Kayak fly fishing

Saltwater fly fishing has its challenges and the biggest one for most would be SWFF’s is the casting range. This problem can be over come! I don’t want to talk about the tackle here, nor how to cast but just a few hints and tips.

Using a kayak as a platform to cast a fly from is nothing new, the Americans and a few Brits have been doing it for ages. This is because they have seen the advantages and they are getting the results.

Why use your Kayak

The kayak, as I have mentioned before in an article about the huge growth in kayak fishing creates a small foot print in the water and with a bit of thought its a great tool to stalk fish from. This allows the limited range when casting a fly to be over come and you can cover an immense area of water as well as fishing off shore reefs and sand banks in search of fish.

Casting a fly from a kayak

The cast you use has to be sound. Tight loops full of energy to keep the line high above the water is a must. You can practice casting standing in a field, then start sitting on the floor. You will find it hard work at first, but it will allow you to get a feel for how much line you can keep in the air.

From here move into your kayak. Depending on your kayak you will feel the balance point changing at different stages of the cast. You will get better with practice! I found on my RTM Disco which feels tippie, that hanging my legs over the side so they stabilized the kayak helped a lot in the initial stages.

Fly fishing Rod holders

You can buy rod holders designed to take a fly rod, or adapters for holding your rod. This is quite important as a delicate fly rod will not stand up to many knocks.

Holding the rod in a safe position while you are maneuvering is a must. I have tried laying it on the deck and holding it between my knees. It makes you very unstable and paddling becomes a real effort.