After my first real fishing trip on my Kayak. After I get out. i felt like I had to much gear. 4 rods, a small cooler, a cooler for food and drinks, and a krate with fishing tackle. and a extra short paddle. and a few other things. Was that to much?

Depends on the kayak really, they all have different weight capacities. I use to carry enough tackle in my Hobie to sink the Titanic!

That does sound like a bit much, but I've seen people in their Pro Anglers with half a Bass Pro inventory on board!

I take 3 rods. Tried 4 and it was more hassle than it was worth. Beyond that I take a milk crate with tackle boxes in it, anchor/rope, sometimes a plastics binder, sometimes a net, just one paddle, PFD, and whatever food/water I need. Thats plenty and I don't really want more than that. My forward hatch usually has a few extra odds and ends, including a first aid kit and dry bag with change of clothes in the winter. I don't take a cooler but that's definitely personal preference.

It depends on your needs. I've seen kayaks out with 6 fishing rods, tackle boxes, a crate, sonar, cooler, etc. I like to go minimal and usually take 2 rods, minimal tackle tray, small cooler, net.

I usually have my paddle, pfd, ctug cart in the front hatch, 3 or 4 rods, my fishing bag(some of the boxes will go under seat or in holders on side, anchor with line, visi carbon pro flag/light, fish finder, fish net..
I have a sealline bag attaches to the back of my seat which Iuse to put my water, fruit and ice packs in. clip the hose from the platypus to my seat strap so water always available without having to get into a cooler or the sealline bag.
May also have small cooler for bait, a couple of jugs for cats, and with cooler temps if going any distance at all dry bag with clothes.
All depends on where I go, what I want to do and conditions.

All the essentials . . . always.

But, regarding tackle, I have been out 3 or 4 times in the past week carrying just one rod and a soft bag with some plastics. But, this is off my own dock on Lake Athens, never more than a quarter mile from home; so, if I snapped a rod, I could just go back and get another. That has never happened, but it could. If I am fishing more remote, or other lakes, I'll carry another rod, never more than 4. 2 is optimal for me.

It is never more fun, for me, than going out minimalist. What is so odd is who here doesn't know what presentations you are going to use? What the weather is? What the time of year is? And, more. I don't carry out things in late fall that are designed more specifically for summers, for example.

So, right now for Lake Athens, I go out with a Keitech 4" Shad Impact ready to fish. And, my back up is a drop shot, a wacky worm, a few other worm presentations.

If you carry too much "stuff," my feeling is it sometimes promotes switching up too often, never giving a presentation a chance to work.

Here is one from 11-30. I had a single rod with me, my favorite: a 5'6" Medium power, F, spinning rod paired with a Shimano 3000 Ci4+, that single bag with some "stuff" in it. And, the essentials, of course!

Brad

I might over do the "always be prepared" motto with fishing rods and tackle.
But, I have found some solutions to help minimize gear

1. Leave the cooler at home. The night before, I put 4 granola bars and 3 large Powerade/Gatorades in the freezer and one in the fridge. Wrapping the Gatorades and granola bars individually in aluminum foil helps in the warmer months.
2. I don't bring a crate anymore. Two plano boxes for hard baits, hooks/weights, and spinnerbaits. Soft plastics in original packaging go into a jumbo ziplock bag along with a roll or two of fishing line.
3. I'll bring a clamp anchor to clamp onto stumps, but 90% of the time, I leave the mushroom anchor at home

Yeah I think the cooler is a bit much. I try to take food that doesn't need to stay cold and freeze a couple of water bottles to drink on as they melt.

Not sure what you're fishing for but only take as much tackle as you need. I catfish so I just have a little baggie with a couple of extra hooks, weights, swivels and floats.

Though it really depends on the kayak. I can't stand up in mine so the front compartment is useless. All I can access is the back one so I keep my gear to a minimum. I like to eat catfish so I also have to leave room for a stringer full of fish which can be a pain.

I don't think it matters unless it slows you down at the launch. Currently, I like to carry 3 rod/reel set ups, an extra wide milk crate full of various essentials like mosquito spray, safety gear, drift anchor, boxes of flies, leader material, etc. I like a soft sided cooler if I'm planning on keeping some of my catch. I really don't like to spend much time at the launch so I can usually put all the gear in the kayak in a couple of quick moves. Most folks I've observed seem to be very deliberate at the launch and that's fine, but for me it just seems like a waste of good fishing time to take more than a few minutes to get under way.

I take as much as me and the kayak can safely handle.

I think I just need to be more specific on what I am fishing for. When i went out the other day. I went out to crappie fish but brought a couple of catfish rod since i knew i was going to be tying to the bridge. but i think I only need to bring gear for only one type if fish.

It is too much of a personal preference to depend on others to decide what is needed. I say this in a nice way. It is good to have input and get different ideas but only you can decide what you need for a particular trip. Over time, you will figure out what gear is essential and what can be left at home. You'll also figure out how to arrange it so it works for you, regardless of how someone else has their yak rigged. I have been kayak fishing for over 10 years and still make adjustments.

Safety equipment is essential - PFD, first aid, cell phone, radio, knife, light, whistle, etc. The weather and paddling distance are also factors to consider - you may or may not need cold drinks or extra clothes.

There is nothing wrong with multiple rods for different species, if you are organized. When I bass fish on open lakes, I may carry 5 or 6 rods. If I go to the river for white bass, I ditch the rod holders, due to the low-hanging limbs, and only carry 2 rods (laying flat on kayak). I have veered toward the minimalist approach and tend not to carry something just because I might need it. If I fish the marsh, during the summer, and decide to keep fish, I will take a cooler but that is about the only time. Even in summer months, I don't require cold beverages, but that is just me. Depending on the species I am going after, I may leave the net at home and just use grippers.

It is a "learn-by-experience" adventure and you'll figure it out.

Agree it's a personal preference which is affected by the type of kayak, and type of fishing as well.
For example, for bass fishing, two rods is probably minimum.
For crappie fishing, one rod is most likely enough.
And after a few trips you'll see which get used and which don't and can adjust accordingly.

I'm a kayak tournament angler, so going out on a lake with less than 6 rods makes me feel naked. My typical gear load is:
6 - 7 rods, a mix of baitcasters and spinning reels
Crate w/rod holders
360 light
10 lb anchor, marker buoys
Seat
Propel drive
Two tackle trays with crankbaits and other assorted hardbaits
Tackle bag with soft plastics
Separate tackle bag with spools of line, weights, hooks, and assorted soft plastics
Fish finder and 12V battery
Floating net
Hawg Trough
PDF with pockets loaded up with terminal gear, whistle, phone, truck keys, and wallet
Soft cooler with drinks/snacks - usually not more than 4 or 5 12-16 oz bottles, nuts, granola bar
Rodholder and paddle holder track-mounted
Paddle

That may sound excessive, but over the course of an 8-10 hour event or pre-fish, I guarantee every bit of the above-mentioned gear will be used or accessed. One trick I've learned is to load your vehicle and yak in the same order and put your gear in the same place, every time. There's nothing more frustrating that having to make a return trip because you forgot your seat or pedal drive. Know where your gear is at all times so you can find it immediately, under any light or weather conditions.

-SSJr

The fish that I am going to target determines what I take.
If it's bass I may take two rods and maybe a catfish rig if I don't do any good with the bass.
Those flat clear plastic tackle boxes carry most of what I need and usually no more than two.
Anchor, and essential gear that I will more than likely use and that's it.
I sometimes just watch guys at the launch and they'll take 45 min. to an hr. just loading all their junk before they get underway.
Personally I hate the loading and unloading so much the less time I spend doing it the better.

I'm really new to the game as well. I pack heavy. I'm slowly narrowing it down with each outing though. You may need to add a sledgehammer to the mix if you keep hooking up with cats like the ones in your pictures!

The gear doesn't change much, but the methods do. I pack two rods in freshwater. A 7ft medium/heavy (12 lb mono) for bass, catfish, etc.. and a 5 1/2 light spincast (6lb mono)for crappie/assorted panfish or for the challenge of playing bass on light tackle. As far as gear protection goes, I don't use rod floats, but I have rod leashes tied to both of them as well as a paddle leash. I bought a 5 dollar spool of paracord and tied EVERYTHING down. Milk crate, tackleboxes, measuring stick, cooler, fillet knife you name it. Also, this isn't really what you asked for, but I learned the hard way, have an anchor larger than you think you need. You know you'll be fine with X weight? Nope, go up a size. When on moving water or fishing open salt, you will be pushed out of position by wind or dragged out by water of you're not firmly anchored. Best of luck!

Yak Hack. i think I want to get into one like those in my Kayak. But i am not 100% sure on how to land it. LOL. but I will be drifting and hoping to find out. been fishing my whole life and i am excited about this new endeavor.