I was invited to speak at the Jackson Kayak Dealer Summit

[MidTNKayakAngler]

I was invited to be a guest speaker at the Jackson Kayak Dealer Summit about rigging kayaks, and what all can be done. If interested in reading the full blog please check out http://kayakfishingblog.com/2011/10/2011-jackson-kayak-dealer-summit/. This is where I spoke to over 40 dealers from all over the U.S., and other parts of the world about the passion I have (Kayak Fishing).

I'm not affiliated with Jackson Kayak, I just believe in their product, and they seem to be good people. Also supporting the local economy is a big thing for me.

[MN Fishing Bum]

Nice set up.   Do you have problems casting a fly rod with all that rigging on there?   

[MidTNKayakAngler]

Brent,

That setup was just for the show, I hardly ever have everything on there, and it's all easily removeable. The Coosa has been pretty good for slinging the fly as it's pretty stable, and gets you above the water more than say a canoe, and most of the other kayaks. If I'm using the fly rod I only bring two other rods one a spinning, and one baitcasting, and  they are laying flat with the reels and rod butts under my seat and the ends of the rods on the rod stager. I don't use the flag, or Electronics while fly fishing either.

It can be as basic as you want, or as hi-tech, it's all up to the angler. It just depends on what I'm doing.

[gaspergou]

Sounds like an interesting event.

[from the linked post:]"After I realized that these men and women I were speaking to are dealers that not only want to sell kayaks, but accessories it was off to the races showing them that yea you can sell a $1000 kayak, but here’s another $700 worth of stuff you can add to it, and if you sell one to a husband and wife, or two buddies there’s $1400 because nobody wants to be outdone with accessories. If the dealers start installing these products and making a few items themselves then it’s a home run for the dealer and buyer."

No offense, but I'm a buyer who thinks that this is distinctly not a home run. It's becoming more and more difficult to get just the hull please, without all the fancy bells and whistles... and then the "basic" model winds up costing way too much. If I wanted to take sixteen rods and 100 pounds of crap along with me I'd use my jet. If I'm on my board or yak I'm taking as minimalist of an approach as possible.

(Mike, I have v1.0 of the paddle/pushpole holster rigged and ready to test. I'll put some photos up ASAP...) 

[Bfish]

Gaspergoo, I totally get what your saying.  Jackson is pretty darn good in that they offer almost all of their boats in both plain/basic and elite versions. I also get MidTNKayak's point too, just browse around over at kayakbassfishing.com and look at how many over-accessorize their kayaks.  Reminds me of the taxicabs in Mexico with all the crap mounted on them. It's funny how many people over there are buying kayaks because they can put stuff on it, rather than using the boat as a tool to get you to the fish (and picking the best hull available). 

Just some "stereotypes" that I have noticed, river fishermen = sparse, lake fishermen = bells and whistles, flyfishermen= high $ gadgets to make their otherwise inappropriate/cheap boat work for them (ie outriggers, leaning bars etc).

[MidTNKayakAngler]

No offense taken Gaspergoo,

I had the kayak set up like that to show what all can be done. I've never launched it with all that on it. At most I will carry 4-5 rods, and if I have a fly rod then I will only have 1 or 2 other rods with me. If I'm fishing a creek, or smaller river then I carry no electronics. I just had the boat set-up like this to show what all you can do to it. I've fished in about every kind of situation in this kayak from steam plant at night when temps were in the 20's, 5 miles off shore fishing wrecks, to creeks where I had to drag just as much as paddle. This was a dealer summit where no individuals are coming to look at a boat for themselves, these were business owners that carry the Jackson line and looking to expand, and I was there to show them you could fish with this kayak bare bones, or pimp it out. I'm not saying it's the best for every situation, but that’s why I have 3 - 4 primary kayaks, and total we have 6 I think.


Jeremy