4 expert tips for fly-fishing from canoes and kayaks

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Focus on fundamental mechanics and short casts

#3 BRUSH UP ON YOUR CASTING

The most common question I get about fly fishing from my kayak is, “How do you cast while sitting down?” The answer is simple, but not what most anglers want to hear. Fly casting while seated is exactly the same as when standing. If you can’t do it, you don’t have a boat problem, you have a casting problem, likely with some fundamental mechanics.

That’s because there are a lot of bad or sloppy casting habits—creeping your arm or dropping your backcast, for example—that may not kill a cast when you’re standing in ankle deep water. When you’re low to the water in a boat, however, with your movement restricted, such mistakes become critical. The solution is to practise at home, including from a sitting or kneeling position. Also consider getting a tune-up from a casting instructor.

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But it’s not all doom and scolding. Even if you can only cast 30 feet, you can still catch a whack of fish thanks to your boat’s stealth and shallow draft. Rather than bombing out 70-footers, it’s usually much better to sneak in and target fish with short, accurate casts.