Kayak Flyfishing

[Southside Sarge]

Hello All,
Longtime FAOL fan, first time poster. I saw a thread on the WarmWater board about kick boats, and I wanted to talk about another option I discovered. I had for a long time wanted a watercraft, but I was limited by factors such as cost and ablility to store a boat. The perfect solution for me was an inflatable kayak. I recently got it for my birthday, and it has been a blessing. I fish premarily for Bluegill on the local urban river called Town Lake in Austin. A float tube was not an option because local laws prohibit such craft on Town Lake. The inflatable kayak was perfect because it packs down into small package that can easily be stored in a closet(i live in an aprtment), and also does not need a car rack to be transported. It inflates in about 5 mins. and can be customised to fot my needs(you have to be creative, since you can't drill holes like a standard kayak). My kayak allows me to transport a lot of nessecary gear, cover a lot of area, and have a stealthy approach. I know a lot of people do not trust inflatables but the ones coming out now are even able to handle whitewater. The cost of a good inflatable can be a fraction of the cost of a hardshell kayak as well. All of these features make the inflatable kayak a viable option for anyone that is considering a personal watercraft. I would love to hear from anyone who wants to talk it over.
Thank You and Keep up the great work on this excellent site.

[Jim Hatch]

Hey Sarge,

A hearty welcome aboard! Always glad to
see new members with info to share. Hope
that you enjoy FAOL and become a regular
contributor. Be forewarned, it can be quite
addictive.

Very nice report on the inflatable kayaks. There has indeed been considerable
progress in the evolution of inflatables.
Thanks for sharing your experiences.

Lots of us current/ex/retired military
types here Sarge. We hold service men and
women in high regard around here.*G*
Welcome aboard! Warm regards, Jim

[James Smith]

Welcome aboard both to FAOL and to flyfishing from a kayak. I have been fly fishing extensively from my kayak (hard shell not inflatable) and it is a great way to fish. You can move nice a quiet and they are very stable. Just about the only drawback I've found is that they tend to get blown around by the winds fairly easily. This may even be more true for the inflatable kayaks. To slow down the drift, get about 8 inches of large chain and tie it to a floating nylon anchor rope. This will slow you down when the wind blows you around and yet it doesn't get stuck easily. To change it to an anchor, just clip on another 18 inches of chain with a carabiner and it makes a great anchor. Let us know how it works out for you.

Take care and welcome.

Jim Smith

[Southside Sarge]

Hello Again,
Thanks for the warm welcome and the great info. As far as an anchor I'm covered but am thankful for the info. I got a gift from a friend of a colapsable anchor that packs down to almost nothing. I always seem to relate things to space and portablility because of my career in the Army. Oh Well. Also glad to hear that there are many other military members. right now is not the most popular time to be in the service. Well have to go, thanks again.
Sarge.

[Southside Sarge]

Hey James,
Have you ever though of starting a discussion board for kayak flyfishing? If you would like I could try to help.Let me know.
Sarge.

[jsmartt]

I also fish from a kayak (hard shell). Sometimes i fish directly from the boat but most of the time i use the kayak to get from one spot on the river to another and then get out and wade fish. It lets me get to places where other wade fishers can't access, and for reservoir tailwaters the kayak keeps me safer as rising water dose not trap me on islands or on the wrong side of the river.

[RonB]

Hi......long time lurker here too! I bought a kayak a couple years ago... Pungo 12 footer.........with my fly fishing addiction and my new kayak addiction I'm about ready to give up everything else! I would LOVE to see a kayak flyfishing section... between the solitude of paddling and the beauty of fly fishing....I'm not sure which I enjoy more! This is absolutely the BEST of both worlds......and quite an effective way to fish.......!!!! I would rather flyfish out of my kayak than "almost" anything else!!!

[Southside Sarge]

Hey guys,
I just submitted a new post talking about starting a new forum. Check it out see what you think.
Sarge.

[old geezer]

Jc, LF How much more a mos. to open a Kayak fishing section.. I'm game and will contribute,

Best to all

Philip

[Norm]

Sarge, Welcome from another Kayak guy. I fish form a hard shell kayak. I can see how it would be nice to own an inflatable for the storage reason alone. I can't park on my side of the garage because thats where my kayaks are. I have it rigged for a fish-finder, but usually dont use it unless I am in water I am unfamiliar with.
Norm
[url=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v127/TNTAMA/TheRanch005.jpg:b20f8]Kayak Catch[/url:b20f8]