What are your favorite accessories?

[BillZ]

The wife and I recently got into kayaking and used a Sea Eagle inflatable this past season. I got her a hard plastic sit-on-top for Christmas and decided to get one for myself. My finances are tight these days but I found a used 11" Ocean Kayak Scrambler for a good price. I am going to make due with it for now.

I want to add some fishing accessories but there are so many brands/choices out there, it's hard to figure out what to get. I will be fishing probably less that a dozen times a year, mainly lakes but also occasionally the Potomac and Janes Island.

Starting with a track system seems to be the smart way to go, and I am thinking of getting a Seat with back, paddle holder, a couple pole holders and maybe an anchor. I have no idea which brand to buy or if one will be compatible with another.

What are your favorite accessories? Any info will be helpful.

[Runnin]

Where will you be fishing?

[DanMarino]

Some sort of rod holder is great if you like trolling.
Some sort of measuring ruler is fun to see how big the fish you catch are.
Some sort of lip gripper is nice if the fish you catch have teeth.

Lifejacket and safety whistle are mandatory.

A comfortable seat will help you enjoy the kayaking the most.

[buzz]

Good thinking on the seat, BillZ. Probably the most important aspect of kayak fishing is comfort. If you're not comfortable then what's the point?

Grab a milk crate or something to hold gear... maybe even just a fishing vest. You don't need much to start.
After a few trips out, you'll know what accessories you will want to add and where you will want to put them.

[scorpioreno]

Take a look at this vid this should give you an idea/look at the accessories and how they are mounted. Warning! Turn the volume down

http://youtu.be/_4DfaefGCj0

The music is graphic but all the thing you mentioned in on this yak.

[mweber02]

A milk crate and some PVC can go a long way on a budget.

I would strongly recommend leashing your rods and other gear to avoid any additional expenses. $5 paracord and a few clips do the trick.

Other than that, there are a lot of things you can do DIY and save a lot of money. An anchor trolley for example does not need to cost $30. DIY is under $10. Just take your time, you don't want any more holes than you need in the yak.

[dsiekman]

In terms of priority, a good seat and comfortable pfd are at the top of the list. If you're not comfortable, you won't use it no matter how many other accessories you have.

Rod and paddle leashes next. If you don't plan on trolling, you don't really "need" a fancy rod holder if you go with a milk crate and PVC tube rod holders. Those will get you from the launch to the fish and keep your rods up and out of the way.

Assuming your kayak has a hatch, pick up some pad eyes with stainless hardware and some bungee cords. These will allow you to strap down any number of things.