Bass Pro Shops article trolling from canoe/kayak

[nighthawk]

I printed this article about trolling tactics from a canoe and kayak:

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/store ... 07-_-31171

Since I own a canoe I will give this a try. My canoe is docked at my favorite small still water lake. There are walleye in the lake as well as brown and rainbow trout. Big bass, tiger muskie and tons of panfish (perch, bluegill, crappie) too. Sometimes the fish in this lake get pretty tight lipped and they see a lot of pressure form spin/bait fishing. I was thinking about trolling with the fly rod and my 8wt sink tip, type III, line but did not know quite how to go about it. I would think this would work quite well for evening walleye. I have seen spin fishers have very productive days there while trolling when the rest of us were getting skunked.

Has anybody tried this? If so, what fly patterns work the best? I would imagine that marabou streamers would be very effective fished this way.

This isn't some sort of taboo for fly fishing, is it?

[dudley]

In northern New England there is a long tradition of trolling for landlock salmon.
Many of the famous Maine streamers were developed for trolling.
I myself often troll from my kayak when trying to locate stripers in the salt.
When I find some I stop and cast for them though, because trolling is ......boring

[maineguide]

Yes trolling from a canoe or kayak works well. You want streamer flies for this and a lot of time. LOL It can be slow but it does produce fish. Early spring here just after ice out is the best to do this for salmon and trout.

[super_fly]

I consider trolling from my kayak to be the start of learning to understand water and how it relates to fishing.

My first fishing trip from a kayak was at Convoy Point (Biscayne Bay) in Homestead, FL. To top it off it was with my first flyrod which I had owned for a good month or two. No rod holders or anything. The flyline was driving me crazy. On my way back in after a fishless outing I threw the line out of my kayak and rested the rod against my foot as I paddled. Soon after I had a hit! It was a little barracuda. That became my first fish I released from the kayak - a nice, slimy, toothy cuda.

I was enthused so I tried it again and I caught another. I proceeded to try this until I got the where are you look from my wife on shore. I used this technique for awhile afterwards. I found that I was able to relate where the best bites would occur with types of terrain & water. For instance I could lay money down that I'd catch a fish trolling the fly by a mangrove point. A shoreline may or may not produce. Grassflats were good but could be hit or miss.

I began to learn how to spot the fish. I paid attention to how the fly acted and how it moved and I transferred those ideas to my casting & retrieving.

Now, I'm no expert but I can do a pretty good job of casting to, and catching barracudas. The trolling was critical to that.

Now if the bonefish would cooperate...

[maineguide]

I tell people if you are going to fly fish from a canoe or a kayak to practice your casting from setting on a 5 gal bucket. It helps a lot.

[nighthawk]

I am going to give this a try. Unfortunately, I may have to pull my canoe form it's mooring slip at the local state park. Seems the general assembly of our state has decided not to sign the annual budget. I don't know, but will find out Friday, if they are just shutting down the offices, camp grounds and other facilities, or all of it. I am hoping they leave the parks open to fishing. This is bad. Most of our state employees are going to be laid off without compensation until the budget is signed. All except the politicians, that is.

[bowfin47]

In south Louisiana several of us drift kayaks or canoes while we "troll" flash-clousers across brackish/saltwater lakes in order to locate speckled trout. Not very exciting, but it can help ya' locate the schools.

[Micropteris]

It can be effective but trolling sinking lines by hand alone can be a headache. If you have to stop paddling for some reason your line and fly will sink to the bottom. I found it difficult to get started without hanging up the fly. You've only got so many hands. Once you are moving though no problem. Trolling with a floater is easier to manage.

But then again if you have a buddy, let him do all the work.

[nighthawk]

I have an electric motor, MinnKota 32 lb. thrust. I normally just paddle my canoe as that is the fun part of owning one. I think I'll use the trolling motor for this technique.