Last Updated on July 19, 2022 by Ecorf
Kayak fishing has grown to be really popular today than it used to be a long time ago. This, though, comes as no surprise as kayaking itself has started to become explosively popular as a sport and a recreational activity. Also, a kayak is really great for fishing because it can assess different kinds of water bodies that board can’t assess.
However, buying a fishing kayak that has all the things to make your fishing experience complete could be quite expensive. They sometimes cost a few thousand bucks, and honestly, not many of us can afford it.
But it’s all good! With just a few tweaks on your less expensive, less sophisticated kayak, and you would enjoy your fishing almost as much as you would it on an expensive fishing kayak. This article takes you through a few steps on how to customize a kayak for fishing. So bring out that old kayak of yours and get ready to fish like a pro!
Table of Contents
What You Need to Modify Your Kayak for Fishing
Since your kayak doesn’t have those sophisticated features that make it perfect for fishing, there are some things that you can add to your own kayak to make it just as great for fishing.
Fishing Life Jackets
Safety first! Life jackets help you stay safe in dire situations that could cost your life.
Furthermore, fishing PFDs are not just great for safety purposes alone, but also for keeping stuff. Fishing PFDs are characterized by the many pocket spaces that they possess. Because you would need to pack a lot of stuff for fishing, the pocket spaces on your PFDs come in handy for this.
Rod And Paddle Leashes
It could happen that your kayak, for whatever reason, flips over and capsizes. But because you would be wearing your life jacket (as you always should when on the water) you would be safe and remain afloat. However, your gear may not.
A lot of things in your gear set do not float. Your fishing rod and paddle would sink if they don’t have floats. And when you capsize, these things sink and you would be left the choice of either going back to shore to get a replacement or ending your fishing prematurely that day.
For this reason, if your fishing rod and paddle are leashed to your kayak, you would be successfully saving yourself from a frustrating fishing experience.
Kayak Fishing Tackle Crate
You don’t have to be a pro angler to know that some fishes can really put up a lot of struggle when they are hooked. It then comes to your experience, skill, and strength to win the tussle and claim the catch.
But in the process of tussling and struggling with the catch, you would need your gears to remain in place or they would be flying all over the place and might even get lost. And this is where the tackle crate comes in handy. A tackle crate would not only keep your gear from scattering all around during a tussle, but it also allows you to keep your stuff in an organized manner for easy assess.
The Right Paddle
When fishing, you would be carrying enough gear that could make your kayak heavy with load. The last thing you need is to have your paddle adding to the extra weight.
Fishing paddles should be lightweight so that you can paddle for a long time without fatigue. These paddles should have hook retrievers too, so that they can help you untangle your hook when it gets stuck somewhere under the water.
Fishing Rods And Rod Holders
Fishing rods are necessary for fishing, and it is always good to go with more than one fishing rod in case you lose any of them. Those fishes never want to go down easily, trust me.
When you have rod holders on your kayak, they help keep your rods together in an organized fashion. In fact, some kayaks come with built-in rod holders.
Anchor Trolley System
Sometimes, you just want to remain at a particular spot while fishing but the wind and water currents have other plans for you. They keep throwing you here and there and turning you in every direction. The simple solution to this is using the anchor trolley system.
The anchor trolley system keeps you on your desired position. With this, you can defy the will of the wind and the water currents and.
Dry Bags
As the name implies, they help you to keep your stuff dry. The things that normally go in here are phones, cash, electronics and other stuff you don’t want to get wet.
It is important to note that you might need some extra dry suit or shirt in case of the weather changes unexpectedly. This often happens in large water bodies.
Fish Finder And A GPS
When navigating a large water body such as an ocean, there is every possibility that you drift off course or even get a little lost. The GPS would help you find your way back on track and keep you from getting lost.
The fish finder helps you locate shoals of fish under the water so you don’t have to cast your rods aimlessly at just any spot, expecting to catch some fish that isn’t there.
Sometimes, these some gadgets have both the fish finder and the GPS together and you may have to buy them separately if you wish. Whatever you do, these two are great additions to your fishing gear.
Wrapping It All Up
So when you don’t have the money to buy yourself the really sophisticated fishing kayak that you would love to buy, don’t worry. With those extra additions and adjustments, you are good to go.
But know that you may have to drill some holes on your kayaks in the process of adding some additional features to it. So if you aren’t great with DIY projects then you may need to get some help. You don’t want to wreck your kayak all in the name of customizing it.
Have yourself a great kayak fishing experience!
