The Kayak
Vibe Sea Ghost 130 kayak
Obviously, fishing in kayak tournaments is going to require a kayak. My kayak of choice for the 2018 tournament season is the Vibe Sea Ghost 130. The Sea Ghost 130 has the perfect balance of weight, length and width to be light enough to manage, but solid enough to be stable. Plus there are a ton of options to upgrade and personalize my ride. I feel just as confident fishing Kentucky Lake as I do a four acre pond.
There a a few "Must-Haves" on my kayak that make life easier for me on the water. I have added a Mod Pod II center console for added versatility. On top of the console, is a Fishfindermounts.com battery pack and mount which attach to one of their quick release mounting plates. Of course I can't forget the fishfinder itself which is a Humminbird Helix 7 SI/GPS. Finishing up the console is a Ram X-Grip mounted on a Yak Attack 4'' strip to hold my phone when I need it.
My favorite rod holders are Yak Attack Zooka Tubes. They are very versatile and work with spinning or baitcasting rods and reels. I buy my Hawg Trough (used for measuring fish in kayak tournaments) from Fishing Online. Theirs are pre-marked and rigged to float. Can't beat that. Most of my other gear comes directly from Vibe Kayaks. They have an incredible selection of gear and the staff in their shop knows how to use it.
I would of course be negligent if I didn't mention my PFD(s) of choice. Every time you are on the water, you should be wearing a PFD for safety reasons. If something goes wrong, you want to know that your head will be above the water. I flip back and forth between a NRS Chinook and an inflatable Mustang. If you go inflatable, make sure you have at least one spare cartridge kit with you. A slip in the water that inflates your PFD can ruin a whole tournament if you don't have a backup.