Kayak fishing stripping basket/box build

As I've been fly fishing off the yak for a while now I've realized there's a few things I think can be done better and the most important is a way of keeping my fly line tangle free. Not that it's a constant bother but keeping my fishing time up and less time messing around w/ stuff is better.

I'd gotten an idea from a friend in California, Pelican about a stripping pad that he made out of  a thin foam rubber mat that had loops protruding. He put that underneath his legs while in the yak and kept things tidy. I liked that idea but while fishing on rivers and some beaches I've found spots where I also wanted to wade so wanted a stripping basket for that too. While @ the local Fred Meyer I found a way to have both in one tidy package, all for $6.

I got a small Rubbermaid Roughneck storage bin, a 32" bungee cord, and a bag of 4" zip ties.



Drill pair holes in the bottom of the bin.



Then w/ the lid on drill pair holes in it also.



Drill holes in the sides of the handles so that the hooks of the bungee cords can fit through



Slip zip ties through the holes



Tighten them down



Wrap the bungee cord around your waist and put the ends in the holes in the handles



And you have a stripping basket



Use the lid in between your legs when on the kayak as a stripping mat.



Throw this in the back tankwell of your yak next time out fly fishing and you should be ready for whatever spot comes you way.

Z

Nicely done!

-Allen

The "stripping mat" is a great idea. I'm going to make one.

Here's a picture of the stripping basket I use when fishing from beaches. The line separators are handles from corn-on-the-cob holders. They seem to work better for me than the plastic cable ties.

Tom

Nice! Thank you!

I got a small Rubbermaid Roughneck storage bin, a 32" bungee cord, and a bag of 4" zip ties.

So how far will a 32" bungee stretch?

So how far will a 32" bungee stretch?

about 7 feet

actually, what you want to look for is a bungee that will go around your waist snugly but comfortably and still hold your "basket" in position. i think in Zee's case, 32 inches was perfect for his waist. me? i'd need one about 39-40.

I'm not a fly fisherman, so this basket is something I am absolutely unfamiliar with. 
What exactly do you do with it?   How does it work? 

simple;

it holds loose line that otherwise would be either floating in the water and hard to pick up when doing a long haul cast , or in the case of yak fishing with a fly rod, it also keeps the line from fouling on things on the deck, as well as it's original purpose.

shooting heads are sections of heavier weight fly line that attach at the front end to give you more distance, especially on large rivers or in surf when trying to reach waaaaayyyyyy across there.(flies are cast with line weight, not lure weight) having the line in the basket around your waist in any of the circumstances we've been discussing allows for the caster to free line from the spool and coil it safely and without excess drag, so that when the weight of the shooting head takes it's flight toward the target, it pulls the rest of the line with it without you having to worry about the line fouling.

of course, if you have a SPEY rod, ,,,,uhhmmm well come to think of it, even with a mighty SPEY rod, it still applies..

oh... I got excited when I saw "Kayak fishing stripping" in the Recent box.   


Interesting ideas for the stripping baskets.  What about using a center mounted rod holder pointed backwards with your net facing into your lap?  No additional gear to bring/lose...

This is a great idea using both the box AND the lid. I was fishing up on Lost Lake this weekend and my fly line kept finding itself wrapped around my kayak hardware (cleats, etc.) while I was stripping in line.  I'm looking forward to creating one out of a small rubbermaid box.

Thank you, everyone for the inspiration.

True

oh... I got excited when I saw "Kayak fishing stripping" in the Recent box.   

Don't get too excited. It'd most likely be Spot celebrating NWKA AOTY's first full card....

Z

Very nice, Zee. I hadn't thought of putting the "line management spikes" (no, I don't work for the government) in the lid like you did.
I used the very same clear basket that TomB uses in his photo (also a nice looking basket).
I did exactly the same as Zee did with the zip ties, except that I used larger (thicker) ones and cut them off to the desired length, having to de-burr the tips to prevent "line snag."

One comment on this clear basket.  I chose it for my jetty fishing basket, so that I could see my feet thru it when standing and walking on the jetty rocks. that turned out to be only a so-so idea, as it is hard to see clearly thru, and the clear plastic is a little harder and more brittle than the Rubbermaid material. I had cracks develop in mine, starting at a few of the holes I drilled, but I sanded and gooped 'em and they seem fixed.

I am probably going to make another one out of the Rubbermaid container that Zee used.
I think the one I have could be just a little bit deeper.

When beach fishing for searun cutts in the Sound and Canal, there's a lot of salad that will get hung on your flyline if you just let it drift in the water when stripping in. It will completely foul up your cast.  I have also stepped on my loose coils of stripped in flyline when standing on rocks, damaging it a bit.

A stripping basket is a "must have" item for a beach or jetty fly fisher.

I've use a tall office waste basket for a stand-up stripping basket when fishing from my power boat. (got that idea from a more experienced fly angler a while back). Works in my drift boat, too. Fly line will hunt down and snag itself on anything it can find when you are trying to make that perfect cast; from cleats, oarlocks, wingnuts,  bootlaces,  zipper tabs on your gear bag...as well as get under your feet.

One comment on this clear basket.  I chose it for my jetty fishing basket, so that I could see my feet thru it when standing and walking on the jetty rocks. that turned out to be only a so-so idea, as it is hard to see clearly thru, and the clear plastic is a little harder and more brittle than the Rubbermaid material.

Hi CHM,

Have you tried using the stripping basket hung a little low and on the same side as your stripping hand?  That should clear up your view and it doesn't affect your casting.

~R

Don't get too excited. It'd most likely be Spot celebrating NWKA AOTY's first full card....

Z

Mark, what's left?

sturgeon?
SMB?

Is that all?

I've always used weed wacker plastic line, you drill holes in the bottom of a rubber maid dish pan, (there are two sizes of these) and feed the line in one hole and out the other making a small loop. cut off and glue with aquaclear. It helps if you rough up the outside bottom of the tub with coarse sandpaper around the holes so the aquaclear will adhere better.

As far as  bungee goes I 'd rather buy an adjustable  web belt from home depot and drill 3 holes in it and put stainless bolts and nuts on the side that faces your stomach, these things are cheap, useful and live forever...