My Bite FD & FD-E Setup

The Bite has been upgraded and is now available as an Flex Drive model. A great kayak, which I would call a water go-kart! Below I’ll write a little bit more about my Bite FD setup.

I transport the Bite FD on the roof rack of my car. The kayak weighs almost 45 kilograms, so I mostly use the Thule WaterSlide and push the boat sideways on the roof rack.

I need a little more than 5 minutes for the complete setup at the water. The more often you do it, the faster it works. But how exactly do I rig my Bite FD? Here is a list of all accessories:

– For transport to the water I use the Railblaza C-Tug Trolley. For me personally the perfect trolley.

– My paddle is the Bending Branches Angler Pro Plus, 240-255 cm, blade color: radiant – blue.

– I attach the Thermarest Lumbar Support Kit and SealLine Water Resistant Seat Back Pouch to the seat of the Bite FD. The Savage Gear Pistol DeepThroat Hookout is fastened under the rubbers of the bag so that it can be used quickly. The Bite Seat has received an update: padding has been added, MOLLE accessory panel added, ergonomic bend added to the back frame and seat support.

– Behind the seat is my Jackson Kayak KKrate, which is unfortunately no longer produced. I attach the YakAttack VISIPole on the GearTrack of the KKrate, to be seen in bad weather or in the dark.

– I always stow a Plano Guide Series Waterproof Case under the seat, in which I carry two GoPro Hero 7, additional GoPro batteries and SD cards. My Canon SLR camera and an additional 300mm lens is protected in a small waterproof camera case (TecTake size S).

– I attach my GoPro to the YakAttack Dog Bone Camera Mount, that’s a good height to avoid ugly crotch shots. I start the time lapse of the camera via voice control. Settings: one photo every 0.5 seconds.

– My baits and jigheads are in the Plano 3640-10 box, which fits exactly into the molded-in tackle storage on the gunnels of the Bite FD.

– Very important is a large landing net, nobody likes lip grips in Europe and most people avoid using it. I use the Westin W3 Landing Net in size L, where I cut off the handle. The net is in the molded in rod holder.

– I use the YakAttack Omega rod holder when trolling.

– My fishfinder is an older Lowrance Elite 5 that will soon be replaced by a new model. However, I have not yet decided which brand it should be in the future. The fishfinder is installed with a RAM Mount on the Gear Track. The transmitter is mounted in the scupper hole under the seat (selfmade mount), I hide the cable also under the seat. My power supply is a Rebelcell 12V18 AV li-ion battery, which is protected in a water-resistant Rebelcell bag under the seat.

– If I want to anchor, I’ll use the Tightline Anchor K5 and attach it to YakAttack Tie Downs.

If the use of an electric motor on the water is allowed, I take the new Jackson Kayak Flex Drive E for a ride, powered by a Rebelcell 12V70 AV li-ion battery (in future the new Rebelcell 12.35 Outdoorbox). Of course, the FD-E is perfect for trolling but also for vertical fishing to slow down the drift. This is a bit trickier than with an AutoPilot controlled electric motor, but with a bit of practice quite possible.

The Bite FD rocks! All 2020 models come with the new Flex Drive 3D, the FD 3D Rudder Kit, the new Prop2-FD and new larger steering handles. Really great improvements, the team has done a great job!

If you have any questions about my setup, please post it in the comments or email me at dennis@jacksonkayak.com!