By Paul Lebowitz

“I’m pretty much a one trick pony,” Sean White readily admits. A fisheries biologist for the Sonoma County Water Agency – “We build fish ladders, tear down old dams, plant trees, remove barriers, and that kind of junk” White says – the founder of Ukiah’s Great White Kayak Company spends his off days chasing his charges for fun.

White traces his fish obsession to a Sacramento upbringing. With the American River a block away, schoolbooks couldn’t compete with the natural laboratory and playground just beyond his front door.   

“It was the beginning of the end. Mom said playing with fish down by the river isn’t a job. Isn’t it everyone’s dream to prove their parents wrong?” White asks with a smile. 

An avid outdoorsman, White first tried kayaking in 1991. “I paddled out to Angel Island with a coworker. I thought it was the coolest thing ever,” White remembers. But it wasn’t until he sold a powerboat in 2002 that the kayak fishing bug bit hard.

“My father is Hawaiian and my mom is from Newfoundland. I’m probably genetically predisposed to kill fish and paddle small boats,” White observes with characteristic good humor.

Given his profession, trying a fishing kayak on flowing water was inevitable – particularly where public access is poor. After all, a stream is his ‘office.’ The first time he put a sit-on-top on a creek he was thrilled with the results.

“You can cover way more water. You can back troll and side drift. You can’t do them standing on the beach,” White explains.

The fishy biologist shared more tips for going with the flow on creeks and streams:
 
1. Select good water: When scouting, don’t ask yourself if a stream is boatable. Instead, ask if it’s fishable. Unlike whitewater, it’s not about surviving. It’s about that conveyor belt of fishing opportunities. Select slow moving water with the occasional short section of class I, otherwise you are just kayaking. 

Maximizing your opportunity, four to five miles is a full day of really good fishing coverage.     

2. Choose the right boat: I’ve fished streams in all kinds of boats, from 14-footers to dinky inflatables. You want something short and maneuverable, yet relatively stable with some rocker. My Malibu Mini-X is the best little river boat I’ve tried.

3. Rig it simply: I really try to keep my rigging minimal. The chances of dumping are good. When you’re drifting a creek, there’s a new challenge around every corner. You have to think about other things, like branches that can grab a line, a rod, or a net and tip you over. I keep my rod the old-fashioned way, lying between my legs and sticking over the bow. It makes it easier to manage. The river is a great place for short rods and nets.