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View Full Version : New Yak fisher, ideas on boat goodies


bushlover
04-19-2020, 11:24 AM
Hi guys/gals.
Just picked up a Pescador Pilot and chomping at the bit to get it on the water for some fishing. Have never used a kayak for fishing before so looking for ideas and experiences of what to mount/put in/carry on it. At this point I am looking at a Garmin Striker Plus 5CV for as a fish finder. Anyone have experience with this model? Thanks in advance for the input

58thecat
04-19-2020, 11:30 AM
pm RavYak...this is the go to fella on this forum regarding kayak fishing.

Good luck!

SNAPFisher
04-19-2020, 11:51 AM
pm RavYak...this is the go to fella on this forum regarding kayak fishing.

Good luck!

Not right now you can't. He is suspended.

I'll hold off on the comment I would really like to add. Ah, spring. Sure is nice out there today! Looks to be a wonderful week of weather. Get out and enjoy.

StringTheory
04-20-2020, 06:30 AM
Hey fellow Pilot owner.

I've had my Pescador Pilot for 3 years now, its been a great boat. I'm chompin at the bit as well but you guys will get open water before see it in Edmonton.

Before getting too crazy with the accessories make sure you take it out and get used to the stability. They are really stable boats but I once forgot I was sitting on a kayak and reached way over the side only to end up taking a swim.

The Garmin striker model is a really popular option. I have a Helix 5 but have nothing but good things to say about Garmin.

Hope to see ya out there!

jpohlic
04-20-2020, 06:47 AM
I have the striker 5 on my kayak and I also have the ice fishing transducer for hard water season. Nothing bad to say about it so far. My only tip is make sure it's on an adjustable mounting rail so you can easily reach it.

58thecat
04-20-2020, 08:10 AM
Not right now you can't. He is suspended.

I'll hold off on the comment I would really like to add. Ah, spring. Sure is nice out there today! Looks to be a wonderful week of weather. Get out and enjoy.

Hmmm didn't know that....oh well....OP hit the search engine....topic was discussed....a good read.

SamSteele
04-20-2020, 08:50 AM
I've been watching quite a few of the Los Buzos Panama fishing vids, as well as Robert Field on Youtube. All those guys use Railblaza mounts and accessories for their kayaks. Railblaza is also now the track mounted option for all Brunswick Marine products as well (Princecraft, Lund, Crestliner, Lowe, etc).

May want to check out their line up of stuff to mount equipment.

SS

StringTheory
04-20-2020, 10:36 AM
Railblaza does look like quality gear but its tough to find in Canada. I've seen a couple items on the bass pro website and 2 or 3 in the store at Rocky View. SamSteele, do you know if there is someone local who carries it?

A couple companies locally carry YakAttack, Scotty and Ram Mounts, all of which I've been using for various stuff.

https://www.stringtheoryangling.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/GPTempDownload-1024x768.jpg

aulrich
04-20-2020, 01:48 PM
To a large extent, you are best off doing some fishing before committing to too many add-ons or at least before drilling holes. Layout tends to be personal yes you will want a finder, where you place it is mostly up to you.

What do you expect to fish for and how.

SNAPFisher
04-20-2020, 07:09 PM
Railblaza does look like quality gear but its tough to find in Canada. I've seen a couple items on the bass pro website and 2 or 3 in the store at Rocky View. SamSteele, do you know if there is someone local who carries it?

A couple companies locally carry YakAttack, Scotty and Ram Mounts, all of which I've been using for various stuff.

https://www.stringtheoryangling.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/GPTempDownload-1024x768.jpg

That is a sweet kayak...not that I'm knowledgeable about them. If you don't mind, how much did the Pescador Pilot 12.0 run you?
Is there anything that comes to mind if you could do it over, would you still go with that kayak?

I'm interested in getting one for some river fishing. No crazy stuff. Just getting to some fishing spots that you really cannot hike to.

thumper
04-21-2020, 01:10 AM
Sonars/fishfinders have been well covered by others. I still haven't found one that's really well designed for kayaks - low power consumption so I don't need a big, heavy battery, extra big 'cone' coverage for fishing shallow water, (I'm never fishing more than 30 FOW (Feet of water) - usually much less than 20'), and simple, basic function controls. My only suggestion is to consider any kayak that has a spot designed for a permanent transducer attachment. Mounting and removing a transducer every time you go out is a pain, and keeping a mount that's over the side of your yak, clear of weeds & debris is another pain. Managing all the wires involved is also ... a pain. On my Hobie kayak, there's a recessed area under the hull specifically for a Lowrance transducer mount, and all wiring (transducer & power) is through the hull - out of the way. The transducer is well protected - even when dragging the 'yak around on the ground. I'm not sure about your new yak - but if you can find a way to permanently mount your transducer - go for it!

Here's a couple of other 'goodies' I've found very useful:

- stick a few of those coin-sized 'earth' magnets within easy reach of the cockpit. They're very handy for putting down your pliers, lures whatever - where you can easily see, and retrieve them. You can buy them with 2-way tape already on them. They might fall off after a couple of years - but they're cheap (Amazon). No need to drill holes in your brand new 'yak! - always a traumatic experience !

- where you mount your rod holders is more critical than in a conventional boat. They have to be out of the way of paddling, and consider where you plan on temporarily resting your paddle to free your hands, while you cast or fight your fish.

- almost all rod holders are designed for boats - where you reach 'down' from directly above and lift the rod out of the holder. In a kayak, you're reaching out and 'across' to retrieve that rod. Often, that means that you're fighting to get the rod out of the holder. I use 'Stealth' rod holders where I can grab the rod from any direction, they work very well trolling with my fly-rods, but you may find other brands that work better for you. Just remember the direction you'll be retrieving your rod from.

- rod holder extensions are good for getting your rod holder higher up, and out of the way - especially if you're using a pedal powered kayak where your knees/legs are are always chugging away.

- use a long-handled net, and find a good place to quickly, and securely stow it on your 'yak. After losing a nice net overboard, I've mounted a hook on the bow that I can hook my net on so that it's instantly reachable, yet secure and not likely to get tangled in anything. Most 'man overboards' in 'yaks come from guys leaning over the side of their yak, concentrating on landing or unhooking a fish, and then getting hit with unexpected waves. With a long handled net, you can just scoop up the fish without over-extending, keep your centre-of-gravity in the middle of the 'yak, and deal with it quickly - in your lap. Then use the net to release the fish over the side. Get a rubber mesh net to save yourself some grief and to reduce fish handling time.

- last suggestion: when asking for help/suggestions on this forum, it's good etiquette to respond to people who take the time and effort to reply to your post. You'll find that fishing kayakers are happy to share their experiences, and are encouraged when their contributions are received and appreciated :)

- I've been fishing 20+ years in Hobie kayaks, these little things have helped me.

StringTheory
04-21-2020, 06:47 AM
That is a sweet kayak...not that I'm knowledgeable about them. If you don't mind, how much did the Pescador Pilot 12.0 run you?
Is there anything that comes to mind if you could do it over, would you still go with that kayak?

I'm interested in getting one for some river fishing. No crazy stuff. Just getting to some fishing spots that you really cannot hike to.

Entry level pedal kayaks start around $2k. I've seen my particular model on sale last year for around $1900, but that was likely a one time thing, especially this year.

I've had this kayak for three years and its been a great boat. Its taken a serious beating, and I use it almost every weekend in the summer. And unlike an actual boat I've put hardly any maintenance into it.

The only negatives I can say about it are that its kind of slow for a pedal drive (still faster than paddle sit on top kayaks) and to raise the drive it you have to align the prop vertically to swing it up a narrow channel up the middle. To this day it still takes me 2-3 tries to get it right.

This season I'm planning on upgrading to something bigger and faster to take on bigger lakes and do more overnight trips. Covid is throwing a bit of a wrench in that plan though, the factory has been closed for a while and are not shipping.

I'm not sure what the best kayak would be for moving water. I've taken this one down the NSR but its not easy to go up river with. The picture was taken where the red deer turns into Glennifer lake at the end of June. Even that bit of current really slowed me down. A paddle kayak would be better suited to a river for its shallow draft. I have an Old town next I use to explore rivers and that seems to move better in the current than the Pilot does.

I'll do more comparing of the two this spring in the NSR, just to see what would really be better in flowing water for fishing. Hopefully a blog post on it coming soon!

StringTheory
04-21-2020, 06:56 AM
- use a long-handled net, and find a good place to quickly, and securely stow it on your 'yak. After losing a nice net overboard, I've mounted a hook on the bow that I can hook my net on so that it's instantly reachable, yet secure and not likely to get tangled in anything. Most 'man overboards' in 'yaks come from guys leaning over the side of their yak, concentrating on landing or unhooking a fish, and then getting hit with unexpected waves. With a long handled net, you can just scoop up the fish without over-extending, keep your centre-of-gravity in the middle of the 'yak, and deal with it quickly - in your lap. Then use the net to release the fish over the side. Get a rubber mesh net to save yourself some grief and to reduce fish handling time.


Great advice Thumper! I echo the long handled net tip. I've lost many fish boatside before I finally got a net. I'm not sure what I was thinking when I figured I could land every fish by hand in a kayak lol.

SNAPFisher
04-21-2020, 07:36 AM
Entry level pedal kayaks start around $2k. I've seen my particular model on sale last year for around $1900, but that was likely a one time thing, especially this year.

I've had this kayak for three years and its been a great boat. Its taken a serious beating, and I use it almost every weekend in the summer. And unlike an actual boat I've put hardly any maintenance into it.

The only negatives I can say about it are that its kind of slow for a pedal drive (still faster than paddle sit on top kayaks) and to raise the drive it you have to align the prop vertically to swing it up a narrow channel up the middle. To this day it still takes me 2-3 tries to get it right.

This season I'm planning on upgrading to something bigger and faster to take on bigger lakes and do more overnight trips. Covid is throwing a bit of a wrench in that plan though, the factory has been closed for a while and are not shipping.

I'm not sure what the best kayak would be for moving water. I've taken this one down the NSR but its not easy to go up river with. The picture was taken where the red deer turns into Glennifer lake at the end of June. Even that bit of current really slowed me down. A paddle kayak would be better suited to a river for its shallow draft. I have an Old town next I use to explore rivers and that seems to move better in the current than the Pilot does.

I'll do more comparing of the two this spring in the NSR, just to see what would really be better in flowing water for fishing. Hopefully a blog post on it coming soon!

That is great into, thanks! I know less about pedal kayaks so what you are saying makes sense. I'll focus my looking at paddle kayaks.

SamSteele
04-21-2020, 08:48 AM
Railblaza does look like quality gear but its tough to find in Canada. I've seen a couple items on the bass pro website and 2 or 3 in the store at Rocky View. SamSteele, do you know if there is someone local who carries it?

A couple companies locally carry YakAttack, Scotty and Ram Mounts, all of which I've been using for various stuff.

https://www.stringtheoryangling.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/GPTempDownload-1024x768.jpg


Barry Jay’s stocks some locally in Edmonton.

bushlover
04-21-2020, 09:44 PM
thanks for all the info guys, greatly appreciate the time and effort. I will be starting off lake/pond fishing for the first bit to get used to the balance. The Pilot has a recess under the bow area to mount a transducer fortunately so this should keep one arm out of the main cockpit area. Is there any advantage to plugging up the scupper holes in the cockpit area?
One thing I have read (internet can be informative but also misleading) about the Garmin Striker line is that they can be a little finicky in shallow water, any feedback on that?

mlee
04-22-2020, 03:40 PM
I have no info on kayak fishing but I down a striker 4 and 5. Yes they are sketchy at about 3 feet and shallower....in 4 feet it seems fine even the down imaging and flasher mode but 3 feet or less it's just lines on the screen and beeps and flashes. That said I've never played around with the 5 in shallow water to see if I can get it better. Other then that....I love my strikers.....I have the portable kit for my 5 and have fished Lakers in 100+ft to perch pike and walleye in 5-6 feet and it's deadly.