North 40 Fly Shop eMagazine September 2018 | Page 26

DRIFT
BOATS:
HOW TO GET STARTED
By Tyler Balich
26
Since my first time in a drift boat, I knew that
it was how I wanted to spend the majority of
my time fishing. I was blown away by how you
could cover so much water and see the river
from a different view. Over time, I’ve learned
that there are many advantages to drift boating. These advantages may have you thinking about
getting a drift boat in the future, or maybe you
already have one and need some pointers.
Either way, let’s highlight some important
aspects of drift boating that you should know
about.
For starters, it’s an advantage that you are
elevated above the water. Being elevated above
the water gives you a huge advantage on seeing
fish or places to throw your fly. This means there
is less worry about hanging your fly up on your
back cast as you are usually out in the open and
not hugging the brush. Also, it’s an advantage
to have a skilled oarsman, or oarswoman, at the
sticks. It’s a pleasure you can only appreciate
after spending a lot of time in a drift boat. Next,
it’s great to be able to hold a boat in a fast
current. This allows an angler multiple casts to a
great spot which is the key to catching more fish.
And finally, you’ll find that going the right speed
for a perfect dead drift is also another advantage
of fishing out of a drift boat. SAFETY
First and foremost is safety. You are in a boat,
typically on moving water, and there are 100
ways to get into trouble if you are not paying
attention or don’t know the basics of drift boat
safety. Keep in mind, that having a good coach,
or someone who has spent a lot of time in a
drift boat, is invaluable. So, to keep safe, the
first thing you’ll want to do with your boat is
to practice, practice, practice. And to begin,
learning to row the “right” way takes both time
and practice.