KAYAK BALANCING ACTS: DO YOU???

While fishing Pass Lake last month, I watched a kayaker approach the immediate area, stop and then stand whereby he commenced to pound a nearby weedbed.  My question to the bug-rod wavers is how many of you have taken up this practice of standing in your boat?  I understand the advantage of being higher up while casting but is this "advantage" significant versus being seated but safer?  I will admit that this coming summer, I will try this in my Outback and if I get to feeling like one of the Wallenda's, I may make it a habit under some specific conditions.

Yeah, standing in the yak is a challenge. There's few that yaks that are better than others one being the outback. Hobie is actually developing a kayak (boat?) that is made for standing in called the Pro Angler. I'll have one to demo if anyone's interested. Also the i12s is insanely stable to stand in. Check the vid: http://www.hobiecat.com/kayaking/video/Hobie_Inflatables_Hi.wmv I should have this one to demo also.

But any kayak can be made a good stand up fishing yak by adding an outrigger system. RAM ($99), Hobie ($150), and Scotty ($300) make one. They're all simple installs and are rock solid after the mod.

The advantage as to the risk of falling? Different for every person I guess. I don't do it much but have really liked being able to see the fish better. Sight fishing is awesome.

Z

I've tried it a few times in my Big Game and it's a bit wobbly. If you're trying to cast for distance, you'll find yourself in the water pretty quickly. Shorter, more delicate or accurate casts are actually fairly easy to do. The trick is to get back into your seat after hooking something.

Jay

i've done it a few times in the t15...it's doable, but i don't sight fish that much, mostly because i can't see more than 2 inches deep anyway. i usually can't see the salmon in the water, but i can see effects on the surface from the wakes they make even while i'm seated.

i think it's probably more of a necessity for fly fishing, because it gives you a little more clearence above the water for casting and waving that line back and forth....and not getting tangled in the line you strip off.

that being said, i usually only stand when i need to see over an obsticle, if i really have to pee, or if i'm diving off to go for a swim or attempting to acquire the ass hat. i just haven't felt the need to stand for fishing.

or attempting to acquire the ass hat. .

No need to stand for that!!!!!!   

i think it's probably more of a necessity for fly fishing, because it gives you a little more clearence above the water for casting and waving that line back and forth....and not getting tangled in the line you strip off.

A trick... check out a longer, slower action fly rod (like a 9.5' or 10').  Learned this from the float tube fishing crowd... a 10' rod will give you a little extra height to you keep the back cast up off the water, and a slow action lets you control the casts without wearing yourself out.  Temple Fork makes a very nice, fairly inexpensive 10' 5wt rod that I picked up for nymphing the Deschutes a few years ago.  It is now my go-to rod for fly fishing from the kayak.

or attempting to acquire the ass hat. .

No need to stand for that!!!!!!   

true........