F L Y F I S H I N G


fLY fiShing iS A SPOrT Of DELiCACY AnD grACE. But add a kayak to it and we turn it into a sport of extremes—extreme skill, extreme challenge, and sometimes extreme frustration. A common mistake is choosing tackle that acts as a band-aid for bad casting. rods that are radically shorter or longer than 9 feet, for example, play with the length of your casting stroke. With limited space for body movement we need to get back to the basics. Another big mistake is choosing fly gear that can’t take the hard knocks: rod blanks that can’t take the abuse of sliding in and out of a sandy kayak hull, reels that have parts lists that read like a Michael Crichton novel, and lines that get sticky or even melt when exposed to sunscreen, bug repellent and guinness Extra Stout. So much for delicacy. We need gear with cojones!


Lendal Kinetik


$170 to 600 depending on materials and options // lendal.com


Fly Fishing Reviews by Greg Bowdish


Perfect for road warriors and jet jockeys, Lendal paddles break down into four compact pieces. Precision engineering and high quality graphite and fiberglass make these lean, uncompromising sticks suitable for everyday use, with efficient and powerful blade shapes unlikely to flutter or twist. Just say no to that beater rental the next time you’re away from home.—Paul Lebowitz


Hookups: Top-line performance in a compact package.


snags: Like any quality paddle, it’s pricey.


ECHO 2 FLY ROD $289 // rajeffsports.com


Beyond having tough blanks and top components to withstand a life of kayak abuse, echo 2 rods also come with two tips—one for distance and one for accuracy. most anglers will find the distance tip perfect for kayak fishing and use the accuracy tip for boat fishing and wading. Plus it never hurts to have a spare. echo 2 fly rods cast with a solid, lively feel and have power to spare when throwing a long line. they come with a Cordura-covered rod tube and a lifetime warranty.


Hookups: great casting, good value, a strong blank, and an extra tip. snags: Stripping guides are a bit on the weak side.


AIRFLO RIDGE BONEFISH/REDFISH LINE $65 // rajeffsports.com


this line has ridges along its length to cut down on friction and help lubricate it when casting, as well as holding air to add float. the material is polyurethane—the stuff in skateboard wheels. most fly lines are made of PVC and get their lubrication from a liquid that slowly diffuses from surface pores. this line has a teflon coating—meaning it’s got no pores to clog, requires little if any cleaning, and is impervious to bug repellent and sunscreen.


Hookups: Shoots like crazy, maintenance free. snags: noisy in the guides when dry, but the directions “just add water” apply.


LAMSON LITESPEED FLY REEL $349 (3X – 8-wt) // waterworks-lamson.com


Waterworks Lamson staff must have kayak racks on their cars. Fewer moving parts, great design, superior construction, and sealed mechanisms—all important reel features for the kayak angler. Light weight is a must when holding the reel above your lap. And of course, it should be large arbor. this elegant and simple design uses few parts and radically reduces weight (an 8-wt weighs less than 6 ounces). But ultra-light doesn’t mean ultra-delicate.


Hookups: Would be considered military-grade if there was such thing as a fly fishing army.


snags: not a budget reel, but less expensive than the six cheap reels it would otherwise outlive.


FLORIDA BACKCOUNTRY ROD-MATE $25 // floridabackcountry.com


We finally have a veritable flotilla of stable kayaks to choose from that allow us to stand while poling or fishing. now we need to figure out how to have our rod within easy reach while we’re up there. the makers of the popular Paddle-mate paddle holder have a holster that will hold your fishing rod on your waist, under your arm, or on a lanyard.


Hookups: Sponsored anglers, you can now get your rod in the picture when you are getting photographed with your trophy catch.


snags: Pricey for a piece of plastic, but cheaper than falling out of your kayak and busting your Orvis.


kayakanglermag.com… 35


Accent Diamond (He) Edge $399 // accentpaddles.com


the Diamond series is handmade using Accent’s t4 construction: carbon, titanium, fiberglass and epoxy. the “He” model (the symbol for helium) shaves four ounces off of the original without compromising durability. the edge is an average- sized blade measuring 6.75 x 18 inches and the total weight is only 22 ounces. —Shane Edgar


Hookups: Also comes in plain black.


snags: So light you have to tie it down so it doesn’t fly away.


Aqua-Bound FinStalker $185 // aquabound.com


What makes a paddle a fishing paddle? A built-in tape measure and hook-retrieval notch. more than just a good paddle (featherable, two-piece), the graphite-shafted FinStalker is light for the price, so jockeying the boat around with one hand won’t kill your wrist, not to mention going from A to B to find the fish.—Rob Lyon


Hookups: i can’t count the number of times i’ve stuck my regular blade into the water trying to free a snag without success.


snags:


if you need you get enough snags to need a modified paddle, smarten up.


P


A


D


D


L


E


S


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48