Tweet
Before I got my reload, I did a lot of research on the best way to rig it for open water fishing. I also took into account some issues I have always just dealt with and decided to do something about them.
First up, I get tired of throwing the paddle overboard on a big hook-up, or messing with the retaining cord to try and fix it to the kayak. This is precious time lost while trying to catch the fish. So I decided to add the Yak-Gear taco paddle clip. This has worked great in testing; the clip quickly grabs hold of the paddle and holds it to the yak while I fight the fish. However, it is not a long term solution for keeping the paddle secure. So when transporting or sitting for a while, I use the pre-rigged bungee retainer to secure the paddle in the taco clip.
I talked to Stephen Tapp in length about his style of rigging up rod holders and the reasoning for it. I decided to give it a try and it really paid off. There are two rod holders mounted via two Railblaza Starport HDs on the tackle pod in front of me and angled back towards me. This allows me to keep an eye on the rod tips for bites while trolling, let's me maintain an efficient high arc paddle stroke, and makes changing out lures/bait easier since the line drops down into your lap instead of off to the side. I have not had any issues with cross tangles yet, but I also run two depths of lures when trolling. And I can angle them outward if necessary:
I also mounted flush rod holders on each side in the molded spots for them. This has really been useful so far. When one rod hooks up, I can move the other off to a side flush mount holder to get it out of the way. I also mounted 2 rear rod holders angled outward. This is useful for bottom fishing because it allows me to have one/two rods in the side flush holders angled forward, and one/two in the rear holders angled backwards.
They were pretty easy to install myself with the tools I already have. (2" hole saw, pocket knife, screwdriver) The trick to getting them flush was to shave a bit off once the hole was drilled out. I could do this with my pocket knife pretty easy. Then the rear rod holders was all about measuring the angles and getting them lined up the same. You don't have to perfect this, but I have OCD.
The fishfinder was easy to install if you get the kit for it, but someone creative could also make something similar.
For reference, this is the bottom inset for the transducer:
And this is the top looking down through the scupper that the transducer cables run through:
So all you need to do is mount the transducer with the supplied hardware (easy instructions to follow). I shortened the bolt a bit, but not too much since you need it to pass through the scupper completely:
Then just run the cables up through the scupper, and fasten down the transducer mount:
Now the hardest part for me was getting all the excess transducer cabling into the scupper. Lowrance sure does give you a long cable!
Then put the cover back on the scupper and run the power cable through the tackle pod into the inside where the battery can be kept. Seal up the power cable hole and figure out a way to secure the battery. If you use the kit, some straps are options are provided in the instructions. I wanted mine off to the side and in the rear of the tackle pod:
I also mounted the base on top of where I ran the power cable through and it turned out pretty good.
Fishfinder's all done!
Last I added my two Starport HD mounts. I used wellnuts for these, they hold strong and are water tight. The Starport HD has 4 holes and is very sturdy.
That's it! As I add or change things, I will update here! Scroll through this thread to see more posts of my rigging. Including the falcon sail.
First up, I get tired of throwing the paddle overboard on a big hook-up, or messing with the retaining cord to try and fix it to the kayak. This is precious time lost while trying to catch the fish. So I decided to add the Yak-Gear taco paddle clip. This has worked great in testing; the clip quickly grabs hold of the paddle and holds it to the yak while I fight the fish. However, it is not a long term solution for keeping the paddle secure. So when transporting or sitting for a while, I use the pre-rigged bungee retainer to secure the paddle in the taco clip.
I talked to Stephen Tapp in length about his style of rigging up rod holders and the reasoning for it. I decided to give it a try and it really paid off. There are two rod holders mounted via two Railblaza Starport HDs on the tackle pod in front of me and angled back towards me. This allows me to keep an eye on the rod tips for bites while trolling, let's me maintain an efficient high arc paddle stroke, and makes changing out lures/bait easier since the line drops down into your lap instead of off to the side. I have not had any issues with cross tangles yet, but I also run two depths of lures when trolling. And I can angle them outward if necessary:
I also mounted flush rod holders on each side in the molded spots for them. This has really been useful so far. When one rod hooks up, I can move the other off to a side flush mount holder to get it out of the way. I also mounted 2 rear rod holders angled outward. This is useful for bottom fishing because it allows me to have one/two rods in the side flush holders angled forward, and one/two in the rear holders angled backwards.
They were pretty easy to install myself with the tools I already have. (2" hole saw, pocket knife, screwdriver) The trick to getting them flush was to shave a bit off once the hole was drilled out. I could do this with my pocket knife pretty easy. Then the rear rod holders was all about measuring the angles and getting them lined up the same. You don't have to perfect this, but I have OCD.
The fishfinder was easy to install if you get the kit for it, but someone creative could also make something similar.
For reference, this is the bottom inset for the transducer:
And this is the top looking down through the scupper that the transducer cables run through:
So all you need to do is mount the transducer with the supplied hardware (easy instructions to follow). I shortened the bolt a bit, but not too much since you need it to pass through the scupper completely:
Then just run the cables up through the scupper, and fasten down the transducer mount:
Now the hardest part for me was getting all the excess transducer cabling into the scupper. Lowrance sure does give you a long cable!
Then put the cover back on the scupper and run the power cable through the tackle pod into the inside where the battery can be kept. Seal up the power cable hole and figure out a way to secure the battery. If you use the kit, some straps are options are provided in the instructions. I wanted mine off to the side and in the rear of the tackle pod:
I also mounted the base on top of where I ran the power cable through and it turned out pretty good.
Fishfinder's all done!
Last I added my two Starport HD mounts. I used wellnuts for these, they hold strong and are water tight. The Starport HD has 4 holes and is very sturdy.
That's it! As I add or change things, I will update here! Scroll through this thread to see more posts of my rigging. Including the falcon sail.
Comment