Hey all so here are my two current issues: 1) in need of a bed extender 2) cant freaking find the fish on my yak.

1)

Screw short beds!! Anyone have a cheap suggestion??

2) I can not find the fish on my yak!! i fished shamrockk a few days this week and found a couple dinky trout and 1 small red.. went to Stedman reef today and came back empty handed as well. Looking for tips and suggestions. I find the fish when we take the boat out but i want to do this alone dangit! I want to go BTB and catch some Jacks & kingfish but I will hold off for the good weather.




Lily

A bed extender is cheap but a hassle to put 2 kayaks on. The one in the photo is available online for about $65. I could carry 2 kayaks on it, with one tipped on its side and pool noodles between them for cushioning. A trailer is much easier for 2 kayaks but more expensive. You can get folding trailers or trailers with a retractible tongue so they have a small storage footprint.

I bought a Harbor Freight $40 bed extender and stitch welded a piece of angle iron across the top to take it to the same width as my pickup bed. Really easy to load two yaks. Later I made a pair of bunks from 1X6 planks on edge with 2" strap braces between the boards. They mount to the bed extender with a U-bolt, and the fronts lie in the pickup bed. Now I can carry two yaks very well supported. The bows of the yaks are against the tool box and the sterns are aft of the truck. Easy to carry, tie down, and load & unload.

If I ever win the lottery I'm going to go down and buy one of those Malone trailers!

Hang in there. Baffin bay? Winds usually start Calming down in May or June.

That Malone Trailer is superb! I love the way it stores vertically. For carrying two kayaks, this looks like one really good way to go.

I still dislike trailering kayaks and launching from boat ramps (not that you have to), just speaking in general, so I sold my trailer and bought a bed extender which I need for my 12' 11" kayak or for my 15'+ canoe. But, for my 10 foot Slayer Propel, it works just fine off the bed of my truck without it.

The Boonedox bed extender is great. It is so easy to put together (2 pieces), and small enough that I take it off, break it down, and leave it inside the truck while out on the water.

I see them for sale, used, all the time on FaceBook and other places.

It'd be another possible solution.

Brad

an option, less familiar with the area though too! and i'm going to school in Corpus so it can be a feat to get down there~!

I didnt know they were 40 there!!! that is what i'm going to do!! i only need to carry one yak usually just had 2 today for a friend.

There you go, a $40 fix if you're only carrying one kayak. Don't forget the red flag. And you'll need lights on the end of the kayak if you're driving at night or in low visibility conditions.

HF bed extender:
http://m.harborfreight.com/truck-bed-extender-69650.html?utm_referrer=direct%2Fnot%20provided

I think they use to be around $40-$50 BACK WHEN. Google coupon harbor freight. Their Web ads usually offer a free tape measure or flashlight when u purchase and always have a at least a 20% off which can be used to purchase ur extender. Their extenders r made with light gsuge metal.

HF Digital savings site:
http://m.harborfreight.com/digitalsavings.html?utm_referrer=direct%2Fnot%20provided

The Boonedox bed extender is not cheap, but it is wide enough to handle two kayaks.

Boonedox-buy once cry once. It is aluminum and curved. Won't corrode and the curved extender keeps you from hitting curbs or driveways. Not cheap. Alternative would be to buy a welder and do your own thing.

I noted that you do not like trailers. Most folks with a pickup do not have use for a utility /kayak trailer. But, if you need one, there is a rebuilt (nice) traile listed in the Yak Classifieds for sale. It can haul 2 yaks/canoes or modified to haul as many as needed. Since it still has a standard length tongue (tilt type), the tongue can easily be shortened. Check it out.

I made a real simple extension that slides into my tow hitch. I couldn't get the pics to upload on this site but if you go on Texas kayak fishing forum under BTB you can get an idea how easy it is to Diy. I was able to upload the pics over there

sweet thank you for the info!! The problem is that I am a grad student and live in an apt and have little area to store such a thing despite the fact that I want one!!

when you said spendy i suspected worse- this is up there but reasonable; thanks!

The bed extender in the photo I provided breaks down into 3 pieces.

Shoreburd, I have launched a kayak just about everywhere a person can in that area at one point or another. Stedmans can be tough, try brown/root, launch over by boat hole and give that a shot too. There are alot of fish to be caught over there without paddling 5 miles

If any of you need to modify a bed extender to accommodate two kayaks, and you live near New Caney, give me a honk. If you buy the materials I'll be happy to do the welding at no charge to you. I have a MIG rig and a TIG rig; I can weld carbon steel, aluminum, or stainless. We just need to fit it into my schedule. And if you want to build a set of bunks like I use, bring the 1X6s (I recommend treated or cedar) and some carpet, and some adhesive (Gorilla Glue or Loctite spray work well), and some steel strap. I can heat and bend the strap, and I have a pneumatic stapler to hold the carpet in place while the adhesive bonds. It'll help if you precut the carpet, but I do have a garage full of box cutters and I know how to use them.......

If what I saw was typically for Port Aransas last weekend, keeper trout will be few and far between. I didn't go to Shamrock Island but there were a lot of kayakers out and that means heavy fishing pressure. I think it will take some time before the 5 fish limit really has a huge effect especially in an area where a lot of people frequent.

I caught 17 trout during the day and only 3 were big enough to keep.