# Out fitting my kayak for fishing



## msfcarp (Jun 6, 2006)

Okay guys, I have owned my 12 foot old town dirigo for a couple years, I am going to get serious about outfitting it for fishing. Not interested in trolling, I will be mainly casting cranks and jigs for smallmouth in rivers and largemouths in lakes.

Besides rod holders, what else would you recommend?


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## slippery (Jun 8, 2012)

You'll need a fishfinder to see the depth, structure and contours of the bottom. Since you've already got the rod holders, it will be ready to go. I'm in the process of building some outrigger (stabilizers) to keep my kayak a little more stable for the big lakes. I want to get out to hook up a big salmon while in a kayak but I'm getting older and a little less confident of my balance to get out too far without greater assurance I won't be flipping over.


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## Swamp Monster (Jan 11, 2002)

Anchor trolley. However, anchoring in current is at times a risky proposition. A couple of cleats are always handy. Some yak attack tracks to facilitate multiple rigging options. Just go to Yakattack, kayakfishingsupplies.com, or ACK and shop what is out there. Most folks don't really know all the rigging options available to them so research, research, research before you spend any money. There are some sweet rigging ideas out there that are very versatile and can serve numerous styles of fishing and numerous styles of gear....rod holders, lights, cameras, GPS, fishfinders etc. Lots of the new things allow you to moount multiple items on one system so you drill less holes, take up less space etc. The sky is the limit....some guy look like miniature tuna trolleys and others don't mount anything. And neither are wrong, rig it for your needs and not what others think you need.


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## caseyj (Apr 8, 2001)

Get a good life vest and a change of clothes, Matches, knife and a cell phone.


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## msfcarp (Jun 6, 2006)

Swamp Monster said:


> Anchor trolley. However, anchoring in current is at times a risky proposition. A couple of cleats are always handy. Some yak attack tracks to facilitate multiple rigging options. Just go to Yakattack, kayakfishingsupplies.com, or ACK and shop what is out there. Most folks don't really know all the rigging options available to them so research, research, research before you spend any money. There are some sweet rigging ideas out there that are very versatile and can serve numerous styles of fishing and numerous styles of gear....rod holders, lights, cameras, GPS, fishfinders etc. Lots of the new things allow you to moount multiple items on one system so you drill less holes, take up less space etc. The sky is the limit....some guy look like miniature tuna trolleys and others don't mount anything. And neither are wrong, rig it for your needs and not what others think you need.


I spent some time yesterday researching anchors and trolleys in fact. I want to keep it simple, but I believe the anchor would be a necessity so you can fish a hole thoroughly with out having to try and hold position in the current or keep moving up and drift through multiple times.


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## Minner_Chaser (Jul 9, 2013)

I use a 5 lb barbell as an anchor. Obviously a little iffy on rivers but for lakes it is perfect. Got like 200 yards or 100 lb test rope that works perfectly. I am all about cheap as well. Have a tarpon 120


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## murdermittenkid (Dec 27, 2009)

dont forget the beer holder!


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## Rupestris (Aug 25, 2000)

I keep a clear waterproof Pelican 1050 box clipped to the kayak with my ID, license, phone, first aid items (band-aids, tape, Advil, Imodium, stuff like that), and a X-mini capsule speaker. Maybe some bug repellant but that doesn't always have to be kept dry.


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## Unclered (Sep 30, 2010)

I take a set of clothes in a dry bag......
a paddle tether might be a good idea, especially on the river.....
a camera is always nice, never know what you will see.........
drinking water.......
brimmed hat......
if river is shallow enough you might want a rope you can attach to yak and clip to you in case you want to wade if you find a hole......
I use Pelican cases for my stuff I don't want wet.......


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## swaprat (Oct 1, 2011)

maybe even a yak leash that goes around you ankle like a surf board leash amazing how quick the wind will blow your yak away from you if you flip this way you don't have to swim vary far if it does better to be strand with a boat then not...


*saftey:*
paddle leashes 
life preserves or pfd's etc.. etc..
even a bailing cup 
some sort of signal devise like flares whistle etc... etc..throw rope with one of those floating dog training devises like for duck hunting tied to a rope so you can throw it if needed to help a fellow yaker out or even to get towed home lol's if needed... 
*gear: *
and don't for get the out fitted milk crates rod holder in four corners and five gallon bucket with aerator in center of create for bait if you dont use bait you can all ways stock some 3600 or 3700 tackle boxes in it in a file type system 
measuring tape system 
and a anchor trolley system? 
pliers 
net 
rods reels 
also a bullet shaped crab pot float the biggest you can find and make some stabilizers out of four of them look up how to make them google it if you have to... 
etc..etc..
maybe a compass to and or a gps fish finder or handheld...


any ways a few to get you started

any ways best of luck ...


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## Swamp Monster (Jan 11, 2002)

swaprat said:


> maybe even a yak leash that goes around you ankle like a surf board leash amazing how quick the wind will blow your yak away from you if you flip this way you don't have to swim vary far if it does better to be strand with a boat then not...
> 
> ...


NO. Unless you want to drown. 

Sent from my HTC One X using Ohub Campfire mobile app


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## Jimbo 09 (Jan 28, 2013)

For an anchor system I mounted a stainless a pulley towards the front and one towards the back. I then run a rope to each of them attached to old cannon downrigger balls. I also mounted a cleat back towards the seat to tie off to. This way you can anchor from the front, back or both easily.


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## swaprat (Oct 1, 2011)

Swamp Monster said:


> NO. Unless you want to drown.
> 
> Sent from my HTC One X using Ohub Campfire mobile app




sit in kayak's you can't is very true and should not but a sit on top should be able to. there a Velcro strap on surf board leashes that goes around your ankle and a rope that attaches to the kayak or surf board . if need be you can pull the strap and get free. but if you do it on a sit in kayak it will be like the pop bottle you try to chill during ice fishing after you drill a hole strait threw the ice. it sinks to the bottom as soon as you set it in the hole. so don't want to do it in a sit in cause it will do the same. but a sit on top mite save your life from having to swim back and have a heart attack trying to swim back. that is if you were wherein your pfd when you flipped. lol's you would most likely drown if you lost the yak with out a pfd reason i say this is tides pull, wind blows, river current pushes, etc.. etc.. stuff away from you when you need it most...


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## Swamp Monster (Jan 11, 2002)

Ask any ACA kayak and canoe instructor. They all will tell you not to...doesn't matter the style of of kayak. Ask experienced kayak anglers if they tether themselves to their kayak and you won't find a single person that does it. It's a bad idea.

If one is that concerned about losing the kayak, some will tie a trailing rope off the stern that is a few feet long so they have something to grab if they need to "catch" their yak. However, the trialing line can be a hazard as well in some situations.


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