Do any of yall block off the front hatch or center hatch so your gear doesn't go deep down in the yak? I dont store anything huge in there but if throw my lunch in or a drink there it finds its way to the back or front to where I cant reach it.

Yes, get foam blocks and plug btwn scuppers or one pc solid cut to fit like a bulkhead with some half moon cuts on bottom to let water run thru

Or tie a rope to it so you can pull it back to you.

I keep a mesh bag attached and hanging just inside my center hatch. Everything goes in it.

Thanks yall I think I have some foam around here somewhere. I wish they made a mesh net type thing with a plastic ring that would just drop into the center hatch and still be water tight.

I'm going to chime in with my favorite method - plano boxes/dry bags with paracord leashes, cheap carabiner on the end attached to the factory cords located under the hatch. I color-code the carabiners so that I know which cord to pull on to get which box, but you could use any labeling method you like, really.