Big kings aren't to hard. Oversize sturgeon definitely give you a SUP sleigh ride.
Any SUP boarders in here that fish?
- Thread starter Tubbster
- Start date
Tubbster
Steelhead
You actually go out with a dry suit to fish on a board? That’s hardcore
No.....hardcore is the guys fishing near me in float tubes, freezing their nads off in 34° water, without PFDs. I'm nice and toasty.
I flyfish small lakes from a kayak (which has its own set of detractors) and have now been on two lakes where someone was attempting to flyfish from large SUPs.
They were having serious problems dealing with even very light winds. Perhaps an anchor would have helped. I dunno...seems like it makes an already moderately challenging activity even more complicated.
I know a few non-fishing SUP boarders who've told me that getting blown downwind in moderate wind speeds of 8-10 mph is a serious problem...you're a big sail, and prone paddling a big SUP is exhausting.
They were having serious problems dealing with even very light winds. Perhaps an anchor would have helped. I dunno...seems like it makes an already moderately challenging activity even more complicated.
I know a few non-fishing SUP boarders who've told me that getting blown downwind in moderate wind speeds of 8-10 mph is a serious problem...you're a big sail, and prone paddling a big SUP is exhausting.
Last edited:
I always thought a SUP looked like a lot of fun, but never been on one personally. I know they have a lot of fishing applications and folks are using them all over the world for various fisheries, but my thoughts in relation to fishing the beaches specifically is I imagine it would be a lot of work to deal with the currents that are preferred for beach fishing. Just my zero experience thoughts, but I'd imagine somewhere like the canal with fairly mild currents wouldn't be terrible, but anywhere with a decent amount of current it seems like it could be a hassle trying to maintain position while fishing at the same time.
I dunno, I could be way off, but I'm just picturing a nice current pushing past a point, creating a juicy seam holding feeding fish. I have a hard time imagining it being super fun to keep any sort of decent position to work that kind of water.
I dunno, I could be way off, but I'm just picturing a nice current pushing past a point, creating a juicy seam holding feeding fish. I have a hard time imagining it being super fun to keep any sort of decent position to work that kind of water.
Tubbster
Steelhead
I’ve done it a few times (just paddle boarding) and it is a ton of fun! I was just in Hawaii and saw people fishing from paddle boards in a relatively calm area and thought maybe it could work here. Didn’t take into account of our huge tidal swings we have.
Come to think of it, I think they were using stake out poles(?) I know there is a few board companies that make them with the holes, like Bōte. I’m guessing they were fishing for bones, it seemed pretty shallow where they were. I wouldn’t even try to fish off of one until I was super confident in my boarding ability anyways.
I think it would be a major accomplishment for my fat ass just to successfully stand and paddle on one. Casting a fly rod from one might just be out of reach for me lol
Tubbster
Steelhead
I thought it was gonna take a miracle for my tubby self to paddle one but I did it. My first time was in Hawaii and they said I need a “healthy” size board. Which meant a huge board. I really liked that they said healthy
rotato
Steelhead
I like it when they call us bulky boys
my problem with all light wt personal craft is you get like one cast and then have to reset the the boat as your retrieve pulls you over the spot you want to fish
even without fins my feet can orient the commander per the next shot
cheers all
Haven't had much of an issue with this, wind on the other hand can be a challenge. A small anchor fixes either problem.
Whether fishing is involved or not, what is really surprising to me is how many people use SUPs without wearing PFDs.
@Wanative and I were fishing a lake this past weekend. A guy showed up with a SUP. He was wearing street clothes, jeans with a heavy jacket. He took off his shoes, rolled up his pants and off he went. It was really cold and windy out.
Maybe these folks are really strong swimmers, but they seem to be betting against mother nature or looking to win a Darwin award.
SF
@Wanative and I were fishing a lake this past weekend. A guy showed up with a SUP. He was wearing street clothes, jeans with a heavy jacket. He took off his shoes, rolled up his pants and off he went. It was really cold and windy out.
Maybe these folks are really strong swimmers, but they seem to be betting against mother nature or looking to win a Darwin award.
SF
I think a lot of it depends on where/when you are using a SUP.
Placid ponds in July? Poking around the shore of boat-free lakes? Would we ask someone swimming in the same spot why they don't have a life vest?
Cold weather, wind, long solo paddles, boat traffic, waves, saltwater, current? You'd be a moron to not have a pfd on.
I mount a small 20hp kicker to my SUP when I fish from it out in the Strait - while I liked the action that paddling imparted to my flashers, it was limiting to lose propulsion anytime I needed to crank up one of my downrigger balls and re-rig my cut plug herring.
With the kicker, I’m able to tow my small zodiac out behind, which provides a double function as an improvised drag anchor and as additional stowage capacity for ice chests, gear boxes, rods, and grundens.
The paddle is still useful for tight maneuvers, but now I think of it more as my SUP’s bow thruster, and I use it primarily when coming back into port.
Unlike most people, given the wave environments I’m usually dealing with on the bigger water, I run a three-section articulated SUP, with double sponsons attached to the middle section. I run my downriggers off of the sponsons, but being a purist in most other ways I hold the rods themselves in my left and right hands. I like the feeling of a tight line downrigger grab, and you don’t get that with your rod sitting in a mount.
I’d like to build out a better system for steering, but haven’t had the time. For now, I’ve appended an attachment to the tiller of my kicker, just long enough to fit into the groove of my buttcheeks. To turn left, I move my hips to the right, and vice versa, sort of like backing a trailer.
With the kicker, I’m able to tow my small zodiac out behind, which provides a double function as an improvised drag anchor and as additional stowage capacity for ice chests, gear boxes, rods, and grundens.
The paddle is still useful for tight maneuvers, but now I think of it more as my SUP’s bow thruster, and I use it primarily when coming back into port.
Unlike most people, given the wave environments I’m usually dealing with on the bigger water, I run a three-section articulated SUP, with double sponsons attached to the middle section. I run my downriggers off of the sponsons, but being a purist in most other ways I hold the rods themselves in my left and right hands. I like the feeling of a tight line downrigger grab, and you don’t get that with your rod sitting in a mount.
I’d like to build out a better system for steering, but haven’t had the time. For now, I’ve appended an attachment to the tiller of my kicker, just long enough to fit into the groove of my buttcheeks. To turn left, I move my hips to the right, and vice versa, sort of like backing a trailer.
It's hard for me to comprehend. With the volume of information out there one would think more people would be cognizant of the risks involved.
The second time while fishing in about 2 months I've seen clueless individuals play Russian roulette with nature.
SMFH
Yeah, true.
I was more commenting practically/morally. Legally is a different situation.
I agree, but I'm a poor swimmer so I'd be wearing a PFD even in July.
You's gots to know your limitations. I think with the guy we saw last weekend could have gotten into trouble very quickly considering the conditions and the heavy clothes he was wearing.
Just seems stupid to go out like that in adverse conditions but I guess you take your chances.
SF
This is very true.I agree, but I'm a poor swimmer so I'd be wearing a PFD even in July.
And to be clear, I'm very pro-pfd and am rarely on the water without one. That said, the few times I have been without one recently were using the SUP at a couple mellow local swimming lakes. It's silly to me that nobody could give me a ticket for swimming out to the middle of the same lake, but I could get one for paddling out to the same spot. Arguably, a person with a SUP is much safer than a swimmer, you've at least got a floating thing to hold onto if you get a cramp or have some other medical issue.
That said, laws are made because of the stupidest of us.
