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Fly Fishing Float Trips: Heaven on EarthIs there anything better than gliding down a nice river? For many of us, this is as close as we get to heaven on earth. The ever changing scenery, constantly changing fishing opportunities, and camaraderie all make a river float trip special. Careful planning can make your trips pleasurable and productive. Obviously you need a planned spot to put in and take out spot. If you are on a big enough river and you have a motor, this isn’t an issue. Oh yeah, I was reminded most motorized river trips typically head Up River. Why? If you have trouble you can simply float back down to your vehicle. Sadly, someone had to actually explain that to me. Anyway, remember to double your trip time if you are fishing rather than simply canoeing or otherwise floating. Plan on stopping several times to take a break and stretch. Four hours in a canoe will take its toll if you don’t mix it up with some break time. Ask the local bait shop if they know of good access point and approximate trip time. Look at a map. Get a detailed map of the river and study it. If the river is extremely tortuous (full of zigs and zags), add more time. More bends can mean more holding water and prolonged fishing time. Check the stream flow. This will also give you a clue to how fast you will move. It can also help you decide whether it is safe to float a particular river given current conditions. River Float Check List: Some items are obviously optional, some are absolutely essential, in our view ( those in burgundy). On our river trips we generally bring along both fly and spinning gear (sorry to all you purists out there). A long trip can be tiring if one is fly casting all day. The person running the boat will find it far easier to spin cast while operating the craft. Frequently, the operator only has a few precious seconds to fire a cast at a prime target missed or overlooked by the bowman. This is much easier to accomplish with spinning gear. You then have time to quickly reel up and grab the paddle to steer out of harms way. Often times the stern and bow will switch periodically, if possible. At times, fish will hit sub-surface hardware and plugs better during the middle day and flies late in the day - into the evening. We think it prudent to “save your arm” for the 2-3 hours in the afternoon when the fish start ”looking up”! Many of you will disagree, so be it.
Canoes:
Versatile: When compared to other craft, it’s difficult to find one more versatile. You can fish as many as three people in a canoe, although for average sized folks, two is plenty. They don’t use gas and one person can operate a canoe efficiently, if need be. Tough: Consider aluminum or another tough material that take rocks and will not easily incur repairable damage. Many of the newer featherweight lake canoes require extreme care too avoid scratches. They are designed for easy portaging. This is simply impractical in our view as a mainstay choice for river fishing. You are going to hit rocks, possibly a lot of rocks, period. So plan for it. Don’t waste your time refinishing the bottom of a $1,000 canoe when you should be fishing. Portable: Some entry and exits points are not conducive to trailers or launching boats. Canoes can be managed by one or two people and are easily carried or slid to or from the water. This makes canoes extremely efficient to quickly get in and out and on your way. Even the heaviest canoes don’t weigh much more than 75 pounds, manageable for one or two folks. Equitable: The sternsman usually steers and positions the boat for the bowman who does most of the quality fishing. It’s easy to switch places periodically to balance out the fun. Sometimes it’s difficult to flog for two hours straight making the switch a welcome respite for the bowman. We find it fairy easy to fish from the stern especially with a spinning rod. No, we are not purists in this matter! I can fire off two casts by the time I could strip out and cast the fly rod. I simply don’t have that much time when in the stern, unless the water is extremely flat. You can get off course very quickly, so a quick cast here and there is about all you’ll get in the back. If a drift boat is used, the person on the oars must tend them continuously, unless anchored, and is largely unable to fish. Again, the canoe allows for both riders to fish in many cases. If the sternsman hooks up, an anchor can quickly be deployed to stop and enjoy the moment without trying to do three things at once. Passengers: I recommend two people per 16 to 18 foot canoe. There are 20-21 foot aluminum now available specifically for three people. You are adding weight, of course, but if you envision three people per trip, this might be the answer. Tracking Transportable: You don’t need a trailer or special vehicle to use a canoe. When people by a boat-motor-trailer, they often need an SUV or truck with which to pull (or so they think). You are often using a launch car (left at the upstream starting point) and a drop car (left where you take out of the river). One can use portable roof cushions that work on any care to transport the canoe back to the starting point if necessary. Inexpensive: A little research will reveal you can get a basic 17 foot standard aluminum canoe for around $600. Add a couple paddles, life vests and a few other accessories and your set, all for under $1000. Comfortable: A canoe is not the most comfortable craft to sit in for extended periods of time. If you have knee problems or other advanced chronic arthritic issues, consider a jon boat or other, more comfortable craft. Yet a canoe’s comfort can be enhanced with seat cushions (designed for canoes) and back rests. These pleasantries can really make a difference on a four to six hour float trip.
Drift Boats We are beginning to see a few more McKenzie-style drift boats in the Midwest. They are awesome fishing machines and great for skinny water. An oarsman must guide the boat down river and does not fish. These are great guide boats providing you are drifting and anchoring and don’t require a motor. Go here for more information on drift boats. Flat bottom river boats:On larger rivers and lakes where comfort and stability are key, a flat bottom boat such as a Jon boat work extremely well. These boats are more stable than a canoe or pontoon “float craft”, allowing a person to stand and cast or stretch. While we use canoes on these rivers, an outboard or jet motor on a Jon boat or thin water jet boat can add to logistical strategy allowing one to move up river at will, repeatedly when necessary. The application of a motor aids in boat control and takes the shuttle issues out of a river trip. On many large rivers in the U.S. these boats are standard fare and work extremely well when sometimes fitted with casting platforms and leg yolks similar to a McKenzie-style drift boat. We are, incidentally, beginning to see more of these western float craft on Midwest and eastern rivers.
Personal Float Craft:
Pontoon Float Boats One Man Float Boats |
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