Transporting all of your kayak fishing gear can be a challenge. Fishing rods are no exception. The advent of long rods for flies, jigs, and bobbers have only exacerbated the challenge.

On a recent trip to Oregon one of my buddies had solved this dilemma with a brilliant, low-dollar hack. He installed a used ski rack he scored on Craigslist on his crossbars. While not designed for fishing, the ski racks soft jaws gently cradled his rods, kept them from banging into each other, didn’t abrade his line, and were lockable. All for $25.

I kept my eyes open and found a NIB Thule ski rack in the classified ads of a local fishing forum. Low summer time demand and a desire clean out the garage lead to a successful $25 dollar negotiation. I installed the ski rack on my bed racks next to my Hullivator and the combo is car-topping nirvana. I can easily fit a quiver of rods in the ski rack and forget about damage from car doors, tailgates, or shifting cargo.