I am suprised how efficiently you Kayak anglers can fit everything into your hull.

[cyclops2]

I stop every summer & exchange tackle in 2 boxes on the boat. With 3 boxes under the cottage. 

My fish boat is a Lowe Aluminum 16' X 4' feet wide 1986. With a 30 HP 2 stroke Evinrude.  It has a 12 gallon main tank and a 6 gallon reserve tank.  They take up the front 1/2 of the boat.   1 padded swiveling fishing chair that I fall asleep in.  I built a side console for wheel & shifter. 3 anchors and a hand crank anchor winch. Set of 8' oars. VHF hand held in a freezer bag.

 

I am constantly thinking a bigger boat for the last 20 years.  But after reading & seeing the quality of modern stuff. I always  chicken out. 

A salute to you fishing  kayakers.    

[JG233]

I'll take the kayak salute. I learned my lesson this year too and finally got a few leashes for my gear. The tipping point was losing a brand new pair of stainless steel pliers to the drink after owning them for less than twenty-four hours. It was completely demoralizing.

[cyclops2]

Lets go fishing together.  

Tie up to dock.  Start to bend over for the fish. DAM  There goes a nice sunglass.  2 days later both are mating.

[Bluebasser86]

Have to learn to simplify and find the multipurpose tools in the box. Limiting specialty items helps a lot, especially rods and reels. It really stinks to bring a technique specific combo in the yak and never make a cast with it. Cutting back on similar items helps a lot too. Can't have the same bait in green pumpkin/blue flake, green pumpkin/purple flake, green pumpkin/candy, and green pumpkin magic unless you're going to put 2 or 3 of each in the same bag. 

[TnRiver46]

10 hours ago, cyclops2 said:

Lets go fishing together.  

Tie up to dock.  Start to bend over for the fish. DAM  There goes a nice sunglass.  2 days later both are mating.

I never buy nice sunglasses ? 

[dickenscpa]

I carry way more tackle on my kayak than I did my boat. I never fished tournaments in my boat and kinda mailed it in when I fished. I had one tackle box and very little in it and most of it was old and crusty.  A spinnerbait or two, one or two crank baits and a few bags of soft plastics or what was left of the bag. A few assortments of terminal tackle. 
 

If they weren’t biting what little I had in the boat I was done. When I got serious about tournament fishing I realized I needed options. 

[cyclops2]

I rarely only find 1 or 2 per day.  The right day is almost every cast.   ?

[Darth-Baiter]

I fish lightly geared up.  Small converted tackle box with maybe 5-6 sandwich ziploc bags filled with various plastics.  Organized by fishing technique. 
 

then 3 3700 boxes with the rest.  I’m compelled to over pack because on my kayak I’m really trying to maximize my travel efficiency. I’m not going back to my truck for anything.   I see guys out there with huge kayak boxes.  I’d have a meltdown organizing so much stuff.  I understand where they are coming from. 
 

kayaks are a blast.  So fun!!

[Koz]

I've got the Flambeau Premium Tuff Crate on my kayak (top and bottom compartment) and in it I carry 5 Plano boxes, a spinnerbait box, and then a 12" or so Tupperware type storage to hold bags of soft plastics.  I could fit another few Planos under my seat if needed. I have 4 rod holders, but usually bring only 3 rods.

 

But to be honest, I don't need to bring that much. I guess there's some comfort having a lot of baits on board, but the truth is I'm never going to get through even half of them on one trip.

 

It can also be a pain to twist around and go digging through my crate to get what I need, although I will say the Tuff Crate is much better than a standard milk crate.

 

But what gets me is why doesn't every kayak have a hatch on the deck right in front of the seat where you can keep a set of pliers and a handful of your top baits? That seems like a no brainer.

[king fisher]

I try to put what is practical for a small human power boat and pack my kayak accordingly.  Problem is the Bait Monkey has the opinion I'm fishing out of a Yacht.

[bulldog1935]

Part of the fun of kayaking is how effectively your rigging functions on the water. 

Here rigged for 2 rods, I can rig for 3.  In the bow hold are back-up 3-pc rods, bait, spinning, and fly for opportunity.  On the water I can rig a 4th rod holder that carries the fly rod along the hull length.

Lap hatch carries tethered Pelican boxes, wallet and cell phone, etc., back-up baitcast reel and spare spinning spool; and a small cigar pelican.  Pliers and fish-grabber on keepers in cockpit trays. 

Engel cooler - and the milk crate is everything - plano-type boxes for lures, lunch, with a net over the top for quick-stuffing weather layer, peeling dry pants as the day warms, etc. 

 

[Fishingmickey]

49 minutes ago, bulldog1935 said:

Part of the fun of kayaking is how effectively your rigging functions on the water. 

Here rigged for 2 rods, I can rig for 3.  In the bow hold are back-up 3-pc rods, bait, spinning, and fly for opportunity.  On the water I can rig a 4th rod holder that carries the fly rod along the hull length.

Lap hatch carries tethered Pelican boxes, wallet and cell phone, etc., back-up baitcast reel and spare spinning spool; and a small cigar pelican.  Pliers and fish-grabber on keepers in cockpit trays. 

Engel cooler - and the milk crate is everything - plano-type boxes for lures, lunch, with a net over the top for quick-stuffing weather layer, peeling dry pants as the day warms, etc. 

 

Very nice and clean rigging job, Bulldog.

 

[bulldog1935]

@Fishingmickey forgot to add - with the new plastic stringers, you can't really tie a bowline to tie them off. 

A Harken cam cleat grabs them like a rock. 

[Fishingmickey]

2 minutes ago, bulldog1935 said:

@Fishingmickey forgot to add - with the new plastic stringers, you can't really tie a bowline to tie them off. 

A Harken cam cleat grabs them like a rock. 

Sweet, Do you worry about a dolphin or shark grabbing your catch? I've seen and experienced the stringer stealing dolphins down at Port A. I'm sure you've heard the tales of sharks & stringers from wade fisherman. 

FM

 

[bulldog1935]

@Fishingmickey we're fishing the flats, less than 3' deep, and the stringer is in my lap when making tracks

Some people worry about gators - seen them, but never had them come around the boat. 

If I were fishing offshore, would be using a bag for kings. 

 

[the reel ess]

On 12/16/2021 at 6:00 AM, TnRiver46 said:

I never buy nice sunglasses ? 

That''ll be on my headstone.

[bulldog1935]

My Costas are literally 25 years old, bought for $35 on sierratradingpost close-out. 

Every decade they get a new croakie

 

[TnRiver46]

12 minutes ago, bulldog1935 said:

My Costas are literally 25 years old, bought for $35 on sierratradingpost close-out. 

Every decade they get a new croakie

 

I’ve tried the croakies , I always end up with tons of beard hair, dead skin, and food on my lenses haha

[bulldog1935]

nothing sticks to Costas - not even salt spray riding in a power boat with big waves and wind

That's the beauty of Costas - it's an everything-phobic film they put on the lenses. 

[TnRiver46]

1 minute ago, bulldog1935 said:

nothing sticks to Costas - not even salt spray riding in a power boat with big waves and wind

That's the beauty of Costas - it's a film they put on the lenses. 

Ok sold. I’ll take yours for $36! Haha

[bulldog1935]

@TnRiver46

...not even Louisiana Hot Sauce sticks to Costas

 

[Darth-Baiter]

Ironically, I find quality sunglasses to be a fairly safe investment.  I buy sunglasses tailored for the fisherman.  I think they stick to my head better, than say wearing a pair of driving lenses that have very little friction on the side of my giant melon of a head.  

 

the pitbull, braid cutters?  I know for a fact they sink fast as heck!!  I am on my 4th pair, and this time my new kayak has built in tethers I utilized.  no more fear. 

1 hour ago, bulldog1935 said:

@Fishingmickey forgot to add - with the new plastic stringers, you can't really tie a bowline to tie them off. 

A Harken cam cleat grabs them like a rock. 

AWESOME point!!  I tend to lose gear when I am frantic and excited from a big catch.  

 

enter the Cal-Coast Donkey leash.  I unhook fish, and donkey leash it and put it back in the water.  this gives me time to clear up my thoughts.   I almost fumbled my iPhone by juggling the bass and phone, net..the line, the hooky sharp thing...

 

donkey leash.  

[flyfisher]

I carry what I need and don't have any issues.  I carry up to 8 rods if fishing conventional and 4 fly rods if going fly only.  I also carry probably 8 plano 3600 boxes with whatever I need.  I've learned over the years of kayak fishing that I would rather switch rods than take the time to retie on another rod.  Sure there are days I don't cast a rod but I am cool with that.  I already can't cover enough water as a traditional boat so every additional cast counts.

[Fishingmickey]

7 hours ago, bulldog1935 said:

@Fishingmickey we're fishing the flats, less than 3' deep, and the stringer is in my lap when making tracks

Some people worry about gators - seen them, but never had them come around the boat. 

If I were fishing offshore, would be using a bag for kings. 

 

My dolphin experiences have been off of Channel view pier and Charlie's pasture pier at Port A.

[bulldog1935]

@Fishingmickey

We were keeping stringers off the dock fishing overnight at Arroyo two weeks ago - saw dolphins, gator, gar - up to 15 fish on the stringer - and nothing bothered our stringer - we fished, slept, fished, slept, and filleted in daylight. 

We've done it this way at least once/winter over the past five years - sometimes twice in the winter.