Share Your Innovations

[mrJB]

Cheap Tricks (No, not the 70’s rock ’n’ roll band)

I enjoy kayak fishing not only for the thrill of catching fish while seated six inches off the ocean in the middle of nowhere, but also for the many creative ways of outfitting the kayak and creating kayak-related fishing gear. Saving a few bucks doesn’t hurt either. A few that work for me:




PlugCvr.jpg>>
1 - Fishfinder (Eagle) plug protection: A 3/8” screw protector cover, available in the parts bins at Home Depot or Lowe’s, for around $.50. For use on those days when you don’t attach your fishfinder or if you store your yak outside.



ReelCvr.jpg>>
2 - Reel Covers: Rather than pay eight bucks and up for a reel cover, which I’ll probably lose anyway, I make my own for about $1.25 from one of those soda/beer can neoprene insulators, and a piece of Velcro strap. Can coolers about $1 at Walmart and a pack of the Velcro straps for a few bucks from Walmart, Home Depot, etc. These insulated can “koozies” seem to fit calcuttas, lunas, and small avets pretty well and can help eliminate a lot of future “boat rash” on the reel.



3 - Sacrificial Wear Strips: Several layers of duct tape strips on the keel of your yak, and some transparent packing tape strips on the critical areas of that nice gold baitcaster you just got. They’ll need to be replaced every few trips.



ScotchGuard.jpg>>
4 - Rod Cork Grip Protection: I spray the cork grips on my inshore rods with Scotchguard, the type for outdoor goods like tents and such. Helps make the grips easier to clean and prevents blood and grime from getting ground into the cork. Will take overnight to dry but doesn’t seem to discolor the cork.


>PaddleLeash.jpg>
5 - Paddle Leash: Can’t seem to figure out why someone would spend big bucks on some super light, high-end paddle, just to save a few ounces of weight, and then tether it to the yak with a 10 ounce wet leash. I make mine from some thin poly rope – weighs next to nothing and doesn’t stay wet.

[dgax65]

Jim Day takes the tittle as KING OF ALL KAYAK MODIFICATION.

He should have his own shown on TLC or the Discovery Channel - American Kayak. He could be the Paul Sr., Paul Jr. and Vinnie all wrapped into one.

Nice work.

[Iceman]

12 volt portable fits in the sail mount with a RAM wedge mount. 5 amp 12 volt has about 20 hours run time between charging. extra transducer cable coiled inside case as well as an in line fuse. transducer arm is starboard.

[erinoo]

Interesting...Andy, with the transducer directly in the water are you getting that much better of a signal vs through the haul...??? en

[GregAndrew]

Here is the one that I like the most from my short time as a kayak fiddler, or is it fidgiter? I wanted to use my rear scuppers for intake and exhaust for my bait tank. This is just a focus on the exhaust which is also used to control the water level (infinitely adjustable) and empty the tank. I took an ordinary PVC compression fitting for 1/2 inch pipe. Here is one cut in half (normally has a fitting on both ends.

And here it is unscrewed.

Here it is modified and attached to the bottom of the tank (originally the connected end looked just like the bottom in the photo.

The modification was to cut one of the screw on ends in two (careful to leave threads on both end), which made a nut for the bottom of the tank and kept the cap for the seal inside. Here is approximately where I made the cut.

I then screwed the smaller "nut" piece down the threads just far enough to allow the cap to still function when attached. I cut a 1 3/8 inch hole in the bottom of my tank where it would have access to a scupper with the tank installed. The 1 3/8 hole was tight enough that I needed to screw the fitting into the tank, but I also gooped the nut. Now all I had to do was add a piece of PVC pipe through the cap and fitting and tighten the cap. Here it is from the inside in the up/full position.

And here it is in the down/low position.

I ended up cutting the compression fitting in two, to use the other end on my next tank, so here it is now.

A couple of use things I have noticed are that I need to leave the cap fairly loose to allow easy water level adjustment, or tighten it to transport my bait. And simply unscrewing the cap and removing the pipe quickly drains the tank. Also, rubbing the PVC pipe with candle wax helps out.

[HobieScot]

Originally Posted by mrJB

Cheap Tricks (No, not the 70’s rock ’n’ roll band)

I enjoy kayak fishing not only for the thrill of catching fish while seated six inches off the ocean in the middle of nowhere, but also for the many creative ways of outfitting the kayak and creating kayak-related fishing gear. Saving a few bucks doesn’t hurt either. A few that work for me:




Attachment 1699>>
1 - Fishfinder (Eagle) plug protection: A 3/8” screw protector cover, available in the parts bins at Home Depot or Lowe’s, for around $.50. For use on those days when you don’t attach your fishfinder or if you store your yak outside.



Attachment 1700>>
2 - Reel Covers: Rather than pay eight bucks and up for a reel cover, which I’ll probably lose anyway, I make my own for about $1.25 from one of those soda/beer can neoprene insulators, and a piece of Velcro strap. Can coolers about $1 at Walmart and a pack of the Velcro straps for a few bucks from Walmart, Home Depot, etc. These insulated can “koozies” seem to fit calcuttas, lunas, and small avets pretty well and can help eliminate a lot of future “boat rash” on the reel.



3 - Sacrificial Wear Strips: Several layers of duct tape strips on the keel of your yak, and some transparent packing tape strips on the critical areas of that nice gold baitcaster you just got. They’ll need to be replaced every few trips.



Attachment 1701>>
4 - Rod Cork Grip Protection: I spray the cork grips on my inshore rods with Scotchguard, the type for outdoor goods like tents and such. Helps make the grips easier to clean and prevents blood and grime from getting ground into the cork. Will take overnight to dry but doesn’t seem to discolor the cork.


>Attachment 1702>
5 - Paddle Leash: Can’t seem to figure out why someone would spend big bucks on some super light, high-end paddle, just to save a few ounces of weight, and then tether it to the yak with a 10 ounce wet leash. I make mine from some thin poly rope – weighs next to nothing and doesn’t stay wet.

I know the original post is an oldie but a goodie but here is my take on how to save the cork on our rods. I picked up some electrical shrink tape and slid it over the cork then used a heat gun to shrink it into place. Now it has a water proof cover and nice grip to it. I've been doing this for years.

My second tool I use as a de hooker for shark or other fish you don't want to mess with trying to remove the hook from. It's basically an adjustable painters pole with an eyelet screwed and gorilla glued into the end then bent into the shape I wanted. It adjusts out to 4 feet if needed. It's basically a cheap knock off of a commercial one. But I wanted it to be adjustable so I can use it on the different types of boats I fish on. It works pretty well and keeps you from having to cut the leader and leave the hook in the Shark when you release it. Just hook the line and slide down to the bend in the hook and give a couple of hard sharp downward strokes and the hook usually pop out without much fuss!
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