DIY GoPro Kayak Pole

   This is a simple, affordable pole mount for a GoPro. This is made specifically for GoPro cameras; for any other camera for a similar mount I would recommend visiting Sonny Mills' article about his camera setup.
 
Materials Needed:

• Dolica WT-1003 Lightweight 67 Inch Monopod ($15)
• GoPro Tripod Adaptor ($3)
• Duct Tape (approx. $5 per roll)
• Pipe Insulator (approx. $2 for six feet)

   The total cost comes in around $25 with plenty of extra duct tape and pipe insulator left over for future projects. As of right now, on the water I bring two action cameras, my Sony Action Cam HDR-AS15 on a headband mount, and my GoPro Hero 3+ on my pole mount. The GoPro is by far my favorite of the two, but it costs $299 versus the Sony which costs $142 on Amazon. I might do a full comparison of these two cameras for the purpose of filming kayak fishing videos later on, but now back to the GoPro pole mount.

 

1. The first step after all of the materials listed above have been purchased is to screw the adapter onto the end of the monopod and attach the camera.
   
2. The second step, is to prepare the bottom end of the monopod to fit snugly in whatever holder you choose to use for the pole, for example a flush-mount rod holder, or a section of PVC piping attached to a milk crate with zipties. To get the snug fit, I cut a section of pipe insulator about four inches long and slit it open so it could wrap around the bottom of the extended thinnest section of the monopod. I secured this on with a couple tight zipties and wrapped the rest of the way with duct tape until I got my desired width to fit my milkcrate rod holder. It's not pretty but it serves its purpose.

     3. The third and final step is to adjust the angle of the camera using the screw on the adapter, and experiment with placing it in different positions around the kayak to find your favorite view. My personal two favorites are from the PVC section on my milk crate, and the flush mount rod holder which is pictured below.

   This is a great project for those rainy days when we just wish we could be out fishing, and although it may cost a little more than other DIY alternatives, it's very simple, compact, portable, easily adjustable, and durable.