Bought the kayak and am trying to learn how to avoid losing gear if I turtle. Got a lanyard for the paddle and foam floaters for my rods. For hooks, sinkers, pliars, bass plastics -- and bream baits and gear -- do you secure all or some of these things, or just take your chances with them laying on the deck?

When I am fishing everything is in my milk crate. I don't have it tied down but most of my boxes will float if tossed overboard for a minute or so. I know some people take the bottom of one crate and add it to the top of another with hinges to act as a lid. Seems like it'd get in the way to me.

When I am fishing and cut something off to re-tie, I either put it on the deck or put it back in it's respective plano box. I like a clutter-free deck.

Thanks Rhino for the reply. For one specific thing, what do you do with your pliars? They are heavy and would go strait to the bottom, but if you are catching fish you need them in a place that is quick and easy to get to. I can see having lot of stuff in Plano boxes, but think they would sink a plastic box.

I have the Ascend angler PFD that has 2 small bungee loops on either side of the zipper. 1 of them is for my pliers and the other is for my scissors. If you go to office depot you could get some of the ID card retractors though. And some guys install a magnet strip on one side of their deck. Then they can use it to secure pliers, scissors, hooks, weights, ect...

Sounds good. Appreciate your helping an old angler that is rookie to a kayak.

I have that same PFD, those loops are handy as well as the front zippered pockets. I also use the retractors as well. I secure my gear behind the seat, tackle bag with plano boxes, with 550 cord and carbiners attached to some extra D-rings I installed.

For my needle nose pliers and boga grips I attach a short piece of cord and I cut a piece of pool noodle and attach it to the cord. You can test it to see how much pool noodle you need by placing the pliers in a five gallon bucket to see if it floats.

I carry everything in the crate, and secure it with the bungees.
It's like they say,...secure or put floats on anything you don't want to lose!

I used to carry my needle nose in the pocket of my life jacket but that doesn't help if you accidently drop them overboard and you will eventually.

Went looking through fishing stuff in the garage that I never use. Found a small canvas bag with zipper and loop that can be used to attach it to kayak. I can use it for pliars, clippers, and a few things until I find something better. The bag is only a foot long and about 4" tall, perfect for a little gear. Helps to know that you guys have most everything secured in one way or another, I.e. not just laying loose on the deck.

I use cords from cell phone car chargers (the ones that look like curly phone cords). I cut each end off, secure one end to a small carabiner with a small zip tie, and the other end gets secured to another carabiner or whatever I'm using the leash for. I have one for my pliers and I clip the carabiner to a D loop on my PFD. I just use para cord with a small carabiner on one end that clips to my kayak for my paddle.

Pliers, knives, grips, etc are a no-brainer. Tether them. As for plano boxes for lures, platsics, etc, 1. get he water proof plano box (you'll thank me in the long run); and 2. use a crate, then simply keep the boxes in there and use a lid system or bungy, as Jimbo mentions. Or you can get a Black-Pak.

Otherwise it depends on the kayak; if your SOT has easy to reach hull storage, use that (love the center cockpit storage in the Cuda). If not then I like the idea of a bag that can be tethered. The more your gear costs, the more you're likely to secure it well. It's not a matter of if, its a matter of when, you will turtle your 'yak.

I keep all my tackle in Plano waterproof stowaways. They float but be sure to open them when you're off the water to vent any moisture and keep your stuff from rusting.


http://www.walmart.com/ip/Plano-Guide-Series-3600-Waterproof-Stowaway/17126450

I personally don't use any crates, occasionally, depending on the length of my paddle ill put a cooler back there.

Using ram mounts and bungee tie downs on my rods I haven't lost anything yet, every single item on my deck has a string or rope tied to it.