Henry Rifle Forums

As a disabled veteran of the Marine Corps, there are things I just cant do any more. I don't look back at those, I look forward to the things I can. Fly fishing from our kayaks is something the wife and really enjoy, and we started with cheap bigbox store kayaks and have moved up thru the various styles as our interests grew. I have fished offshore salt water in Hobies that allow you to pedal along at a steady speed. Fished that Hobie in the current under a bridge, holding position to catch striper and big blues.

These days we stick to fishing the rivers for smallmouth and the lakes and large farm ponds for bass, crappie, and sunfish. Topwater strikes on the flyrod, especially on flies we've tied ourselves, are like crack. Nothing beats the water exploding and the rod going tight.
Best thing about kayak fishing for me... if the bite is off... it's still a great day kayaking, and you can spend the day with you camera. The kayak is so quiet, the shoreline is populated.

We currently fish from a pair of Wilderness Systems Ride 115s for floating the rivers, and a pair of Commander 120s for ponds and lakes.
My Commander is a 120cx, a limited edition carbon fiber lay up. It was a gift from the wife, and half the weight of the standard Commander.

Sounds like a lot of fun doing something that you really enjoy and can still do with your disability. I hope you have many more great fishing adventures with your kayaks. Thanks for the report!

Great stuff. I used to fish from a yak. But sold it a few years ago for a solo canoe.

I've done a lot of flyfishing, too, from a float tube, kick boat, kayak and a canoe. Yes, I agree, it is a great way to fish. Always amazes me how close you can get to fish without spooking them that way. We now live on a small lake that is too shallow and weedy for most powerboats and the shorelines are almost all bog and marsh, so no way to fish from them, but a solo canoe for me or a kayak for my husband and we're set for a great day of fishing.

BrokenolMarine wrote:We currently fish from a pair of Wilderness Systems Ride 115s for floating the rivers, and a pair of Commander 120s for ponds and lakes. My Commander is a 120cx, a limited edition carbon fiber lay up. It was a gift from the wife, and half the weight of the standard Commander.

first, I admire your spirit and dedication to our country .... secondly, your ability and willingness to adapt so as to be able to continue to enjoy fishing .... I enjoy fishing but haven't evolved to where I do so from a boat without a motor .. .. in another thread I remember you mentioning your Henry rifles .... please consider going to the following link and adding them to our community total

http://henryrifleforums.com/viewtopic.p ... 627#p35627

North Country Gal wrote: Always amazes me how close you can get to fish without spooking them that way.

I believe they have no idea what it is and do not see it as a threat.
A good example:
My wife and I were kayak fishing a flat one morning and saw a huge school of slot sized reds come onto the flat from deeper water and approach our yaks. Casting at the school we had multiple hits but no solid hookups as they were approaching us at a rapid pace. Then we were literally surrounded by a school of reds swimming around and by us and just looking at us. They showed absolutely zero concern for our presence. As they swam by us they approached a flats boat that was docked behind us. As soon as they noticed the boat the entire school fled that flat. It looked like a tidal wave running off of that flat. They had no idea what we were but they sure knew what that boat represented. One of the things I employ while fishing is studying animal behavior such as this example. Kayak fishing does have several advantages and one of them is stealth. They do limit your range somewhat, but with some individuals that may be a good thing as it forces them to fish an area more thoroughly and learn while they do it.

BrokenolMarine wrote:As a disabled veteran of the Marine Corps, there are things I just cant do any more. I don't look back at those, I look forward to the things I can.

That is a wonderful way to look at things.

Great attitude!

Love fly fishing also. Mostly use the flies or poppers that I make. Usually fish from the bank or my old 16 ft. jon boat. You are right - nothing like a top water hit from a bass or big bluegill. Bluegill = great eating!

Fishing from the kayaks doesn't have to be limiting to size. Before the long drives became too much, we used to make the run to the VA shore and fish for striper, redfish, blues, flounder, and all the rest. Once a year, during a three or four week window when the water temps were just right, we would don our dry suits against the cold and head to Kiptopeake, and fish with spinning gear and live eels for the infamous "Kiptopeake Kows" that passed slowly thru the concrete ships in the November / December timeframe. Imagine sitting in a twelve to sixteen foot kayak and hooking a fifty two inch striper! You are going for a sleigh ride. Most everyone in our group was a strong believer in photo and release. A friend of ours who lives and breathes kayak fishing the area... has made videos about the yearly event.

http://kayakkevin.com/catchreportsfall16/winter11.html

The wife is a skilled fly tyer, though I consider myself a hack. Lol. She tied a silk dragonfly realistic that took her more than a week, and it turned out so well, the local Orvis asked her to put it on display for a couple weeks in the Fly Fishing area. It stayed there in the glass terrarium for more than two years. We finally had to go get it when an Orvis customer kept insisting Miss Tina sell him the display for his wife for Christmas. She love dragon flies and had to have the one of a kind, hand tied flies. (Sigh) Orvis was selling lots of tying materials by having the display in the store, but we were afraid it might disappear.

Her realistic cricket design kills on bass and crappie as well.

http://www.flytyingforum.com/pattern5403.html

I fish this on a four weight for bream in the shallows, and a six for bass and crappy.
Often I side cast it hard into grasses with a smack! When it bounces off and hits the water the fish blow out of the water in their attack. Great fun.