Fly line can catch more than fish in a kayak

[Mark]

HeaveToo's query about paddle leashes and his interest in kayak fly fishing got me thinking about one of the problems of that form of fishing that I experience.

Things my fly line has tangled on in my kayak:

1. My VHF radio antenna – It’s secured to my PFD. Not much trouble to untangle but an annoyance.

2. My forceps – Also clipped to my PFD. Very annoying.

3. My pliers sitting on my deck – Thus far I haven’t sent them overboard with a cast but I know the day is coming. Actually, I leave them home when I pan fish.

4. My Mirage Drive pedals. – On extremely windy days it can happen. It tests my nimbleness.

5. My Revo’s rudder steering knob. – It is after all on the left side of my kayak, not far from where I strip line. I certainly cannot remove that.

6. My rudder – The worst of all scenarios -- floating over stripped line. I either have to cut the fly from the leader and pull all the line through the rudder or head to an area where I can get out of the kayak and walk to the stern and free the line. (Or often the easiest way is to call my buddy if he is not far away and plead for his merciful help. Easy for me perhaps, generous of him.)

7. The carrying handles on my Revo. – Same solutions as number 6 above.

So, line tangles happen when you fly fish in a kayak despite your best efforts to avoid them. The wind, current or an errant cast can divert your line to unexpected places and it WILL attach to something it shouldn't. But I believe fly fishing is still worth those momentary setbacks. A fish on the fly subdued by my rod and my hand without the cranking power of a reel is a very enjoyable way to retrieve a catch.

I hope to see some of you Saturday at Bass Pro and we can chat more about these things.

[EMSer]

This reality is one of the reasons I have yet to venture out with my fly rod.....

[Mark]

This reality is one of the reasons I have yet to venture out with my fly rod.....

Oh no!

I didn't mean to discourage you, Bruce.

Most of the time these things are minor annoyances like wind knots and bird nests in conventional tackle. Or how about those macramé-like tangles you multi-line trollers sometimes encounter?

If each of the events I listed happened on each of my outings I'd likely return to cane pole and bobber fishing.

I cope with them because I find catching fish on the fly to be fun.

[bunnielab]

I once came upon two guys who were fly fishing for stocked trout at a local pond. They had somehow manage to tangle their lines together and get them both snarled into to some greenbrier thorns that lined the bank. When I got there one of them was in the thorns as well trying to free them while the other guy was arguing in favor of cutting their losses (and lines) and heading home.

I think I am going to get a Tenkara rod as my intro into flyfishing. I think 10-13' of line to manage is all I want to deal with at first.

[Mark]

I once came upon two guys who were fly fishing for stocked trout at a local pond. They had somehow manage to tangle their lines together and get them both snarled into to some greenbrier thorns that lined the bank. When I got there one of them was in the thorns as well trying to free them while the other guy was arguing in favor of cutting their losses (and lines) and heading home.

I think I am going to get a Tenkara rod as my intro into flyfishing. I think 10-13' of line to manage is all I want to deal with at first.

That's funny, Drew.

I've hooked more than a few "Tree Trout." I never sacrificed my fly line to one though.

[dirtyjake237]

Mark as always I love the post. And as everyone has said in the past kayak fishing is full of compromise. I primarily fly fish and very seldom troll or use conventional tackle. For all the reasons you mentioned that's why I opted not to buy a pedal driven yak, and went with a feel free lure. The upside to the feel free was a large snag free platform over 30 inches wide that I could easily stand up and fly cast from. The compromise was having to paddle something comparable to the QE2. I have often debated getting a PA and just taking out the pedals when I arrive, or throwing a towel over all the gizmos cause a PA is very stable and would afford stand up sight casting.
So this year I bit the bullet and went with a micro skiff with an outboard. I can still car top launch with no trailer and slip into 2 inches of water by paddle or pole. I admit I love the quiet of kayak fishing, but now I feel spoiled cause I can spend less time getting to where I want to fish and more time fishing.

[HeaveToo]

This is a problem that I have often thought about. I sometimes strip the line and let it go into the water. That was the solution with the inflatable kayak. I may make some king of stripping basket that will work when I am on the kayak.

[On the fly]

I use a stripping mat and have no problems, use of a wet towel works also. I never let my line float in the water but I also use a lot of different sinking lines.

Harry