Backwards Peddles?

So basically i love my Kayak but it is a little long  and hard to control on rivers like the Trinity and the Klamath.  I am looking to buy another Yak specifically for Steelhead and Salmon on the rivers.  I was wondering that since i was thinking of buying one with peddles, if i could turn them backwards so that i could say backbounce?  I just though it would be cool to be able to hold onto your rad and slowly go down the river. 
         Looking for all kinds of input such as the peddle idea, good yaks for the rivers, and any general advice on the issue

Thanks,
Mike

I backtroll using my Hobie i9s. It works really well and know a few others who use their Hobies the same way. I've also done some side drifting, boon doggin, bobber doggin, and anchored techniques with good results. Using the pedals while dropping the anchor is also really helpful.

Z

by back trolling with your peddles are you facining down river in your yak with the line below you and slowly going down?

futhel, you would be facing up stream in your kayak peddling against the current to control your rate of drift downstream.  hobies can not pedal backwards, however native watercraft can.

edit: i may be wrong and you could possibly turn the pedals around..never tried it though.

I can turn my peddles around in my Adventure. I have used this technique to hold just off boiler rocks.

Like bmb said I pedal upstream w/ my gear behind me. In order for your yak to be stable the rudder needs to be in back. In rivers and in current it's even more important.  It takes a bit of coordination so the only river tech. that I find too difficult is back bouncing. There's too much going to to effectively keep in contact with the bottom.

Z

i dont know there is something that would bother me going backwards down the river.

well think of it this way, when you're backtrolling plugs from a boat, you're also facing upstream to steer and watch for things floating down on you...it's really no different than that

Yes but when you are in in a drift boat you face down river and paddle up with your lines down stream

Yes but when you are in in a drift boat you face down river and paddle up with your lines down stream

It's a completely different animal in a kayak and warrants a very different approach.

Z

Yep drift boats are a snap kayaks are much tougher.

Mike just get a mini-x you will love it just ask Al. There might be better boats but the mini is super stable,very lite,spins on a dime,tough and cheep. You can drop in anywhere because you can carry the boat with one hand and your paddle and rods with the other. Most people as I did try the same techniques but in a kayak you need to find other ways of doing the same thing. While a drift boat can drift through the meat of the current you might be off to the side in the slower water drifting sideways but fishing the same water only slower with is better. If you are thinking of doing the Trinity get lots of practice and get a Mini-X that river is tough as are the upper sections of most rivers.

 

 Oh yes Hobie's can peddle backwards!  (Maybe not the new 09 models with the click in drives,I don't have an 09') but the old versions certainly can be turned around and used to back your Hobie instead of going forward!

i think a hobie sport could do pretty much the same thing a mini x can do, except with the rudder and pedals.  the mini x might be an overall better fishing boat but the sport is not bad.  i can't wait to put mine on a river.

the i9s is good and pretty tough too, but a little out of my price range at the moment.

the main problem is gettinig my drift boat to the water due to lack of trailer towing capability, so i wads trying to find another way

Mike just get a mini-x you will love it just ask Al.

A wise old man named Mickfish once told me "Al just buy one you will love it."

He was right.

Al