Personal gear Choices, what do you use?

OK, I'll go first.  Here's what I use.  I'm 6'3" and 220#.  Disclaimer:  I'm sponsored by Ocean Kayak, which shares the same parent company to Humminbird, Lendal, and Extrasport.  I may be biased on some of these selections, but they are what works best for me and I've tried a fair amount of gear over time.

-Allen

Kayak:             Ocean Kayak Trident 13
Paddle:            Lendal Kinetic-S (graphite)
PFD:                Extrasport Solstice
Drysuit:           Kokatat Goretex Front Entry Dry Suit
Footwear:       7 mm neoprene booties
Gloves:            Don't wear
Hat:                 Appropriate to the conditions, but I always have a hat on
Fishfinder:       Humminbird Matrix 17, looking to upgrade
Transducer:      Gooped directly to inside bottom of yak
GPS:                Garmin 76S
VHF:                Currently evaluating options
Knife:              Gerber River Runner, sharp point
Rod Holder:      Ram base with Scotty Powerlock
Downrigger:     Scotty Laketroller with 4# ball
Anchor:            5 pound claw
Seat:                Ocean Kayak comfort Deluxe
Cart:                Wheeleez
Gear Storage:   Plano 1612 behind seat
Bilge Pump:      Scotty

Anything else you want to know, just ask.

  Here's what I use.  I'm 5'11" and 270#.   I'm not sponsored by anyone.   I am biased on all of these selections, because they are what works best for me and I've tried a fair amount of gear over time.

Wali

Kayak:      Hobie Adventure, Malibu Extreme, Heritage Pro Fisherman 14, Cobra XL, Victory Blast
Paddle:     The one in my hand, usually fiberglass
PFD:         Extrasport that I just got from P², Neoprene ski vest, Stearn's Inflatable
Clothing:   Kokatat Tropos Front Entry Dry Suit, NRS breathable dry top, Togg's neoprene waders
Footwear: 3 mm neoprene socks, neoprene campshoes (think lo-cut muck boot)
Gloves:     nitrile under neoprene or knit garden glove
Hat:          Appropriate to the conditions, but I always have a hat on. Columbia booney with a mosquito net
Fishfinder: Lowrance m56 (same as the Eagle Cuda 250) and M68c (color!)
GPS:         see fishfinder
VHF:         Cobra HH300 submersible
Knife:       Gerber Dive knife or buy cheap serrated edge one handed lockblades  by the dozen and use them once
Rod holder: Scotty
Downrigger: Wali
Anchor:       3 lb  Bruce, 3 lb grapnel
Seat:         Hobie stock seat and a Cobra

Anything else you want to know, just ask.

I'm 6'2 190.. I mostly fish in the ocean (although pursuit of AOTY will change this) and most often fish alone. If my memory serves this will be my 4th summer of kayak fishing off the oregon coast. I have tried many different things and this is what works for me.  Any more questions feel free to ask

Kayak:  Cobra fish n Dive (the best wide/stable platform out there )
Paddle: Aquabound 240cm
Dry Suit: Kokatat Supernova (used to use a 5mm full body wet suit)
Footwear: Hard soled, warmers 7mm boots
seat:  sea sport
rod holder: scotty on ram mounts
PFD:  Stolquist Fisherman
Knife:  Benchmade H2o fixed blade
Fish finder/gps:  Eagle cuda250s
Hat: Filson cruiser or Turtle fur stocking cap
Gear Storage: Large orange plano box behind seat
Crab Traps:  Large Danialsons folding traps
VHF:  Undecided on new upgrade (old one is in 120ft of water off Cape Mears..opps)
Cart: homemade beast, hope to upgrade to lighter more dry sand friendly model
Yak Transport: Currently working on a "adventure" yak trailer, tired of the 7ft lift to the rack on my truck

Height 5'10", Weight 180lbs

Kayak:                 Cobra Fish-n-Dive / Ocean Kayak Trident 13
Paddle:                 Werner touring paddle
PFD:                    MTI Riptide / Bodyglove Water-Skiing PFD
Drysuit:                Some Day
Ocean Wear:         6/4 Rip Curl Steamer Wetsuit
River/Lake  Wear:  Breatheable Waders/Rain jacket
Footwear:            7 mm neoprene booties / Wading Boots / Sandles
Gloves:                Don't wear
Hat:                    Appropriate to the conditions, but I usually have
                           a hat on
Fishfinder:           Eagle Cuda 250
GPS:                   See above
VHF:                   ICOM M34
Knife:                 Something cheap/blunt/sharp & easy to draw
Rod holder:         Scotty Flush Mounts with Scotty Powerlocks
                          and Scotty Rod Holder Extenders
Downrigger:         Real men don't need downriggers  
Anchor:               3 pound claw with 3lbs of chain a la bsteves
Drift Anchor:         Home brew with 10lb pyramid
Seat:                   Cobra High Back
Cart:                   Wheeleez touring
Gear Storage:       Milk Crate & Small bait cooler

I'm 6'6" and 230# and this is some of the stuff that works for me. Like Pole I'm sponsored but by Hobie and Kokatat so I may be biased on some of of my selections as well. Still, I wouldn't use gear if it couldn't perform it's best for kayak fishing.

Z

Kayak:             Hobie Adventure for big water, Hobie i9s inflatable for rivers and small lakes
Paddle:            Werner Camano 240 fiberglass
PFD:               Kokatat Bahia Tour
Drysuit:           Kokatat Super Nova Angler
Footwear:        Kokatat Scout booties
Eyewear:        Hobie polarized
Fishfinder:       Humminbird 580 w/ GPS
Transducer:     Gooped foam puck
VHF:               Uniden Voyager
Knife:             Gerber Rivermate
Rod Holder:      Scotty
Downrigger:     Scotty Depthmaster with 6# ball
Anchor:           5 pound grapple w/ 5' chain for dinos, 5# pyramid for drifting
Cart:               Wheeleez w/ baloon tires
Bait tank:         Hobie Livewell
Gear Storage:   gear bucket hatch insert and Hobie livewell when not in use
Bilge Pump:      Scotty

OK, where's the template with the categories???

Try cutting and pasting one that you like, then cut out their list and replace with yours.

Just starting to collect gear. Haven't fished out of my kayak yet.


Kayak: OK Trident 13
Paddle: AT Fishstix 230
PFD: Some red thing
Outfit: I wear waders, boots and a waterproof jacket
Sonar: Uninstalled Humminbird 141c

I'm 6'1" and 180#.  Disclaimer:  Like Allen "polepole" I'm sponsored by Ocean Kayak, which shares the same parent company to Humminbird, Lendal, and Extrasport. 
-Brian

Kayak:             Ocean Kayak Trident 13,  Ocean Kayak Caper (for drift fishing on smaller rivers)
Paddle:            Lendal Kinetic Touring 700 (carbon fiber) w/ modified crank shaft
PFD:                Extrasport Sturgeon
Ocean wear:
    Wetsuit:           Hotline 5/4         
    Footwear:         5mm booties
    Top:                Extrasport X-pel h20 long sleeve
Lake and river wear:
    Waders:          Cabela's 5mm neoprene
    Footwear:        Wading shoes or Crocs
    Top:                Extrasport X-pel h20 long sleeve
Hat:                often an old red fleece beany
Fishfinder:        Cuda 245DS, also looking to upgrade
GPS:                Old Garmin Etrex in a dry bag.
VHF:                iCom M34
Rod Holder:       Scotty w/ extender bar
Downrigger:      Scotty Laketroller with 4# ball
Anchor:            3 pound claw w/ 3 lb chain
Seat:                Surf-to-summit tall back
Cart:                Wheeleez mini  (I wish I had the full sized)
Camera:           Pentax w60
Gear storage:    Various small dry bags
Float plan:        I leave a float plan with my wife every time I go out... where I'll be, who I'll be with and when I plan on getting back.
Misc:               Scotty whistle, hawg trough, game clip, rod and paddle leashes, sun screen, cell phone

This is awesome seeing your gear kits, guys. Thanks.
I'm just starting out, and only ordered my boat today, so will be revisiting this post and filling in blanks.

Kayak:             Ocean Kayak Trident 13 ordered 3/27/09
Paddle:            Bending Branches Slice
PFD:                Extrasport Breakwater
Drysuit:            Kokatat Super Nova, from the town where I went to high school (Class of 71, go AHS Tigers!)
Hat:                British foreign service helmet, circa the Zulu War, of course
Fishfinder:        Tempted by the Cuda 250!
Anchor:            Guess I need something better than the gallon milk jug filled with rocks ...
Cart:                Hope to make one from PVC and plywood with pneumatic wheels
Knife:               Kershaw.

I am 5’9”, 180#. My gear collection is sort of opportunistic I guess. I was the store room dude for my navigational division in active duty Navy, and I was in a beach ops unit in the Navy Reserves, so some of my gear came courtesy of Uncle Sam. Although I’ve never been formally sponsored, I did work for OEX in San Diego at the kayaks & kayak fishing shop, and when I worked there, most of the stuff was Malibu Kayaks and Crack of Dawn paddle accessories. That said, I have been kayak fishing for about 3 or 4 years and I love the gear I use.

-Jeff

Kayak:       Malibu X-Factor, Malibu Mini-X     
Paddle:        Werner Skagit
PFD:         Military issue(slightly modified for kayaking), Extrasport
Dry Gear:        Extrasport X-pert Flex Plus dry top, Hodgman Brighton neoprene waders, military issue desert camo ECWCS (Goretex) parka and pants, Hooded rash guard with fleece lining for those really cold days!
Footwear:       5mm zip-up booties,  Akona 3mm slippers
Eyewear:       whatever is cheap, polarized, and hasn’t been lost in the surf yet!
Fishfinder:        Eagle Cuda 168
Transducer:       Goop’d inside to the keel
Seat:         Crack of Dawn Apex 1, inflatable seat pad, Crack of Dawn rod holder gear bag   
VHF:         Standard Horizon HX260S       
GPS:         Garmin eTrex Legend
Knife:        Wenoka fixed blade dive knife, blunt tip 
Fish Landing:       Berkley lip grabber, Promar extendable gaff hook, Lunker Tote hook
Rod Holder:      flush mount, homemade PVC rod rack, Scotty mounts
Downrigger:      none
Anchor:       8lb coated mushroom, 5lb navy-style fluke, 1.5 lb folding grapnel w/ 2 ft. chain
Cart:         Crack of Dawn heavy duty wheel cart.    
Bait tank:      Kayatank, Kayatank portable.
Gear Storage:      Plano boxes

Great Thread! Keep 'em coming!

This is getting to look more like a starting NFL offensive/defensive line.....

I'm thinking back to when I first began.  Here is what I had on my first trip.

Kayak:             Cobra Triple
Paddle:            Werner Kauai
PFD:                Lotus something or other (that Wali now has)
Wetsuit:          A Pategonia 2 mm shorty farmer john that I had from whitewater days.
Paddle jacket:  Another oldie that I had lying around.
Footwear:       old pair of diving 7 mm neoprene booties
Fishfinder:       who need a fishfinder?
GPS:                What was that?
VHF:                cell phone in a dry bag
Knife:              Gerber River Runner, sharp point
Rod Holder:      PVC tubes hoseclamped into a large milkcrate
Seat:               some half back thingies
Cart:                muscle power

Yup, it didn't take much.  First trip out, 12# CA halibut.  Second trip out, 34# CA halibut.  I've been hooked ever since and my gear collection has changed and increased quite a bit.  More emphasis on safety these days.

-Allen

My first kayak fishing trips were in Long Island Sound during the summer of 1995.  This was the gear I used then..

Kayak: A borrowed Aquaterra ~16' sea kayak that was kept at the house I was renting by the beach.

PFD and Paddle:  I don't remember, but they weren't very expensize and they were also borrowed.

Fishing gear: Medium heavy bait casting rod and reel combo, 15 lb test, thin wire leader, half dozen 7" Sluggos and 3/0 worm hooks

Paddle wear: Pair of swim trunks and a t-shirt (it was July water temp ~73 F)

Rod holder: Nope, I just placed the rod in my lap and under my arm while I paddled around trolling
Fish finder: Nope
VHF: Nope
Kayak Cart: That probably would have prevented some scratches on my friends kayak.
Net:  Would have been nice, I tailed my bluefish.
Misc:  Nope, just a kayak, paddle and pfd along with a fishing rod and a few lures.

PFD and Paddle:  I don't remember, but they weren't very expensize and they were also borrowed.

expensize? lol..i'm teasin