DIY Forward Facing Sonar Pole Mount for Kayak Fishing – Easy Install for Under $50

Originally posted on Men's Journal | By Kurt Mazurek | Last updated Sep 23, 2024 1:34 PM ET

Transparency Note: Although I have not been paid by any of the manufacturers, some of the gear reviewed in this article was provided to me at no cost for evaluation. The views and assessments presented are entirely my own. If you buy something via one of these links, there is no additional cost to you and I may earn a commission.

Why D.I.Y. Your Forward Facing Sonar Pole?

I know sometimes it can feel like your bass fishing kayak is a never-ending opportunity to spend more money. And I know, the kayak featured in all my articles is no exception. But for this next project, I saw an opportunity to save a couple bucks and I decided to go for it.

I’ve added Humminbird’s MEGA Live forward facing sonar to my kayak. But to add it, first I needed a pole to mount the LIVE Imaging transducer. I did some searching, and there are several options out there. But realistically a basic pole starts at around $200, and they go up pretty quickly from there. Yes, some of them are pretty slick and I’m sure they perform very well. But when I studied this a bit more, I realized it doesn’t need to be that complicated.

The Parts Needed For Your D.I.Y. Pole

I watched a handful of videos on YouTube and had all the info I needed to form my plan. It’s simple. It’s effective. And best of all, everything I needed came in just a bit under $50.

PARTS LIST:
1.) Fishfinder Mount Ball & Socket Base
2.) 2 qty. U-Bolt Zinc 3/8 x 2 x 3-12
3.) Multi-Purpose PVC Cement
4.)Black Spray Paint
5.) 1" PVC Elbow
6.) 1-1/2” PVC Cap
7.) 1" x 2' PVC Pipe
8.) 1-1/4" x 2' PVC Pipe
9.) 1-1/2” Hose Clamp
NOTE: Amazon is easy, but it’s not the least expensive place to buy some of these small quantity hardware pieces. To end up under $50, you’ll need to hit a local Home Depot, especially for the PVC parts.

Watch the Full D.I.Y. Video First

I have created a video that goes through the entire DIY process. If you’re serious about building one of these for yourself, you’ll definitely want to take a look.

It's a little tough to describe the build, but just to give you the basic idea: the two sections of PVC pipe fit fairly snug with one inside the other. You’ll cut the outer pipe down a bit so that you can attach the sonar transducer to the inner pipe sticking out at the bottom, and attach the PVC elbow to the top of that pipe. Then you’ll repurpose that fish finder mount, attaching the base to the edge of the kayak and the fish finder mounting plate to the upper end of the outer diameter pipe. Attach it with the U-bolts. I painted the whole thing black, just so it looks a little more polished, at least from a distance. Mounting the transducer and running the ethernet and power cables is covered in the manual you got from Humminbird with your LIVE Imaging unit.

Feel the Satisfaction of D.I.Y.

Honestly, you’re looking at a couple hours work (allowing a little downtime for the paint to dry). And although it might not be at the same level of engineering and high-tolerance, precision manufacturing you’d get with some of the more expensive options, it holds the transducer just fine. I promise you the fish don’t care either way. It deploys quietly and easily, rotates for a 360-degree view, and stows away just as quietly and easily. Plus, you get that satisfaction of knowing you made it yourself.

This article first appeared on Men's Journal and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: