how easy do you guys get to the back?

[Pat Smith]

Most of the storage in our SOT yaks are in the rear area. I see lots of people with complicated rigging back there.. rod holders, live wells, coolers, etc.

My question is how are all of you getting to it back there when 3 miles out in the bay? I want to put some rod holders back there so I can easily swap out rods.. you know have two rods for plastics and two for jig heads and paddle tails, maybe different colors. I just think that if I put a couple rod holders back there I would never be able to get to them. I suppose if I get good at sitting side saddle I could do it, but that always scares me a bit.

And the coolers? if I put some ice and bottled water back there how on earth would I get to it until I landed 6 hours later? I cannot imagine myself wrestling with a cooler lid while sitting side saddle while 3 miles in the bay.

Any techniques anyone can offer me? My yak is VERY stable (Old Town Predator MX Minn Kota) but it still seems dicy.. maybe I am just being a chicken?

[Huntrava]

It takes a certain degree of dexterity, and there's a good chance you'll go overboard at some point. In fact, you should assume you'll turtle your yak, and let that assumption be your guide.

In my opinion organization is the most critical component of your storage space. The less time you'll have to spend rummaging around on the rear deck, the better. Most of the time I can glance and grab whatever I need (anchor, filet glove, etc.) in just a moment simply because everything is meticulously planned and I know exactly where it is. There's a second key component...when you inevitably go for a swim, an organized deck (with lids, leashes, tie downs) will lose fewer items and be easier to flip over.

This is from experience...five years ago I fished from a SINK with my tackle balanced on the front of the kayak. Sunglasses and handlebar mustache added for sweet, sweet effect.

[suicyderider]

Don't go alone, if you need in the cooler pull up next to your buddy and have him reach in the back if you are worried about having to turn around that far out im sure if you have someone with you it would be their pleasure to make sure you are safe. as far as rod holders I can reach back like im scratchin my shoulder 9/10 times and get a rod it all depends on your setup

Most of the storage in our SOT yaks are in the rear area. I see lots of people with complicated rigging back there.. rod holders, live wells, coolers, etc.

My question is how are all of you getting to it back there when 3 miles out in the bay? I want to put some rod holders back there so I can easily swap out rods.. you know have two rods for plastics and two for jig heads and paddle tails, maybe different colors. I just think that if I put a couple rod holders back there I would never be able to get to them. I suppose if I get good at sitting side saddle I could do it, but that always scares me a bit.

And the coolers? if I put some ice and bottled water back there how on earth would I get to it until I landed 6 hours later? I cannot imagine myself wrestling with a cooler lid while sitting side saddle while 3 miles in the bay.

Any techniques anyone can offer me? My yak is VERY stable (Old Town Predator MX Minn Kota) but it still seems dicy.. maybe I am just being a chicken?

[EMSer]

I would practice is shallow water without a lot of gear to loose on board. Once you get comfortable in 3' of water, the actions will be the same as 3 miles out. Organization is the key. Know where everything is. Grab it and get back to fishing

[JohnE]

I fish far from shore alone in very sketchy areas often. I keep 2 or 3 rods and usually a net right behind my seat and have no trouble grabbing them, despite having one reconstructed shoulder and a torn rotator cuff in the other. I sometimes carry a cooler behind my seat, but I got an icemule that sits on my front hatch these days. Most of my tackle goes in my large center hatch between my legs or in side pockets. When I paddled, I usually kept a tackle bag between my legs.

As others have said, practice reaching behind you or sit side saddle. Try to keep your head facing forward as much as possible when grabbing stuff. Turning your head really can screw up your balance and you're more likely to turtle. When I do carry stuff behind me, I keep my head facing forward and feel for stuff to find it. The times I have turtled, looking behind me for one reason or another was a major contributing factor.

--I'm sure you know this, but Practice self rescue, do it often and know how to do it fast...the last place you want to discover that you have trouble performing self rescue is when you are several miles out with nobody around to help. I have turtled before in sub 50 degree water far from shore all alone. It was difficult after being submerged in icy water and trying to collect my yard saled gear, even though I know how to do it quickly. Always carry a radio and keep it tethered to your pfd. If you are unsure of your abilities, find some folks to go out with. No fish is worth your life.

[Pat Smith]

Everything you guys describe is basically what I am doing, I just wanted to know if there was a secret or not. I am practicing side saddle and when the water is warm I practice water re-entry I still suck at it, but am comfortable in the water and have a great life vest. When it is cold I stay within a couple hundred feet of the shore, it limits my fishing opportunities but I want "a brisk swim to shore" to be an option.

As I start to setup my new kayak I am trying to do it with the idea of what I can and cannot do on the water. I have stopped taking a cooler, why bring it if I cannot get to it. I never used much of a variety of lures, just two plano boxes and a couple bags of soft plastics (looking at you Paddle Tail). I travel fairly light as far as "crap" goes. My new yak does not have as many flush mount rod holders as my old one so I am adding them. I am adding a milk crate as a means to hold a couple more rod holders, I probably wont actually put anything in it.

I will look into that front hatch ice cooler, it would be wonderful to have cold water to drink.

Thanks for the advise guys. It is nice to know that when I am flopping around with one arm behind me like an epileptic walrus with an itchy back on PCP I am at least doing what everyone else is ( minus the walrus reference of course).

[Yak Fish]

If someone is going to fall off...reaching backwards is generally how it happens :-)
I try to keep things like pliers or a measuring device at easy grasp that I can reach by feel when a fish is in my lap.
If you swing your legs over the kayak and sit side saddle, you can easily reach things without much worry of flipping yourself.

[J.A. Veil]

The alternative to reaching behind you for all or most of your gear is to put very little gear in the rear. I do not use a milk crate or rear storage box. I carry one or two waterproof tackle trays that can fit under the seat on my Slayer Propel 10. On my Manta Ray 11, I place one tray immediately behind my seat. I have never run out of tackle on a trip.

Both kayaks have four Scotty rod holders that allow me to keep rods inline with the hull when traveling. They quickly pivot out to the sides when I am ready to troll. The rear ones are very near the seat such that I don't need to turn around to grab the rod, even when a fish is on.

I rarely keep fish and am content to drink water at ambient temperature. Therefore, a cooler is not necessary for me.

There are many tackle storage strategies - I prefer to keep mine as simple as possible for a variety of reasons. If you do place large amounts of gear behind you, be careful whenever you reach back to grab something.

[lovett88]

Usually if I am placing stuff in my rear tank well it will just be my milk crate. As with each new year kayak fishing I find myself taking less and less gear. Depending on your height switching out rids from a vertical rod holder behind the seat can be a pain to do. Ive at one time carried 5 rods and now try to stick to under 3. I will keep 2 in the trolling rod holders and 1 to switch out from time to time. Coolers are a personal preference. I have to agree on placing it in the back and have a buddy aid in getting stuff out. If solo with a cooler I have a small cooler bag I will keep forward of my footwell. Sitting side saddle is the best way to reach gear in the crate. I always try to keep in mind of where the head goes the body fallows, so I tend to try and keep my head straight down the center of the boat. Less is more in the world of kayak fishing.

Sent from my LGLS990 using Tapatalk

[sb220]

Re-entry is one thing....Trying to flip a turtled kayak while you have no foothold is something else.

The one time it happened to me a guy in a bassboat helped me out, but alone it would've been tough. I think the trick is getting your chest up on top of the hull and grabbing the opposite handle (good time to install side handles if ya don't have any) and then trying to roll it