Anyone trolling for hybrids w/yak? or any species?

LittleMiamiJeff · 10-07-2005, 08:30 PM

Just wondering, any body using yaks to troll for hybrids, or any other species of fish? I don't have a sonar yet (may not ever, but I'm looking). I'm wondering if I can mount it in my hatch, shoot through the plastic hull, or do they need to be on the out side in the water? Also, can you power these sonars with a jump start battery w/power points? That would be too convienent.
It'll be hard to locate deep fish, so I'm thinking between the lake map available from ODNR, and fishing off points, between ridges, I'll find some structure. I understand there's the original river channel still in East Fork, as well as old roads and bridges. Lots of timber too, I've fished the one creek arm directly across from the Dam ramp, late summer, not a lot of action.
I'll be satisfied tomorrow just to be on the water trying the new yak out, but do want to catch fish as I get more familiar with it.
Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.
Jeff

Biodude · 10-27-2005, 10:48 AM

Hi Jeff,
I guess it took a while before anyone replied,lol. I troll for all kinds of fish from my kayak. Its truly deadly. As far as a depth sounder... I rig mine so that the transducer shoots through the hull. The transducer must sit in either water or something like petroleum jelly. I've made a small PVC receptacle that holds water, mounted inside the hull, that holds the transducer. If that's too much trouble, you can just use vaseline and duct tape. Just make sure there is no air between the transducer and hull. It works! I really like having a depth sounder on my yak, especially when I'm fishing the ocean. Find the cuts on that second bar and you're in a good spot!

LittleMiamiJeff · 10-27-2005, 08:18 PM

Biodude,
20 days ain't bad for a response!

Glad to hear you're getting good/great results.
I've heard of the jelly idea. I never stopped to consider that the sonar needed to be in the water, or be fooled into thinking it was.
Have never used one, but after 3 different saturdays on East Fork with yak, I could have been sitting right on top of the hybrid of my dreams.......
I'm caught between East Fork (last choice), Ohio river chasing down a lead that was hot last Sunday, or the lower LMR from Bass Island to Beechmont, or 3b, Beechmont LMR to Ohio river.
Or, could pick my grandson up, take canoe instead of yak, and put in East Fork LMR a mile or so upstream from Perintown, connections with Teen Challenge, they have a mile or so of river frontage.
One of my client's employee's says he'll give me a hummingbird, wondering, after some not so hot reviews on hummingbirds, what this says about their results?
Thanks for taking the time to pass the good info, BioDude!
Jeff

Biodude · 10-31-2005, 10:48 AM

Jeff, I have a humminbird that is awesome! Its mounted on my cockpit with a ram mount. I run it off a 12 v rechargeable battery. It has been splashed countless times with saltwater for over 3 years and still runs great.

LittleMiamiJeff · 11-02-2005, 10:40 PM

Thanks, Biodude!
I'm going to have to decide if I want to mount the transducer in my hatch, up front, w/cable running into cockpit, or have (what do they call the little 6" hatch you can mount right in front of you, cup holder there right now, molded in) cat bag????? installed, with transducer under cat bag hatch.
Should be able to find a way to maintain the waterproof integrity of the hatch/cat bag, while being able to mount transducer under it inside hull, in jelly bath. I'm assuming you glued some plastic strips together to make your little water basin for your's?
Could run cable through hatch lid, with rubber grommet and silicone sealer, keep water out.
I'll keep you posted.
I'd love to snag a nice wiper paddling along, drag set light, just waiting to hear it sing.
Jeff

Biodude · 11-03-2005, 11:16 AM

The transducer has to have no air space between it and the hull. I used aquarium epoxy to glue a a short piece (around 2.5 inches) of threaded PVC to the bottom of the hull. I drilled a hole through a threaded pvc cap and ran the transducer wire through that. Pour water into the bottom reservoir, and then screw on the pvc cap w/ the transducer hanging down through it. The wire then runs through a small hole I drilled in the cockpit and runs to the humminbird. Same w/ the battery wire. I use small holed rubber stoppers with a slit in them to seal off the holes where the wires run through the kayak. Whew...good luck!