So I was at Costco and they had a great deal on a pelican mission 100 kayak, so now I own my fist kayak. Been debating getting one for awhile now so excited to open more opportunities for fishing.

 

This kayak does not have rod holders. So I would like to install two rod holders as well as two paddle holders, one for the paddle and another for a net. 

 

As you can imagine I am very hesitant about drilling into the kayak. I am not super handy but I can work with basic tools. What should I know before trying this? Any pointers would be greatly appreciated. 

From personal experience I would recommend checking out YouTube for installation. Lots of good info. Although it may not apply to rod holders since they are recessed, I learned the hard way to ALWAYS place protruding accessories like paddle holders and cleats on the yak with a dab of silicon, then sit in the boat and determine if they will interfere with paddling.  Also, check to see if they interfere with lifting, carrying, or cartop carriers (if you use them). My first kayak looked like a colander before I got it right.  Oh, and before mounting the rod holders, ensure there is clearance inside the yak then verify you can reach them when seated.  Actual installation is usually straightforward but convenience is sometimes overlooked.  Hope this helps.  Good luck!

 

Edit:  Forgot to mention that if you are not using recessed rod holders, they can really interfere with paddling.

Looks like you have a sit in type kayak. Drilling holes isn't a big deal. Nobody talks about a nice place to place your rod when you catch a fish or need to re-tie. I put 2 of my rods in the water last year trying to just put them down while I had a fish on the line. I have a Vibe and it has 4 flush mount rod holders. The 2 in the front of me are kind of useless so I spun one of them around. This seems like it is going to work out perfectly might spin the other one around. Railblaza make some nice mounts. Their rod holder II has a nice lock to hold a rod for trolling and the rod tube looks nice for a net.

I always recommend adding gear tracks to any location on the kayak where you may want to add accessories.  This gives you a lot of flexibility for moving things around and removing them.  A milk crate with rod holders attached to it can go a long way for gear management. 

1 hour ago, GrumpyOlPhartte said:

My first kayak looked like a colander before I got it right

I would like to avoid this but now that you mention it, can you seal the drill  holes with something like silicone if you had to? 

2 minutes ago, Hawkeye21 said:

I always recommend adding gear tracks to any location on the kayak where you may want to add accessories.  This gives you a lot of flexibility for moving things around and removing them.  A milk crate with rod holders attached to it can go a long way for gear management. 

That's an interesting idea about the tracks, I will look into that. Have to mease the back area but don't think a milk crate system will fit. 

 

@LCG: Sealing “oops” holes is pretty straightforward. I use Marine Goop or silicone. If you’re really concerned about leaking, just goop up a short round-head stainless screw of the appropriate diameter and screw it in to really plug the hole. Not beautiful but definitely watertight. I 

I can't speak for other brands, but I know this stuff does not interact with plastics. I've used it for years on my yaks.

First thing i would say is don't drill a single hole until you fish for a few trips and you see where you want your stuff.  I have fished out of a lot of kayaks for well over a decade and on every one I fish it for a while before mounting anything.  You'd be surprised at how things change on the water rather than the lawn sitting inside and acting like you are fishing.  

 

If your kayak is a SIT IN and you don't want to drill holes in it, try this: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Eagle-Claw-Deluxe-Clamp-On-Rod-Holder/21554346?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&adid=22222222227015596352&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=40968303872&wl4=pla-78911545592&wl5=9002014&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=online&wl12=21554346&wl13=&veh=sem&gclid=Cj0KCQjwnKHlBRDLARIsAMtMHDF1PN2iAjDkvMhwOdZs6H8s0aiqYfsgrzC3kGXni4291S9Uc16gGUMaAkjEEALw_wcB

 

I second the memberships' recommendation about taking it out a couple times and hold a rod in different locations to get a 'feel' for what you want.

 

Best of luck and congratulations on your new kayak.

2 hours ago, flyfisher said:

First thing i would say is don't drill a single hole until you fish for a few trips and you see where you want your stuff.  I have fished out of a lot of kayaks for well over a decade and on every one I fish it for a while before mounting anything.  You'd be surprised at how things change on the water rather than the lawn sitting inside and acting like you are fishing.  

 

The more I think about it, this is probably wise advise. The kayak has no rod holders at the moment so I will have to find a temporary solution until I have some idea of what I am doing. 

2 minutes ago, LCG said:

The more I think about it, this is probably wise advise. The kayak has no rod holders at the moment so I will have to find a temporary solution until I have some idea of what I am doing. 

The other thing is unless you are carrying a lot of rods, you don't need a bunch of rod holders.  I have 6 flush mounts on my kayak now but most of the time i have two laid out on front of me and i am fishing one.  I know your boat being a sit inside does limit the open deck option in front of you though.

A lot of good advice posted  above this. You can make something like this to give you a work space in front of you for a rod holder, electronics or what ever.  It is made from thin plywood, the storage bin is wife's old Tupper wear (ask first). That is a rod holder to the right of the fish finder.