Boat fishing for the first time.

Its not as difficult as you may first think.

Boat fishing for trout, is to me at least, the ultimate day out.

Fishing from a boat offers you comfort, peace and quiet and the ability to move to where you like with ease.

There are basically two types of boat fishing for trout.

One method is to simply use the boat as a casting platform.

This usually means tying the boat up to a buoy or using an anchor.

Another method of boat fishing is to drift side on to the wind and to make your casts down wind of the boat.

There are other methods of utilizing a boat for trout fishing. The Normanton style is one of these methods where you drift the boat and make your casts across the wind. I personally think this is no more than trolling and as such wont cover the method. If you think different. Post your views in.

Tackle Required.

Nothing out of the normal is required for boat fishing. My own tackle is all weight #7.

A weight #7 set up should allow to cover all the differing tactics that you can deploy from a boat.

One thing to remember about boat fishing is to take everything with you. If you are out on large water you can’t always return to the boot of the car for you jacket or piece of tackle.

First piece of kit required is a large bag or box. The hard-core boat fishers are adopting the box instead of a more traditional bag. A box or bag should be large, waterproof and be capable of carrying all your tackle. A drogue is also required for drift fishing.

I suppose there is no such thing as a typical tackle list for boat fishing so I’ll list the contents of my own box.

Four reels with lines stored on spare spools.

Lines =

Cortland 444 Floater,

Airflo Polyfuse Floater,

Slow Glass,

Fast Glass,

Kelly Green,

DI3,

DI5,

Cortland 6

And a DI7

all in weight seven, weight forward profile.

Nylon or Fluorocarbon in an assortment of breaking strains, from 3lb to 8lb.

A bag full or ready made up leaders in assorted breaking strains.

Large Wooden Fly and Lure box,

Fox Box full of standard wets,

And two small Box’s, full of buzzers and some nymphs.

Water proof Trousers and Jacket.

First Aid Box.

Paracetimol.

Sun Block.

Sun Glasses.

Forceps.

Small pair of Fishing Pliers.

Bar Towel.

Floatant.

Line Degreaser.

Drogue plus Bag.

Rod holder.

Bass bag.

Small Torch

Spare lighters

Camera

Knife

Priest

Flask and Sandwich Box.

First things first.

On most fisheries you will have to check the availability of boats and pre book one.

If for whatever reason you cannot make it on the day that you have booked a boat. Phone the fishery as soon as possible and let them know. The fishery can at times re-let the boat to another customer. Boat cancellations are a fact of life to a fishery manager. I’m sure that they would rather have you phone than not turn up at all.

Before venturing out in a boat.

Check the latest weather report.

Check at the lodge about boat fishing rules, fishing out of bound markers, return times and don’t be embarrassed to explain to the fishery owner that it is your first time afloat. Ask for advice about where to start fishing or methods to use.

The owner wants you to have an enjoyable day afloat. If you have fun and catch a fish or two then you will almost certainly revisit the fishery.

When loading a boat it pays dividends to have one person in the boat and the other handing the tackle to him/her from the harbour side. When loading up the boat place your bag or box in the center of the boat. Your partner should do the same. If fishing alone place your bag or box at the other end of the boat. This will add some weight to the front end and hopefully keep the boat level. If you pile all your gear at the same end as yourself the front of the boat will rise up and the wind will catch it like a sale and cause you to drift in an awkward manner. This also becomes dangerous if out in a strong wind or large wave.

If you have a drogue then now is the time to fix it to the boat. Also fix your rod holder if you have one. When fishing from a boat Please fish with the engine on your Left hand side. If a fleet of boats are all in the same area and the engine sides are mixed then the boats will not all drift in the same direction. The engine acts like a rudder and causes the boat to drift to the one side. If all the engines are on the same side then no one will be drifting in front of anyone else and all the boats should be drifting in the same direction.

With the boat all packed and your Safety Jacket on you are now ready to start the engine.

If the engine has a neutral then select it. Some but not all engines have a neutral, forward and reverse gears. With neutral selected, Place your hand on the top of the engine and with the other hand pull the starting cord. If the engine starts keep it in low revs. Untie the boat and select forward on the selector. Still keep the engine revs low and make your way carefully out of the harbour area.

If the engine doesn’t start, try again. If it still doesn’t start, pull out the choke. Usually found on the front of the engine. Use the above method again and attempt to start the engine. If it starts, immediately push in the choke. If it still doesn’t start. Push the choke fully in and turn up the revs. Try to start the engine again. If it starts then immediately turn down the revs.

Use the same routine until the engine starts.

Once out of the harbour area choose where you are going to start your fishing. If you are planning to fish from anchor then stop the boat slightly up wind from your chosen fishing spot. By the time you put the anchor over the rear of the boat and it gets a grip you should be near to where you want to start.

Fish from a sitting position and keep an eye on the water for rising fish. Remember that your partner is sitting next to you. If you spot a rising fish and need to cover it at an awkward angle. Inform your partner as to what you are doing.

Never have a situation where both you and your boat partner are casting at the same time. It only leads to tangles and heated tempers.

Try to draw an imaginary line down through the center of the boat in the direction of the wind. You can fish on one side of the line and your partner should fish on the other.

Using the array of lines you can search the depths for taking fish. If after a while you draw a blank, lift the anchor and let the boat drift for a couple of yards then replace the anchor. Keep this up till you hook a fish or get an offer. Where you find one fish you will usually find more. If the takes stop coming and you are having no offers start to search the depths again. If you are still with out an offer you can either go back to the top of the drift? I.e. where you started or you can continue to use the anchor and drift method until you hit taking fish again.

Don’t anchor up in an area and stay there all day. If you are not connecting with fish then Move.

Fishing from anchor allows you more control over your depth and retrieve speeds.

If you planning to give drift fishing a try then choose your starting point according to wind direction. This is usually well up wind of where you think the majority of fish will be. Motor up wind to where you want to start and cut the engine well up wind of where you would like to fish. Deploy your drogue and make sure that it fully unfolds and gets a grip in the water. Like above, fish from a sitting position and keep your eyes open for rising fish. Fish normally swim up wind so if you spot a rise outwith you casting distance don’t worry. The fish will usually be swimming in your direction and the boat will be drifting in its direction. If no risers are spotted then search the depth s with your sinking lines. When retrieving a line from a drifting boat you have to take in to account the speed of the boat. There is a somewhat strange retrieve mentioned when drift fishing. The Static Retrieve. This is not as strange as it may seem. It is simply a retrieve that keeps up with the speed of the drifting boat and keeps your flies static. You can adopt this static retrieve with any flies but on the most part it is used with dries and buzzers.

All of the tactics that can be applied to bank fishing transfer over to boat fishing with ease but some of the boat fishing tactics are near impossible to apply with success to bank fishing. One of these tactics is the hang. Hanging you flies is just what the name says. After you have retrieved you flies back to the boat and you can either see the start of the leader or your top dropper. Keep your rod up to about four foot off the water and concentrate on the leader joint or top dropper. Fish follow your flies right in to the boat and will swim around them for a good few seconds not knowing whether to take your flies or not. Hanging them in the water gives them time to make up their minds. After you have hung your flies slowly lift you rod up to start the next cast but keep on concentrating on a point in your line or top dropper. When you start this lift it often induces a take from a following fish.  Hang your flies after every cast. You will be amazed at the amount of fish that follow your flies back to the boat.

Other points to note are if you get either a fish or an offer, have a quick glance around to get a bearing as to where you are. You can then return back up the wind and set in to a drift over the same place.

Things to remember about boat fishing, especially drift fishing.

If you get in to difficulty and you are outwith shouting distance raise an oar up in the air.

This is a signal that you are having serious problems.

If the wind gets up, and the waves make it dangerous to fish, make your way back to the lodge as soon as possible. Keep close to the banks but not too close as to damage the prop and engine. If you think that it may be dangerous to make your way back. Choose a near landing point and take the boat ashore. Tie the boat up as best you can and either phone the lodge or make your way back on foot. Explain to the owner why you left the boat and where it is. It’s only a boat so never take a chance if you are not sure of the consequences.

Don’t make sudden movements in a boat. You may cause your partner to loose his her balance and fall over board.

Never start the engine when your partner is standing. The sudden movement can cause them to loose their balance and fall in. When you are ready to move, ask your partner if he/she is ready to move. Do not start the engine until both of you are ready to make a move.

Never start the engine whilst your line is in the water. If you do this you Will loose an expensive line around the engine prop. No matter how careful you are you will eventually loose a line to the prop.

Don’t lean over the edge of the boat without letting your partner know what you are doing. Never have a situation where both of you are leaning over the same side of the boat. This often happens when one person is netting a fish for the other. An unexpected wave or the wash from another boat and you can loose your balance. If you do this, you will go in eventually so it pays to never do it in the first place.

Always wear your life jacket. Even in a flat calm. If for whatever reason you do go over board in all likelihood you rod and line will be overboard with you. If the line wraps itself around you legs then it’s good night Dick. If your feet are tangled up in a line then you cannot swim. Plenty of accidents happen in flat calms so always wear your life jacket.

Never encroach too close to bank anglers. They have paid their hard earned just the same as you. Most waters have Rules about fishing close to bank anglers. Please follow these rules. They are there to help make it a pleasant day out for both bank and boat fishers.

Keep a good distance from other boats. 50 yards/meters should be fine.

If you find yourself over fish and close to the bank you will in all probability have other boats behind you. When the drift is finished either row or use the engine with low revs and take the boat directly back up the drift. You may need to weave in and out through other boats. If you plan to fish the same drift again put the boat back in to a drift to the rear of the other boats. Once again keep a good distance behind them.

When moving the boat under power, Never cut up another boats drift. This basically means that you don’t take your boat in front of another boat when they are fishing.

When returning to the harbour, keep the revs down. If you are not too familiar with the engine or it has no reverse, cut the engine and take the boat in to the harbour area with the oars.

Tie up and secure the boat before making any attempt to move your or your partners tackle out.