Kayak fishfinder rodholder setup

[Spades]

Here's my setup. I've gotten quite a few ideas from this board. That best of the best sticky at the top is priceless. Anyway, I have the battery in the tackle box up front which also serves to store the finder and transducer when I'm not using it. The pictures are pretty self-explanatory on how I have things rigged. I really like the setup now, nothing is in the way but it's still all within reach. Tried it out last Wednesday and it worked great. I just need to find some way to store fish while fishing, I've tried a basket but it adds a lot of drag that I'm not used to and makes it difficult to maintain course. [signature]
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Hey Bro, that looks pretty well thought out. Glad we were able to provide the stimulation and motivation to "get 'er done". Your post will definitely go on the "Best of the Best" links.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I can see that there are a unique set of challenges when rigging out a smaller kayak, like yours. There are the big saltwater fishing 'yaks that have more "discretionary" storage space and come prerigged with rod holders and all that stuff. But, when you have to work it all out for yourself, it does test your creativity.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I seem to recall that when I asked you to show me your kittyfish for a pic last week that you brought it up out of the front of your yak. What kind of storage are you using now?[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I can readily see that towing a basket would compromise the natural sleek lines and easy propulsion on your craft. I might recommend a good quality stringer, but that would not be much different.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I know there is not enough room on your craft for an aerated live well, but do you have enough room on the deck behind you to perhaps attach (velcro or straps) either an ice chest or a simple plastic (Rubbermaid) tub. You could keep the fish in the water, on a stringer, and then lift them up into the tub when you needed to "motate". Just a thought.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The big ocean-going 'yaks sometimes have special holds or fish boxes in the larger front ends. If you get serious about 'yak fishing (and keeping fish), you are either going to have to sacrifice some deck surface or get a bigger craft.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Thanks again for the post.[/#0000ff]
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[Spades]

I usually only keep a fish or two right now so I usually just keep them in a canvas bag inside the yak and then dip it in water as it starts to dry out. It works ok, but i'd rather get the fish out of the yak if I could. I've seen a canvas creel that had some D-rings that I could easily attach to the outside of the yak but the biggest one I could find was only 14 inches long, not big enough for cats but good for other fish so I may experiment with that.

I've also tried figuing out some way to keep the fish behind me as you suggested but that area is pretty hard to get to when I'm sitting down.

My kayak certainly wasn't designed with fishing in mind but it has been fun trying to figure everything out. Hard shells are definately the better choice for fishing but I still like my inflatable.[]
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[FlyingFish]

[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]In my canoe I find using a stringer with a little extra length to work well. While moving the fish tend to parallel the hull nicely. Big fish and/or lots of fish will start to hamper it a bit and would probably affect your craft more than mine. (So far, the biggest problem is occasionally wacking the fish with a paddle.) [/size][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]I just rigged my sonar unit to clamp on to the side of the hull with an old bracket used to hold a GPS unit to an aircraft yoke. It’s not as stable as I’d like but works OK. [/size][/font]
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[Tincanfsh]

Hey Fellow Yaker,

I have a ocean going sit on top kayak. I have had problems with the stinger besides the kayak also. I have had a stringer of nice size slime bows came off a few weeks ago when I was fishing Steinaker. The Idea that I came up with is a soft sided cooler with half water and half ice either behind me or in side the yak. The fish stayed fresh until I could get to them. I put the fish on a stringer then put them in the cooler. I like the fishfinder, rod holder setup.


Tincanfsh
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[Spades]

Thanks for the tips FlyingFish and Tincanfsh. I think I may have to get used to the idea of keeping the fish just inside where I sit. Just not too much room there since it's technically a sit-in kayak. And I don't like the thought of those catfish jumping around inside an inflatable boat with their sharp spines. I haven't had too much of a problem yet with them, they tend to stay nice and quiet as long as they are dark and wet.

I think a cooler bag like you mentioned would work, just need to find one the right size and a way to strap it down so I can still get to it.
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Well, if you are resigned to sharing your space with the fishies, there ain't much else I can say. The one piece of advice I will offer is to carry a good pair of pliers or sidecutters, for the catfish. I learned a long time ago that the first thing to do when handling catfish was to "neutralize" the potentially nasty spines. They are not as sharp, on larger cats, but they can still cause some damage.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I break or cut off both the dorsal spine and the two pectoral spines. If you cut them cleanly, they leave no ragged edges that can still do damage. Sharp things and inflatables (or flesh) are not compatible. I have also found that leaving the spines on large powerful cats can be hazardous to your fish baskets. They can get those stiff (but dull) spines tangled in the wire mesh and when they thrash and roll, something's gotta give. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Having the heavy pectoral spines removed also makes for easier handling at the fillet board later.[/#0000ff]
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[Tincanfsh]

I was thinking that you might want to combine the ideas that Tubedude and I had. Get a rubbermaid box(shoebox size)maybe longer. Put ice and water in it.That way theres no way the kitties will have a chance to deflate your yak.

Tincanfsh
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