Test trip #1

[Dallison]

I went out yesterday to test everything just to make sure I'll have it together when I hit the bay.
Fish finder /depth finder worked like a charm. I have it set up with a wet cell transducer mount...aka chicken liver container glued to the hull..Works awsome. Need a finder mount I know they are a little pricey but I think it will be worth its wait in gold on the water. I had mine on with just velcro. It wasn't going anywhere. (keep in mind) I'm testing on very very super flat water.

Anchor trolly needs improvement, right now I just have 2 carabiners and a rope going from the front to the back...need to spend some more cash and get something better. The 3lb anchor held like a champ. I tested it at the base of a roaring current of a damn. It held but I was bouncing around alot while fishing.

All and all a good day. I learned towing a bait bucket is like towing a cinder block...no fun there. I put it up in my cockpit between my legs and dumped about 1/2 gallon of water in my kayak.... Not to mention towed it around not knowing my frable airator was in there...lucky it still works.

Need a new rod with a shorter handle for my rod holder. Other then that I'm almost good to go. I will post a pic of my friend catching his first fish from a kayak...other then little bait fish.

[Dallison]

The fish of the day

My friend caught maybe a 6lb flathead, it put up a major fight running drag in the current of the damn. I don't know if I would have landed it or not...right now I'm very uncordinated in the kayak.. my kayak is the sit inside. I will get another sit on top to keep at my brothers place on the bay once I get the feel of things....
later

[MDSmith370]

All you need to do is buy a couple of pulleys at Home Depot and add them to your carabiners for your trolley. Also add a few padeyes for guides for the rope. My entire trolley system cost about $20 including rope, carabiners, trolleys, and guides.

[Grilled]

those bait buckets will slow you down quite a bit, especially if the tide is ripping. you might want to consider making a livewell, its well worth it. I've used the bait bucket, then i switched over to a cooler with an airator which worked fine but i got tired of buying airators every season cause they would corrode with the salt. finally, i just bought the hobie livewell which works much better.