Curious about your boat

So I was curious about how rigged all of your kayaks are for the type of fishing you do.... What kind of electronics, motors, rod holders, comfort stuff, etc? What could you not live without on your vessel?

All my boats are rigged differently as I'm constantly changing things up.  At the very least I have fishfinder and 2 built in rod holders behind.  I have to admit I'm sort of a addicted to a FF as a tool to help find locations to fish.  On other boats I have a rod holder up front.  I've been using mostly RAM mounts, but am about to order some Scotty stuff including a downrigger to mess around with.   The one comfort upgrade I definitely do is upgrade the stock Ocean Kayak seat back for a higher back seat.  Of course this only works well if you have a high back PFD, otherwise the PFD gets pushed up by the high back.  On the Ocean Kayak boats there is a "slot" behind the seat at the front of the tankwell that a Plano 1612 Marine box fits in.  I think thats the model number, but check the measurements before buying.  I know I bought the wrong size the first time.

-Allen

I wish I had a FF!

One thing that I would not do without, is a driftchute. It makes a huge difference if there is any wind, and also helps with control of the boat when my hands are full.

Otherwise, there's not much I can offer, since I fish out of a wood rowboat.

Are you doing alot of casting. So you work an area productively, setting yourself up for long drifts and work it in a strategic sense. Do you stand up in your rowboat. lol How about this dift sock....what kind do you like to use?

For saltwater bottomfish, I'm usually trying to slow down my drift, so that I can hit bottom without using an outrageous, and uncomfortable, amount of weight.

I made my own chute out of an old dress from a second hand shop!!! You can find them for reasonable prices @ Cabela's, etc.

Cool. Do spend alot of time playing we womens clothing.lol
You guys are lucky down there haveing the options for purchasing stuff from the different gear shops. Even all the specific websites for Kayak fishing gear. Im not that lucky. But I bet if I tried hard enough I could find an old dress.lol

Pisco, how about a pic of that dress chute you made. I have been thinking drift chute for a while, and I can find an old dress!
I have wanted a FF for a year now, but haven't seen what I'm looking for in my area. Wal-Mart has best selection,  that gives a clue as to my shopping options! Besides I worry about anything attached to my boat, cuz I dump it a LOT in the Old Stoney Ocean. Wanted something portable to throw over the side for depth sounding, and stuff away when not in use. Maybe start a new thread for FF?
First I need an old dress......

Box- You, might have noticed I haven't posted any pictures. I haven't gone through the trouble of learning how, since I don't own a digi cam. Hpefully the camera situation will improve, in the near future.

I used a knit dress (like heavy t-shirt material), cut the top off at the waist. At that cut end, I hemmed it with a cord inside so  that I could control the flow through the chute. At the other end, I sewed on a couple of loops to attach a 4 part bridle. A swivel clip on the end of my anchor line attaches to loops on the bridle, and allows the chute to spin some in the water without twisting the anchor line.

When the chute opens wide, it's probably 5'+ at the opening.

Hmmm ... I've never really used a driftchute.  I can only think of a very few times it would have come in handy.

-Allen

Might be you won't notice how usefull it is, till you have it. Might also be that because of the shape of the bottom, and the windage of my boat, (area exposed above the waterline), that I have worse wind drift issues than a kayak.

I've been out in 10-15 knot winds, trying to halibut fish 200' down, and I wouldn't have been able to hit bottom, without the chute, or an ungodly amount of weight.

I hear ya Bill.  I have been thinking about getting one, but haven't hit the pain threshold yet that has made me go out and actually get one.   

-Allen

I like my rods holders forward and off to the side so I can see them. I've gotten spoiled too and find that a fish finder really has become indispensable in anything over 3' of water (and a flush mounted fish finder is well, just cool    ).  BTW Box, I got the one in the picture on ebay for $60 and its been working just great for 8+ years. Talking about portables, I got the Humminbird Smartcast watch doohikey and danged if the thing does'nt work. I got an earlier model and it was dead accurate to 60', which was not very good. But I hear the newer model is good to 120' and reads temperature. Not much of a fishfinder, but I really just want to know where the bottom is, and more importantly the changes in depth.
 
For me, drift chutes are worth their weight in gold. They really slow your troll. Mine is a big Ikea shopping bag with hard plastic tubing shoved into the hem around the opening to keep it open. Works great to carry my gear too. I don't think I could wear it to a prom though. 

My biggest indispensable though is a center hatch in front of my lap. Somebody on the kfs board came up with a tackle trolley (tie small tackle boxes together and lead the line around the scuppers inside the boat to form a loop. then you pull on the line untill you get to the box you want) Lets me pack like Mark Sosin with waaaay too much tackle.

NICE PICS! (i love pics)
 That's a pretty sweet piece of tupperware bro! What brand and model is that FF. hope it's not too old to find one like it. the flush mount is the best part of all. When it does fail, I suppose a cover plate for the large hole in the boat may be in order. Or find another like it!
 PS how did you get all those pics on one post? thats new to me!

Really nice yak Wali,

First time I've seen an "in dash" FF on a kayak.

And yes, a center hatch IS nice.  I got really used to a large center hatch when I paddled the XFactors, and now with the P15, I use the Plano box behind the seat as I don't have a center hatch installed.  I've limited my tackle to whatever I can fit in that box ... no more!  And that's probably still a lot.   

One question, why do you need a chute to slow your troll?  Can't you just paddle slower?

-Allen

Pole:
Sorry, just a play on words. ("like slow your roll") The chute will stop you dead (or pretty close) in the wind. I've been out with guys without a chute in a light wind and was amazed at how fast they'd get blown downwind and left me on the spot with the fish


Box and Pole:

Ain't likely to find another like it as I invented the 3FM (FlushFish Finder Mount)   
Thats just an Eagle Fish ID mounted onto a frame I made of 1" aluminum angle. Originally, I planned to just make a clear, soft plastic vinyl window and mount the FF against that from the inside of the hull. What I ended up doing was gluing (goop) a vinyl gasket that is sandwiched (sealed) to the frame, around the face of my ff, then mounting the unit with two ears from the frame . I does not leak and it sees surprisingly little water (pretty much only when a wave breaks over the boat and fills the cockpit).

 Before I did it I talked with the Eagle rep at a show (he thought I was a nutcase for wanting to mount a ff at all in a kayak) and he said that they were waterproof and gas-filled. I went for it and its been working just fine ever since. The hard part is finding a flat spot that will accomodate it. My new Hobie has a perfect flat spot, but its behind the peddles    oh well, can't have everything.