Gliding through the morning fog, with the paddle silently entering and leaving the water, I came to the edge of the flat where it dropped off to a 30’ channel. No powerboat could reach this spot due to the web of sandbars, and not even Yao Ming could have waded here. I had the whole place to myself – a rarity anywhere but especially on Cape Cod. Dozens of stripers chased sand eels around and beneath my kayak. I made a few casts, each one hit hard by a 22” fish. I know this fun could go on for hours but I didn’t paddle all this way for schoolies. I stand up in the yak and using the added height scan the clear waters. While the younger smaller fish dashed about excitedly, big bruisers stacked up along the rip line, diners at an all-you-can-eat buffet. With the sheer volume of bait in the water it would require a good imitation and a perfect cast. I would need to drift the fly right over the fishes’ nose to entice him to strike and to keep my offering from the mouths of smaller fish.
I work myself to a kneeling position and carefully lower my five-pound anchor and reposition the trolley toward the stern; now I’ll be able to cast down-current to the rip – if one current brings fish, two must be so much better; no, wait - three! The backup of water at the rip line is forming a large eddy; there may be even bigger fish beneath that. I consider my 10 wt. eagerly locked in its rod holder; the lead-core shooting head could get a 12” fly to the bottom quickly.
I decide against it; rather, to postpone it; sight-fishing to 30” fish is not easily passed up. And there is always tomorrow.
First things first: Navigation and Safety
As is the case with all water sports, kayak fishing poses some risks, especially in saltwater. At the very least all paddlers should have a comfortable Personal Flotation Device. Be very honest with yourself when shopping for one. Ask the simple question, “Would I wear this?” The one I wear is designed for paddling; it has mesh shoulders and no foam on the lower back; it also has two large front pockets so it doubles as a vest. It is a PFD, not a life vest – there is a significant difference. A life vest will literally keep your head above water whether you are conscious or not; a PFD merely helps you stay afloat and assists you should you need to re-enter your kayak.
It is unlikely that you would ever tip over – essentially, it’s similar to tipping a canoe when you are sitting on the floor of it. The kayaks pictured in this article are sit-on-top kayaks; they are 12’ and 14’ long. Neither of which I could flip when I tried to do so on purpose – the paddler slips out. These boats also cannot be swamped like a canoe or a sit-inside kayak can. Keep in mind there are many different types of kayaks.
A kayak for whitewater rafting is not very stable because it wouldn’t be any fun. There are kayaks designed for surfing, which are a lot of fun but would not be proper for fishing. There are also touring kayaks which are very long and very thin – great for covering distance, not so great when you want to set still and cast. Let your ass be your guide – rent a boat and sit in it; after a few minutes you’ll know if you could fish from it or not – nowadays there are many companies marketing towards fishermen and the selection is excellent.
All that being said accidents can happen, and I would not advise anyone to fish from a kayak who is not at least a competent swimmer. If something should happen (sit-on-top) just grab the yak and kick your feet as you pull yourself up. Get your gut in the seat, roll over onto your back and slide your legs in. I do this all the time because I like to end my fishing with a swim. Don’t panic and you’ll be fine. Just to keep things in perspective, I’m an uncoordinated guy with an inner ear problem and I take a lot of stupid chances, like paddling near humpback whales, and I have never dumped my yak - except for one time which I’ll mention later.
This brings up dress code. The biggest worry with kayak fishing isn’t drowning, but hypothermia. Ironically, you are far more likely to suffer from hypothermia on a warm day than a cold one. On a ninety-degree day in May, you may be tempted to kayak in a tee shirt and bathing suit, since you are dressing for the weather. However, the water at that time of year could be a bitter 50 degrees or less; should you get wet from wave action or even simple paddle drip you could start to feel yourself shivering and be in real danger of hypothermia despite the perfectly warm day. Compare that to a guy trying to get a few extra fishing days in late November. The air temperature could be as low as 40 but the water is generally warmer, possibly even in the low 60’s. If this paddler dressed for the weather with, say, neoprene waders and a dry top, even if he was to fall into the water it's unlikely he would suffer from hypothermia.
Now I know some people will find it odd that a kayaker would wear waders since the popular conception is that if you fall into the water the waders fill up and you drown, but in reality neoprene waders will float you almost as well as a PFD. In the summertime many anglers will wear their breathable waders (especially if they are planning to beach the kayak and fish while wading) with a dry top that doubles as a wading belt. The breathable waders will trap air and float you, but only if you have either a rubber gasket dry top or a tight wading belt. I have experimented with filling my breathable waders and have found that it is possible to get back in the yak, but it is harder. Personally, if it’s too warm for neoprene then I wear a bathing suit. Another solution to the problem is to wear a light wetsuit similar to the ones worn by windsurfers. Even in January I find this hot, but many people like it so it may be worth considering. The key to safety is to dress for the water, not the air; it may be uncomfortable to be vigorously paddling wearing warm clothing, but it does beat the alternative.
(Is that the Loch Ness Monster? Made you look!)
Another piece of equipment all kayaks should have is a good compass – there is no worse feeling than being stuck in fog with no idea whether you are headed for home or for Greenland – actually, falling off a roof feels worse, but I digress. Many people carry GPS units and that’s probably a better idea; I prefer a compass because it’s simpler and I can continue to paddle while using it. In a very dense fog I will focus on the compass and paddle. It is really scary just how quickly you can lose your bearings. The best times to fish, naturally, are dawn and dusk, which are also the best times to get lost in fog.
Dawn and dusk are also good times to get run over. The only serious accident I’ve had on the water was on a bright, sunny day off Chatham. I was doing well fishing and some guy in a largish powerboat headed over to me, calling out that he wanted to know what I was using for bait. He cut his engine too late and slid the bow of his boat over my kayak, pinning my leg beneath his boat and mine. I ended up dumping and I have a large burn scar that runs from mid-calf to my ankle. Absolutely no safety device, law, or skill can keep you safe from a Moron. However, you owe it to yourself and other boaters to be as visible as possible.
The first step is buying a brightly colored yak. Studies show that Coast Guard Orange is the most visible color at sea, so that’s the color of my kayak. Other good choices are chartreuse, white, and yellow. For whatever reason many fishing kayak companies make their boats in olive and khaki, presumably to avoid spooking the fish. If my bright orange kayak spooks some fish, I doubt that it does given the number of fish I’ve seen actively feeding beneath it; it’s a small price to pay for added safety.
If you plan to go out at night, make sure you follow the Coast Guard regulation of having a 360-degree white light. I used to rig with a green/red bow light as well but I found it attracted too much attention (humans have some defective gene that make them want to herd when on the water) – a single white light indicates a stationary object like a rock pile. So even if you are approached it will likely be at a caution speed.
You will also need a whistle or air horn. The air horn has the advantage of being louder and more effective; the whistle is small, light, and always attached to my PFD. As a fly fisherman, you will most likely want to keep as few things as possible on “deck”, and an air horn stored in a hatch won’t do you any good. Whatever you choose, don’t hesitate to use it. Under no circumstance should you assume boaters are either sane or sober – I even had a guy tell me he didn’t see me because kayaks don’t show up on radar – he navigated by merely looking at a screen and not the world around him. Again, this was on a clear day and I made the mistake of assuming he saw me – actually I made the mistake of assuming he was even looking!
In the end it will be your common sense that keeps you safe. Watch for weather - it can change very quickly. Understand the effects of tides and current - don’t paddle anywhere you aren’t certain you can get back from. Choose your equipment not only by what is best but also by what you can reach and use in an emergency. Kayak fishing is no more dangerous than any other water sport – far less dangerous than wading - but the ocean does not suffer fools gladly.
Tactics and Rigging
When deciding how best to rig your kayak it’s a good idea to spend some time thinking about how it is going to be used. Kayaks function in certain roles better than others, and should be outfitted accordingly. In the world of saltwater fishing, the fly fisherman is in a distinct minority. Very few companies will make a boat that suits our needs. For instance - I have a Heritage Marquesa, which is the same boat as the Heritage Redfish. The Redfish is designed for fishing; it has two flush rod holders – which are useless for fly rods, and a rod holder near the bow – in perfect position to catch a fly line; on top of that, it only comes in two colors: Run-Me-Over Red, and Sand. In my opinion the non-fishing version was better, because I could outfit it myself with fly rod holders, an anchor system, and a clear deck for casting ease – it was also cheaper.
Wading
Above and beyond the primary way kayaks are used by coastal fly fishermen is as a wading enhancement. There are bars and flats sometimes a mile or more off shore that can’t be reached by boat or on foot; also, many miles of shoreline that are normally accessible by over-sand vehicles are often closed due to nesting birds – which of course occurs during prime fishing season. A kayaker can launch virtually anywhere (I’ve even seen guys literally toss their kayaks over 40’ sand dunes and then haul them up by tying them to a truck and dragging them up) and cross water that is only a few inches deep. Fishing a flat on the incoming tide can be very productive, but a wading angler has to be careful and allow adequate time to safety reach shore (due to the nature of flats often the deepest water is just before shore though it may be only knee deep a mile out.)
With the kayak, you can stay as long as you wish and always have a safe trip back to land. You can also carry more stuff. I use two rod holders on my kayak and generally I bring an 8 wt. rod with a clear intermediate line, and a 10 wt. rod with a fast-sinking, shooting head. If the fish are working over the flat I can use the 8 wt. with a small shrimp or sand eel, then in a matter of minutes I can switch to a large squid imitation and work the deep drop-offs. Carrying two 9’ rods while wading would be logistically unsound, and having to switch reels or spools can be inconvenient, especially if you would like to switch back a few minutes later. Also, on a hot day it pays to have some drinking water; with the kayak I can easily bring a cooler with two gallons of water – you get the idea.
Rigging a kayak for this purpose is very easy. All you need are a couple of rod holders and an anchor system. I stole my system from “Dble Haul” – well, I didn’t really steal it since he is a ninja and all – it’s a simple pulley running from bow to stern with a clip; that way, depending on the current the boat can either be anchored from the bow or stern from a seated position. A small cleat is installed near the seat so I can tie off and retrieve easily. A three-pound anchor is enough to secure the kayak, and just enough rope to follow the 3 out for 1 down anchoring procedure.
With this rig I can paddle out to a bar, drop the anchor and even in a very heavy current fish with the full confidence my yak will be there when I need it. Simplicity is the key.
Trolling
I don’t like to troll. However, I can’t deny that the vast majority of kayak fishermen (though not necessarily kayak fly-fishermen) find it a highly effective means of catching fish. The only reason I’m mentioning it here is because the majority of kayaks that are sold with an “angler” option are rigged for trolling. Generally they will have a rod holder near the bow so the fisherman can watch the rod tip as he paddles. This is fine for stout casting rods, but a fly rod at a 45 or 90-degree angle to a large fish is just begging to be broken. The few times I'll trolled I'll do so from my stern rod holders with the rod tip low; that way, most of the pressure will be on the reel. I can’t see the strikes but with a properly adjusted drag I'll hear them. When trolling, most of the fish will hook themselves, especially if you use circle hooks. I would never put a rod holder in the front of the boat for the simple reason that anything that can catch a fly line will. This is also the main reason I don’t have a rudder. To turn a kayak into a fish after hooking up you merely have to drop a hip and lean very slightly to one side; this will spin you around relatively quickly.
Casting
The true stealth benefits of the 'yak really shine when you are seated and casting from it. We have all seen the drawing in fishing books of how water refracts light, creating a fish’s cone of vision; a kayak fits perfectly beneath that cone. However, many anglers have trouble casting while seated; specifically, they have trouble keeping their back-casts out of the water (this is especially true when using shooting heads or heavy sinking lines.) The major hurtle is the fact that the caster’s elbow is only a few inches from the surface of the water – and in the case of saltwater or large lakes a moderate chop may be significantly higher – add to this the limited space the caster has to move his arm through the casting arc and you have some problems. There are a few specific techniques for overcoming this difficulty.
The first is kind of a no-brainer – make shorter casts. It is truly amazing how close you can get to a fish in a kayak. In fact, the only thing that I have found that really spooks them is the kayak’s shadow. Approach feeding fish quietly, or better, anchor and feed out line to get yourself into position.
The actual cast should be all about efficiency. Start with your rod tip at or in the water and 30’ beyond the tip – resist the urge to bring your fly all the way to the kayak since you will have to work that line out again. Slowly raise the rod and then lift the line into a high back cast. Ideally, the motion will send the line back and up at about a 45 degree angle to the water’s surface. Do not feed line into the back cast until you have the timing down; even then it’s unnecessary. For the forward cast its important that you aim above the target, and that you haul. Most of the distance will be achieved by shooting the line. Simply put, the line you shoot is the line you will retrieve. Distances of 50-60 feet are easily attainable and far more than you will likely need. The simple reality is that the kayak cast is no different than an efficient normal cast. The problems one may have casting from the kayak are the same ones had casting from shore, only more pronounced because of the slapping the water. Fishing from a kayak can make you a better caster overall. On windy days it’s also easier to cast from the kayak than the beach since your loops are naturally lower.
When maximum distance is required, I use the water haul to really hammer home a cast. The concept is simple; in order to better load the rod you use the gripping force of the water. To perform this technique, make a back cast, it should be a fairly weak cast; you only really want to make sure it lies straight behind you. Once the front portion of the line touches the water, start your forward cast. The key to getting the water haul to work is that this forward cast should develop slowly. You want to constantly accelerate the rod, so start slowly so you have adequate time to speed up; if you start too quickly you will reach your maximum speed too early in the cast.
To finish the cast, speed up and stop! - directing the line upwards at about a 45 degree angle from the water. With this technique, I can cast a lead core shooting head over 100’ feet from a seated position working with only 30’ of line beyond the tip. The added load that the water gives to your rod is really amazing. I started practicing this cast when I shattered my elbow and didn’t have the strength to cast a shooting head normally; now that my arm is healed I still use it to effortlessly make my longest casts. As an added benefit, this cast works well even with a fairly open loop, which is a big plus when you are using lead core and a 7/0 fly.
The Flats Boat: The Penitent Man Shall Fish
Sight fishing is very popular, and for good reason - it is fun! One of the drawbacks to being in a kayak is that it is difficult to search for fish over long distances. Some kayaks make an excellent platform to stand up and cast from. The stability of my Cobra Fish n’ Dive is similar to that of a jon boat. However, as a practical means of catching a fish this position is very lacking. It is impossible to control the drift, landing a big fish becomes a nightmare, and the stealth advantages of the kayak are ruined.
(Standing in a Kayak is nice for a quick look around but not very practical for fishing. No, that’s not a Bikini -it’s a PFD!)
I stand up quite a bit, but mostly just to scan the area. When I see the fish I want to catch I assume a more humble position. Kneeling allows me to control my drift – by very slightly leaning to one side or another you can steer the yak – I can still see a pretty fair distance and get myself closer than I could if I were standing. My favorite tactic is to spot the fish while standing, then kneel and paddle myself fairly close, drop anchor and ease myself into position by paying out line.
(Kneeling allows for better visibility, casting and steering, but sacrifices stealth. This is a good look at the anchor trolley - the slack is so the anchor is pulling from behind/before the kayak. Notice the location of the rod holder and the clear deck for ease of fly-casting.)
Kneeling is also the perfect way to ask for a little divine assistance when you spot a 40” fish along the edge. Keep in mind that the higher your profile the further you must stay from the fish; even a 2’ difference could require several more yards between the fish and you.
There are a few other advantages to kayak fishing. If you are like me the idea of walking on a treadmill or stair machine just reeks of boredom, but paddling for several miles to get to a remote fishing spot is no problem. Kayaking is a total body workout, since you get your strength from your abs, shoulders, back, arms, and even your legs.
Kayaks aren’t the perfect craft for every fishing situation; I doubt they would be of much use in fast flowing rivers except as a means to get from pool to pool. They do deserve consideration if for no other reason than they are so well suited to the fly fisherman. They are quiet and help to keep your presentations natural. I was surprised the first time I explored in a kayak at just how much more I was able to observe. Perhaps it was the slower speed, or just the proximity to the water. For whatever reason kayak fly-fishing is my favorite way of participating in this sport, and I sincerely hope you give it a try.
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Hatches Magazine Subscription
Price: $6.95 for each issue
The Premiere issue is ready for shipping & the Fall 2008 issue will be available September 1st.
