Gear Review: YakAttack’s VISICarbon Pro Lighted Flag
2-minute read + 2 videos
Kayak Bass Fishing (KBF) and Bending Branches ProStaff team member, Chad Hoover, reviews the VISICarbon Pro, something “every kayak angler should have in their kayak.”
(photo courtesy of Courtney Bennett)
“It’s better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it,” is a motto Chad lives by. He notes that as outdoor enthusiasts we only want to take along what we think we’ll need. But sometimes we also need to take along gear items we don’t think we’ll need, but don’t want to be without if we end up needing it after all.
The VISICarbon Pro is one of those gear items for kayak anglers:
What the VISICarbon Pro Does
The VISICarbon Pro is a visibility flag that’s packed with features. The orange flag flapping in the breeze sits at the top of a collapsible pole. Chad attests that the flag works so well to get attention from others on the water that sometimes he removes it from the pole when he doesn’t want to attract attention!
Besides the orange flag that gives you daytime visibility, the VISICarbon Pro offers two design features for nighttime visibility. A LED light sits on the very top of the pole that, when turned on, is visible for a long ways.
“The only thing that’s more visible than light on the water is moving light on the water,” says Chad. That little globe wobbles around in wind, in chop, and when you paddle. If there are other boaters in the area, they’ll see you.
The flag attaches to the pole with a couple quick-snaps
Not only that, there’s a reflective strip just below the globe that motor boats with headlights will see, too, even if your globe isn’t turned on.
Why is visibility important? For many reasons:
- You want people driving bigger boats to be able to see you when they’re moving much faster than you.
- If you’re fishing with buddies, they’ll be able to keep track of you, even in cattails and through other obstructions.
- When you fish after dark, lighting on your boat is required by most states.
The flag is 48 inches high when erected, and collapses down to 14 inches. It then stores inside the flag. The globe is an LED bulb with 10,000+ hours of life that runs on three AAA batteries.
How to Use the VISICarbon Pro
The entire pole works like modern tent stakes with a bungee cord that connects individual pieces that fit together. It uses a “drop and lock” system for set up: simply hold one end, drop the rest and let gravity and the bungee do their work.
The globe features an LED light good for 10,000+ hours
The bag the collapsed pole is stored in becomes the flag for your pole. It connects securely to one end of the pole with a couple of quick-snaps. One model is compatible with MightyMount and GearTrac (and most other kayak track systems) and the other includes MightyMount (MightMount fitting on the bottom end of the pole that connects directly to any track mount on your kayak).
Because of its design, it’s easy to fold the pole in half while it’s attached to your kayak, and bungee the flag to the pole to keep it out of the way when you don’t need it. You can simply snap it back up when you’re ready to use it.
For night fishing Chad likes to put the flag over the lit globe at times to give him a more subtle light. It can even double as a work light if needed.
More VISI Visibility Options
Maybe you don’t fish at night and just want a visibility flag. YakAttack’s VISIFlag is for you. The orange flag is attached to a thin orange carbon pole with a similar foam handle at the bottom that fits into any track or rod holder you have on your kayak.
There’s also the VISIPole II model. It’s identical to the VISICarbon Pro except the pole is solid—it doesn’t break down. The flag, track mount and track is included, or the foam handle fits in a rod holder like the other models do.
Chad covers these two products in this video:
Be seen and be safe! Happy fishing.
What paddle questions can we help you with today? Get in touch with our Wisconsin-based Customer Service Team: 715-755-3405 • [email protected]
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