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How many folks over line their fly rods to get a extra distance? That would be my question of fly casting for distance and fishing out of a Kayak... I always went with the recommended line weight but my fly casting is so poor maybe over lining might help me get some distance

First off, welcome to the site. Warren! I hope you're still enjoying the posts you'll find here. It's a great group of folks...

There are many issues that might affect the solution you're looking for. Overlining might help you, but for distance casting there are times when underlining is the way to go. For the record, I don't think that's the right direction right now and going up a line weight may help you feel the rod load easier. Regarding John's question I'll ask first off, what rod and line are you currently using? If graphite, and especially if its designed as a "fast" graphite rod, then going up a line weight or even two could be an excellent choice.

Warren mentions how clear the water is at 12'. That suggests that the fish are also going to be found deeper in this kind of pond. A great choice is a full sinking line or, if you're somewhat new to fly casting, a sinking tip. The sinking lines have a smaller diameter and shoot well. Full sining lines cast very well but the running line needs attention or you'll get a lot less distance. Regardless of line choice a key to getting easy distance is eliminating friction. You need to seriously consider line management. If, like most of us, you're just stripping the line into the water next to you, then you're killing your distance with friction. You need to develop a discipline to coil the lines on a stripping apron so it picks up and shoots freely. Sometimes a shooting basket is a good choice. In my canoe I make sure the area in front of me is perfectly clear of obstructions like the boat bag, paddles, anchor line and drink bottles and I use the canoe bottom as my shooting basket.

For deep, clear lakes (I fish Dale Hollow which epitomizes deep and clear) I suggest a Type 3 sinking line or a Teeny-style sink tip, a relatively short leader of 3' to 5' and fluorocabon leader material. Don't worry about the color of the line, it very rarely affects the fish. Fish don't spook because something brown or dull moves in the water - if they did they'd starve! Fish really can't make the connection between the line - over there- and the fly - over here. They can't reason. A clear tip is excellent for flats fishing and intermediate fishing, but I've found them to be less effective at depths over 6'. There are times when they are the right choice, but generally they won't contribute to distance.

How is your double-haul? Learning an effective haul will add at least 20% to your cast. That said, don't expect to handle more than 60' of line from a sitting position. In fact, fishing a fly beyond 60 or 70 feet is very "iffy" and you loose a LOT of control. Not to mention hook setting abilty.

Finally, what size fly and what size rig are you using? You need a sufficiently massive line to handle the fly you intent to fish. If you're using a size 2 Clouser, for instance, then a 7wt isn't too big but a 5wt is definitely too small. British stillwater fishing for trout takes place in clear water and they are typically fishing 6 to 8 weight rods. Don't go too small, get enough horsepower to do what needs to be done and take advantage of the 'yak. Often times a simple drift will help - cast downwind and let the wind move you through the structure you want to fish. Let the line play behind the 'yak and sink to the appropriate depth. Keep quiet and still and don't bang the paddle and you'll find the fish don't react to the boat at all.

Joe C.