Build a ’yak rocket launcher

Daydreaming and robotically casting lures for a jewfish, my state of tranquillity was smashed by the sound of a huge game boat bearing down on me and my little kayak at a rate of knots.

Turning the ’yaks bow into the wake of this monstrous cruiser, it was all I could do not to get flipped.

As I gestured the season’s greetings to these twits, I could not help noticing the mother of all rocket launchers across the rear of the boat’s cabin. It was chockers with more rods than any two blokes could own – well, maybe.

Wow, I thought, a rod for every occasion.

As they returned the season’s greetings with their own schtickenfinger salute, I just shook my head and kept drifting with the tide and casting.

But, along with what those yahoos looked like, that rocket launcher was well and truly etched into my mind.

In your kayak chasing a jew on the river is a great way to spend a few hours getting away from the hassles and dramas of life, but so is getting up into the shallows and oyster leases luring for bream, flathead and whiting.

Add to that ducking out through the bar to see if the snapper population wants to play games and a bloke will need more than 2 rods on board his ’yak.

How could I carry a rod for light soft plastics, light hardbodies, another rod for jew and reddies with bigger plastics, a gaff and landing net? The mind started ticking over.

What is it with us fishos that we never have quite enough gear? Be it in the boat, backpack or in our shed, we always need that one more rod, reel or lure.

When I first bought it, I fitted out my kayak with an excellent 3-way Scotty rod holder which allowed me to have everything I needed at arm’s reach, including a couple of rods, lures and navigation light.

It is so practical but after seeing that rocket launcher, I needed more.

My gaff and landing net were stowed behind my seat and at times were very awkward to get hold of.

‘Bingo! I need a rocket launcher,’ I thought to myself, ‘but where do I get such a thing for a ’yak? And where or how do I fit it?’

I decided to make my own. Stainless steel would be too expensive and was out of the question.