No Electronics? No Problem

[papajoe222]

Years ago, I fished from an inertube float.  Today a new breed of personal fishing 'boat' has become etremely popular, Kyaks.  The biggest drawback that I find when using these forms of water travel, is limited space with no means of mounting electronics in what space there is. Trust me when I say I've seen about every idea concieveable for doing so.  Some involved adding to the existing 'boat' while others incoorperated towing some sort of floating platform behind or connected to the side.  Those many years ago, I began using one of the cheapest and easiest depth finders that was small enough to carry in a prescription medicine bottle. Not only was the space problem taken out of the picture, so was the guess work of  determining depth.

This miracle little jewel of a tool is called a crankbait and when used has the bonus of actually putting fish in your 'boat'.  Think about this: If you fish from a single person vessel you likely only carry one rod and reel combo.  You aren't out on the water respooling that reel, you do that at home and likely use the same line each time. What you have is a constant base to use when determining not only depth, but cover and bottom composition.  Just add a crankbait. You don't even need to know how deep the one you tie on runs although it helps.  Add a shallow, med. and deep running crank and you can find everything from drop offs to bottom composition changes, wood, weeds....... you get the idea. 

If you're really looking to use electronics and not experiencing  the simplicity of fishing from these forms of enjoyment, go out and get one of those goofy remote units with the bobber thingy and the Dick Tracy wrist viewer or whatever, but a word of advice if you opt to go that route........ your smart phone will interfere with the signal when you're texting mommy what time you'll be home and asking what's for din din.

 

[Slade House]

try going out at my lake with just one rod and 3 crank baits, and see how that works.  I used to only fish crank baits because i lived back east. then i moved to california and realized that i didn't know jack about bass fishing.  you CANT really catch a fish on a crank bait at my lake from october to early june.  even in the summer you're fishing only deep diving cranks (there are some exceptions).  When i go out fishing at my lake , i have a drop shot rod, a flipping rod, a topwater rod, and and a rod i may have a carolina rig, jerk bait or whatever depending on the season.  i understand fishing from a kayak your limited but when you're catching fish in 25-35 feet of water , that strategy might not work 

[Mike2841]

I think you're underestimating today's kayaks. A lot are designed from the ground up for fishing, most include rod holders mounting tracks and some way to mount a fish finder. That being said at the end of the day it's still a kayak and larger boats would be more accommodating but they are still very capable bass slaying machines.

[einscodek]

Ya that might work for your local body of water but many places where I am are choked full of weeds and the crankbait is just an exercise in frustration this time of year in that

..and there is no way I go fishing anywhere without at least 2 rods.. if I bring one setup and that setup fails, rod breaks, reel jams up etc, my entire trip is wasted.. not gonna happen

Electronics?  I tried using them but I find them better for mapping underwater depths and structure.. once I know the body of water, I dont even use them any further.. still catch plenty of fish

[Raul]

You don't need a depthfinder, what you need is knowing how to locate the fish.

[Catch and Grease]

I don't fish deep lakes, The lake I fish is 6-8 foot deep average with some places being 12 and I almost never use my fish finder...

 

I pretty much know where everything is now but I always used heavy jigs, Carolina rigs to find the edges of grass, Cyprus knee systems, little humps, etc etc...

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

A hefty C-Rig does a similar job dragged across the bottom.

[kikstand454]

Yeah. ...I can easily carry 6 rods on my kayak- and I could just as easily add a very nice depth finder. With GPS and side imaging if I wanted. The only reason I haven't is I rarely take my kayak bass fishing- I go with someone in their bass boat normally.

I do agree however that using your baits to research the bottom is a very important skill to learn.

[Master Bait'r]

Target Employee:  "Sir, can I help you?"

 

OP:  "No, I'm fine!  Go away!"  

 

TE:  "Well sir...  What are you doing?"

 

OP:  "I'm looking for the bread aisle!  What does it look like I'm doing?!??"

 

TE:  "Sir, all the aisles have labeled signs and if you don't stop throwing crankbaits in the store I'm going to have to ask you to leave"

[Fishes in trees]

I can understand you not wanting to buy a depth finder.  I can understand most of the mental gyrations involved in justifying not buying a depth finder.  However, I have seen in person and in pictures numerous kayaks with depth finders mounted on them.  So apparently it isn't an insurmountable problem, it is more like a space issue.

 

Just FYI - every fishing boat out there has space issues - some perceived and some real.  Kayaks have space issues.  I've got an 18' Lowe.  It has space issues.  My buddy just got a 22' Express.  He is starting to experience space issues.  In any boat, not just your boat, decisions are made about what stuff you take and what stuff you leave on the bank.  It is the nature of fishing  that you can't bring all the gear all the time.

 

Where I fish, using a crank as a depth finder would be a pain.  You'd frequently be dragging up weeds and  you'd often get snagged.  Cheaper and more practical to just buy a depth finder.  Then you'd get a better idea quicker on where to throw your crank.  JMO

[Jay Ell Gee]

Target Employee: "Sir, can I help you?"

OP: "No, I'm fine! Go away!"

TE: "Well sir... What are you doing?"

OP: "I'm looking for the bread aisle! What does it look like I'm doing?!??"

TE: "Sir, all the aisles have labeled signs and if you don't stop throwing crankbaits in the store I'm going to have to ask you to leave"

Love this.

For the OP: its spelled "Kayak." I carry 5 or 6 setups in my 'yak and never have a crank tied on. It's just not feasible in the heavy grass I fish. My girlfriend (whom I do text every now and then when I'm fishing alone, because she likes me to check in) has a Humminbird on hers and she likes to have it. It's not in the way one bit.

You had a fairly productive post going until you lost me with the whole "mommy and din din" thing. While your suggestion will help in some places, it is in no way a replacement for good electronics, for the all reasons Fishes in Trees stated. However, yaks are no longer as limited as they used to be.

[michang5]

This is a very odd thread.

I bought a 2011 Mariner Propel a month ago. Along with two flush-mount rod holders and a XL crate with three more holders, it came with a Lowrance 5x depth finder.

I'm still figuring out how it works and how it will put me on fish, but the one thing it does perfectly is tell me the depth.

And my Mariner is so incredibly crowded with all of the stuff that I just installed a second RAM mount for a rod holder for trolling. I don't know where I'm going to sit.

[papajoe222]

It's an odd thread because I totally missed getting my point across. It was intended to show anyone looking to getting into using a. One person vessel that they can get by with out electronics. A crank bait or two and a fishing rod/reel gan provide most of the same information

I tend to over explain thing and end up confusing many people, including myself.

The din din, mama should have been part of a PM and not in the post

Sorry guys. Don't feel bad if you didn't understand, I didn't and I wrote it!

[SirSnookalot]

As a kid we didn't have boat at first, learned to fish in a rowboat without any electronics.  When I lived on a lake I had a pleasure boat which didn't see that much fishing action as I opted to use an aluminum rowboat, I enjoyed rowing too.

In Florida I fish ponds and canals, don't need electronics.  I do use them offshore to fish depth patterns.  Kayaking is very popular here, fully rigged with rod holders and electronics, jet skiers do the same thing.

[TorqueConverter]

Even with my fancy smancy electronics I still need to grab a big ol crankbait and locate that d**n rockpile or weedbed that's supposed to be on this waypoint.  A crankbait can be a useful tool in getting a frame of reference on the water to where that rockpile or weedbed is that your are seeing on the screen.

[WRB]

No electronics, big problem!

My very first sonar unit was the Lowrance portable flasher in the late 60's and haven't owned a boat since that didn't have a sonar unit! I am blind without my sonar and have a difficult time if it malfunctions on the water, it's that important to me.

When I launch my boat the first thing I do is turn on my sonar unit and check the surface water temp, then while my big engine is warming up I use the trolling motor to survey the launch area for signs of baitfish and bass to determine what depth the life zone is and if there is a thermocline.

After determining what depth to start from the sonar input, I plan my day.

No lure can catch fish if the fish are not where you are fishing at the right depth.

Tom