Fly fishing out of a kayak.

[Radar]

Today was a new experience for me as I am new to kayak fishing and now I even made it more difficult with fly fishing. I sat the whole time and never attempted to stand. Did ok, lure presentation was a little sloppy and occasionally would hit my kayak. Seemed to be more of a sidearm cast to get under the limbs and next to the structure. Caught some bream and a few small bass, lots of learning to do.

Got some questions. My fly rod is 9ft, would I be better off with a 7ft? Or would I make contact with water on my back cast? My leader is 6 pound test Trilene, could I go to 4 pound test and still be fine for bass, using a clouser? Is there such a thing as a drift sock for a kayak? Thanks in advance.

[Burnadell]

I have not (yet) fly fished from my kayak but plan to put it in Lake Bob Sandlin and fish a cove, so I'm no help. If you are hitting the kayak with your fly (occasionally?) then I would not go with a shorter rod. I have been intending for over a year to install a folding handicap walker in front of my seat for a standup casting hand rail. Big Iron did this.

[Radar]

That is what I was wondering, I aint confident enough to stand and fly fish. There is an accessory rail mounted on my kayak that a stand up rail could be mounted to, I cant find out who makes it.

If you start fly fishing out of the kayak, it will ruin you. I have no desire to use anything else now.

[Burnadell]

You fishing it in rivers, creeks or ponds?

[Radar]

Guadalupe river

[yotaman]

Kayaks have drift socks. I've never used one. I sit and fly fish too, youll get the hang of it. I just pile my line up between my legs. I can't stand up in my tarpon 140.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G530AZ using Tapatalk

[Radar]

Where did you find the drift socks?

Yes, I fished for 6 miles of the river today and only lost 8 or 9 flies.Lol It was getting easier toward the end this morning. I have to sit straight up in my seat and cast sidearm to get underneath the tree limbs. I have a Pescador Pro12 sit on kayak.

[backwoods]

I fly fished for years from a kayak and I came to the conclusion that it’s perhaps the worst way to fish.
If you can stand, that will improve things.
Otherwise trying to fish and make course corrections with a paddle at the same time can be pure hell

[White Falcon]

I do a lot of roll casting in mine.

[Radar]

I fly fished for years from a kayak and I came to the conclusion that it’s perhaps the worst way to fish.
If you can stand, that will improve things.
Otherwise trying to fish and make course corrections with a paddle at the same time can be pure hell

Well it aint too bad, I had to figure out how to use the wind and the current. But yes sometimes its a real booger trying to keep a good angle at the bank

[Shane]

4# is too light for bass if you're likely to catch a decent sized one. I use at least 8# leaders for bass. A 5# bass in brush or rocks needs to be horsed out into open water quickly. Can't do that with 4# test.

[jnd1959]

Just get the smallest drift sock you can find and attach it to your back cleats or net connections. I fish sidways in my kayak most of the time,with my legs over the side.

[Radar]

4# is too light for bass if you're likely to catch a decent sized one. I use at least 8# leaders for bass. A 5# bass in brush or rocks needs to be horsed out into open water quickly. Can't do that with 4# test.

With 8# pound leaders you still get a good lay down or presentation with a different flies?

[Shane]

Sure, with large bass flies. I use #1 and larger flies for bass (largemouth). But you dont need or even want a delicate presentation for bass usually. I good PLOP when casting a frog fly draws a strike a lot of times.

I do a lot of fishing with my 2wt rod for panfish and Guadalupe bass. I use 4X tippett, which is 5# test for that mostly. Smaller flies with that - #8 and smaller.

[Radar]

Sure, with large bass flies. I use #1 and larger flies for bass (largemouth). But you dont need or even want a delicate presentation for bass usually. I good PLOP when casting a frog fly draws a strike a lot of times.

I do a lot of fishing with my 2wt rod for panfish and Guadalupe bass. I use 4X tippett, which is 5# test for that mostly. Smaller flies with that - #8 and smaller.

Good info, thanks. Where are you finding the frog flies?