North 40 Fly Shop eMagazine September 2018 | Page 33

ROWING TIPS AND FISHING
OUT OF A DRIFT BOAT
Fishing out of a drift boat, to me, is an extremely
fun way to fly fish. It takes practice, teamwork,
and skill. Typically, you can fish three anglers
out of a standard drift boat allowing you and
your buddies to cover tons of water. Usually,
before we begin our float, my friends and I will
discuss who is fishing what flies and try not
to duplicate the other guy’s rigs. This way we
can see what the fish are keying in on and then
later in the day possibly change up to the flies
that are working best. Having three anglers in
the boat means having three sets of eyes. It
helps to have people looking downstream for
obstructions, rising fish, or spotting a possible
good-looking piece of water. If you have never
fished out of a drift boat, there are some basic
rules or guidelines I’d consider.
First, learn to keep your focus downstream if
you are fishing. It never fails that you will want
to make an extra cast in that awesome spot
you already casted in. However, this is a bad
habit as the boat is moving and your partner in
the back of the boat needs some space. This
will also help with a drag free drift. The fly will
typically be presented to the fish first and little
mending is required when compared to throwing
perpendicular to the shore.
Next, remember, drift boats don’t have breaks!
This is one of my golden rules to drift boating.
This means you cannot stop the boat quickly
and you are at the river’s mercy. You will need
to make your decisions on choosing a line down
the river in advance. So, keeping the boat
pointed downstream is vital to safety. You can
generally avoid most dangerous situations if you
keep the nose of the boat pointed downstream.
And, keep in mind, what we said about the high
side of the boat earlier. Also, it is important to
row away from danger. If you want to avoid a
rock or a place you don’t want to go, you must
point the nose of your boat at what you want
to miss and then row backward. You’ll need to
slow the boat down as quickly as possible as
the river is always pushing you downstream.
33