Does anyone fish from a Kayak?

You can check out this website:
http://www.kayakfishingstuff.com/

and this forum for some very good Kayak fishing information:
http://kfs.infopop.cc/groupee/forums

This is a very active kayak fishing group, but not all fly fisherman.

My question for those of you that Kayak is....

I would like to drift fish the upper delaware system. Sometimes you have to fish the right side of the river, sometimes the left side. How easy is it casting to the left and right? I would assume that if you found a targer (rising fish) you would get in position, drop an anchor, and have at it. I am right handed, and in the sitting position casting to my left would be easier than the right. Is this an issue?
 
jerseygeorge,
Thank you for the link, I just found them last night and was reading far later than I should have been.
I too would also like to know the answer to your question, it was something I had not thought of until you mentioned it.


Bob
 
Jerseygeorge, An SOT is pretty easy to fish from either side. I haven't fished a sit-inside, but except for ingress/egress it should work the same (albeit putting you a few inches lower). It's also very each to get in and out of an SOT to fish an area over again or to target a particular fish. Generally, you will drift broadside to the wind or current, whichever is stronger. You will quickly learn how to set up on a fish from the drift so you can put it on your strong side, and the current will generally keep your kayak's attitude perpendicular to the current. Anchoring in current can be tricky depending on the strength of the current. I've done it in tidal areas, but not on something like the Delaware.

Overall I've found casting, fighting fish, and boat positioning to be much easier than I would have anticipated prior to experiencing it. Kayaks are generally much more fishing friendly than they would appear.
 
Thanks Christian-

Your answer is exactly the opposite of what I would have expected. If you have fished from drift boats, McKenzie style, you are familiar with how they go nose first down stream. While in some places I have fished (madison river comes to mind) you fish and drift and never stop. We get one cast into likely looking water along the seams, and keep on moving. At first it almost seems like trolling.

But back east on the Lehigh and Delaware we drift nose first, but stop when we see a "target". We row into position upstream and drift a fly with a reach cast into their feeding zone. I have had some incredibly productive days doing that. And yes, conditions permitting, we sometimes get out and wade fish and have had a lot of success doing that.

So I imagined floating "nose" first downstream on a kayak and once getting in position on a target dropping a small anchor off the tail end. That is what led to my question about fishing the left or right side.

It sounds like you would be drifting sideways on the Yak. I realize a SOT has little drag in the water. Do you use an anchor when you are drifting sideways to set up on a fish? Or are you just constantly drifting like I have done out west?

Thanks for the input, I am going to get this thing figured out yet.

George
 
Jerseygeorge,

I think that you will find kayaks require very little input to steer or correct their drift compared to a drift boat. A drift boat is fished nose downstream, but from what I've witnessed the guide keeps it that way on purpose to give anglers a better shot at the fish and so he can "stall" if necessary.

I tend to fish from a drift only, and if I feel a drift is worthwhile I will paddle back upstream and drift again, making any corrections I feel are called for. Keep in mind that I've fished mostly for smallmouth on the Susquehanna and saltwater in the Chesapeake Bay as opposed to casting dry flies to Delaware River trout (I've never fished the Delaware in any manner for that matter). The presentations are not quite as critical as your conditions might require. As I mentioned before, I feel anchoring is very tricky in moving water unless you have a well designed anchor system (one with a harness that allows you to vary the position of attachment to your yak). I have done it in a strong tidal current once (Lynnhaven Inlet, VA Beach, VA on an incoming tide) and it's like sitting in a giant rapala. You will plane across the current similar to the way a lipped plug dives under, and setting up incorrectly could easily swamp your boat.

The best advice I can give is to make sure you have all of your safety gear, leash your rods, and get familiar with your kayak on calmer water prior to tackling something very challenging. Better yet, find someone experienced on the water you wish to fish and tag along. It shouldn't take long to figure out what you and your boat can handle. Practice makes perfect.
 
My new toy...all this talk got me fired up...got a REALLY good deal.
Now I need a paddle and I'd like a back rest...any recommendations...?
 
My best advice is to spend more on the backrest/seat than the paddle. A good seat makes the difference between a nice day and a test of lower back endurance.

I also recommend rod holders. I use the regular Scotty rod holders, not the flyrod specific holders. The standard ones hold flyrods just fine and are much easier to find. They will mount on the top surface with 4 holes required for each. Just seal them with some clear silicone when you install them, and test to make sure there is no paddle interference before you start drilling ;-)

I also installed a basic fishfinder on mine for finding structure on the bay. You can get a small 12V battery that only weighs a pound or two and that will power a fishfinder for days between charges.
 
Tom - Follow the above advice find a good highbacked comfy seat. Don't skimp on the seat or the PFD. For a PFD I'd look into one with a thinner lower back section that gets thicker nearer to the shoulders. I have one with this feature and it really helps on the long floats.

I'd also recommend that you look into some dry bags (since you have a SOT with semi dry storage inside you can get away w/ the Walmart branded dry bags and save some $$) If you plan on attempting any WW get some thigh straps - I just took a trip down Pine Creek and nearly lost it in the Owassee Rapid b/c I had a bad line did something stupid and rode up on a rock. As for rod holders the Scotty's are nice and the Cabela's (340?)version are the exact same thing - only cheaper. (The base of these even says "Scotty")

Paddle - I and most other people that I yak fish w/ have a Carlise Daytripper in the shorter length. It's around $40 and will suit your needs.

Have fun.

-Chris
 
That paddle looks good...why the shorter length? My bro in law said he keeps wishing his was just a bit longer. I've been looking at seats and backrests...which of these do you like better and why?

Full rest with seat

or


just a rest for lower back support

Keep in mind I'll probably just use this in the sound and to get out beyond the surf and a few larger lakes at home. It'lll be a while before I hit the river.
 
omg i just saw the mako sharks from a kayak. that guy is nuts. how the heck does he get them in and unhook them! :-o
hes got more b@ll$ than me and that might be saying something. im crazy but he is wickedly insane! :-D
 
Tom,

That is pretty much what I'm looking for. can I ask where you got it? I drove all over today and I couldn't find anything but Sit Inside yaks.
I have found quite a few good deals on kayakfishingstuff.com's forums but they are all in N.Jersey and NY.


Bob
 
I put an ad in Craigslist...saying I was looking for a kayak. (After missing out on two others posted for sale there) A lady called me and said he had one propped up in the corner of her barn. I got really lucky. I got it for about 500 less than retail.

Heres one just like it but its in Charlotte, NC.

Hobie Maui
 
Thank you, I guess its time to put out a want ad. I have my pontoon posted for sale on criagslist but I nvere really thought of posting a wanted ad.
 
Tom,
Keep in mind that I have no idea what i am talking about but for lakes and surf I would suggest a longer paddle. Those little one are better for the yough where you are not paddling to propell your self you are just correcting your drift. I have a Seaquell paddle and it is pretty long. It makes short work of cruising across a lake. Dry bags are a must! They also float if you roll them full of air. One of my first trips out i rolled my boat in a rapid and lost a pentax SLR. I went and got drybags shortly afterwards.
 
ryanh wrote:
Tom,
I would suggest a longer paddle. Those little one are better for the yough where you are not paddling to propell your self you are just correcting your drift. I have a Seaquell paddle and it is pretty long. It makes short work of cruising across a lake. Dry bags are a must! They also float if you roll them full of air. One of my first trips out i rolled my boat in a rapid and lost a pentax SLR. I went and got dry bags shortly afterwards.
Click to expand...

Thanks...I had a feeling that a longer paddle might be needed. As for dry bags, I'll probably hold off on the dry bags for a little unless I run across another great deal. At first I plan on taking my rod, a box of flies and maybe an extra leader. Leading into next spring, once I've gotten the boating part down, I might try to add some bells and whistles. Would still welcome more input on the backrest/seat thing if anyone has any.
 
Tom - I'd go with the full backrest and seat. This one looks like the exact same thing that I have. The other backrest will not come up your back high enough for support and you would also just be sitting on top of the yak's plastic which would get uncomfortable mighty quick.

For a comparison on my Pine Creek trip we were in our yaks around 7hrs and I was comfortable with that seat (full backrest & seat). When my wife fist got a yak she went with the low backrest which was similar to the second one pictured but with a seat -- I could only stand to sit in that for a 1/2 hour.

As for paddle length their is a bit of personal preference but a shorter paddle is lighter and easier to one handed paddle for direction control while fighting a fish. The shortest Daytripper that is commonly sold (it may be the shortest Daytripper made for all I know) is around 5.5ft which is longer than a "short" WW paddle. A shorter paddle also helps keep my clumsyness from getting in the way as I already bash everything in sight with my current paddle. I was told that a rule of thumb is to have the blade of the paddle end around your nose when you stand up, being 5'9" my paddle is close if not shorter.

-Chris
 
Do any of you with a kayak have it outfitted with a fish/depth finder? and if so, what are the consequences if you roll the yak with that on board?


Thanks for helping NOOB

Bob
 
Thanks...I had a feeling that a longer paddle might be needed. As for dry bags, I'll probably hold off on the dry bags for a little unless I run across another great deal. At first I plan on taking my rod, a box of flies and maybe an extra leader. Leading into next spring, once I've gotten the boating part down, I might try to add some bells and whistles. Would still welcome more input on the backrest/seat thing if anyone has any.
Click to expand...


http://www.sierratradingpost.com/d/4690_Drybags-and-Totes-and-Misc.html



Here you go Tom theres a couple of dry bags on there for ya ..... :-D
 
1stfly wrote:


As for paddle length their is a bit of personal preference but a shorter paddle is lighter and easier to one handed paddle for direction control while fighting a fish. The shortest Daytripper that is commonly sold (it may be the shortest Daytripper made for all I know) is around 5.5ft which is longer than a "short" WW paddle. A shorter paddle also helps keep my clumsyness from getting in the way as I already bash everything in sight with my current paddle. I was told that a rule of thumb is to have the blade of the paddle end around your nose when you stand up, being 5'9" my paddle is close if not shorter.

-Chris
Click to expand...

That sounds kind of funky...the ones i looked at are in the 220-240cm range...thats like seven and a half feet. I'd have to be 8ft tall to have it go to my nose... :-o
 
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