How To Outfit A Kayak For Fishing

It is no news that kayak fishing is quickly becoming more and more popular every year. This explosive growth in population can be attributed to the fact that kayaks can easily sail on just any kind of water body, and that they can get to some places other watercrafts may not be able to get to.

Also, kayaks are preferred for fishing because there are kayaks that are specifically designed for fishing. They possess features, such as rod holders, that make them suitable for fishing. Even the kayaks that aren’t made for fishing can be outfitted so that they also have features that make them great for fishing. 

So, you’re looking to venture out to fish on your kayak and you’re not sure what to fit on your kayak to better prepare you for the trip, you’re in the right place. In this article, I’ll be showing you how to outfit your kayak for fishing.

What Exactly Do You Need?

Here are some of the basic things that your kayak should have to help make your fishing experience perfect and without any glitches.

Rod Holders

As the name suggests, rod holders help you to hold your fishing rods while you’re busy paddling or doing something else. Fishing kayaks usually come factory-fitted with them but you can still attach one to your kayak if it doesn’t have any. Generally, there are two types of rod holders; adjustable rod holders and flush-mounted rod holders.

Adjustable rod holders offer you the opportunity to decrease and increase their heights while still being able to rotate them to fit in any position you want them to. Some are even removable to create space for other stuff when they aren’t in use. 

|

Flush-mounted rod holders are mostly inconspicuous as they’re sometimes molded into the kayak itself. If you have one on your kayak it would most likely be on the rear of your kayak. They can also be removed when not in use. 

However, you should know that you should always leash your fishing rods and other important gear kits to your kayak in case they fall into the water. 

Anchor Rig

Anchors are great for keeping your rooted to a spot while you’re fishing. Otherwise, you would find yourself spinning in every direction under the control of the wind or the water currents. A complete anchor system includes anchor itself, a chain, an anchor trolley, and an anchor line. 

Anchors often come in different kinds but the most common two are claw anchors and foldable anchors. Foldable anchors are popular for their portability while claw anchors are great for their ability to keep you totally rooted to a spot. 

|

Paddle Leash

Mistakes happen. Your paddle could slip off, your gears may fall over, or worse still, your kayak may flip over. And when these things happen, you may lose some of the items in your gear kit in the water. Trust me, this can be a really frustrating experience. 

You can leash a lot of your stuff to your kayak so that if anything falls over, it is unable to sink to the water bottom or float away from you. A paddle leash is useful for just that. There are customized paddle leashes that could be bought from the store, or you could just find a strong rope and tie either end to the kayak and the paddle. 

Comfortable Seats

It is possible to go out fishing for hours unending. One thing you would definitely hate yourself for after you’re done fishing is not being comfortable on your kayak seat. As a matter of fact, this could take the thrill out of your fishing experience.

Adjustable seats are great for making you feel convenient in different sitting positions. But whatever seat you decide to use, make sure it is one that has a strong backrest and is well padded. Also, make sure that the seat sits a few inches above the deck of the kayak so that you don’t get yourself wet if water gets into the kayak.

In addition to making you comfortable, some seats have watertight pocket spaces where you could keep some of your stuff that you don’t want to get wet. If you could get something like this, fine.

Versatile Tackle Storage

You would need to carry a number of hooks, lures, spare lines and many other stuff like these on your fishing trip and it just makes sense to keep them in a tackle crate or box. These tackle storage systems are designed in such a way that your stuff is safe even if you rock your kayak to some degree.

There are a number of different storage systems that you could use for keeping your stuff. The tackle trays, for example, fit well under your seat. However, there’s a limit to the amount of fishing equipment you can carry at once. Tackle boxes, on the other hand, allow you to store more stuff.

Some tackle boxes even have foldable trays that have useful spaces. Tackle boxes come in two types; hard boxes and softboxes. Hard boxes don’t have as many spaces as softboxes do but they are more durable. It’s the other way around for the softboxes.

Wrapping It All Up

These are the most essential stuff that you may decide to rig your kayak with to make it well suited for an excellent fishing experience. However, you could get more ambitious and get yourself a fish finder, a GPS and some dry bags.

The GPS helps you find your way so that you don’t get lost on big water bodies, such as the ocean. The fish finder helps you to… well, find fish. And the dry bags are watertight bags that can hold some stuff that shouldn’t get wet. 

All these things don’t really cost much so you don’t have to worry about going out of your way to outfitting your kayak. With that been said, please make sure you drop any comments, questions, and inquiries in the comment section below and I would be glad to attend you.