Fly fishing from a kayak; pros and cons?

[DWSmith 0]

That's a good possibility!  Thanks.

[DFoster 0]

I own a Wilderness Systems 10' Tarpon sit on top.  I added an anchor trolley and set it up for spin fishing on lakes and in that role it's been a great boat.  It's relatively inexpensive and light weight.   However my personal passion is fly fishing small to mid size flowing streams.  I have never used it for fly fishing because I'm in my late 50's and still physically able to wade/hike.  For me the lower I am to the water the tougher time I have tracking my flies for a good drift so I definitely prefer to fish while standing.  That said fly fishing while seated in a kayak is way better than not fishing at all.

There was a recent Orvis pod cast all about Kayak fly fishing go here: https://howtoflyfish.orvis.com/podcasts/general-fly-fishing  

Look for the pod cast from 3/10/23.

 

[Bryon Anderson 0]

Normally I'm a vocal advocate for kayak fishing; like Utyer, I am a member of the NuCanoe plastic navy. I've owned two of them, and they have profoundly enhanced my fishing life. If you do end up looking at fishing kayaks at some point, I can't recommend them highly enough. 

All that being said - if you already own a 14' aluminum jon boat, I don't think a kayak is going to be able to do anything your jon can't do, and the jon has more versatility with regards to adding a motor, casting decks, gear storage, etc. Many people think kayaks are lightweight and inexpensive, but they're thinking about the kind of small, flimsy recreational craft that you see in big box stores. A fishing kayak that is worth its salt is going to start in the $1500-2000 range (slightly cheaper used), and it's going to weigh upwards of 80 pounds, and that's before you put a seat and all your gear in it, so, again -- not much of an improvement over what you've got, if any. Yes, you can car-top a fishing kayak, but it's a PITA, and not something I'd recommend for someone with back issues. So if you're going to need a trailer anyway --and I think you would--you might as well find a good used one for your jon boat and go fishing. 

Good luck and enjoy whatever you end up with! 

[DFoster 0]

16 hours ago, Bryon Anderson said:

Normally I'm a vocal advocate for kayak fishing; like Utyer, I am a member of the NuCanoe plastic navy. I've owned two of them, and they have profoundly enhanced my fishing life. If you do end up looking at fishing kayaks at some point, I can't recommend them highly enough. 

All that being said - if you already own a 14' aluminum jon boat, I don't think a kayak is going to be able to do anything your jon can't do, and the jon has more versatility with regards to adding a motor, casting decks, gear storage, etc. Many people think kayaks are lightweight and inexpensive, but they're thinking about the kind of small, flimsy recreational craft that you see in big box stores. A fishing kayak that is worth its salt is going to start in the $1500-2000 range (slightly cheaper used), and it's going to weigh upwards of 80 pounds, and that's before you put a seat and all your gear in it, so, again -- not much of an improvement over what you've got, if any. Yes, you can car-top a fishing kayak, but it's a PITA, and not something I'd recommend for someone with back issues. So if you're going to need a trailer anyway --and I think you would--you might as well find a good used one for your jon boat and go fishing. 

Good luck and enjoy whatever you end up with! 

Well put- 

I like the fact that a kayak will get you there 100% of the time as long as you have a paddle and your arms work.  To that point I highly recommend getting a paddle lanyard.  When I'm focused on fishing it's surprisingly easy to knock the paddle over the side and you can became a giant bobber surprisingly quick.  Depending on the size of the water your on or in parts of the South where gators are present I wouldn't want to have to go for a swim.

[Gene L 0]

My fishing buddy fishes from a Kayak and thinks it the best thing since floating fly line.  It's a sit on top boat and he says the seat in the boat allows him to relax while casting.  He bass fishes only, and he's been wearing them out.  It's not an expensive kayak at all.

My OTHER

[DarrellP 0]

On 4/10/2023 at 3:02 PM, mikechell said:

First thing I would say is ... sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you.  Sit like that for as long as you think you'll be fishing.  If you can't hold that position for the duration, you don't want a kayak.  On the other hand, a plastic canoe like Utyer's, or like the "Coleman" I've got, is almost as light and is easier to move around in, to change positions.

As usual, we old guys think a lot alike.

[flytire 0]

 

 

[niveker 0]

 

I like this one, very comfy - 

[Gene L 0]

My good friend fishes exclusively in a kayak.  He really likes it and catches monstrous bass from it.  It's a sit on top kayak.  He fishes it in still water and not on rivers.   It's not a lightweight boat and he has a hand drawn trailer to get it down to the water when he has to travel a distance to the water.

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

Looked at this older thread and thought I’d mention how I would use a ‘yak - if I had one…

I’d only use one to get me to bonefish flats Oceanside… then wade, towing the’yak behind me.  Oceanside flats are generally harder than bayside flats (no fun wading soft flats but I did just that years ago… with a 8wt in hand).  You can approach big tailing bonefish on foot much better that way than any other way.  

 

For me all of that was years ago before hurricane Andrew in 1992.  The average size of bonefish in the early seventies really was 8lbs if you can believe it.   Seems like a dream now - but if we’re careful and work at it, just maybe we can bring that fishery back to what it was…. If I’d had access to a good kayak all those years ago I might never have taken up fooling around with motor boats.

[DarrellP 0]

A real advantage to fishing from a kayak in warm water is that you can go over Lilly pads to get where a boat can't.

[flytire 0]

umm why cant a boat go over lilly pads?

[Chasing_Tails 0]

I have been kayak fishing since the early 2000's. In those days there were no dedicated "fishing" kayaks so we were left to design and rig our own to suit your specific type of fishing. What I found is that fishing from a kayak can be one of the most effective ways to get on the water, and also the most frustrating ways to try and fish. I have met many people that were turned off of kayak fishing as a whole due to a poor experience.

Through the years, and a lot of trial and error, I finally got them to where I want them. 

Recently I sought out to find a kayak specifically for fly fishing the saltwater flats and marsh. My requirements were:

1) Light weight hull so that it can be easily transported and dropped in just about anywhere.

2) Decent handling and speed, pedal drive was a plus.

3) Compact tackle storage and minimal setup required.

4) Clean deck for easy fly line management.

5) Raised seat for seated casting.

6) Ability to stand and push pole or cast when needed.

I ended up with a Pelican Getaway 110. I never thought I would own a Pelican kayak as they are typically considered a "starter" kayak. But the design of this yak was very different. It is a hybrid SUP/SOT kayak in a similar manner at the Hobie Lynx, but at a much lower price point. 

One accessory I find absolutely necessary for any kayak is a way to quickly and reliably position the kayak and control the directly. This is especially important when sight fishing where even a slight wind and current can completely blow a good shot.

This yak has quickly become one of my favorites to fish from and I have found it to be very versatile and well suited to fly casting.