Crate/Basket talk & pics

nice basket/crate set-up IMO. the 2 rod holders at 45 degree angles are a nice twist. i don't use my flush holders for my fishing poles but do put my anchor, net & PVC poles in them. have seen to many rods lost because the flush holder are too shallow IMO for trolling & in rivers the low branches will grab them & lift them right out of the flush holders. also IMO 45 degree angle to horizontal is better for trolling.


any opinions, pics or talk?

I like the 45 degrees. I am gong to build that. I tried munting my light in my flush mount rod holder but can't get the light to point straight up, so i may add that to my crate.

i believe wally world sells this crate for under $5. white & florescent orange are nice for the lakes. many say they are the easiest colors for others to see. sand & camo-green kayak colors are nice for hunting but are very hard to pick up while moving across the water at 30mph+

This guy has a nice set up on his crate. Looks like 7 rod holders total.

Here is the thread http://texasfishermen.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=137

I like the idea of the angled rod holders on the crate. I recently lost a Shimano Stradic while trolling my back flush mounts on Lewisville. Don't think I will be using them anymore....
My buddy recently started wearing a nike self wicking shirt that is bright orange, and by far is the most visible thing on the water. Magnitudes more visible then his yellow X-Factor or anything else I've seen. Neon yellow would also work well.

hybrid crate


crate with lid



pet food container triples as...

bait tank

& storage container

How in the world do you reach your rods while you in your seat?

lol!!! twist your torso & reach around your side or sit side saddle then reach back makes it very easy. takes a little time to get the technic down & remain well balanced.

So i am under the assumtion that you do not use these as holders with bait in the water. I like to run 2 rods with live or cut bait while i throw lures on the 3rd. I just could not see reaching that far with a fish on

i do. i can troll up to four baits at a time using them & my front rod holders.
i prefer to be moving in a straight line and running them at different depths
to keep them separated. otherwise it turns into a cluster of spaghetti
honestly id rather use them to just hold extra tackle or rods but
when the bite is slow ill do what it takes to get the skunk off of me.
IMO every yaks stability is a little different. once you get the feel for it,
moving around in your yak becomes a natural thing.

interesting ideas.

Have you ever done or seen done cast netting from a kayak? Well i tried the other day from a sitting position... i was able to throw it, but just barely. basically a foot away from my yak

keep practicing. If you could get it to open you've got the technique down. Now it is a matter of increasing the strength of all the muscles used in throwing it from that position. You will perfect it w/ repeation.

I was thinking maybe down sizing from a 5' net to 3.5'? would that make a big difference?

maybe start by sitting in a chair. when you have that down put your buns on the ground or pull your yak in the yard & get GOOD!!!

Ehh funny story, i live in an apartment. So i keep it in my fiance's parents backyard. They arent to thrilled about it, not to mention if i go sit in it and throw a castnet. Oh and i might look rediculous

You don't need the yak to practice. Just sit on the ground and practice throwing the net.

This crate set-up will allow you to land Big Bill Fish!

For some reason i dont think the crate has anything to do with land a big billfish lol

For you guys who don't like me talking about the ease of doing things in a WaveWalk W500, I won't say how much easier it is to throw a cast net when you don't have to do it from the sitting L position. I promise I won't say anything about how much easier it is to get things from your crate and from the 14 cubic feet of storage in the hull tips, if you can turn completely around like in the cockpit of a W500. Nope I promise not to say anything about these things, but next week I will post pictures showing how much easier it is. Wife will be back from a trip where she has the digital camera or I would post pictures tonight.

lol @ foldcat......hmmmm....and yet u dislike the "hidden forum reps" who give "biased opinions"..... .......nicely done, i think he wants to know how to throw from his ride not a wavewalk......anyway I've tried castnetn from the pelican wit a 5ft net....sae result u got....think a 3' would b easier bt it has less weight so it might not be as good for deeper water!? and with winter around d corner think a heavier net is neccessary(unless you hit the creeks for bait)Just my opinion....what do i know, I own a CASTAWAY!

If anyone near DFW has a video camera, I'd love to get it on film. I can throw it sitting down very easy, anyone can with 10minutes instruction and some backyard practice. My six year old is getting pretty good at it to. He uses a 3.5' net, the one I throw from the yak is 4.5(much easier than standing and balancing). It never opens 100%, but 85%+ evry time, and always in circle. No flying tacos, no leadline in your mouth. A guy taking a family of five out stiperfishing in a big center console boat might NEED a 7' castnet. A lonley kayaker can nab all the bait needed with a 4'cast-net(if he learns to use it first). My method isn't perfect, but it always puts bait in my lap without any real effort. Chess...you got a camera?

Oh yeah, and it works sitting/standing/kayakin/thrown strait-down(like from high pier or bank)/and even from a Wavewalker

my digital camera can record video.....ive used it to make youtube vids....let me know

"lol @ foldcat......hmmmm....and yet u dislike the "hidden forum reps" who give "biased opinions"..... rolfmao.......nicely done, i think he wants to know how to throw from his ride not a wavewalk....."

There is a subtle difference between "Forum Reps" and passionate individuals. I notice that when someone talks about how great his Hobie pedal drive is - you don't say the same as above about them!!! But, then they do have a REAL Kayak.

I am not sorry that I can continually point out the things that are HARD OR IMPOSSIBLE from a regular Kayak that are so easy from a WaveWalk. FIRST AND FOREMOST I AM A BADLY DISABLED PERSON - MY BACK HAS 4 BAD DISKS IN THE LOWER END, THREE BAD DISKS IN THE NECK AND NERVES THAT ARE PINCHED GOING TO MY LEGS. Most important to me is for DISABLED KAYAKERS to know about the only kayak that I can own and actually use. As I have said before, my legs and back will not let me sit in a regular kayak for more than about 30 minutes before I have to get out. The having to get out is true for both paddling or sitting one place fishing. The other fun and easy stuff like having max storage space, having max stability, ability to throw cast nets, are just gravy, because if you can't get comfortable in the kayak, then you won't use it and the subject is moot. IF I had a Hobie with the pedal drive I could not use it, and would not use it, not because it isn't a good kayak, because my disabilities keep me from using it. That said, after having a WaveWalk W500, I would still not use the Hobie even if I could. There are just too many other advantages to the WaveWalk that I would want to take advantage of. Why would I use a kayak with reduced capability and comfort???

LOL its all good, i understand where ur coming from its just that i have to agree with who ever said your enthusiasm was humerous or somthing to that effect......seriously though i do thank you and all?other vets for your services!

I do not have near the funds to purchase a wakewalk, thats why im in a stinking pelican castaway. That isunless my fiance doesnt go, then i take her WS 135 ride. I do not pretend to have tried a wavewalk or hobie or whatever else. I was looking for insight into castnetting from the kayak i currently own since an upgrade is not in the near future. But i do thank you for offering your input i just cannot dish out $1000+ on a kayak. Im currently trying to buy a house so all availible funds are going to that. Now i am upset at academy at the moment because for the last 2 weeks iv been going to 2 different locations a couple times and they never have any castnet smaller than 5ft. Its not so much of a problem when i go to SLP because mullet are everywhere in the shallows and its nice
Hard sand. But when i go other places it much more difficult since i seem to always sink about 2ft deep in mud if i try to wade cast net lol

Good reply... and I think I agree with the 3 1/2 foot net idea. I cast my 3.5 from my jon boat(sitting) without any problems.

I'm with you, enjoy what you have until something better comes along.

Walmart seems to carry both the 3.5 and 4 foot castnets. Prices comparable to Academy

IMHO walmart nets are better quality than the cheap academy ones....reasonably priced and can be pulled threw a few snags!

Yeah my 5ft one has a few holes anyway so i might as well buy a new one

I concur on walmart cheapies being of better quality than academy cheapies. I've tried both. My academy net lasted less than one year. My walmart net is still going strong at just over a year old.

i will hit up walmart on my way home then. thanks

I can easily throw my 5' net from the seated position in my kayak. I am open to doing a video for it as well but do not have the ability to shoot one and show how to fold/throw the net.

thought we could use another thread on the "bait net from a kayak" don't mean to ruffle any ones feathers but lets try and keep it on the subject of the title. this goes double for me :~P ill try and do my part too. thnx


Another crate set-up. ill call it "Over the Top" or Around the Side:

agree, only way to get the answers compacted into one "general area" =)

thanks chess.

That pet food container looks like a nice way to go!

It would be almost or completely waterproof for a storage bun/rod holder combo.

Thanks for the pics!

BigDozer66

Geez some of you guys really load up for bear, nothing wrong with it, just saying It makes be feel unprepared.

FSO, I'll put my minnow bucket directly behind my seat and find at times to lose a bit of balance reaching back grabbing them. I can't imagine trying to reach that far back to get at them.

Whoever on 1st page that lost that Shimano, OUCH, please tell me it wasn't the ci4, and if it was, how did you like it and in your opinion was it worth the money? I've almost pulled the trigger on that little darling several times.

This is my first build that i did about a week ago

Great stuff so far!

Looking again at Palmetto's website..I really liked his idea using feeder scoops to create side holders on his crate...By fitting the handles into PVC.

I just order a few of these..They hit ya with the shipping a bit,but are located in Gainesville,TX
Plus they have cool colors....Should hopefully help with some storage!

http://www.equinestablesupply.com/feed-scoop-2-qt/



My crate is very basic so far

I built this to allow me to carry a crate when fishing from my SINK. But it also works perfectly on my smaller SOT (OK Scrambler) which has a tankwell too narrow for a crate to lay flat. On the Scrambler, this rests along the edges of the tankwell and gives me additional storage underneath the crate. You can't see it in these pics, but I can mount a tripod adapter or light for nighttime paddling to the longer PVC pipe at the rear center

I know a few of y'all seen the crate I put in for the GTG, well the wife is putting me back to work on a few more she has started painting on. Once I throw on the hinges, bungees and rod holders they will be done. I swear that woman works me more at home than at work LOL!

More crates by Texas big redneck, on Flickr

I will get some more knives done here real soon also.

Nice pics Big Redneck!

What kind of hinges do you use on the lid?

I haven't seen any close up so I am looking for an experts advice on it.

BigDozer66

1x3 inch hinge

Finally installed my scoops to the crate to store my anchor line and various small gear.
For the actual anchor, I cut and painted a 3'' PVC pipe for the inside of my crate and secured it with ties. ..Makes a great holster!

I forgot to picture it,But we made some little tabs to go into the bottom of those scoop handles...Drilled a hole through the bottom of them for the tabs to come out....So when you put the scoop handle in the PVC you can go underneath and bungee them to the crate.....So you cant knock them out.

Now I just gotta work on securing gear inside them..
And I need to find a green bungee/shockcord provider!!

I really like the idea of using those clips to tie down the crate! Thanks for the idea

I think I'm going to steal some of these ideas to customize a crate or two for my canoe...