# Kayak flyfishing



## fishwendel2 (Nov 19, 2007)

I bought a kayak this year and was wondering if anyone does any flyfishing out of there kayak in central Ohio. Thanks!


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## rweis (Dec 20, 2005)

Not yet, but I am considering a kayak for this spring. What kind do you have? I'm looking at the Malibu Mini-X and the Native Ultimate 9.5.


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## fishwendel2 (Nov 19, 2007)

I got a good deal on a Tarpon 120. Outfitted it with a fishfinder, Scotty rod holders. Sabo's has some nice kayaks at decent prices.


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## RIFFLE (Feb 8, 2009)

its not to bad your lower to the water obvioulsy which limits your backcasting. There is a good trade off though, the kayak gets you to places easier where you can get out and wade fish to!


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## wader (Dec 9, 2004)

I'm a canoe man, but I fly fish out of one all the time. I am usually floating the Mad, and its about the only way I can get a good dead drift with nymphs and an indicator.


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## rweis (Dec 20, 2005)

I've been trying to put together a list of places I can use a kayak safely. I'm not looking for whitewater or to really punish myself physically. 

Wader - How is canoeing the Mad? Is there a maximum flow you wait for? 

I'm thinking of places like some of the wider and gentler sections of the Scioto later in the summer. Same with the Hocking and Little Miami, where you can get dropped off by the liveries. O'Shay seems a little big to me, especially with skiiers, but Twin Lakes should be good. I would love to float the stump fields at Knox. Hargus and Ross Lakes should be good since they are smaller and EMO. Am I thinking along safe lines here?


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## BlueDun (Feb 21, 2007)

rweis said:


> I've been trying to put together a list of places I can use a kayak safely. I'm not looking for whitewater or to really punish myself physically.
> 
> Wader - How is canoeing the Mad? Is there a maximum flow you wait for?
> 
> I'm thinking of places like some of the wider and gentler sections of the Scioto later in the summer. Same with the Hocking and Little Miami, where you can get dropped off by the liveries. O'Shay seems a little big to me, especially with skiiers, but Twin Lakes should be good. I would love to float the stump fields at Knox. Hargus and Ross Lakes should be good since they are smaller and EMO. Am I thinking along safe lines here?


I kayak a lot around central Ohio. Although I have fly fished out of a kayak in other areas, I kayak around here with a group of people who do not fish. The Mad is generally the only place within an hour or so of Columbus that can be counted on to be navigable when everything else is too low. Twin Lakes (off of O'Shay) can be nasty in the latter half of the summer b/c as the water level goes down, the banks are deep muck and they extend some distance from shore before you can get to the water. Hoover is great with a kayak - especially around the Oxbow area. Alum Creek is fun if you enjoy "surfing" the wake from large boats. Delaware can be interesting for somewhere different - especially if you kayak up the Whetstone (i think that is the name) River off of the east side of the reservoir. Licking and Kokosing Rivers are also good.

Just, please, wear a life jacket! I was on a search and rescue team for 15 years and did way too many water searches for drowning victims who went fishing without wearing one (and almost every one of those families said, "but he was such a good swimmer!")


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## wader (Dec 9, 2004)

rweis,

Floating the Mad is tremendous. Its a gaining stream, meaning the base flow is mostly groundwater, so its very clean and clear with a gravel bottom, and as stated earlier it generally keeps a good flow all summer. It can get pretty shallow in the riffles, and you may have to drag yourself over it, and there are a few tricky strainers here and there, but nothing too crazy. Don't float it when its high. I watch the St. Paris Pike stream gauge, and when it gets above 400cfs, I don't go near it. The current can be very strong and very fast. It does get quite crowded on the weekend during the summer, I usually try to hit it during the week. Watch out for your vehicles as well. I usually have the wife drop me off and pick me up due to the thievery that often takes place. PM me if you have any more questions.


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## rweis (Dec 20, 2005)

Thanks guys, great info.

BlueDun - I just got my second Sospenders PFD as a backup or for a friend. I wear one whether I am in a boat or in a tube. If I'm floatin', I'm wearing. With the smallprofile of today's PFD's, there is just no reason not to wear it.


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## BlueDun (Feb 21, 2007)

rweis said:


> I just got my second Sospenders PFD as a backup or for a friend. I wear one whether I am in a boat or in a tube. If I'm floatin', I'm wearing. With the smallprofile of today's PFD's, there is just no reason not to wear it.


 Seeing PFD's on boaters makes me happy!


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## Wild One (Jul 3, 2008)

I've got a buddy who owns two yaks. He's offered them to me any time I want and I fished from them several times last year. My opinion--stick with a float tube if you're hitting stillwater!

I always had a heck of time staying put in the yak. With the tube, you can kick around without stripping or reeling in a full spool. You can readjust your position and continue fishing. My success in catching was drastically decreased when fishing from a yak. An easy solution would probably be an anchor, but then you've got to take the time to drop it every time you stop and pull it when you want to move. You'd also add 10 pounds more to pack from truck to water... 

I was also annoyed by having to stow the paddle everytime I wanted to fish and that's also one more thing for your line to tangle on. The yak I used was meant for fishing and had handly little rod holders. The problem? They were meant for the butt end of spinning rod. The fly rod/reel wouldn't fit, so I ended up trying balance it sticking out the back of the yak.

I will admit that it was very nice to be in the yak when a freak thunder storm sprang on us at Alum. If I had been in my tube, I would never have made it back to the truck before the rain hit.

To each his own, but for most of my uses, I'd stick with a float tube.


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## StuckAtHome (Apr 29, 2004)

10 pounds? Way too much anchor for a yak, plus very dangerous. Grab a rubberized barbell from wallymart, about 3 pounds, a couple clips about 10 feet of rope and a way to tie it off that you can release it QUICKLY and your set. The first few times out in a yak can be hard to fish, most people fight where the yak wants to go, after a few trips it becomes natural, Crittergiter cussed more his first time out than fished,lol. Plus with a yak you have more river to fish, tubes you don't get very far.

Mike


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## WhoolyBugger (Aug 25, 2008)

Yes 10lbs for an anchor is overkill. Mine is 1.5 lbs with three tines that grab rocks nicely. Look for Scotty rod holders. Mine holds a flyrod snuggly and you can strap it in in case of class II rapids. Can't beat a yak for the river.....


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## Wild One (Jul 3, 2008)

guess that shows you what i know about yaks and anchors 
I'd NEVER take my tube on moving water, BTW.

Being from out West i never heard of anyone fishing from a yak til moving here. Folks fish rivers out west from either a drift boat or a pontoon. Maybe it has more to do with the faster moving water we tend to get out west as opposed to the slower churns here...I dont' know.

Anyone here have any experience with a toon vs yak on moving water? pros, cons?


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## BlueDun (Feb 21, 2007)

StuckAtHome said:


> Grab a rubberized barbell from wallymart, about 3 pounds, a couple clips about 10 feet of rope


That is a really good idea!


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## RIFFLE (Feb 8, 2009)

yeah tubes are for ponds, and kayaks are for rivers as well as catarafts which is what u have been calling "toons", and drift boats r for rivers were there aren't any big rocks! there expensive to repair alot of people some time call them "dories". a cheaper anchor, go find a rock around 8"x"8 wrap your rope around it like a square and whamo free anchor for a kayak. most rivers that your going to fly fish on in ohio the kayak is the best way to go. one bit of advice rig your rod holder behind u to maximize your rod being close to u and low to the water so when u go under low lying trees "strainers" you don't lose your tip. alot of rod holder r rigged for spinning on kayaks which sucks because youll be hitting trees trust me!


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