Growing up in the Northeast, trout streams were abundant, and access wasn’t far behind. Now, as a South Florida resident, things have become a little trickier. It’s harder to find places to get away from the crowds, particularly spots within driving distance for a quick after-work outing. To find new spots, I needed a new tool at my disposal: enter a fishing kayak. Suddenly, a small cut in an otherwise overgrown area became a new pond I had access to. The next question was just how well a fishing kayak, more specifically a pedal drive, would translate to fly fishing.
These past few months, I have had the opportunity to experiment with the new Old Town Sportsman ePDL+ 120 Pro kayak. The goal was to see how well this boat translated to fly fishing. With impressive new technology, a redesigned layout, and plenty of storage, I was off to a good start. The only thing left was to unlock new water and see how the kayak performed.
The Kayak:
The Sportsman ePDL+ 120 Pro kayak is Old Town’s newest pedal drive kayak. Like its predecessor, the new Sportsman is designed with the seasoned angler in mind. The boat is 12 feet in length with an impressive beam of 36 inches. With all that room comes plenty of storage. A large front hatch, paired with an open rear hatch, can store fly boxes, packs, coolers, and more with relative ease.
In addition, the kayak features vertical rod storage and four thru-hull rod storage tubes, two on each side. While designed for conventional tackle, it can accommodate 9-foot fly rods. With kayak popularity growing, so are accessories. Old Town took this into consideration with pre-drilled mounting spots for Power-Pole Mircos and a bow-mount trolling motor. Additional rail mounts are present throughout the kayak to add things like a fish finder and other accessories.
What really sets the new Sportsman apart from the original is the addition of the ePDL+ system. Essentially, this is a battery-assisted pedal drive with three power options: manual mode, assisted pedal mode, and cruise control (full battery-powered mode). The idea is to lessen the strain on the angler and cover large swaths of water with relative ease.
Fly Fishing From a Pedal Drive Kayak:
Having fished from other pedal drive kayaks before, I was aware of the issues that might arise. The main concerns being stability and line management. I set out to a new spot I had my eyes on to see how it stood up against these critical tasks.
The place I planned to fish was a series of ponds surrounded by trees, overgrowth, and minimal bank access. On a preliminary scouting mission, I discovered a 10-foot stretch of bank clear enough to launch a kayak, and it was on. I loaded the kayak onto a small trailer and made my way to my makeshift launch.
The first step was getting the Sportsman off the trailer and into the water. At 12 feet long and almost 150 pounds loaded, it is a big boat, but this plays into its design and how it fishes (we’ll get into that later). I used a set of kayak wheels to maneuver the boat and launch it into the water. While not a necessity, it definitely makes the process easier, especially in areas without a dedicated launch and uneven ground.
As I got on the water, I lowered the ePDL+ drive system into the boat and began fishing. The drive system is fairly easy to operate. You’re met with a simple display and four buttons: power, plus, minus, and cruise. Once turned on, the plus and minus buttons control how much the kayak will assist you in pedal assist mode. Five being the strongest and one being the least (zero is manual). The cruise control also works off the same number system, controlling the speed at which you cruise.
I pulled up to the first spot and stood up to begin fishing. My first concern about stability instantly went away. The design of this boat strategically counteracts balance issues. At 12 feet long, with a beam of 36 inches and a flat bottom, it is stable. In fact, it was so stable that even if I were off-center, I could fish without fear of capsizing. For fly anglers, this is crucial to counter the added movement of fly casting. I threw poppers and Clousers along the banks of the pond, finding willing largemouth, peacocks, and a few snakeheads.
Dealing with clearing line was next. Towards the bow of the boat, the ePDL+ system sits, which with the pedals, means tangling fly line is certainly a possibility. To counteract this, the seat doubles as a great line basket when standing. By consistently stripping to the side and landing my line on the seat I was able to throw flies with minimal tangles.
Rounding out the package is thru-hull rod storage. On both the port and starboard side are dual rod tubes. In total, you can store four rods out of the way, with the tip sections protected. While these are designed with conventional rods in mind, 9-foot fly rods fit with the reels sitting in the rear storage compartment for easy access.
Tailoring a Pedal Drive Kayak to Fly Fishing:
My time on the water reaffirmed the role a fishing kayak can play for fly anglers. The Sportsman Pro enabled me to get away from the bank, opened up new water, and provided adequate stability to fly cast. With this kayak and other fishing kayaks in mind, I did notice a few areas where the right accessories can dramatically improve user experience.
The first that comes to mind is a stripping basket. Just as saltwater wade anglers benefit from a stripping basket, so can kayak anglers. While stripping the fly line onto the seat does the job, for larger fish where clearing the line is a must, a stripping basket is the best solution. Fish like jacks, stripers, tarpon, snook, and redfish can take powerful initial runs. Having your line confined to a basket prevents it from jumping across the deck, tangling on a pedal, and breaking you off.
The next piece of gear to add to this kayak would be a small push pole. While a spare paddle is great, the nature of fly fishing lends itself to a push pole. You can pole shallow areas while standing, scout for fish, and enjoy the visuals of sight fishing. With the ePDL+ system’s maneuverability and ability to cover lots of water, you never know what you might find. I’d opt to store a push pole in the paddle holder with a collapsible emergency paddle as a backup.
Final Thoughts:
Becoming a resourceful fly angler means taking advantage of every leg up you can get. The biggest being finding creative ways to access new water. The Old Town Sportsman ePDL+ 120 Pro does just that. Packed with features tailored towards anglers, you get the benefits of a kayak with the luxuries of a full-sized boat. While it certainly is an investment, the versatility and portability of this boat unlock new areas and target species. If you can’t put a price on the fish you catch and places you go, then this boat is worthy of any fly angler.
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