Duchesney - Kayak fly fishing: everything you need to know to start catching fish

B en Duchesney is a freelance content creator, with work appearing in publications such as Field & Stream, American Angler, The Fly Fish Journal, Kayak Angler, Kayak Fish Magazine, and more. He currently lives and searches for fish near Boston, Massachusetts.

Published by Stackpole Books

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Photos by Ben Duchesney unless otherwise credited

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ISBN 978-0-8117-1768-7 (paperback)

ISBN 978-0-8117-6605-0 (e-book)

The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information SciencesPermanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992.

Printed in the United States of America

I couldnt have done this without you, Jennie. Also, a huge thanks to all of those who helped with this book, including the many anglers who were kind enough to share their secrets with me and the books readers.

Author Ben Duchesney scans the waters surrounding a sandbar in the middle of the flats of Cape Cod, looking for striped bass on the fly. This is the exact sandbar where he fell in love with kayak fly fishing.

O ne time in a tackle shop, a friend mentioned out loud that I fly fish from a kayak. Behind the counter, the tackle shop workers eyes widened and he asked, Do you do it upside down, too? That might be easier.

It may look like some sort of voodoo black magic to some, standing in a kayak and fly casting, but with modern kayak designs, fast rods, and a halfway decent sense of balance, its an easily attainable goal. I tell people all the time that they should at least give fly fishing from a kayak a chance. Once you tailor your techniques of casting and paddling a certain way, to better suit your fishing platform, you can easily take advantage of this super-stealthy form of fishing. I spend most of my time, besides behind a desk, out on the saltwater flats of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, standing in my kayak as the 12-foot tides race by, looking for signs of striped bass. Sure, I occasionally fish from a big center console, or even wade, but given the choice, Ill always choose the kayak.

I didnt always fish this way. In fact, I only started fly fishing in college after borrowing a fly rod from my little brother and half-sliding, half-falling down the side of a mountain to reach a trout steam behind the school. Spending every minute before, after, and between class (and sometimes instead of), I fell in love with the simplicity of the cast, the poetry in the motions, and, of course, the beautiful fish.

Shortly before I picked up a fly rod, I picked up a paddle. Spending plenty of time in different boats as a kid growing up in a coastal town, having my own craft was always a dream. I thought it was a very distant dream until I graduated high school and was gifted my first kayak. The first generation of fishing kayaks were just hitting the stores, and I was blessed with a kayak that wasnt a dog to paddle, allowed me to stand in it all day long without falling into the drink, and had enough storage space to fit my tackle gear.

I spent the following winter and many of the following seasons rigging and re-rigging and perfecting the layout of my first kayak until it was an absolute fishing machine. Constantly tweaking and improving your boats performance is another major joy of kayak fly fishing. Not only can you keep improving your boat and your gear, but more importantly, you will forever be learning. Never again can you call yourself an expert on fishing or paddling because once you do, youve closed yourself off to learning another great new paddle stroke or cast that will surely help you.

When I first started kayak fishing, I never considered it paddling, or myself a paddler. It wasnt until I started spending time on the water with real paddlers did I see the magic that lies within the proper technique and a high level of skill. Instead of muscling my way through a wave or fighting the current of a river or the tide, I quickly learned to harness that energy. Instead of wearing myself out, getting frustrated while paddling, I was putting more time and effort into fishing and enjoying paddling the whole time. The further along you get with your paddling skills, the more your fishing will benefit. To the same effect, the better your skill becomes at fly casting, especially with the subtle nuances of casting from a kayak, the more youll enjoy paddling and kayaking.

There are many microskiffs and other lightweight boats that are designed to get into the skinniest water and be almost imperceptible to the fish. Sure, these boats come close to what I can do in a kayak, but Im able to go places that even they can only dream of. Ive been deeper and farther into the backwaters of a fishery in a kayak than Id ever be able to with any other vessel and cast to fish that think theyre safe.

Fly fishing adds to that stealth factor by allowing me to present flies in super-skinny water, or throw patterns and flies that are so subtle in their presentation that the fish cant help but bite. Whether its in fast-moving rivers or big expansive flats, in a backwoods wilderness lake or your local bass pond, a fly rod and a kayak can be two of the deadliest tools that will get you on more fish.

When I was the web editor of Kayak Angler magazine, I got to travel all over the country, even up into Canada, to go fishing. No matter where I go, whether I get to bring my own gear or not, I always try to throw a fly if I get the chance. Doesnt matter the species. Ive begged fishing guides to bring along an extra fly rod, strapped a travel rod onto the back of a motorcycle, and even decided to leave the conventional or spinning gear at home if it means I can throw a fly. If Im sitting or standing comfortably on a kayak, my fly is the one that hooks into a fish, even when no one else can connect.

Another thing about kayak fly fishing is that its just damn fun. Whether or not Im the only one catching fish, which more often than not isnt the case, I know that Im having more fun throwing a fly in a kayak than I would be fishing from a different boat or with different gear. The soft pull of water on my paddle drifting into a quiet freshwater cove, the zing of line through my guides when I shoot it towards a tailing fish, surfing waves on the paddle homeit all adds up to a richer experience.

Another big difference that really separates this form of fishing from any other kind is that this is real work and real exercise. Instead of sitting in a swiveling chair at the front of a boat, powered by big twin motors that require you to only push a button or two, youre your own motor. Every ounce of sweat and effort that you put into kayak fly fishing is returned twofold. Any time I feel Im slacking off on the water is a day where I havent seen many fish and likely havent paddled very far from shore. The anglers who are emboldened by determination when they try this artful pursuit are the anglers who will reap the rewards of a lifetime of passion and adventure.