# Kayak Steelhead



## workingman (Aug 16, 2007)

I purchased a higher end fishing kayak this spring. A Feelfree Lure 11.5. I've used it on inland lakes but really want to try it for river steelhead fishing. Has anyone here ever tried that? I found a few youtube videos but most of them are guys with Hobies with drive units on them and trolling. I would rather find some slower runs and anchor above them and drop spawn back.

If anyone has tried this please offer any comments or suggestions. PM's are fine.

Thanks.


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## SkiTownSportsman (Feb 22, 2012)

I always used my kayak on smaller water, wade fishing... use the kayak to move down to each productive hole. You can cover much more water in a day than walking in. I feel like that would be much more comfortable/easy and productive than trying to fish bigger water (ski/grand) completely out of a kayak.


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## riverbob (Jan 11, 2011)

There was a guy (a few years back) on the grand that would put in up stream n float down, using the drop back system ( with plugs) n i watched him catch steelhead more then once, i in joyed watching him land um. (that seemed to be the hardest part of fishing out of a yak.


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## RS1983 (Mar 16, 2009)

workingman said:


> I purchased a higher end fishing kayak this spring. A Feelfree Lure 11.5. I've used it on inland lakes but really want to try it for river steelhead fishing. Has anyone here ever tried that? I found a few youtube videos but most of them are guys with Hobies with drive units on them and trolling. I would rather find some slower runs and anchor above them and drop spawn back.
> 
> If anyone has tried this please offer any comments or suggestions. PM's are fine.
> 
> Thanks.


I bet you could probably fish a slower moving river like the Kalamazoo from a kayak. I duck hunt that river from a kayak and some of my spots require that I paddle upstream. I don't think I'd want to travel several miles that way, but it can be done over about a third of that distance if you have a productive paddeling stroke. If I were to try it, I would use the main advantage of the kayak, its portability, to my advantage. Alot of these rivers you might be able to access productive runs near bridge crossing or from other access trails that you would not be able to launch a 18ft jet sled. I'd paddle upstream and fish my way back to my starting point.


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## steelton (Jan 29, 2012)

There is a guy on YouTube that has the foot pedal system and he uses it to forward troll slow rivers for steelhead. Little backwards while catching and landing fish but, then so is everything new.


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## Julez81 (Feb 6, 2009)

I have seen some Kayak guys plugging on the kzoo before, you aren't as mobile as I am with the sled but you can certainly fish.


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## krackshot (Feb 23, 2010)

Haven't caught any steelhead from my Kayak but I'v caught a couple of dozen kings from it. landing them is the tricky part of the ordeal. Its a different I guess that's the allure for me.


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## Kayakfisherman (Feb 8, 2013)

krackshot said:


> Haven't caught any steelhead from my Kayak but I'v caught a couple of dozen kings from it. landing them is the tricky part of the ordeal. Its a different I guess that's the allure for me.


nice man what kind of anchor were you using I had too jump off mine to land them.


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## krackshot (Feb 23, 2010)

I made a pyramid mold it's less than five pounds works great. Made the mold huge so I can pour different sizes! When it's on bottom the kayak doesn't move lol even fighting kings with 20 lb fire line!


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## krackshot (Feb 23, 2010)

This year's gonna be interesting new regs new stuff to try and get proficient at.


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## fisheater (Nov 14, 2010)

Fishing out of a kayak, in in my case a solo canoe can be very similar to fishing out of a boat. Just as there are differences in in boats there are differences in paddlecraft I enjoy either front trolling or backtrolling crankbaits. If I throw spawn I am generally wading and using my canoe to cover water, or I plugged the hole and stuck out and tried to roll some spawn through.
I looked up the specifications of your kayak, it is one of the popular shorter and wider designs. I know they are popular because they are so easy to stand up and fish out of. One knowledgeable kayak fisherman I know has one of those wider, stand up type kayaks and he told me it paddled very well upstream because it drafted so little. Perhaps you will find that is how your kayak handles the moving water. If you a planning on using a heavy anchor consider a quick release cleat, something similar to the open cleat in the attached link.
http://www.westmarine.com/buy/ronstan--v-cleats--P002_064_002_508
Just because you are on a sit on top does not mean things cannot go wrong really fast when using a heavy anchor in current.
I strongly recommend you read the entire "Yeah Plugging" sticky in the SW Rivers section. I also recommend you log onto kayakfishthegreatlakes.com most of the guys mentioned on the videos hang out there from time to time. Enjoy paddling your new kayak, and good luck with the steel.


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## Julez81 (Feb 6, 2009)

When you hook a really big fish with a 5# anchor are you being dragged around? If so, can you safely use a second rod then?

Just watched some videos and it appears that they are targeting slower stuff.


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## fisheater (Nov 14, 2010)

Julez81 said:


> When you hook a really big fish with a 5# anchor are you being dragged around? If so, can you safely use a second rod then?
> 
> Just watched some videos and it appears that they are targeting slower stuff.


When I hook a fish, I lift that rod over my head and allow my canoe to spin to the side that my other rod is on. That might seem to not make sense, but the fish has already taken drag and is beyond the bait in the water. I then reel in the fishless bait while keeping pressure on the hooked fish. However I do not anchor. I leave the launch and paddle upstream to fish, you would be surprised how far you can paddle a rather sleek solo canoe.


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## Yak-a-Lucius (Sep 26, 2011)

I kayak fish for steelhead often. I typically fish plugs, but I do bounce skein occasionally. I'm more likely to fish a float with skein tho. I do not recommend anchoring in most situations. Anchors can get you into trouble quick. I have a buddy that flipped cuz his anchor caught n he got caught in a coffer dam after spilling over it in GR. I suggest taking a bungee cord and hookin up to a logjam, if available. I have landed steelies while bungeed to a logjam, and also had to unhook and chase them down, which is done a lot easier than pullin an anchor. You can also hook up to a logjam in a hurry while fighting a fish that you hooked while trollin. Boondoggling with a bobber or pluggin is so much more fun tho. 1 rod usually, 2 when you wanna have "fire drill" style battle, n tangle everything.


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