FS Digest

Hey folks, I have a 10’ paddle kayak and it’s a vibe yellow fin, or something like that. Anyway, I am trying to figure out if it’s worth it to get a fish finder installed since most of my fishing is in Northern California lakes, and the fish are deep, due to our hot summers.

One question is, if I do get one, can I mount the transducer inside the hull, on the plastic? Will it still read through the hull? And if not what’s the best option?

And second question, do you think it’s possible to troll, for Kokanee with a paddle kayak? I know they are not super fast, like- 1-3miles an hour, but it’s that a lot to do on a paddle only Kayak??

I am tempted to trade mine in for a more serious one, but supplies are limited and idk if I will use it..?

Thanks For the feed back!

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by FinancialLifeguard27

fishyaker Loc: NW Michigan (Lower Peninsula)

If you really want to catch fish from a kayak (or any vessel for that matter), a fish finder is a highly desirable accessory. That way you are fishing in an educated way as far as ...are there fish present and at what depth, and how deep is the water I am over. It takes the mystery and luck factor out somewhat, and replaces them with real data.

When trolling deep, you need to deploy rigging that will take your lure/bait down deep and not cause too much "drag" on your propulsion, whether it be a pedal or paddle method. I would suggest only setting up with a single rod, and there will be a tendency for the kayak to "yaw" a bit in the direction of your rod. The farther away from the kayak hull your rod tip is the more steering correction you will need to constantly make. If you use a short rod, and angle it back a bit, that can help minimize the tendency to "turn" when trolling. If you have a rudder system, and this is wise, you need to remember not to allow your line to get tangled in it...with a fish on or off! I like to lift my rudder as soon as a fish is on...no matter the size! Otherwise you need a helper in another kayak, or very long arms!

Most kayaks, and fisherman, can achieve a 2 to 2.5 mph forward speed, which is about all you will need for deep water trolling to catch salmon, large trout or any species that is being sought from deep water.

As for the transducer mount, most kayaks will require some sort of over the side approach. There are commercially made "arms" or you can fabricate one of your own design with a little spare time, a workbench and some basic tools. I would not go thru the hull, even though some companies suggest the units will work without issue.

A simple piece of 1/4" aluminum, bent at an angle to mate with your upper deck and then keeping the transducer perpendicular to the water is a good start.

You will definitely also want to mount a "stout" rod holder to compliment the fish locator. Consider it being on the opposite side of where you deploy the transducer in order to help balance the boat from being tippy in any way, that way all the attachments are not on the same side. I like to try and keep fish out in front of me while reeling in as much as possible, so boat control becomes important while fighting large fish that want to peel out line!

Good luck and follow your ambitions on this! Attached are a few snapshots of an over the side transducer mount. Also a couple of fish caught this way to inspire you!

Transducer mounted over the side with custom base plate and graphite "stem" arm


king salmon taken via 80' deep kayak troll using leadcore line paddling!


lake trout caught in 120' of water, 75' down with leadcore line via the kayak - paddling

Jeremy Loc: America

Those seem like they would be towing you all over the place. Sounds like fun though

Deekster Loc: NE Ohio

I have the Lifetime Tamarak and have mounted my fish finder transducer inside the hall. I used some electrician putty to seal it to the bottom of the Kayak. So far, it is holding. I believe the water temperature is the biggest item that does not report accurately in the beginning. It takes a while to adjust through the plastic. I use the Garmin Striker 4 and I believe the data on the screen is pretty accurate. Still trying to determine when I see a fish on the screen, exactly where is this fish; behind me, to the left, right, where?

fishyaker Loc: NW Michigan (Lower Peninsula)

Glad to hear that your "thru the hull" application is working well. As for the fish location, it will depend on which transducer model you are using. Some transmit in a conical shape...which means they see a narrow, tapered circumference beneath you that will report in all directions within the beam. I believe that other designs tend to be more linear, implying that you are seeing a slice of the water that is perpendicular to your kayak. So fish will be either left, center or right.

No matter which design you have, the effect of marks on your screen shows that something is in your proximity, and depending on the depth, your beam has included the fish as a mark and most likely it can see your lure!

Many times when I am trolling deep with my "entry level" low end Garmin Striker 4 unit with the basic transducer, I mark fish that are under me at the moment. As soon as my lure, which is a distance behind me, reaches the place I marked a fish I often get a hook up! Sometimes a wandering fish comes in from the side back in the rear after passing by a spot that was not marked...but it still ends up seeing the lure for a bite due to lucky timing!