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Fly Fishing Gear and Kayaks

Like I said, I have evolved to the point where I let simplicity be the rule for fly fishing from my kayak.  I don't even think twice about paddling miles back into the wilderness with just a dozen flies in my shirt pocket and a few spools of leader material.  If the paddle is long, and I am heading into the land of big fish, I will carry an extra rod stowed in the hull of the kayak (that big center hatch is handy for storing even 9' two piece rods).

As for other gear, such as: cameras, cell phones, whatever; I have tried all types of dry storage containers, all with mixed results.  I think I have finally settled on a system that is pretty much fool proof, simple, and most importantly it works well for me.

I keep my small digital cameras in individual water tight Otter Boxes.  I have a couple of boxes that fit my cameras, and a box for my cell phone.  I have been using them for years, and even floating around in water all day, I have never experienced a drip of water (so long as you keep the gasket free of sand or little pieces of leader material).

I keep my Otter boxes along with all my other loose gear in a 5 gallon painters bucket with a lid.  With the lid snapped down tight, the bucket is pretty much waterproof.  However, snapping the lid tight is a bit of a hassle, especially if you are trying to open or close the bucket while it is stored in the well behind your kayak seat.  I only snap the lid down tight when its raining, of if I am paddling in or out through the surf.  I have solved the "loose" lid problem with a section of bungee cord that has a hook on each end.  Using a d-ring attached to the inside center bottom of the bucket, and a second d-ring attached to the inside center of the bucket lid; I keep the bucket lid in place with the bungee cord (which is slightly shorter than the height of the bucket) stretched between the bottom of the bucket and the lid.  The tension on the bungee keep the lid in place, and even has enough strength to keep the bucket contents contained in the bucket if I tip over.  Seated in the kayak, I can still comfortably reach behind me, slide the bucket lid over to retrieve an item, and then slide the lid back into place.  I also have d-rings on the outside of the bucket for hold-down ties if I am going to paddle through the surf.  The d-rings are attached to the bucket with short stainless screws and lock nuts.  The screw holes through the bucket are sealed with silicone.

Fly Casting From a Kayak

Just like on your skiff, anything that can snarl your fly line should be eliminated, or modified.  Back to the idea of simplicity, less rigging = less line snags.  On my kayaks, from the seat forward there is nothing mounted except a few d-rings which a virtually fly-line snag proof.

Standing Up To Cast
I will admit that I do stand up to fly cast from my kayaks on a regular basis; this however is not without it's costs.  I have fallen overboard, I still fall overboard, and I will continue to fall overboard. During the learning curve, some of the spills resulted in completely capsizing my kayak, not a big deal so long as your deck is not full of unsecured gear.  In that case, a capsize can be expensive.  It's also not a big deal if you are confident and practiced in getting back on board of your kayak in open water.  This is not a skill you want teach yourself in a panic mode.  Whether or not you intend stand up or not, self-rescue is a skill you might not be able to live without.  Now, with some practice, I can "control" my fall from standing up in the kayak.  When I know I have reached the point of no return with my balance, I simply exit the craft feet first.  In deeper water, I try to catch myself on the way down by bracing the kayak on the way down.  I can "fall out" and get back up so fast that by the time people fishing around me hear the splash, I am already back in the kayak (it is after all embarrassing to fall off your boat).

Fly Casting While Seated In A Kayak >>>

Harry Hall sefly
Guided Fly Fishing