rods out of their boats, but I find that a shorter rod allows for very accurate pinpoint casts to shoreline structures. I prefer fast action rods since they are easier to load while sitting and will practically do the casting for you. If you’ve never fly-cast while sitting, it is very difficult to generate much line speed so I rely on the rod to do it for me. When it comes to lines, floating lines with sink tips are the rule for me as I am usually fishing shallow estuaries and reef sand target active fish. I carry 2 fly Wallets, a few spools of tippet, nippers, and forceps. My camera, car keys , phone and gps go into a dry box, That’s it….any more gear than this and you may as well fish out of a bass boat.
All the best
Mike
