How do you get to the fish?

[tcorfey]

In full disclosure, I personally have several types of watercraft both human driven and motor driven which I use to fish various water. Being that I live on the coast in California, naturally I fish the ocean, the bays, and the delta, but over the last few years I have been drawn inland to lakes, ponds, rivers and streams. In the last couple of years instead of using one of my boats I tend to wade a river or stream. However, being it is still winter I have been thinking I would like to use my boats more this year and I was curious what others use to get to the fish. Hence this poll.

 

[benjohnson41]

Aside from hiking and wading, I'll be using my newly acquired kayak to gain access to some small lakes, ponds, and slower moving rivers.

 

[wademaster]

Aside from hiking and wading, I'll be using my newly acquired kayak to gain access to some small lakes, ponds, and slower moving rivers.

X2 ^^^


Sent from my kayak...

 

[mcnerney]

Mostly I wade but I have an NFO Rampage pontoon that I like to use, but it is more of a taxi to get to one fishy spot then I wade fish for awhile, then get back in and move down river to the next spot. I also have a drift boat, but I usually will only use that when I fishing with friends.

 

[siege]

Our family fleet consists of 3 9' pontoon boats, and 3 float tubes. We wade creeks and rivers, tube around in ponds, and take the 'toons out on lakes and reservoirs. My younger son caught his first big trout on a fly rod from a pontoon boat on Henry's Lake. That memory will stay with him forever.

 

[cab]

A 2008 Nissan Frontier.

Then I walk.

CAB

 

[bigspencer]

WAS:
2000 Nissan Xterra....does most of the job, but it helps if you know the territory..

then I walk..

*Think I'm going to be in my Honda Accord for a while this year....

 

[mikel]

Spring, late fall, winter primarily wade moving water. Summer, early fall I spend all the time I can in my tube. Winter is also drift boat time for steelhead when possible.

 

[redmoon]

Tube or shore for me. Tubes are fun to get to good bass spots.

 

[Ard]

Hi,

In every place I fished in the lower 48 I was able to either walk - float or mountain bike for access because of the extensive road systems along streams & rivers. Here in AK. I've had to adopt because there are few roads. I've used rafts - jet boats - drift boats - Mokai's and float planes to get to fishing spots here. Even when you go the extra mile there is always the risk of finding another raft on the same 70 mile float or hearing a boat coming from down river. The search for fish is way harder than catching then usually, first you have to find them. I put my vote on Power Boat because I run mine between 2500 and 3000 miles each season. Even with all the vehicles for transport I'm still wearing out a pair of wading boots every year..............

 

[wolfglen]

I fish ANYWAY I can get to them, I've fished walking on shore wading, from canoes, kayaks, paddle boards, float tubes, inflatables, row boats, flats boats, center consoles, using swim fins and a life preserver, from sailboats, from catwalks, boardwalks, beaches, bridges (not my favorite by any means), from the pontoons of float planes. My favorite? wading knee deep.

 

[repperson29]

I've only fished by wading or fishing from the bank. I mainly stick to small streams/creeks. It is on my list to to do some kayak fishing on the clarion river eventually.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

[fredaevans]

Loved these.

Use a pram.

Chetco River in SW Oregon is the most mellow float you'll ever find. Couple of places you'll pay close attention but nothing even an 8 foot pram couldn't handle. Dog in front, two spey's sticking out the back and off I'd go for the day.

fae

 

[cab]

Re: Loved these.

Use a pram.

Here in the States it's called a baby buggy. You can fish from one of those in Oregon? :fishing:[poke]

CAB

 

[fredaevans]

Re: Loved these.

Here in the States it's called a baby buggy. You can fish from one of those in Oregon? :fishing:[poke]

CAB

Yes indeedie, actually Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands (both US and Canadian). Actually a 'pram' is a small blunt end row boat usually 8 to 10 foot long. Where you see the most of these is on the stern of a 'pleasure cruiser as a 'shore boat.' Get some place where you have to 'anchor up' these small boats is how you get back and forth (beach/another boat).

You an always tell when its 'cocktail hour' as a given boat can have a half dozen of these tied off. There's even a small flag that's supposed to be hosted to signify the 'ice bucket is full.' Had several great Pot Luck dinners, and rowed back to my boat more than a 'bit under the weather .....' The first was great fun, the second was pretty stupid.

fae

 

[ia_trouter]

Wade the trout creeks and powerboat the lakes and rivers for warmwater species. Gotta be versatile if you want to fly fish all year around here,

 

[mirabelasunshine]

Wow, nearly all of the above! No dominant method. I shore fish and wade frequently, canoe & kayak, motor in my 9 foot inflatable, fish out of my buddy's duck boat (Jon boat), and fish from my 80 horse deep-V 16 footer. All depends on what the game is. I've never used a float tube or a pontoon, though.

 

[learning2fly]

I voted for wading/shore. Typically when I can I take the raft or a kayak out, but wading takes the cake.

 

[ezduzit]

float tube

Though I've fished afoot and from many different types of craft, I recently caught my first fish on a fly, using a float tube (Fish Cat Deluxe). And fished from one over a period of ~3 weeks this June/July. It is such a comfortable position from which to fish (suitable bodies of water), especially for those of us with handicaps which might limit how much walking or standing we can endure and who are not as sure footed as we once were. The storage is very useful: space for a spare rod and extra gear.

One has to allow for possible struggle against a sudden adverse wind which might prevent easily returning to the launching site. Need good fins that are easy to put on/off. It is extra gear to buy, store, maintain. But very easy to clean, pump up... Ideal for use where you can unload it close to the water. However it is light enough to carry easily. We carried 2 fully inflated Fish Cats behind the rear seat of an Expedition.

I'm hooked!

 

[jonbo]

At this time I'm completely into stream fishing for trout and only wade fish. I'm interested/curious about fishing from a kayak but the logistics, transporting it, getting dropped off and picked up, etc., have put me off so far. Wade fishing I have my waders, boots, pack and rod and that's it! I've never fished so light yet felt I was completely outfitted. Years ago for awhile, while living in Southern California, I had a boat that we took fishing out in the ocean. It was some of the most fun I ever had, but just about ran me broke. I don't want a regular boat again for nuthin'. Not rich enough.