Cover Water Fast with this quick boating technique
Timothy Kusherets
Boon-dogging is an effective way to cover a lot of water in a fairly
short period of time. It is an artistic drift-fishing technique that
can be mastered in a short period of time. Applications of it mirror
those of back-flipping. Each cast is made directly upstream with the
weight in front of the bait, fly, or lure. This drift-fishing technique
is best done when anchoring below a fishable hold where casts can
be made directly upstream, or nearly direct. The weight should be
light enough to come within contact of the bed periodically allowing
the offering to float just off the bed and in direct sight of holding
fish. Casts distances are made as far above the hold as possible so
the weight and offering can get down to the natural drift near the
bed before they have gotten to the top of the hold.
The most distinctive aspect of this type of drift fishing is that
strikes don’t need much sensitivity in the line so long as it’s
straight throughout the drift. With the mainline, terminal gear, and
the leader in the same path, strikes can be detected from the most
lethargic fish. In almost all cases, fish do all the hook-setting
for anglers making this technique one of the most attractive.
The direction of each cast is really one of preference to the angler
since all hookups remain solid no matter where in the hold the strike
comes from. I prefer to make casts slightly perpendicular to the hold
to ensure that no matter what, striking fish will not first get “bonked”
on the head with the weight, which is a real risk when casting directly
upstream from the hold.
Boon-dogging can be done while drifting downriver, but is ill-advised
since it requires the oarsman to be faced upstream away from river
obstacles that must be seen to avoid accidents or injury. Boaters
who opt to boon-dog and drift should only do so on those reaches that
are long and wide ensuring the ability to fish substantially and remain
safe at the same time.
Bars on bends are great places to beach the boat and boon-dog the
seam formed above the bend. The angle profile of casts and the direction
of the current make for awesome presentations where biting fish will
strike hard.
© Timothy Kusherets 2008/10