Do you feel ready to take your kayaking to a whole different level, but don’t know how to start? You’ve thought about combining it with fishing, but don’t know how to organize your tiny kayak space? Don’t worry! We have some knowledge about kayak fishing setup that we’re happy to share with you. We know it can be a little tricky if you’re a beginner, so read carefully.

Kayak fishing is one of the most practiced outdoor activities for many people, especially when they live near water bodies. However, for beginners it can be overwhelming because it differs from standard fishing in many ways.

The first difference between them is the fact that standard fishing includes a larger boat, thus, a wider space for storage of all the fishing equipment. When fishing from a kayak, every bit of space must be used in an analytical way in order to get the biggest benefit from it.

Taking that into account, everything that you bring to the kayak must be perfectly organized so it won’t be a mess. It will also help with your safety aboard, because having an organized kayak will give you the opportunity to know where everything you need is in the time you require it.

Learn Kayak Fishing Setup Step By Step

Pro-Tip: Choose A Good Kayak

For the purpose of this post, there are only two types of kayaks: the ones that are built especially for fishing and the ones that aren’t. It’s recommended that you get a fishing kayak if you’re going to do that activity, nonetheless, if you have a standard kayak, there are many adjustments you can do to it in order to be able to use it for fishing.

What things should I bring to my kayak fishing? Answering this is an essential thing related to kayak fishing setup.

1. Rod Holders

The main thing to take to a fishing trip is a good rod holder (or a few of them) to put the fishing rods. To choose a proper rod holder, you have to consider how many rods you will need. Even for recreational purposes, it is important to have a few good rods with you, so you have options to select from.

An important tip when installing rod holders is to do it behind the cockpit so they’re away from your paddle stroke. This is especially relevant when you’re only taking one or two rods. However, if you’re thinking of taking three or more, you will have to drill your boat, which may be scary. Nonetheless, it’s completely normal to feel nervous about damaging your kayak, but it’s quite a simple procedure: mark the place where the holes need to be drilled, then bolt the holder and add a sealant.

2. Fishing Crate

This is a very important equipment to have if you’re practicing kayak fishing, and thankfully, different models have been confectioned especially for kayaks. Thus, the main idea is to have a space to storage the fish you’ve caught, which is why although you can buy one made in a store, you can also make one yourself. Several fishermen have made them out of milk crates, taking advantage of the triangular or trapezoidal storage area that’s located directly on a sit-on-top kayak.

If you don’t have a sit-on-top kayak, however, your best option is to store your crate in front of you, on the space between your legs. Although this can be a little uncomfortable, it is a new experience that still includes the fishing and kayaking, so making it a positive journey could encourage you to even get a new kayak for other adventures.

3. Bring Your Own Anchor Trolley

Often when kayak fishing, you will need to get your kayak on a stationary position, which is why an anchor is a very important part of the equipment that you’ll need to have. Thus, the most recommended system for kayak fishing is the anchor trolley.

What you need to do first in order to get your anchor trolley is to go to a kayak store and take a look at the different kayak anchors that they can offer you. If you’re a beginner, you can tell the store person the specific qualities of your kayak so they recommend the best anchor for your fishing. Nonetheless, the main aspect of it is having an anchor that allows you to change the angle that the kayak is in relation to the anchor. For this, the anchor needs to have an adjustable line.

4. Bait

For bait you have two main options, having live bait or not. To choose, you can depend on the quality of the kayak you’ll be using, since some fishing kayaks include an onboard live well. Another option is to take your bait in a bucket, but it won’t last that long alive, so taking dead bait can be a better option to choose from if that’s your case.

Kayak fishing is an outdoor activity chosen by many because it combines both the sport characteristic of kayaking and the relaxing features of fishing. Thus, when you learn the way to organize the equipment correctly, the practice becomes much more enjoyable and fun to do. Remember that the kayak fishing setup is more important than we think!