Some of the basic things I have added are a bow line, anchor trolley, and Scotty flush mounts all over the place. I also swapped out the factory-installed front “rocket launcher” rod holders for some Scotty mounts.

One of the biggest additions I’ve made is my YakDaddy “Slider”. I love having all my commonly-used gear right in front of me and easy to reach. It also serves as a great place to mount electronics, like my Humminbird 385CI Sonar/GPS unit.

I also use the Slider as mount for my rod holder when I am trolling for stripers. I like to have the rods out in front of me rather than behind, so I can watch what is going on with the rod tip. I can see fish that are tapping my bait without taking it, or I can bounce my bait right off the bottom by making slight changes in speed or the amount of line out. You just can’t do that effectively if the rods are behind you.

Because I like to fish at night, I have installed an LED light pole on the back of my X-Factor. The pole doubles as a safety flag pole during the day. Instead of going the regular way of a battery-powered light, I installed a regular boat light wired to a switch that is easily accessible while paddling. This allows me to switch it off to improve night vision if I am in a safe area, or to flash it on and off if I need to get someone’s attention.

What goes in the tank well changes almost every trip, and depends on the purpose of the outing. I have both a large and small standard milk crate set-up that I keep stocked with tackle for chasing fresh and saltwater fish. I also have a cooler that fits perfectly in the tank well. I use it when I plan to keep fish, or if we are going on family or group outing it holds food and beverages. As a top for both of the crates I have a solar panel that helps to keep my battery charged for up to a week of fishing without having to plug it in.

All the electronics and battery are stored in a Plano “Guide Series” box that fits neatly under the seat area inside the kayak.

It seems like a lot in the kayak, but it all fits and is easy to square away before I set out for a fishing trip.