Does anyone fish from a Kayak?

C

CAMBYSES

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Jan 27, 2007
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Good evening all,

I was wondering if anyone fishes from a kayak? I currently have a ODC sport pontoon, but I would like to move onto a SOT kayak, but I was wondering what some of the opinions from the more experienced fly anglers on the ability to fly fish from a kayak?


thanks

Bob
 
I've done a lot of fly fishing from a kayak, both in fresh and salt water. A SOT is definitely the preferred craft for fishing, with the size depending on the water fished. I fish a Cobra Navigator for most fishing- it's a 12'6" medium beam kayak and very stable. I'd like a boat in the 16' range as mine is a bit slow on big water like the Chesapeake Bay. My largest fly caught kayak fish is a 20 pound, 38" striper caught on the Susquehanna Flats, but I did land a cownose ray of about 50 pounds on conventional gear. Controlling a fish without falling over isn't a problem. You can't cast as far while sitting, but you can usually get closer to the fish.

My best advice is to install good rod holders and a good paddle holder, get an anchor and a drift sock for help with control, and start exploring. There is a lot of water in PA that goes relatively unfished because you can't launch a regular boat and shore fishing opportunities are limited. Lake Williams in York comes to mind; it's a great lake for LMB, walleye, and panfish.
 
Dear CAMBYSES,

Have you considered a solo canoe for use on lakes and ponds, or rivers and streams?

SIK's are low to the water and awkward to flycast from and SOT's are wet 12 months out of the year. Both can be uncomfortable for many people who like to spend long hours fishing because unless you beach the kayak and exit it you are pretty much stuck in the same position for hours at a time. Even the most devout kayak fishermen will admit to these three truths, I've seen them do that repeatedly.

The place where SOT kayaks shine is in the salt because they are so stable and a 13 or 14 footer has tremendous carrying capacity.

There is nothing you can do in a kayak that you cannot do in a solo canoe and you get the benefit of a more comfortable sitting and fishing position, a drier ride, and much greater flexibility in carrying tackle and/or other gear if that is a consideration.

Solo canoes are also typically much faster when paddled compared to a fishing kayak which can be a important consideration if you have to beat a storm to the take out point.

Solo canoes typically cost a bit more than most kayaks but not as much as some of the higher-end kayaks that are supposedly rigged for fishing. In addition there are also hybrid canoe/kayaks that come with improved seating such as the Native Ultimate http://nativewatercraft.net/ultimatebts.html for you to consider.

Regards,
Tim Murphy :)
 
I have a small (9 footer) recreational kayak that I fish from. Like Tim says it can be unconfortable and I have little room for accessable gear. (i can stow plenty behing the seat though. I'm thinking of making a stripping basket to manage my line.
I will dispute tims claim of speed. I can easily outpace a canoe on still water and I bet the bigger the kayak and better trackability it has the more this is true.

Like i said mine is a recreational boat so I could slide through rapids and do lakes. I would not take a long boat through any sort of rapid, Christian may say otherwise. I have done class 3's in mine and in the hands of a competent boater you could probably go anywhere (I am NOT competent).

If the water is still and you got cahonies you can even stand in them I think they are considerably more stable than canoes.
 
I have a 9 foot recreational SI kayak and i love it. It is kind of awkward casting a fly rod because youre seated so low, but you can approach fish closer then in most crafts and you can get into areas that a lot of people can't get into. An added plus is its a good exercise. One way that I use it is to float down a stream/river to an area I normally would have difficulty walking to, then beach the kayak and fish from shore. I picked up my biggest PA smallmouth on the fly last year doing this.
 
By the Way, have any of you seen the guy in CA who fly fishes for Mako sharks out of a kayak? Crazy stuff.
 
Sounds like a good way to get taken on a fun ride!
 
you aint kidding...I dont think I will be trying that any time ever
 
The very first fish I caught out of my kayak was a 20", 5.5lb bass on conventional tackle and he pulled me a good 50 yards before I landed him. Actually I had my drag tightened up really tight for some reason and he should have snapped me off but because of the free movement of the kayak it kind of just went with the fish until I could get my drag fixed. I can only imagine what a giant mako would do.
 
Mako's jump like crazy sometimes at the boat. If that fish were to land in the dudes lap it would be lights out. Thrill of a life time im sure. Field and Stream web site has an article about it.
 
I've done a fair amount of fishing from a kayak - mostly saltwater. I prefer sit-in style touring boats but I do agree that sit-on-tops and canoes have some advantages. I also have stabilizer pontoons and a custom elevated seat that I use sometimes. Tim's right about being in the same position - I usually get out and wade. A long slender kayak is fast and it's possible to paddle upstream on much of the Susquehanna and Juniata Rivers although this can be a workout. Car topping is a major issue and I would recommend the purchase of a good roof rack. Kayak fishing the Fl Keys is one of the most memorable experiences you can have.
 
I was looking at the Pelican that Dick's sporting goods has for 469.99 that is outfitted for the angler. I don't want to spend a ton of money but I would like to get something stable and reliable. anyone have any recommendations?


Bob
 
A couple of things I have found in relation to some of the above responses:

Yes, and SOT can be wet; it's also much easier to get in and out of, stand up on, or sit sideways on. I can hang my feet over one side and recline against the other and fish a drift very comfortably. If I have to take a leak, I can stand in calm conditions, or if I can find water less than waist deep I can hop out and get back in very easily. I can also anchor to fish a flat or shallow rocky section very easily. There have been many times that I have pushed the yak up on the rocks on the Suskie and fished on foot in areas where virtually no one else can reach. As far as the wetness goes, I wear breathable waders with a dry jacket over the top and a life vest to cap things off. I've ditched on purpose to test this system and it keeps me very dry.

I think the big yaks (14 feet plus) should be limited to very large water as they are tough to control in current or limited space. I think a 12 footer is perfect for the Susquehanna. I have paddled mine from the mouth of the Conodiguniet (sp?) almost to the I81 bridge and drifted back. There are some killer smallies in that stretch. FWIW, I am not keen about taking an SOT through any substantial rapids. This is definitely the place for small SIS whitewater yaks.

If you are looking for a more "hands free" system, the Hobie kayaks are worth considering. While initially considered a novelty, they have come to be considered a serious option. For those not familiar, these are kayaks that you peddle like a bicycle rather than paddle like a regular yak. They are great if you are looking for a fishing yak, although they are a bit pricey. As a former racing cyclist, the pedaling really appeals to me. Could be my next yak.
 
I use an inflatable hybrid type canoe/kayak from seaeagle. It's lightweight and easy to carry into a stream or lake. You pump it up with a footpump in about 2 minutes, when your done let the air out and carry it away. It's made from very tough fabric, I take it down the Lehigh during whitewater dam releases. It has plenty of room (it can carry two adults) and maneuvers well although not as good as a composite kayak. Cost about $400 with all the fixins.
 
I have a Wilderness Systems Pungo that I use for tons of things, but one of my favorites is to fish for stripers at the mouth of the Kennebec River when we make our annual trip to Maine. It really performs well for that type of fishing.

Even so, sitting that close to the water, fishing a heavy weighted line with large flies and a paddle can be more than a handful.

I'll be at it again this August.
 
When fishing from the kayak is it necessary to have a stripping basket?
 
I dont think it would hurt. But for the most part it just lays in your lap and unless have a lot of things laying around your lap or if youre using a lot of line and you have a lot laying beside you then I can see where a stripping basket would be necessary. Really for the most part I've never had to cast far enough to need one because you can be pretty stealthy and get real close to the fish you're after.
 
Dear CAMBYSES,

Just buy a stripping apron like you get with a float tube and using velcro tape on the gunnels of the kayak attach it across your lap.

You should be able to buy a stripping apron for about $ 10.00 from any of the float tube makers and you'd only need about 10 inches of velcro tape so it should be much cheaper than buying a stripping basket.

Regards,
Tim Murphy :)
 
I think a stripping basket would be a pain and awkward. I do like Tims apron idea though. I think with a SOT its mute because it'll lay between your legs but a sit IN, it might be good to have that apron.
 
Thanks for the input on the basket. I like the apron idea from tim because I can easily attach and remove it if necessary and it wouldnt take up much space on the yak. thank you again and hopefully someone will buy my little pontoon so I can get out and buy a kayak for this season


Bob
 
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