In fishing, a properly rigged kayak is essential to a successful expedition.
Fishing is a fun-filled activity, and catching the fish is an even more rewarding experience.
However, you must be well prepared to maximize this avenue for fun and enjoyment.
Get away from the daily grind. Nature is a great place to have fun, adventures, and thrills.
The goal of all the effort and time put into the sport is to have fun.
The most important factor in achieving this goal is selecting a fishing kayak and properly rigging it.
We get up early, paddle around ice, fish in the rain, sweat furiously, and smile as we swat flies, but paddling a poorly made, uncomfortable, ineffective, and unpleasant fishing kayak is a tremendous letdown.
Here’s how to rig a kayak for fishing.
Contents
What Is A Kayak?
Kayaks can now include pedal-driven boats, powered boats, and classic small craft driven by a pair of paddling blades.
Choosing a fishing kayak is both easier and more challenging due to the variety of designs available.
The best part is that every angler can find a reasonably priced kayak.
The downside is that there are too many types in each category so that finding the correct kayak for you might be difficult.
A kayak is one of two types of recreational and sporting canoes.
Indigenous Greenlandic people first invented it and then it was adopted by Alaskan Indigenous people.
It has a pointed bow and stern with no keel.
It is enclosed everywhere except the cockpit, which is where the paddler sits, facing forward, using a double-bladed paddle.
Kayaks are often made for one person, but they can also be built for two and three people.
How To Rig Your Kayak
It can be difficult to determine what is essential for success on the waters when you are a novice.
It can be daunting to get your kayak rigged and ready to fish, especially with expensive kayak fishing equipment.
The wonderful thing concerning kayak fishing is that, while having top-of-the-line equipment is nice, it isn’t necessary to catch some good fish.
Let’s face it. Some things are simply impossible to accomplish on a kayak.
Kayak fishing has a steep learning curve, especially for beginners.
Simple tasks like cutting lines or handling the fish might become unpleasant and irritating due to this.
Coming prepared and armed with quality gear for these scenarios is the best answer.
A decent knife can help you not only with your fishing but also in life-threatening scenarios.
A comfy PFD is another absolute must-have.
There are many options available, and my honest advice is to try on a few.
These differ greatly from person to person, so select one that suits your needs.
Make sure the Coast Guard approves any PFD that you purchase!
Most of these PFDs will contain pockets for a knife or emergency whistles, and some will even have pockets for some of your other belongings.
Put a 25-50 feet spool of rope in your kayak for the same reasons. This might be helpful in a variety of situations.
A strong landing net and a great pair of excellent fish grips are also essential.
Some may argue that these aren’t essentials, but while you’re actively catching fish, using excellent gear to help land and handle the fish will make the experience many times better.
This is more evident with bigger fish, but I believe that confidence is the most important aspect in any endeavor, including fishing.
Confidence in your abilities and the chosen gear play a big part in your propensity to catch fish. Therefore it’s well worth it.
Selecting Gear For Fishability
You certainly want some gear to add to the kayak to turn it into an incredible fishing machine, aside from things that will save or extend your chances as a kayak angler.
For the novice, it comes down to a few minor gear choices.
I strongly advise you to construct your fishing container.
Mostly, building one of these in the kayak fishing community has virtually become a rite of passage.
There are numerous tutorials available online, and they are rather inexpensive to construct.
These could be as imaginative or as plain as you desire when made out of a milk crate.
I attach PVC pipe to the edges of the milk crates using zip ties, which also serve as extra rod holders.
A small box and my selected lures and tackle to be used for the day are frequently stored in the crate.
Being an efficient kayak fisherman necessitates keeping a clean environment.
Because space is limited, please make the most of it.
Plano boxes can be extremely useful in organizing your bait assortment.
Waterproof boxes can be regarded as a worthwhile investment too.
Anything less and all the hooks you have would corrode, rendering the box worthless.
Make your organization system unique by being creative with it.
Aside from a kayak crate, the next gear that will give you the best value for your money is a high-quality fish finder.
A fish finder allows you to observe the water column vertically, allowing you to grow as an angler significantly.
This could mean mapping out all of the greatest spots in a local lake or locating a good snapper reef to use as a seat.
Whatever the case may be, it will make you a better, more versatile, and well-rounded angler.
Gear Extras
Some equipment is unnecessary, but it can make the kayak fishing experience a lot more adventurous and enjoyable.
The anchor trolley system allows you to use an anchor while also controlling where the anchor is linked to your kayak.
This is a terrific way to keep control and catch fish in strong winds and currents.
You can make your own, but a terrific kit that is normally very user-friendly is also available.
I make my drift anchor by bundling a heavy piece of chain with duct tape to drift-fish efficiently.
This creates a hefty snake-like anchor that will not snag on anything and will not prevent you from drifting.
This allows you to fish a drift far slower than before, giving you a significant advantage.
You can eventually amass many kayak accessories by purchasing them one at a time.
A clip-style paddle holder, for example, can be extremely useful.
Other accessories can range from a Power-Pole Micro, an electronic staking system that doubles as both a luxury shallow water anchor, to something like a simple cupholder, and it’s ultimately up to you to pick what goes on your kayak and what doesn’t.
The beautiful thing concerning kayaks is that they can be customized to your liking, so personalize yours and add whatever you want!
Getting your kayak rigged for fishing doesn’t have to be as difficult as some belief.
Sure, some of those pricey additions add up to a wicked-looking rig over time, but 99 percent of it is just for show.
Don’t worry if you don’t have the perfect rig yet; a modest fishing setup on the kayak you use can produce just as much as any luxury kayak!
Conclusion
Getting your kayak rigged is largely dependent on your taste and preferences once you’re done with getting basic things in place.
You must have fun during your kayak fishing while ensuring you’re safe.
