This is my new yak (I’ll be sharing with my son). I wanted to increase rod storage so I built this rack out of PVC. I have not glued anything together yet so I am not bound with this design. Before I do so, any input, words of wisdom or insight from you experts. I have not even had the chance to fish out of it yet, just tested it in a local lake. Also, what is the preferred method for attaching things like eye straps when you cannot get inside the hull area? Rivets or screws?
Looks good to me! Make sure you have a way to either anchor or use a stakeout pole. An anchor trolley is very helpful. Use rivets…easy as pie.
If you’re lucky enough to be fishing, you’re lucky enough.
It looks good Doug. A couple words of caution:
Sit in the seat and be sure the rods aren’t going to hit you in the back.
Be sure that you can get them out of the T’s.
round any sharp corners on the T’s or they’ll eat your knuckles and the rod grips.
Fish it a couple of times before you add anything.
Take pics with it covered in mud and fish slime.
Take pics with your cool new T shirt 
Who’s Ready for a Sleigh Ride? www.KayakFishSC.com
Thanks guys, I appreciate the input. An anchor trolley is next and I will definitely give it a test run in a lake not far from my house. Can’t wait to get out and try my hand at catching something from it. I am saving my Cool T-shirt for good wear…Ha Ha.
It looks good, but you have created an obstacle to get to the rear storage. I keep a lot of stuff in the back of my kayak and that set up would not work for me. Have you thought about just adding some rod holders to the back of a milk crate, this can add four rod/net holders while still leaving the main rear storage open. Also, rivets are best.
See, THAT is why I ask the experts. Like I said earlier, I have not field tested it so have no idea as to how it would work out. Sometimes I have too much time on my hands and am prone to piddling around in the garage. If I lived closer to the water, I would probably fish more but since I don’t, I think up things to do around here. I’ll try it out and see how it does.
I agree with the last post. I fish a native ultimate but also have a caster 12.5 just like yours(same color and all). The rear storage is really all the storage you have and it looks like you have blocked all access to it. I love the addition of the extra rod holders but I think your going to give up convenience. I simply added pvc rod holders to the back of my milk crate so that I have extra rods but they are out of the way of my storage area. I would never let a boat soak while the rod sat in my pvc holder. One good hit and that sucker is gone for sure. It works for me though because I rarely fish more than two rods at one time. The first time you have a redfish hit and have three or four rods in the water and they all get tangled up you probably won’t either. It took me the better part of an hour trying to get them all separated once and I said no more.
less is more and 2 rods max… it took me a while to learn this.
Yeah, sometimes I have too much time on my hands. Having some pvc fittings siting around probably didn’t help either.
I know some guys that use 3 rods, but they’re mainly throwing arties and they can try 3 different baits easily without re-rigging. I use live bait and arties and I carry two rods. For me, two rods is frequently one too many. TooBusy is right: fish it a few times before you do anything else and you will be much clearer on how you want it set up for your style of fishing.
If you’re lucky enough to be fishing, you’re lucky enough.
quote:
Originally posted by cutmulletless is more and 2 rods max…
</font id=“quote”></blockquote id=“quote”>You’ve obviously never fished with Lost@Sea.
I’ve got a bunch of rods and reels and I’m not too fond of rerigging to change tactics… just a personal preference. I typically carry 4 rods on a fun day and 8 during a tournament.
I use the 3 rod prospecting method on a fun day. It gets exciting dealing with a double or triple hook up in a yakcasual fishing setup
Carolina rig
popping cork
topwater
jig head or trigger hookTournament setup
1 popping cork
3 topwater
2 soft plastics on jig head or trigger hook
2 hard baitsWho’s Ready for a Sleigh Ride? www.KayakFishSC.com
Seriously tho… That’s good advice from cutmullet. You can do everything you need to with 2 rods. A Carolina rig OR a jig head for working the bottom and a popping cork to drift along.
Who’s Ready for a Sleigh Ride? www.KayakFishSC.com
survey says “XXXXXXXXXXX”
4 rods minimum!!! seriously.
I find the nine i carry(3 triple rod holders on the sides and back of a milk crate) in the winter time are extremely helpful too. it takes way too long to tie on a differnet lure when there are 200 fish in front of you that are being picky.
also, i know you already have it. it was the first thing i bought too. but the rod holder between the feet is useless to me(that just doesnt sound right). I have yet to use mine and probably never will.(that sounds even worse)
add some slip grip to the top sides of the yak(beside your hips). you’ll find it very useful when you start standing in the yak.
i really like your design. you should test it. i would probably go six rods if you can with that design. maybe even angle the rods behind your back out, so its easier to get to your stuff in the back.
the other thing i learned was nice is cut notches in the rod holders so the rods dont flop around. it really stinks when you’re creeping up on fish and the rods you’re not using wont sit still
did i just write a book or what?
14’McKee 75Merc 2stroke
Thanks for the input, I hope to be able to do a field test on it in the next week or so. After that, I am sure I will decide to either go to holders on a crate or make some design changes. I like the idea of notches.
