First Redfish on a Fly Rod….

It took a lot longer than I had expected, but this past Saturday I finally caught my first Redfish on the fly. I have caught Snook, Trout, Largemouth Bass, Panfish, Gar, Ladyfish all on a fly rod. The Redfish however had eluded me for quite a while now, so I made it one of my fishing goals for this year to catch one. I tried numerous times in the last few years and think it got to the point where I was (just) frustrated, so I started leaving the fly rod at home more often than I care to admit. That all changed once I got my Wilderness Systems Commander 140.

With the Commander I now have the ability to stand and cast the fly rod with ease and peace of mind. I think that a stable kayak like the Commander really eases your mind and lets you concentrate more on using the fly rod rather than trying to keep your balance. It still blows my mind how easy it is to stand and fly cast with very little effort. The open cockpit on the Commander makes it ideal for fly casting by reducing the chances of getting your fly line fouled up on the deck. Standing up and paddling has to be the best part about the Commander, which was a huge factor with this Redfish. I would have never seen him if I had not been standing up. I would have ran over the top of him and he would have spooked before I had a chance at him. Instead, I was able to see him first as he was starting to move off the edge of an oyster bar. I delivered a very nice cast to him and 4 strips later he was on the end of the fly line. There is no doubt that I will never forget catching that fish, and I have no doubt that the Commander played a huge role in catching him.

Scott (TideCaster)

Equipment Used:

Wilderness Systems Commander 140
Galvin Rush 8 Fly Reel
G Loomis Cross Current Fly Rod
Custom Shrimp Fly