Pedal Kayaks and Fly Fishing

Hi Gang:
I have been thinking about a pedal kayak (Hobie or Native Watercraft) for my fly fishing. I have a couple of sit in kayaks and a solo canoe I have fished from for years but am not really happy with them. I basically am tired of alternate paddling and casting as I am blown around Midwestern lakes. Similarly, while anchors work they don't help when I am trying to cover substantial shoreline searching for fish. My concern with the pedal kayak is the idea of the flyline being constantly entangled in the pedal mechanism. There is always lots of loose line underfoot when fly fishing. It is one thing to dump it onto my feet in a canoe, but another to get it near those pedals. Does anyone have any experience?
David

pontoon boat with electric motor.....

I have a hobie Revo and I used to own an outback. I bought them for the exact reason you are looking at them. I have never had the line get in the pedals. I have had the line get caught in the fins once from a fish going under the boat, but it didn't prove to be much of a problem getting the fish off. From time to time I will carry a towel in my lap and strip the line into that. I had a regular SOT before and I got tired of the paddle and cast routine. I have been very happy with my Hobie. I mainly fish inshore salt water.

Duncan

If you fish thru a lot of shallow water then by all means have fun!

As far as shallow water, a pontoon will go shallow. My only question on the Peddle boats, I thought they just went forward. Can you make them go backwards, because that is what I prefer when fly fishing.

The Native's can go backwards or forwards. The Hobie only go forward. I am more of a kayak fan (whitewater, sea kayaking, camping, racing, etc.) so I am inclined to stay with a kayak over a pontoon and would just as soon not have to deal with a motor.
David

I have a Hobie Outback and have used it EXTENSIVELY for the past six years for fly fishing. In all that time, I have never had my fly line get tangled in the pedals. It is without question the best personal fishing craft I have ever used. My only gripe is that there is some tie-down hardware on the bottom sides of the seating compartment that tend to tangle my fly line when I strip it in and the lines lays down there. As for the Hobie Outback going backwards, it actually can. If you put the pedals in backwards so the leading edge of the fins is facing the rear of the kayak it will go backwards. Please don’t ask me how I know that.

Jim Smith

Thanks Jim. I asked a saler of Hobie about switching and he said no, but it sounds like you have done it. That could make a big difference.

David, I see you are from Ames! I had my Hobie Outback on Ada Hayden Lake this past summer. There happened to be a large group of kayakers there that day. They had a variety of paddle-yaks, and even the stand up flat boards (can't think what they are called just now). They were amazed at how fast I was cruising around without using paddles! I've fly-fished out of it a number of times (which is the reason I bought it), on Saylorville Lake, the backwater ponds below Saylorville Spillway, Big Creek, Diamond Lake, and Grays Lake. It is FUN!
I just pile the stripped line in my lap or on the hatch between my legs. Doesn't seem to get tangled much, but you do need to be aware of where your line is...especially if you are targeting bigger fish like carp, catfish or bass that will take line from you!

David, I have been fly-fishing from a sit-in kayak for many years so I can appreciate your frustration with alternating between the paddle and the flyrod. In an attempt to alleviate this problem, I bought a standard wooden paddle that is about 30 inches long from BPS. Now, I only use the long, double-bladed paddle to reach the spot where I want to begin fishing. Once there, I break the long paddle down and stow it under the front deck of the kayak. While fishing, I use the short paddle with one hand, like a sculling paddle. This allows me to maneuver the boat slowly along a shoreline and comfortably fish at the same time. When I am not using the short paddle I simply rest it across the gunnels of the cockpit. When I need to move the boat, I put down the rod, pick up the short paddle and make a quick adjustment in my position. Within a few seconds, I am fishing again. This system works well and allows me to thoroughly fish shoreline cover at a relaxed and efficient pace. Since going to this method, I have caught more bass and bream than I did before and I no longer experience the hassle of dealing with the long paddle while fishing. So, rather than buying a new kayak, I suggest you pick up a short paddle and give this method a try first. You might find that it works for you and you could save some money as well. Good luck. -Coach

I reached the same conclusion, Coach; I use my sculling paddle after I get close to where I want to fish. I almost always fish tenkara these days, so can easily cast and scull at the same time.

Unlike you, I do not break down my kayak paddle, just lay it athwart the kayak above my lap. There is no loose line to tangle with the paddle because of tenkara. My little kayak is only 8 ft. long, and stowing the broken-down paddle would pose a problem.

I have an emotion stealth paddle kayak. I am from Oklahoma and it is often breezy so I use drift socks ( sea anchors) on anchor trolleys to drift the shorelines of lakes for bass, catfish and pan fish. I use a 30" or an 18" drift sock and when the wind nears 20 mph i use them both at once on the same side to slow the kayak down enough to fish well. I have the paddle crossways in my lap and make a stroke or two occasionally to move around a tree or point. Adjusting the anchor trolley allows me to keep the right distance and angle to shore. I have drift fished for 5 hrs without making 2 dozen strokes. Generally I have the larger drift sock rigged on the main wind side and the smaller sock rigged on the port side for protected bays. The kayak weighs 44 lbs so that works for my old bones. If I had to paddle for 4 or more miles before I fished this would not be the right kayak for the situation.
With greater distances to cover to get to fishing I would think that one of the peddle yaks may be the way to go. They are stable enough to fish and fast enough to negate the distance. You just have to make provision for their weight. There is probably not one kayak that suits all needs, which is why some people have their own fleet.

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Originally Posted by James Smith

If you put the pedals in backwards so the leading edge of the fins is facing the rear of the kayak it will go backwards. Please don?t ask me how I know that.

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I did that once when surf launching in 2-3ft breakers. Total yard sale after I did a major dump. Good thing everything important was lashed. I also use a towel to strip into. Once an awhile the line will get tangled but its no big deal. If you put one pedal all the way forward then you won't get a tangle with the fins since it raises them up against the hull. One thing to keep in mind is that the Hobie uses a back and forth leg motion and the Native uses a circular motion. Our legs are much stronger going back and forth. I've pedaled for hours on end and didn't really feel that fatigued and I'm not in that great of shape.