Anyone Use A Kayak?

[flytyer57]

...Another thing I don't have is a paddle leash, worthless IMO.

I had a paddle leash that I broke when my yak got jammed in tree snag. Had I not had that leash, I would have lost my paddle. I'm thinking of going out and buying a rod leash too. Almost lost my $150 rod/reel setup. Chief found my water bottle floating down river.

You never expect it, but it will happen if you're not expecting it. Lash everything to your yak you don't want lost to the depths or the currents.

[flytyer57]

My kayak is a sit on top, and we normally take 2, and they stack. So anything i add has to be removeable.. hopefully quickly. Has anyone made their own rod holder or used the ones you can get from harmonygear.com? I see there is some sort of removeable rail system and then rod holders or whatever can be attached to that? I keep thinking something like that would be handy.. lap may be just as easy. Maybe just a piece of 1x4 or something would be just as good...

Also, has anyone added a skeg or rudder that's removeable? My kayak is 9.5' long, and probably my biggest hurdle is just keeping it going in the direction i want and fishing without having to paddle or adjust course.

I mounted a Scotty rod holder to my yak. I can change from a spinning holder to a flyrod holder depending on how I plan to fish that day. My cheap yak is too small to mount another holder, but my next yak will have an extra rod holder so I can switch from spin to fly when I want to on the water.

[flytyer57]

Anything you do to make fly fishing out of the kayak easier? i can do the spinning rod fairly easily.. but seems like i have a lot going on with a fly rod. Any tips you'd share on that? I'd really like to hang into some smallies on my fly rod.

You'll have to learn to keep your casts up, not side arm, and watch your backcast.

[ollie]

flytyer57, the reason I don't use a paddle leash is the reason you just stated about getting hung up in a tree jamb with your yak. If you tip over hitting that snag you might get seperated from your yak and the leash could wrap around your leg. That would be bad news for you if your in swifter current. I know that was a worst case scenerio, but I have seen some crazy things happen on the water. Just a safety reason IMO. I carry a spare small wooden paddle on the back of mine bungied down that way I can paddle to get to my paddle!

[jdmidwest]

Paddle leashes are for open water like lakes and oceans where losing a paddle would be a catastrophe. In streams, you don't need to worry about it and like others said, it is a point of entanglement which you have to worry about if you get tossed in swift water. Always carry a sharp serrated knife to slice any ropes or such if you get spilled. I also carry a small compact paddle in the hatch on solo trips in case.

Skegs are usually on larger boats over 14', which are normally used for large open water and make them track better. Both of my yaks are 12' and they track ok on lakes and too well on streams. 10' is good for streams but I like my 12' ones as long as I stay out of swift water, then it is more work.

Rod holders are a hinderance on most places I float, they stick up too high. I either keep the rod between my legs in my sit in or strap it down with one of the paddle holders on the sit on top when going thru a brushy spot. There are times I lay out flat in the boat to get under logs or bridges to clear and come across brush all of the time.

I use mine all year, fishing in the warmer weather and duck hunting in the winter. I would hate to climb back into a canoe again.