Kayak Fly Fishing

[Corvina]

Hi everybody I'm new to the board and am about to purchase a 12' Outback. I mainly fly fish so I am looking for advice, do's, don'ts. must haves etc from any experienced fly yakkers. I chose the Outback over the PA for my own off water logistics situation and the aim is to keep things a simple as possible.

[acorad]

Hey there Corvina, it's acorad from scsf.

I'm not big time experienced but I've chucked flies off my buddy's no-name kayak a half-dozen times or so since this summer.

I've caught calico, bonito, cudas, and mackerel from the kayak, mostly on the kelp edges.

Yellow tail plans for the future, as well as rock fish.

My fishing was as simple as it gets; me, kayak, paddle, a fly rod, and a half-dozen streamers/clousers. A couple blue/white, a couple olive/white, and couple bright green/white.

The last time I went out I added rod and paddle leashes (absolutely required, imo), and a rod holder for trolling (both hands doing paddling).

Last week I bought a light weight Hobie Revo 11, mainly because of off water logistics, as you say.

And being able to control the kayak with my feet and use my hands to fish at the same time is a game changer I think.

The Revo came with an inexpensive fish finder, so I'll be interested in how that affects my fishing practices.

I'm looking for a net, probably collapsible and/or telescoping. It's a right pita to try to get a hot 4 - 5 lb fish to hand while sitting down in a kayak with an 8 or 9 foot rod. Besides, these feesh usually have dam sharp teeth!

I've seen some great ideas for stripping mats with sticking-up zipties that sit on the kayak between your legs and you strip your flyline onto it, I'll be trying my hand at making something like that soon.

Other than that, be ready for some big fish out there. Last time out, on my very first cast, I got hit and quickly bit off. 1X tippet which I think is around 15#.

I've now bought spools of 20, 30, & 40 lb mono. I don't think these fish are generally particularly line-shy, but I won't know for sure until I try.

Oh, and look at youtube for surf launch and landing techniques. It's not particularly difficult, but there are some things to be aware of.

Well, that's about all I've got! If you have some specific questions, post them up!

Andy

[fishing md]

Originally Posted by Corvina

Hi everybody I'm new to the board and am about to purchase a 12' Outback. I mainly fly fish so I am looking for advice, do's, don'ts. must haves etc from any experienced fly yakkers. I chose the Outback over the PA for my own off water logistics situation and the aim is to keep things a simple as possible.

Hi corvina I'm fly fishing MD at fliflicker i reed your cool post all the time welcome to BWE this forum has a lot of cool and experience fisherman, not to many fly fishing members but some.. i been trying to have a

fly's only tournament at San Diego big bay . may be you can help me! stay

away from TEAM SEWER LOL. i have the red camo Hobie pro angler 14

[Baja_Traveler]

I never leave the beach without at least one fly rod. I drive a PA14 also - biggest issue is modifying your technique or using a stripping basket to avoid the fly line getting tangled up in the peddles. Hate to hook up with a big one just to have the line loop around a dang peddle and break you off. Issue not limited to Hobie's though, I busted off a fish in my old scupper pro when the line looped around a rod holder...
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1449670952.550521.jpg

[Corvina]

Originally Posted by acorad

Hey there Corvina, it's acorad from scsf.

I'm not big time experienced but I've chucked flies off my buddy's no-name kayak a half-dozen times or so since this summer.

I've caught calico, bonito, cudas, and mackerel from the kayak, mostly on the kelp edges.

Yellow tail plans for the future, as well as rock fish.

My fishing was as simple as it gets; me, kayak, paddle, a fly rod, and a half-dozen streamers/clousers. A couple blue/white, a couple olive/white, and couple bright green/white.

The last time I went out I added rod and paddle leashes (absolutely required, imo), and a rod holder for trolling (both hands doing paddling).

Last week I bought a light weight Hobie Revo 11, mainly because of off water logistics, as you say.

And being able to control the kayak with my feet and use my hands to fish at the same time is a game changer I think.

The Revo came with an inexpensive fish finder, so I'll be interested in how that affects my fishing practices.

I'm looking for a net, probably collapsible and/or telescoping. It's a right pita to try to get a hot 4 - 5 lb fish to hand while sitting down in a kayak with an 8 or 9 foot rod. Besides, these feesh usually have dam sharp teeth!

I've seen some great ideas for stripping mats with sticking-up zipties that sit on the kayak between your legs and you strip your flyline onto it, I'll be trying my hand at making something like that soon.

Other than that, be ready for some big fish out there. Last time out, on my very first cast, I got hit and quickly bit off. 1X tippet which I think is around 15#.

I've now bought spools of 20, 30, & 40 lb mono. I don't think these fish are generally particularly line-shy, but I won't know for sure until I try.

Oh, and look at youtube for surf launch and landing techniques. It's not particularly difficult, but there are some things to be aware of.

Well, that's about all I've got! If you have some specific questions, post them up!

Andy

Hey Andy, great to hear from you.
Lots of food for thought here as I venture into a new area. How are you finding the Revo?
Thinking if stripping baskets, trays etc I was pondering the idea if using the storage area in front of the seat to take some kind of basket
On nets I'm thinking a Fish Lipper might do if they are going to be released and a gaff if not? Conway Bowman also as an interesting de hooking device he uses for Makos caught and released on an SUP!!!! Don;t know if you can PM in this site but if not shoot me one on scsf.

[Corvina]

Originally Posted by fishing md

Hi corvina I'm fly fishing MD at fliflicker i reed your cool post all the time welcome to BWE this forum has a lot of cool and experience fisherman, not to many fly fishing members but some.. i been trying to have a

fly's only tournament at San Diego big bay . may be you can help me! stay

away from TEAM SEWER LOL. i have the red camo Hobie pro angler 14

Cheers mate, shoot me a PM on flicker

[Corvina]

Originally Posted by Baja_Traveler

I never leave the beach without at least one fly rod. I drive a PA14 also - biggest issue is modifying your technique or using a stripping basket to avoid the fly line getting tangled up in the peddles. Hate to hook up with a big one just to have the line loop around a dang peddle and break you off. Issue not limited to Hobie's though, I busted off a fish in my old scupper pro when the line looped around a rod holder...
Attachment 17660

Cheers, yes I definitely want to get the flyline/stripping basket/tray/bucket scenario sorted out before I get taken to the cleaners by the proverbial "big one........"

[makobob]

So you want to get taken to the cleaners? Follow Makobob to Baja for one of his trips. Been doing a minimum of 10 trips a year down there. Most to Gonzaga. Had some FLY FISHERMEN do well. Bass, triggers, OM corvina, leopard grouper, cabrilla, ROOSTER FISH, Sierra Mackerel, and skipjack have all been landed on the fly here. With an OPEN invite on most trips, what are YOU waiting for. NEXT trip is NEW YEARS. Leaving 26 December, join us. At least two on that trip will be bringing fly rods. Tight Lines.

Originally Posted by Corvina

Cheers, yes I definitely want to get the flyline/stripping basket/tray/bucket scenario sorted out before I get taken to the cleaners by the proverbial "big one........"

[FlyFishinYakr]

Hello Corvina,
Welcome to BWE.
As a fellow Fly Angler might I suggest the Clouser pattern in Blue/Yellow and Olive/Yellow also? In addition the Deceiver patterns in the same colors (with and without Fish Skull heads), a shad pattern, the EP Mullet and maybe a couple Dalhberg diver patterns.
If you're looking for a stripping basket to attach to your kayak, you might look into a stripping apron from a float tube or pontoon. Since my experience is from standing on my Outback while on a lake, I use a standard KR line tender (it's deep enough to hold the excess line but not so deep to be cumbersome) as opposed to my hard plastic generic (Orvis style) surf/wading basket.
Looking forward to reading a few reports.
FFY