DB Kayak Setup

Here's my new kayak setup. The kayak is a Native Ultimate 12 (older model). I bought it used a couple years ago.

Attachment 248419

This is looking from the front with 6 rods in holders for spider rigging.

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Close up of the rod holders

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Here's what I see from the seat, looking down my poles for a bite, fishfinder/GPS for what's under me, where I've been or if moving to saved waypoints.

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Transducer is on a short arm. I've got a magnet to hold in place against the hull when down. The arm is just long enough to see unobstructed under the kayak.

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The fishfinder/GPS is mounted to a plastic ammo box, battery is inside. I have an ice cooler bracket glued to the kayak hull to keep the mount in place. Note the transducer folded up, a single 4 pin connector for the transducer is the only connection needed.

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Battery inside the box.

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Here's the same are in the kayak with the fishfinder/GPS box lifted out of the brackets.

Great looking set up DB. No wonder you're always able to get on them.

Nice set up, did you glue a magnet inside the hull to hold the TD arm in position ?

Nice set up for sure.

Great lookin setup!!!

small hole in kayak with a washer on a bolt. I'll take a pic later.

Bob D,

Yep, puts me on par with the big guys, but able to launch anywhere and very stealthily fish very skinny water. Also ready to spider rig in seconds or remove for casting.

Nice set-up DB, go get them.

Nice setup.... Is that a fish bag on the front and if not , where do you put your fish?

Room for a full size cooler behind the seat.

Nice set up. Thanks for sharing.

That is one really cool setup. Love the ammo box battery holder/DF mount.

Really nice setup DB!

I knew you had to have a great rig for all the fish you catch. :ThumbsUp

This makes me want to add a depth finder to my yak.

flintcreek,

You have know idea how cool it is to mark a stump, then return a year later to within 10 feet and catch a crappie off of it!

I just worry about flipping and possibly ruining my depth finder. With my record for swimming lately it might be a real concern. I have a side imaging unit that I have been wanting to pull off my boat and mount on the kayak. A lot of the areas I have been fishing I have not seen the need for the depth finder...but a lot of those areas are not really fishable right now. I was up at Fall Creek Falls Lake in TN last weekend and if I had been fishing I would have had to have a fish finder to do any good. Have you ever flipped with the depth finder mounted? Just curious.

Only flipped a kayak once, water was 33 degrees and it was winter in Missouri. I've made it a point to stay out of the water since, LOL.

FYI, I put a couple bungee cords over the box and attached it to the cooler mount. It will stay in place even if the kayak flips.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by flintcreek

I just worry about flipping and possibly ruining my depth finder. With my record for swimming lately it might be a real concern. I have a side imaging unit that I have been wanting to pull off my boat and mount on the kayak. A lot of the areas I have been fishing I have not seen the need for the depth finder...but a lot of those areas are not really fishable right now. I was up at Fall Creek Falls Lake in TN last weekend and if I had been fishing I would have had to have a fish finder to do any good. Have you ever flipped with the depth finder mounted? Just curious.

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Most DF are waterproof I think. I would think it would survive a dunking better than I would.

I know they survive pretty good rains...but I wondered about a complete submerging. I have survived a couple of warm weather dunks this year and lived to laugh about it. Big man small kayak did not work good and I was not able to share my big kayak with a nest of red wasps.

How do you paddle it? Or do you have a trolling motor on it?

With the rod holders stowed I can paddle about two and a half to three MPH all day. I can make about four MPH for short distances.

I'm usually moving under a half MPH when spider rigging.

Your yak looks dangerous to the crappies. Very well appointed kayak for sure.

Wow, no wonder you clean up most of the time! Very impressive. Maybe I should re-think my fishing strategy and find a kayak.

DB, your level of ingenuity is apparent. Very nice setup!

Is it difficult to land fish with those long poles? Does clearing snags create a challenge?

RetiredRR,

How are things in Texas? You sure dug up an old post of mine, LOL.

Tellcorick,

I'm probably on par with most of the big boats when it comes to electronics, GPS and rod holders. On the big water I can do "ok", but when you bring that package to the small water areas that the big boats can't access it can be unbelievable. The secret is fishing where the other anglers aren't or can't.

John Doe,

Takes some work but I keep a light drag and seldom lift a fish (unless very small) with the rods. I usually keep line tension on the fish with the rod while stripping line much like a fly rod while working the fish in closer to the kayak until I can net the fish. Snags can be a problem, but usually I work very slow and will see the line begin to angle away from the pole before I hang. Normally I'm not spider rigging where there's brush except stumps.

Looking at your pics and imagining myself in that rig, I just wondered how I would manage to get a twist out at the tip of the rod. I guess one would just have to submerse the reel to reach the tip. I guess experience counts!

There are some great ponds close by my house and that rig would be ideal for a late afternoon after work outing.

John Doe,

I've read where big boat Crappie fishermen will glue their long two and three piece poles together. I keep mine where they can be separated so they'll fit inside my truck and also when I'm paddling to a spot or casting. That also allows me to separate the two halves of the rod to reach the tip when needed.

Was doing some research and found this. I’m in the market for a new kayak and am leaning toward the Native Ultimate 12 FX which is almost identical to this. This is great info and would give me some great ideas on a setup. Thanks for all you do for us Ditch.


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Sweet setup

Very nice.