Tag Archives: Kayak Fishing

Kayak Fishing Anchor Trolley

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If you have ever taken your fishing kayak out on a windy day, you know that you need an anchor trolley, especially on a sit in fishing kayak.  This is a cheap modification that will allow you to place your boat wherever you want to, regardless of wind or current.  I apologize I can’t provide a step by step with pictures this time around, but future kayaks and posts will have step by steps in it!

First up, the parts list.  You want to make sure you get the rubber washers for sure.  These keep water out of the boat, and you are drilling holes that could be below the water line.

– 2 Stainless Steel Pulleys or Blocks (Home Depot)

– 2 feet of bungee (sacrificed from the kayak)

– 22 feet of nylon anchor rope

– 2 plastic eyelets or pvc brackets

– 4 stainless steel bolts, washers, and nuts

– 8 rubber washers

– 1 stainless steel caribeaner

First, put the eyelets or pvc brakets onto the kayak where you want them mounted.  Mark the holes with a sharpie, and double check to make sure it is where you want it.  Once you have gotten it dialed in, drill the holes.  Use a bit the same size as the bolt, so you have to force it into the hole.  This helps it seal.

Now, mount the eyelets or pvc brackets to the kayak, using the nuts and bolts.  Put the bolts into the holes in the eyelet.  After this, put a metal washer on, and then a rubber washer.  The rubber washer should be against the kayak, with the metal washer against the eyelet.  Once you have this complete, put the bolts through the holes in the kayak.  Reach in, and put another rubber washer, metal washer, and then the nut.  Tighten it down.  Repeat this for the other end of the kayak.

Now, take the bungee, and cut it in half.  Tie one end to each eyelet, making sure to adjust tension on the bungee while you are tightening it down.  This will help it keep from coming undone.  You should now have 2 pieces of bungee dangling from the side of your kayak, secured to the eyelets.

Now take your stainless steel blocks, or pulleys, and tie another tight knot, securing the bungee to the block.  Make sure to adjust tension as you are tightening, you don’t want this to come loose.  It should start looking like an anchor trolley by now.  Grab your anchor rope, and loop it through both blocks, forming a complete circle with it.

Once you have the anchor rope threaded through the blocks, grab your caribeaner.  Now, all I can recommend is learning how to tie a real knot.  Make sure your caribeaner is attached to both ends of the anchor rope, so you should have a complete circle now, with the caribeaner being between the pulleys.

Go and find a decent anchor, some more anchor rope, a float, and another caribeaner.  Make sure when you attached the actual anchor caribeaner, that you can release it quickly.  Put the float on the end of the anchor rope, so that if you have to release it, you can find it later.  Fish will get tangled up in it if you stay anchored while fighting a fish.

You can also use a stakeout pole through the caribeaner while you are beached to secure the boat in place, and keep the wind from taking it away from you.  So there you have it.  Like I said, future tutorials will be more indepth.  This is just to get you started.

Until next time, I hope you learned something from how to rig an anchor trolley on a sit in fishing kayak, provided by Kayak Fishing Edge

Sit In Kayak Fishing Modifications

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In this post, I am going to teach you all the different ways that you can rig your sit inside fishing kayak to make it more comfortable, and functional for you!  I have stated many times that you don’t have to spend $1000-$1500 to get out on the water and catch more fish.

The first thing you can do, is cut a couple of holes in it.  These will allow you to access to storage in front of the hatch, and behind the seat.  If you don’t do this, you won’t have the necessary storage space to take needed safety gear, fishing equipment, and food with you.  This is easily done with a hacksaw, and something like some “trim” to go around the edges to make them smooth again.

The next thing to turn it into a fishing kayak, is add some rod holders.  You can get some flush mount angled ones at walmart for $7 a piece.   Put 2 of these in behind your seat, and you will have good trolling rod positions.  These are also a must have, you can’t store rods between your legs in the hatch.  It is very uncomfortable.

Another necessity for rigging and modifying a sit in fishing kayak is an anchor trolley.  There is a very detailed post on how to install an anchor trolley on your sit in fishing kayak on this site.  These are needed to keep your boat in position while you are in current or the wind.  These 2 things will irritate you while you are trying to work a bait slow.

The last thing that I would say is an absolute must have for your sit in fishing kayak is a rudder.  These cheaper kayaks are usually shorter in length.  This means that you can’t use a powerful deep paddle stroke to get the kayak in a forward motion.  The back end of the boat will wiggle back and forth, and you will spend more time making correcting strokes, than forward momentum strokes.  The rudder keeps this from happening, allowing you to put more power into going forward.  You can get up to a nice clip in a small kayak using a rudder.

Stay tuned, as we will teach you sit in kayak fishing modifications that will improve the fishability of your kayak.  They aren’t necessary, but I recommend them!  Until next time, from yours truly at Kayak Fishing Edge

Pelican Potomac 110ES Kayak Fishing

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In this article I am going to review the Pelican Potomac Kayak.  There are many of you looking for a cheaper kayak to get out on the water.  I am with you.  I don’t want to spend $1200 on something I am going to cut up, modify, then sell later.  Start with a $200 kayak, and modify it to your needs.  That’s for another post however.  To the review.

When I first saw this kayak at Dicks, I knew that I had to have it.  I asked them to bring it down, and checked out the price.  A whopping $199.99!  Woah.  I also had a 20% discount coming from spending so much money here, so I walked out the door with kayak and paddle in hand, for $224.17.

On the first test out, I was pretty uncomfortable.  The hard plastic seat, and rough plastic edges made for a very uncomfortable ride the first 2 hours.  I will show you how to fix this in another post though, for cheap.  The back rest is comfortable, and didn’t need too much adjusting.  The pedals are also in a comfortable position.  So for comfort, I give this thing a 5 out of the box.

On the ride, paddling was a workout.  You are required to use a light touch with your paddle on this kayak.  If you don’t, you will spend most of your time making correcting strokes.  This is expected from a 10′ kayak though.  If you want straight tracking, stay tuned, we will be installing a rudder in this kayak.  As long as you stick with a light touch, you can get going at a decent clip.  Not bad for a 10′ recreational kayak.

The storage is non existant on this kayak.  It came with a bungee on front of the kayak that will allow your paddle to fall in the water if given the chance.  It also has a storage bin on the back of the boat, with some bungees to hold it on.  This is not waterproof, and the hatch is barely secured.  I would not recommend using it.  You are also unable to get in behind the seat to store things.  Getting into the front of the boat was a task, having to clim halfway in.  Don’t worry though, we will fix all of these things for cheap!

The potential of this fishing kayak is amazing.  I have so many plans for it in mind.  All in all, this is an exellent kayak fishing platform.  With a few cheap modifications, you can make this thing as comfortable, stable, and functional as the $1000 kayaks you drool over all the time!  How about making their owners drool over your $200 kayak?  I’ll teach you how!

As stated, the Pelican Potomac 110es is an exellent kayak, with amazing potential!