Keep it Simple When Rigging Your Fishing Kayak

Just the other day a friend who had just purchased two sit-on-top fishing kayaks mentioned it wasn’t as easy as he and his sons thought it would be. I told him I totally understood and then gave him a few tips that I hope will help.

I’m a believer in the KISS method. Keep It Simple Schultz. That’s how I’ve approached my kayak fishing for 12 years now. Yes, there are many bells and whistles that can be added to a fishing kayak, but many times they are not needed, or you should wait until you’ve been out fishing several times before simply adding something because you saw it, or someone said they liked on their kayak.

Back to my friend. He and his sons were doing their kayak fishing on the Wisconsin River with the current making fishing a little challenging. Well, up here in Door County we don’t have the current, but with wind often a part of our equation and wind produced waves, we have our own challenges.

To start with, even keeping it simple, I feel a couple flush mount rod holders and maybe one or two external rod holders are helpful. This way you can take few rods and a small net. Also, some kayaks like my Jackson Kraken have a built-in console where I can put most of what I need in the way of lures, water, phone in plastic bag and more. But, if your kayak doesn’t have this, then get yourself a storage crate that fits in the tank well behind the seat. These hold all the gear you will be taking and likely will have a few rod holders attached.

I don’t have a fish finder on any of my kayaks, but they can be very helpful, and you can easily get by with a basic model. Also, if you enjoy pictures and don’t just want selfies, then a RAM Mounts small camera mount that fits in your kayak’s tracks works great. Many, especially those who fish lakes and want to fish without being blown off a spot by the wind might appreciate a simple kayak anchor. I’ve used them and they can be helpful.

Rigging your kayak is very personal but doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. I love the simplicity of kayak fishing, so for me it’s the KISS method. As always, I’m happy to answer any questions kayak/kayak fishing, just email me at kayakfishingwisconsin.com

Reprint from Door County Daily News, August 15, 2021