Fishing From a Kayak

[retroaction man]

Decided to take the kayak to the tailwaters yesterday. To say the least it made a huge difference in the trip.

Since this was my first time fishing from the yak on "somewhat" moving water i thought i would start a thread.

First thing i noticed was that i need an anchor. Its difficult fishing and trying to stay in the same place. With some practice i did get the of it though. I fished down stream paddleing backward enough to hold me still. I also got behind a rock and that kept me in place.

Also im going to need a net. From land you can get them out fairly easy but in a yak your so low the the water you have less leverage and no land to get the fish over. Fishing from a yak without barbs can be VERY interesting. IMO it alot more fun theres more of a challange. I caught three and landed ZERO.

ANYONE with tips/ tricks or one that offer advice for kayak accessories please do.

[Wayne SW/MO]

Be very cautious about anchoring. I only anchor mine where I can get out, it saves me the trouble of getting out while saving me from the mishap a hung anchor could cause.

I use a caribiner for a pulley and a 3# dumbbell for an anchor.

[Ham]

Yak fishing is wonderful and horrible all at once.

Opens up tons of new water, but you can't fish as well. Harder to detect strikes. Harder to get good hooksets.

Any water safe enough to use an anchor probably is slow enough that you don't need an anchor. Just don't do it. Stick the boat in an eddy or on a gravel bar or wedge on a rock or wood.

I often use the yak as a water Taxi and fish from foot in prime spots.

[ollie]

What! People fish out of those little things! Give me a pm sometime and I might be able to hook-up with you on the tailwater sometime in the fall. I fish out of a Wildie Pam 100.

[ecce38]

Hey Retro, I'm pretty sure I saw you Sunday. I was out there all day in my one-man pontoon boat (blue). Sorry to hear the fishing was slow for you. I have to say I did pretty good after I found where the little fellers were stacked up. As for fishing from a kayak, I imagine that it is "interesting." I love fishing from my boat which sits 18" out of the water (Imagine sitting in a chair with your ankles dangling in the water). That gives you an idea of how high I am above the water while fishing. In a yak, one is so low to the water casting/drifting/landing fish can be a challenge (as you noted). That was the primary consideration for me going with a one-man pontoon style water craft. A second consideration for me was the stability factor. I didn't want to flip over while fishing. Another issue I had with yaks is that you must adjust your side-to-side position using a paddle. In my boat, I wear fins to do this. Makes a huge difference in the number of times you cast your line so as to get a better drift.

You are 100% correct about the need for an anchor. A must have (Note to Ham et.al.-the wind can push you around a lot out there too). But make sure to carry a good size knife in case you have to cut away if you get hung up while the water is raising. It's happened to me once. Also a rod holder is very important for obvious reasons. I recommend the one made by Scottie. Ironically, I don't use a net so as to land fish. I simply lean over and release them in the water or lift them by the belly for a quick pic. Of course next week I'll hook a 20"+ and I'll kick myself for not having a net. Yaks are easier to transport and to put in/or out of the water. A big plus. Also you don't have to bulid and brake them down. Not sure if storage is a big deal for you, but my boat has a nice storage rack on back for my camera, coolers, and gear bag.

I've had my boat going on 5 years now and it has made fly fishing so much more enjoyable than it already is. Here are some pics of my boat. I purchased it from blackbearpontoons.com. Hate to sound like an infomerical, but, as you rightly observed, the little things make all the difference once you're out there on the water.

[damselfly]

i have a yak and love fishing from it....haven't fished a tailwater though. i use it for lakes/rivers---love those bass. they provide good fishing when the electricity needs are causing the generators to run......i lay the paddle across my lap to 'correct' the drift of the yak when needed. can cast and set the hook without problems....pull up on a gravel bar and wet wade in the summer when a pool looks particulary good or when it gets hot......really fun fishing. haven't got an anchor, but am considering it for lakes.

[retroaction man]

Well i understand the danger aspect of useing and anchor while fishing in the boat. But i always have my knife and the anchor will be tied to rope so it can be cut. Im well aware that being in a kayak can be dangerous even on very slow or still water. However i have a perception swifty and my boat is VERY stable. As far as storage goes i have deck bungee cords systems on both the front and back of me and also have space behind my seat. pleanty of room for me.

ecce did you see me? I didnt happen to spot you. my perception is blue as well and i was as far a maybe 1/2 a mile down from the dam. kinda checked it out then paddled back up the ramp by the darn. Ive seen your setup on here before and i love it.

I havnt put rod holders on yet because i wanted to fish a few times so i could make the correct decision on were to mount them. i will have one or two surface mounted on the back and one base mounted on the front.

Also i mostly fish for trout with a reg ultra light pole. the one i have right now is pretty short so im going to look into getting a longer one for more leverage.

thanks for all the tips guys. if anyone want to get together this summer or fall for some kayaking fishing i would be down. Im only 30 mins from the tailwaters.

I do think that i might stay out of the kayak during the cold months of winter. At least untill i get full drysuit gear lol.

the coldest days of winter so far have been my favorite days fishing on the tailwaters

here is my setup

[ollie]

Retroman, is that a Swifty? I have fished the tailwater in the fall with my neoprenes on and have never had a problem. Then again I have never tipped or even felt like I was going to unless you count the near miss on the Mulberry I had a few months back!

Ecce38 you do have a nice set-up, but you wouldn't take that out on smaller creeks now would ya? I can take the yak out where ever I want to without any problems. Yes, it's not as comfortable or as stable, but it is faster between slow pools and I can paddle back-up stream to fish holes over and over or until my arms give out! lol Of course if I fished the tailwaters more I would probably have to get one of those! I do like how you can reach the cooler better..........hmmmm..........

[retroaction man]

Yes, thats a swifty 9.5. ive mounted a few things on her here and there. I purchased it because i thought it would be a good all around boat. In the spring i took it to the mulberry and right above birds campground i was getting it to surf and play in the rapids. Its also great to fish from.

Like i said i plan on installing those rod holders ive already put the paddle holders on and im looking into an after market seat as well.

[ecce38]

Retro, I guess it was someone else. There were a couple of yaks out that day. I was in cranebrake hole and parts farther down river. You were up river from me.

Ollie, you're right, I wouldn't take it down creeks...her butt is too wide. Yaks are the ticket for those trips. But then again, I purchased it almost exclusively for tailwater fishing anyway. The funest/scariest ride I never took with her was below Norfork with 2 units running. Made it from the Dam to the confluence in about an hour. I think I went back in time I was moving so fast!