Help me rig my new outback

the outback in itself looks pretty nice but I have some ideas on how to accessorize it. I would appreciate yalls input on a better way to do things or offer suggestions for things I missed. So let's begin

1) an anchor system seems critical. Is the yak attack lever lock trolley as good as it seems? Also has anybody tried the DIY retractable clothesline anchor line? That's probably my biggest pet peeve with my current system. Also I could stow the anchor in a PVC tube when not in use

2) help me walk through this idea. Use the rear rod holders and make a big U out of PVC. I could then use that as a brace to stand up, run some gear trac to hold some stuff, and mount some LED's for the nighttime 360* light. Of course I would have to bend the PVC a little to go stright up.

3) are underwater LED's worth it? I could see the utility in it, going out to the bay at night and try and catch a few fish instead of sometimes crowded lighted piers. Is green still the popular color?

4)how do y'all like the gear trac? I could see me mounting a few sections for rod holders and what not. Anybody have them on an outback? If so what size

5) fish finder and GPS are a neat option but I don't think I need one yet. Im fishing in a pretty small bay that's a lot longer than it is wide. Plus I have my iPhone.

6)I currently have a zooka tube and I really like it. Is there a big performance difference the zooka tube and Jr.? we really only use baitcasters.

7) I don't have much use for live bait. The bay is pretty grassy and I do pretty good on plastics.

here is my biggie, fish storage. I've been using a stringer but the fish will sometimes end up dying (which is the point) but I am used to icing them down. Is there a good solution? I can put a cooler behind me but it will need to be big enough for redfish.

9) I really like the idea of mounting a bungee with a hook in front to secure your paddle.

10) I got a truck and a kayak rack but is there a cheap way to make a dolley? I just don't see paying $100+ for one

11) what am I missing? Anything?

Thanks guys for your time and input.

1. Anchor system. I posted a description of a DIY anchor system based on a tie wire reel at http://www.northwestkayakanglers.com/in ... #msg168110 . This system is particularly useful when fishing for big fish like sturgeon, where you want to be able to break away from the anchor system and leave the anchor line reel hanging from a buoy, so you can come back and re-attach to it after you're through being towed around by the fish. But I use it without the buoy to anchor my kayak when spearfishing.

2. Standing up. Fishing while standing up in an Outback is a bit of a stunt. Be prepared to end up in the water. If you want to do a lot of fishing while standing up, consider getting a Pro Angler.

3. Safety light. I posted a description of a DIY safety flag and light pole at http://www.yakfisher.net/smffiles/index ... ic=10176.0 . Since you mention a nighttime 360 degree light, it sounds like you are familiar with the Coast Guard lighting regulations which are applicable to kayaks. To reduce the chances of confusion and accidents, be sure your lighting system complies with the regulations.

4. Gear tracks. I like gear tracks. They give you a lot of flexibility about how you set up your kayak, both from day to day, and from one part of a day to another. They allow you to change the way you have your kayak set up when fishing for new and different species of fish. They can accept equipment from a variety of manufacturers. And they allow you to improve the way your kayak is set up as you gain experience and see interesting ways that other anglers have their kayaks set up.

5. Fish finder and GPS. For some kinds of fishing, a fish finder with GPS is really valuable. If you're fishing in shallow water near shore or other landmarks, it may be no use at all.

6. Cooler. As soon as I catch a fish which I'm going to keep, I bleed it out and put it on ice in a cooler. I use a hard-side cooler, but a disadvantage of hard-side coolers is that they catch a lot of wind. I'd like to find a lower-profile well-insulated soft-side cooler which can handle bigger fish. I'm looking at the Reliable soft-side cooler, which Hobie is offering without the Reliable name on it. If you use a hard-side cooler, put a bungie over the lid so you won't loose your fish and ice if you roll your kayak, and strap it in place with nylon straps, not bungie cords, so it can't twist out of place in the rear cargo area if you get rolled in surf. A picture of my cooler setup is shown below. I replaced the cleats around my rear cargo area with Hobie padeyes, so I can attach equipment to my kayak more securely. If you get a cooler with wheels and remove the wheels, the step in the shell of the cooler where the wheels were can extend back over the rear hatch of your kayak, which will let you fit a bigger cooler in your rear cargo area.



7. Dolly. Check Craigslist for used dollies. You can save a lot of money.

I'm getting ready to leave for work so I don't have time for pics. I've kept things pretty simple on my Outback and mostly cheap too, lol. I improved my built in rod holders by inserting pieces of 1 1/4 PVC tubing in them because they just aren't deep enough, wrapped some duct tape around them before inserting to keep them snug. I even used a tee in on side to make it a 2 rod holder so I can carry 3 rods when in a tournament. I did this mod just after buying the boat and needed something quick, but have no plans to buy anything different, it works great. I use a Yakattak 360 light that has the mount for a gear trac, I mounted a Might Mount on the rear hatch for the light. I have a 4" gear trac mounted in the left side indention, just above the net holder thing where the wiring grommet is mounted, for my FF, which is mounted with Ram hardware. I'm using Supernova lights for safety at night mainly, we fish a lot at night out on the big lakes here, feel much safer with them can't vouch for attracting fish, we usually catch plenty. If you need battery mounts, the Hobie mounts are super nice, The one for my lights is mounted in the rear hatch, and the one for my fishfinder is in the front hatch mounted to the sail mast tube. Haven't gotten around to the anchor trolly yet, I've had them on all my kayaks but I honesty hate them. Just a few "ideas" perhaps, gotta go. I've always enjoyed the modifying thing.

Make your own kayak dolly.

My overall advice would be to buy things as you find a need for them.

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