Kayak Bass Fishing!

[Glenn]

This is for all of you kayak bass fishermen out there! Feel free to share pictures of your kayaks, modifications, and experiences. For the "DIYers" out there, it would be awesome if you guys could share cheap and easy modifications/rigs for a yak. I know myself, and many others would love to see this! Go crazy!

[Darth-Baiter]

twist my arm.

 

I had a hard time finding a net that checked all the boxes.  so I made a few.  it was a great satisfying project.  I think a wading net is an okay option, but I needed the net stored up front with a handle long enough even one of my feeble bend at the waist manuevers can reach.

 

 

[CountryboyinDC]

At one time, repurposing was a way of life for those of us that fished from a kayak.  YakAttack, YakGear, etc. had not come into existence, and so using something developed for another purpose was the only way to go about it.  I could probably spend a few weeks posting projects over the last 14 years or so, but that would get boring fast.  Here's the crate and dollies I use for my kayaks.

 

[GTN-NY]

My Jackson Big Rig. It’s had a few mods done lol

[Bankc]

I don't have a pic of the rear, but I added a trolling motor to the side and a rudder to the rear.  The trolling motor is connected to a piece of Birch that I reinforced with aluminum strips at the top and bottom.  It connects to the kayak in the fishing pole flush mount holders using PVC pipes.  I installed more PVC pipes to add rod holders to it.  It attaches with wing nuts, so it can be installed in seconds.  

 

As for the rudder lines, I ran some Teflon tubes through the hull and some Teflon coated steel wire through them to control the rudder with the foot pedals.  I drilled the entrance and exit holes and then tied some braided fishing line to a screw that I cut the head off.  Then I used a powerful magnet to feed the line through the hull, out the other hole.  Then I sewed the braid onto the Teflon tubes and pulled it back through.  Lastly, I took a soldering iron and used it to flare out the Teflon tubes and sealed it with silicone, so the tube stays in place.  It actually looks like a professional job, which surprised me.

 

For the rudder itself, I created a bracket with 304 SS steel and drilled, cut and bent it into shape.  Then I fed it through the same way, with the braid and magnet, and attached the rudder to the stern with rivets through the bracket.  I tried it without the bracket, but the rivets wanted to pull out through the plastic hull.  I had to build up some additional plastic on the outside of the stern with a soldering iron and spare HDPE (from the scupper hole inserts that I popped out when I bought it), to get the stern flush with the rudder, and keep it in place.  It's Rock solid now.  I think the whole rudder system ran me about $150 in parts.

 

The red sun cover over my fish finder is a cheap polypropylene cutting board that I cut and welded (soldering iron) into shape.  Then I attached some Velcro to it to keep it on the fish finder.  It was free, as it was all junk I already had on hand.  

[Jmilburn76]

My Native Slayer Propel 10, absolutely love this kayak. Its got everything I would want or need in a kayak set-up for fishing. 

[Darth-Baiter]

this I my most major mod.  I took a Milwaukee tool box and made it into my kayak box.  cost me about $60, and it is easy to move around and prevents me from going overboard with carrying to many baits.  I had to get creative fitting 5 rods.  (I could use six rods - but my brain is tapped)

 

 

1 hour ago, Jmilburn76 said:

My Native Slayer Propel 10, absolutely love this kayak. Its got everything I would want or need in a kayak set-up for fishing. 

can you stand up in that?

[Jmilburn76]

30 minutes ago, Darth-Baiter said:

this I my most major mod.  I took a Milwaukee tool box and made it into my kayak box.  cost me about $60, and it is easy to move around and prevents me from going overboard with carrying to many baits.  I had to get creative fitting 5 rods.  (I could use six rods - but my brain is tapped)

 

 

can you stand up in that?

I can but I have terrible balance so I usually dont even try to.

[ChrisD46]

On 5/6/2021 at 10:12 PM, GTN-NY said:

My Jackson Big Rig. It’s had a few mods done lol

*Nice Jackson Big Rig Kayak !! ... That is a nice set up with the trolling motor and stand up assist bar - two thumbs up and well done !! Please elaborate more on the trolling motor and mount you used ?  

[GTN-NY]

4 hours ago, ChrisD46 said:

*Nice Jackson Big Rig Kayak !! ... That is a nice set up with the trolling motor and stand up assist bar - two thumbs up and well done !! Please elaborate more on the trolling motor and mount you used ?  

Thanks! The mount idea came from a FB group I belong to. I didn’t want the motor coming straight in as it would block access to my front storage hatch. I wanted it to be just like a bassboat off to the side. 
The person that first made the mount showed me his design so I could make one. 
this one with the white Motorguide quick release plate was his design and the black quick release is mine. I screwed up one mount so I had to order another mount board $30. 
with this mount I also got to keep my front handle. 
Stainless bolts and used the biggest fender washers I could find. Because Big Rig bow isn’t flat I needed some kind of filler under the mount. I’m no fabricator so I went to a old hardware store and found some HD rubber corks that I cut down to the thickness needed

 

I found on YouTube a two rope system idea for deployment and retrieval of the motor. At the 2:13 mark he talks about it 

The trolling motor is a Motorguide 45lb thrust Xi3 with gps and handheld remote. It was a 48” shaft but I cut it down to 36”. 

if you need and other info I’m happy to help

[ChrisD46]

6 hours ago, GTN-NY said:

Thanks! The mount idea came from a FB group I belong to. I didn’t want the motor coming straight in as it would block access to my front storage hatch. I wanted it to be just like a bassboat off to the side. 
The person that first made the mount showed me his design so I could make one. 
this one with the white Motorguide quick release plate was his design and the black quick release is mine. I screwed up one mount so I had to order another mount board $30. 
with this mount I also got to keep my front handle. 
Stainless bolts and used the biggest fender washers I could find. Because Big Rig bow isn’t flat I needed some kind of filler under the mount. I’m no fabricator so I went to a old hardware store and found some HD rubber corks that I cut down to the thickness needed

 

I found on YouTube a two rope system idea for deployment and retrieval of the motor. At the 2:13 mark he talks about it 

The trolling motor is a Motorguide 45lb thrust Xi3 with gps and handheld remote. It was a 48” shaft but I cut it down to 36”. 

if you need and other info I’m happy to help

*Ultra Cool and again , Well Done !! I imagine the front hatch holds the trolling motor battery ? I always believed that for a larger person who wanted a solid platform to stand up on to fish  - the Big Rig was the best kayak going (perhaps still is) . The issue is I did not want to paddle or pedal  a Big Rig as they are a bit large for that . I want to get on a Big Rig , crank up the trolling motor and get to the bass waters I intend to fish quickly where I can stand and fan cast . A Power Pole (or two) would seal the deal !

[GTN-NY]

4 hours ago, ChrisD46 said:

*Ultra Cool and again , Well Done !! I imagine the front hatch holds the trolling motor battery ? I always believed that for a larger person who wanted a solid platform to stand up on to fish  - the Big Rig was the best kayak going (perhaps still is) . The issue is I did not want to paddle or pedal  a Big Rig as they are a bit large for that . I want to get on a Big Rig , crank up the trolling motor and get to the bass waters I intend to fish quickly where I can stand and fan cast . A Power Pole (or two) would seal the deal !

It is a very stable kayak. I found out the “almost” hardest way that I can’t swim so I want a yak that I will fall out of before I can flip it. 
I stand almost all day. Last tournament I was standing from 6:30-2 except when I motored to a new spot. 
In the photo of me fishing the battery is in the front hatch and I’m sitting low in the front end and rear end is up. While going full power the rear swings back n forth. So now the battery is in the rear hatch. Battery is a lithium and only 14lbs so it didn’t level out much. I think it would benefit from a skeg. 
As far as paddling a Big Rig it’s not that bad. That is once you get it going. I kinda miss the exercise. 

[redux]

I haven't done anything special to my Bonafide SS127.

 

Probably the most elaborate thing is I have 2 anchors (bow and stern) so I don't drift around in the wind and a stake/push pole for shallow water. Other than that I have a box w/ 3 rod holders and one of those lip grippers tethered to the seat so I can secure a fish in the water after I unhook it. 

[Bluebasser86]

I've got one of these I turned into my crate/tackle storage;

https://www.walmart.com/ip/HART-24in-Rolling-Tool-Box-Resin-Tool-Storage-Black-with-Blue/735517326?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&&adid=22222222227329964075&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=412825705606&wl4=aud-1028050746418:pla-861624435750&wl5=9023835&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=online&wl12=735517326&veh=sem&gclid=Cj0KCQjws-OEBhCkARIsAPhOkIZzAM6rVb5Gii6spJ2wXTdl_zVddDi9mje9hy0jMc75pERmT5EeBosaAuikEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

Mounted rod holders on the side, drilled out a hole in the lid for my flag/light bar. Holds a ton of tackle and the top stores my tools, spare prop, scale, grippers, brush grips, ect on the opaque side and my "go-to" baits for the day as well as some leader line, maybe scent and dyes on the clear side. 

[Bass Junke]

On 5/11/2021 at 1:27 AM, Bluebasser86 said:

I've got one of these I turned into my crate/tackle storage;

https://www.walmart.com/ip/HART-24in-Rolling-Tool-Box-Resin-Tool-Storage-Black-with-Blue/735517326?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&&adid=22222222227329964075&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=412825705606&wl4=aud-1028050746418:pla-861624435750&wl5=9023835&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=online&wl12=735517326&veh=sem&gclid=Cj0KCQjws-OEBhCkARIsAPhOkIZzAM6rVb5Gii6spJ2wXTdl_zVddDi9mje9hy0jMc75pERmT5EeBosaAuikEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

Mounted rod holders on the side, drilled out a hole in the lid for my flag/light bar. Holds a ton of tackle and the top stores my tools, spare prop, scale, grippers, brush grips, ect on the opaque side and my "go-to" baits for the day as well as some leader line, maybe scent and dyes on the clear side. 

I painted a regular milk crate and modified it and works well. But I like your idea better. I was looking at this one. https://smile.amazon.com/DEWALT-DWST08204-Tough-System-Extra/dp/B005HNJR0E/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=tool%2Bboxes&qid=1620915708&sr=8-5&th=1 I need to go home and measure my tank well. 

[J Francho]

I dig that paint job!  Pretty much all I do is attach rod holders to a crate and then use the gear tracks for any accessories. All three of my boats have tracks so I can simply rig each as needed for each, and all the stuff is interchangeable. 

[Bass Junke]

4 minutes ago, J Francho said:

I dig that paint job!  Pretty much all I do is attach rod holders to a crate and then use the gear tracks for any accessories. All three of my boats have tracks so I can simply rig each as needed for each, and all the stuff is interchangeable. 

Yup, rod holders is mostly what the crate is for. I do carry 5 3600 boxes inside the crate. I guess my only reason for wanting to get rid of the crate in is the lack of a secure cover to keep contents inside. 

[J Francho]

The cover deal is a pain when you're on the water in the heat of a bite. One thing I have seen is people cutting the top off the exact same stackable crate they use, and making a cover/shallow tray out of it.  You can use those little ball and bungee loops for hinges.