How to Troll Trout in a Kayak

Trouts image by Dubravko Grakalic from Fotolia.com

Kayaks move at just about the right speed to troll for trout. The gentle lurching of the paddle strokes mimics the movement of a natural animal, attracting the fish's attention. Kayaks also have some advantages over power boats for low-speed trolling. They make far less noise, and can get into extremely shallow waters where motorboats dare not tread.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

Kayak
Kayak paddle
Life vest
Fishing gear

Step 1

Attach a wet fly to a type II or III sinking fly line. If you prefer to use floating line, attach an instant sink tip to the fly.

Step 2

Place the rod in an aft facing holder behind the seat. Check the tip of the fishing rod to make sure that the line is not wrapped around it. If your line is wrapped, a bite can pull the rod right out of the holder, or even capsize the boat.

Step 3

Let out about 20 feet of line to get the fly out of your immediate wake. This will prevent you from spooking the trout.

Step 4

Paddle at a leisurely pace, taking frequent pauses. Experiment with speeding up and slowing down slightly until you find a speed that seems to work for the trout on your lake.

Step 5

Turn the kayak around to face the fish and pull out the rod when you get a bite. Try to keep the kayak oriented end on while the fish fights. A strong trout pulling you sideways could make the boat unstable.

Article Written By Isaiah David

Isaiah David is a freelance writer and musician living in Portland, Ore. He has over five years experience as a professional writer and has been published on various online outlets. He holds a degree in creative writing from the University of Michigan.

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