Fly fishing from a canoe?

William Claspy wrote in
:

On 6/6/06 2:55 PM, in article
, "rw"
wrote:

Tom Nakashima wrote:
"rw" wrote in message
m...

A kick boat is a far better choice than a canoe. You can use the
oars for speed and you can use fins to control the boat while
fishing.


I take it you are kidding rw?

I'm not kidding the least little bit. Kick boats are designed and
built for fishing. Canoes aren't.

That said, the guy HAS a canoe, (probably) doesn't have a kick boat,
and sounds like he is just getting started in fly fishing, potentially
on a limited budget. In which case, his canoe will do just fine. :-)

Pete, I fished from a canoe just two days ago, in a pretty steady
wind. As Tim suggested, you will find an anchor and/or another
oarsman helpful in this kind of condition.

My canoe fishing is almost exclusively for warm water species, and at
that almost exclusively top water, popper* fishing**, for which a
floating line is fine...

Actually, that sounds exactly like what I'm aiming for. I love topwater
fishing; I think that's what drew me to fly fishing to begin with.

William Claspy wrote:
On 6/6/06 2:55 PM, in article
, "rw"
wrote:


Tom Nakashima wrote:

"rw" wrote in message
.com...


A kick boat is a far better choice than a canoe. You can use the oars for
speed and you can use fins to control the boat while fishing.


I take it you are kidding rw?

I'm not kidding the least little bit. Kick boats are designed and built
for fishing. Canoes aren't.


That said, the guy HAS a canoe, (probably) doesn't have a kick boat, and
sounds like he is just getting started in fly fishing, potentially on a
limited budget. In which case, his canoe will do just fine. :-)

I thought it would be useful information for someone (not necessarily
this guy) who is considering buying a fishing craft.

I've never fished from a canoe, but I've fished from kayaks, which is
probably similar. I found the experience infuriating. The wind was
always pushing me in a direction I didn't want to be facing.

Another advantage of a kick boat is that you have a stripping apron.

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

Pete Knox wrote:
I've been a spinner fisherman for a bit of a while, and would like to get
started in flyfishing. I will be moving back to NJ in about a month, and
will mostly be fishing medium to large sized lakes. I have a free canoe,
that was given to my dad. I believe it is about 14', but I'm not 100%
sure. I have experience spin fishing from a canoe, but wonder how
practical it is to flyfish from one. Do I need to go up/down in line
weight and/or rod length/action to accomodate sitting down? I do also plan
on doing some stream fishing for trout(where I'll wade) and was planning on
a 5 or 6 wt, 8.5 to 9' medium-fast action rod. I was hoping I could use
the same rod on the lake in the canoe - where I would go after trout,
smallmouth, and the occasional other species (if lucky ). Is that
possible? Will it be harder as a beginner to learn to cast from the boat?

Lots of questions, I know.

Thanks in advance,

As others have said you should learn how to cast a fly rod
while standing before you attempt to use a fly rod in your
canoe. The only accomodation I make for fishing from the
canoe is a longer fly rod, for instance I'll use a 9' 3wt
in the canoe when bluegill fishing.

Your choice of fly rod sounds fine.

--
Ken Fortenberry

rw wrote:

I've never fished from a canoe,

I should amend that. I've spin-fished from a canoe, many years ago, in
the Minnesota Boundary Waters. Spin fishing and fly fishing are two very
different things.

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

rw wrote:
Tom Nakashima wrote:
"rw" wrote:
A kick boat is a far better choice than a canoe. You can use the oars
for speed and you can use fins to control the boat while fishing.

I take it you are kidding rw?

I'm not kidding the least little bit. Kick boats are designed and built
for fishing. Canoes aren't.

The choice of fishing craft is highly personal and for
the most part mirrors the qualities of the fisherman.

Kick boats are clumsy, graceless, utilitarian craft,
canoes are expressions of timeless elegance and beauty.

--
Ken Fortenberry

Ken Fortenberry wrote:

Kick boats are clumsy, graceless, utilitarian craft,
canoes are expressions of timeless elegance and beauty.

I doubt very much that you've ever used a kick boat. Form follows
function. Canoes and kayaks suck for fly fishing.

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

"William Claspy" wrote in message
...
On 6/6/06 1:59 PM, in article ,
"Pete
Knox" wrote:

Will it be harder as a beginner to learn to cast from the boat?

One thing I did not address in my previous post. I am no casting or
casting-teaching expert, but I would think that you should practice
casting
while standing before doing so from the boat. Get the dynamics of fly
line
casting down first (and if you've looked at previous ROFF posts on this
topic, look for local fly shop/club/class settings where you can get
instruction), then go out on the canoe.

Oh, and watch JR's video on how to remove a hook from someone's skin. :-)

Bill


Yeah, once you learn to cast while standing, get a stool that will put you
at the same height above the ground as your canoe seat does above the
water....you can practice in your yard for an afternoon. You will find that
in the canoe, sitting, your cast needs to be just a little higher and
cleaner than when you are standing on the ground.

You're fixin to have fun.....

john

rw wrote:
Ken Fortenberry wrote:

Kick boats are clumsy, graceless, utilitarian craft,
canoes are expressions of timeless elegance and beauty.

I doubt very much that you've ever used a kick boat. Form follows
function. Canoes and kayaks suck for fly fishing.

Gawd, I love this place!
--
TL,
Tim
---------------------------
http://css.sbcma.com/timj/

rw wrote:
Ken Fortenberry wrote:

Kick boats are clumsy, graceless, utilitarian craft,
canoes are expressions of timeless elegance and beauty.

I doubt very much that you've ever used a kick boat.

You got that right. I wouldn't be caught dead in such
a contraption.

I have seen them used and while they may be somewhat
utilitarian for the clumsy and graceless they'd be a
death trap on moving water.

--
Ken Fortenberry

Ken Fortenberry wrote:
rw wrote:

Ken Fortenberry wrote:

Kick boats are clumsy, graceless, utilitarian craft,
canoes are expressions of timeless elegance and beauty.


I doubt very much that you've ever used a kick boat.


You got that right. I wouldn't be caught dead in such
a contraption.

I have seen them used and while they may be somewhat
utilitarian for the clumsy and graceless they'd be a
death trap on moving water.

You have that approximately right. Last year I took my kick boat down
the Salmon in high water. It's very nimble, so I could avoid the holes.
But then I got complacent and starting looking at the scenery. Suddenly,
the biggest hole on the stretch was in front of me. I went forward right
into it -- no other choice. I went upside down, ass over elbows, and
floated a quarter mile downstream until my kayaking buddy rescued me. It
was quite an experience.

No one, and I mean no one, ever takes a canoe on that stretch of water.
You'd have to be nearly insane even to take a kick boat. :-)

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.