Initially outfitting a new yak

[ronaultmtd]

There are a lot of new kayakers coming onboard and welcome folks- a word of advice on rigging your new kayak- take it slow- you don't need to hang everything on your new toy- a good basic Fish Finder well located is a good investment and I highly advise you to go with this accessory- an anchor system is a must- a simple anchor trolly is a good accessory- I like my rods in front of me when fishing with bait or trolling so I can see the strike- so I put rod holders within easy reach while sitting in my seat and it pays to actually sit in the seat and see where you want to put things before you drill a hole in the plastic- you can patch the plastic after drilling, but the old carpenter's adage applies here as well....measure twice, cut once- fish out of your yak and look at all the other folks' rigs for ideas- A necessity is some form of a flag/light hanging up in the air to keep powerboats off of you- I like the YakAttack Carbon visipole- and recommend it-

[MDFishin]

This is great advice!! I have a new yak and I havent done anything permanent to it yet. I made a simple crate just so I could see what I'll need/want. I would hate to drill some holes in my baby and have them be in the wrong place. But I'm a simplistic person from the getgo anyways.

[MetroMan]

Yep...take a good three or four trips to see what you really like.

...what might be right for you, just might not be right for some...

[Greg SS396]

Good advice ronaultmtd. I have seen a lot of mods on this form that I would like to make but don't want extra holes.

Who makes a good basic Fish Finder?

[ronaultmtd]

Eagle Cuda 350, Hummingbird 150, 170...great little units at reasonable prices and they get the job done-

[RavensDfense]

I just outfitted my yak in July-September. I did not take this advice as much as I should have. For example, I have my trolling rod holders a little too far back.
The one thing I would recommend is that if you plan on fishing for anything large (kiptopeake kows, etc.) where you are may need a leg to get the fish in the boat, leave this area free. Practice out on the water and see what it would look like. I have my FF in a place that will make it a little tough and in hindsight would have placed it 6 inches forward. Just my .02.

[moc]

Also, to see in the flesh how others rigged their kayak, come to the Meet and Greets. This is where you can see alot of rigged yaks in action and ask questions.

[mytmouse]

Good point Ron! When I fished my kayak the first 5 times or so, all I had was 2 rod holders installed. These were Scottys since my yak wasn't an angler edition, but nonetheless it was ready to fish! You will find out what YOU think is necessary. But always use the KISS, in a kayak you don't need to outfit it like a boat! LOL In the end you will find you will use less and less of it anyway! Here is a list of what I have installed on my kayak since I got it:

1) Fishfinder PirahnaMax 160(CHEAP)
2) Scotty rod holder upfront
3) Factory Hatch between my legs(all my tackle goes here safe and sound...)
4) A trolling motor that I can mount or not mount.

Only thing I will add is an anchor trolley. Then I'm done. Always remember to invest in rod and paddle leashes.

[DOGFISH]

I agree with what most of these guys are saying. However, I would buy the best depth finder and paddle that I could afford. The paddle could be an exception if you have a Hobie. I would also get a depth finder combo. If you are going to fish big water, you are going to want a combo unit with GPS, one with a card slot.