LIP GRIPPER [R IGG ING] THE CRAZIEST CUT BY STEVE ORR
FOR THE BEST SONAR PERFORMANCE, TAKE A HOLE SAW TO THE BOTTOM OF YOUR KAYAK
THE BENEFITS OF A THROUGH- HULL TRANSDUCER INSTALLATION:
It is low profile and requires no maintenance. Set it and forget it. This transducer is practically flush with the bottom of the ‘yak—it protrudes only five millimeters. Your fishing line, kelp and aquatic weeds have no chance to hang up. You will forget the transducer is there, which is ideal.
You will have instant and accurate water temperature readings. This will allow you to find temperature breaks and concentrate your fishing efforts where they are most productive.
T
his will make a grown man cry. For the ultimate in sonar performance, you need to drill a two-inch hole in the bottom of the kayak. Yes, below the waterline!
If you screw this one up, I hope you are wearing a quality PFD and have a high-ca- pacity bilge pump ready to go. But for me, it’s worth it. There is little more exhilarating than clearly seeing that lone fish arch appear on your so- nar. Drop your lure overboard and watch as it sinks. The arch rises to meet it. In an instant, your rod doubles over, line starts peeling and the sleigh ride begins. I hate to think how many of these opportunities I missed in the past, simply because I was not able to see my target due to sub-par transducer mountings. Many kayak anglers are now sporting so- nar technology that a few years back was
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only available to high-end sport fishers. Yet the ways most kayak anglers install the nec- essary transducer—the puck—compromise sonar performance. In-hull epoxy offers less than spectacular results. Transducer deployment arms that flip over the side are cumbersome. To get the most out of it, the transducer needs direct water contact. I was never satisfied with “acceptable” results from my high-end sonar. True through-hull sonar is the answer. While most kayakers think it’s crazy to drill into the bottom of a perfectly good hull, it is common in the world of powerboats. Ac- cessory through-hull transducers are widely available. They work just as well for kayaks. My intention is not to provide step-by-step in- structions. I do not even mean to recommend that you try this. I only mean to spur on more
editor@kayakanglermag.com THE IMPOSSIBLY SNAG-FREE TOPWATER BY JOSE CHAVEZ
At times floating grass, lily pads and other debris make it impossible to use a standard treble-studded topwater bait without fouling. Overcome this issue by replacing the stock trebles with circle hooks. Just add an extra split ring to align the circle hooks correctly and make the impossible situations possible. You will be able to slide your topwater through snaggy areas that you would never have previously considered and get explosive strikes in the most unexpected places.
24 …KAYAK ANGLER EARLY SUMMER 2012
This modification is not for the faint of heart, second guessers, or those who still use fish finders with a screen resolution that resembles a 1972 game of Atari Pong. This is for the new extreme breed, kayak anglers willing to push the envelope and use sonar as a powerful tool to maximize time and ability.
For those who attempt it, I think you will find the results outstand- ing and you just may be reward- ed with the fish of a lifetime.
progressive thinking in the way that you go about rigging your kayak.
If Steve Orr’s kayak is on the verge of sink- ing, don’t check for a holey hull. He’s got one too many giant seabass wriggling on the deck.
ILLUSTRATION: LORENZO DEL BIANCO
PHOTO: JOSE CHAVEZ
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