I'm a complete beginner when it comes to fishing, but have started to give it a try after recently buying a kayak (an OK Prowler 13). My problem is this: I usually launch from the beach into the surf, and often during launch a big breaker will wash over the boat and its contents, drenching everything. This is not a big deal, except for the tackle box and its contents that is a pain afterwards to clean and dry out. Is there an inexpensive easy-to-get-to waterproof solution to storing fishing tackle?

Plano makes a waterproof tackle box, it has a rubber seal all the way around it. I haven't used one yet but I have a friend in Oregon that swears they work. Hope this helps!

I added a kayak to my tackle collection about 5 years ago. I mostly launch through breaking surf when I fish from my kayak all I can say is that until you get it figured out launching and landing is brutal on tackle.

I went through a lot of trial and error before I found a tackle storage solution I was happy with. Definitely not trying to shoot down the post above but based on my experience with the plano boxes I would say Don't waiste your money on the plano water proof tackle boxes. The seal liner melts when it's exposed soft plastic like swimbaits or just about any other type of soft plastic lure which makes it a poor choice for storing soft baits and once the liner starts melting the water comes in and usually stays destroying the contents inside. If you have ever stored a casting buble with some soft plastic baits you will know what I'm talking about.

I have found that nothing beats tupperware when it comes to kayaking. It keeps my tackle dry, it comes in all shapes and sizes to fit my needs, it's cheap, and the best thing about it is that as long as you keep closed when your not using it if it should happen to accidently fall in the water it floats. I actually found that out by accident one day when I came in for a hard landing and my tupperware full of new lead heads got washed off my kayak in the crashing surf. I was the kicking myself for not storing down below. I was standing there on the beach with my kayak when I look down to see the water pushing my box of lead heads right back to me. I reached down picked it up popped off the lid to find everything nice and dry.

I usually also fold up a paper towel so it fits on the bottom of my tupperware underneath my tackle. I spray it with some WD40 so if any water gets in my box when I change lures (putting the wet lure back in the box) the water gets absorbed by the towel and if the towel get wet enough the it will release the oil preventing rusting.

I have never lost any tackle yet but I would have lost several rods if it wasn't for leash. I recommend leashing down all and any gear you don't want to loose. Also get yourself one of those really big rubbermaid containers and use it to store all your kayaking gear. It creates a single point of storage as long as you keep all your kayak gear in the box it helps prevent forgeting something at home, or having to look all over for something you need, plus your loading one box in to the car instead of a bunch of little things.


JerryG

Ive been fishing for eight years from my kayak. That list of advice is great i might have to give that tupperwhere and wd40 idea a try. also the large tupperwhere for gear is a must. the only final suggetion i would add is to bring a back pack. i strap a back pack to the front of my kayak. its not water proof but it does pretty well, even when punching through large waves. i store my tackle boxes pliers boga grip etc. in there and it works great. good luck with the kayak fishing and let us all know how you do.

Dan

How about trying a dry bag.

ive tried dry bags before. they are great for keeping items dry until reaching a destination. the problem ive found is when you are going in and out of them during a paddle water gets in but doesnt drain out so there is constant moisture in the bag. i prefer something that can drain.

Dan

Thanks for all the advice, you certainly gave me some good ideas there. While visiting in Washington DC over Christmas, I came across the waterproof Plano boxes that was mentioned. At the time I have not yet seen Jerry's post on the linings getting damaged by soft plastic, so I went ahead and bought the smallest one, the size which looks like a very good match for the small recess in the Prowler's hull just in front of the first "cup holder". As soon as the rain lets up here in Goleta, I will go and give the different set-ups a try. Thanks again for responding.

P.S. Dan, was it by any chance you with whom I spoke on Goleta beach the other day and who gave me the advice to visit the Calfishing.com web site?

Marius

Marius
i think it might have been me you spoke to. Im glad you found your way here, youll find its a great resource. when the weather clears im also going to try to paddle out at goleta. good luck, maybe ill see you out there.
Dan

Dan,

Just curious, what container do you use that is both waterproof and drains? I'd like to buy one of those.

Im sorry if I was misunderstood, the bags I use aren’t waterproof. I place plano tackle boxes in a backpack. When water splashes the backpack it doesn’t get immediately into the planos. However if water does get in the backpack it can drain out rather than have my tackle sitting in water.

Dan

I'm kind of surprised that nobody mentioned zip-locs for your plastics. Maybe that's just a given.
Tight lines,
Wade

I put my wallet in a zip lock and then in a dry bag as well as my fish finder for launching and landing but just a ziplock alone never seemed to cut it for me. I keep my keys below deck in an empty tightly capped Gatorade bottle so just in case my keys should ever happen fall out they will float.

I like to bring my swimbaits out already rigged. I add a drop of super glue to my tails so they will stick to the led heads and I get a lot more mileage out of them. I don't like messing with superglue on the water so I b bring a lot of baits in the colors that produce best for me pre rigged on an assortement of different sized heads. That pretty much rules out ziplocks for my plastics.

I keep my GPS and Cell in a dry bag which basically designed as a super strong zip lock. I have been using that bag for about three years and I'm very pleased with. I really like the fact that I can use my GPS and Cell phone with out removing them from the bag.

Oh yeah my keys provide some safty floatation if I should happen to take on some water inside my hull. I made my gaff out of 2" PVC and usued a big trolling hook (the kind you would use on feather for trolling large tuna or marlin) The advantage of the double hooked gaff is that when you stick a fish (halibut especially) they it's very difficult for them shake the gaff. I use surgical tubing running from one hook over to the other in hopes that I will never have to find out how hard it is to shake that gaff. I also shot my gaff, my net and home made kayak cart with Good Stuff expanding foam so if they should ever happen to fall over board they will float. Just a few other of the tricks I have found. Like I said in my first post I went through a lot of trial and error. When I started Kayaking finding and catching fish was not always but usually the easy part because I had have been a fishaholic all my life and it came natural but I learned very quickly that I knew nothing about kayaking. I've come a long way but I figure I still have a long way to go.

JerryG

I don't know as I'd trust PVC for a gaff. Have you thought about a bamboo pole? I used to have 1 with the double feather hook too. I liked that a fish couldn't shake off, but hated trying to get smaller Rattlesnakes(Scorpionfish) off. I eventually changed to a 9/0 Marlin hook with the barb bent down, leaving a hump.
Tight lines,
Wade

Well Wade I can't argue the fact that straight piece of Bamboo makes for a sweet gaff blank. I would also agree that not all PVC will cut it as a gaff but I've been using my gaff for three years now and never had any problems with it.

Keep in mind I'm on a kayak and my gaff is only 24" plus I constructed it using 3" heavy duty PVC with a plastic wall that is probably double that of a piece bamboo the same diameter. Also when I slid a sleave of 2.5" heavy duty PVC pipe inside for reinforcement and then shot the inside of the tubing with the expanding foam to bond the sleeve, add strength, and floatation. I used cork tape for the handle and added shrink an inch of shrink tube on both ends and added a big butt cap on the bottom. I use the same PVC for my kayak which weights about 80lbs all loaded up and I have carted as far as a mile to reach remote launch destinations often making my way down steep rocky trails to reach the coast line. If figured if my cart had held up through all this I shouldn't have any problems with using it making a gaff. I do carry a single hook Tady C as a back up gaff just in case. Never had to use it as a gaff but I've seen it done and it works.

JerryG

Sounds cool. I was picturing a normal wall 2" or smaller PVC which would probably be fine in a linear pull but the second you tried to lever it, you'd have a problem.
Tight lines,
Wade