10 Great Ideas for Kayak Accessories This Holiday Season

MAYBE YOUR LOVED ONE owns a kayak or maybe you have one of your own — either way, the holidays are a prime opportunity for gift-giving and gift-getting that could make that kayak even better.

Although many of today’s kayaks come well equipped, half the fun of owning a kayak is rigging it up for casting, trolling, and catching in the ways you most enjoy. Plus, kayaks may seem like small, simple fishing machines, but in fact, they can be uber-jazzed with bells and whistles ranging from pole anchors to propulsion systems.

Which options, gadgets, and goodies are the best? That depends on your own personal way of kayaking and fishing. That said, at least a few of these top 10 picks are sure to be on every kayak owner’s short-list:

1. Electric Propulsion: Whether you’re looking at Torqeedo’s Ultralight Outboard Motors, a Motorguide Xi3 Kayak, or another option, motorizing your fishing kayak is probably the ultimate upgrade. It’ll allow you to go farther, faster, and explore waters that until now have been out of range. 

2. LiFePO4 Power: The latest lithium iron phosphate batteries are half the weight and hold twice the power of a standard-issue 12-volt lead-acid battery. Plus, they’re far safer than early versions of lithium batteries. Whether you’re powering a propulsion system, or you need the juice for accessories such as lights and fishfinders, a LiFePO4 system is the latest and greatest.

3. A Track System: If your kayak doesn’t already have a track system installed, adding one will allow you to mount everything from rodholders to cupholders. There are a number of excellent choices on the market, such as those made by YakAttack, Railblaza, RAM, and YakGear. When choosing one, just be aware of the fact that these usually aren’t interchangeable between brands so you’ll have to choose one (make sure the manufacturer produces all the accessories you’ll want) and stick with it.

4. Rodholders: More Rodholders.If one thing is for sure, you can never have too many rodholders. Adding some forward of the cockpit will allow you to troll while watching the rod tips for strikes. Adding more aft will increase your rod-hauling capacity.

5. Wheels and Carts: Wheel and/or cart systems will make it much easier to get your kayak from the vehicle to the water, and can also expand your choice of launch spots by making short hikes possible.

Note: strap-ons that spread the load across the structure of the kayak tend to be better options for long-distance hauling than wheel systems that fit into scupper holes, as these can stress the plastic.

6. Dumb Stick or Smart Stick: Yes, you read that right: there’s a Dumb Stick for kayaks, and a Smart Stick as well. Both serve the same purpose, which is allowing you to hitch your kayak (rigged with the aforementioned wheels or carts) to your bicycle. Then you can pedal your way to nearby ramps and soft launches.

7. Pole Anchor: A pole anchor lets you “stake out” your kayak in a static position, so you can cast without blowing around or drifting in the current. There are plenty of manual options, but if you want to go whole hog, get one of the auto-deploying models from the likes of Power Pole (the Micro). Then you’ll be able to stake out in place with the press of the button on a key fob remote.

8. Foam Decking: Adding foam decking like SeaDek or ShipsDek will make your kayak look great—you can choose just about any color combo or customize with a camo finish—but more importantly, it provides padding for standing or kneeling, creates a non-slip surface, and provides a sound-absorbing barrier that helps prevent fish-spooking noises such as dropped tools or sliding tackleboxes.

Note for sponsored yak anglers and YouTubers: if you have a logo or graphics in a digital format, the companies that make and/or install foam padding can usually have the graphic computer-routered right into the foam, for the ultimate in customization.

9. Livewells: Most kayak anglers haul a bait bucket, but that simply doesn’t cut it for large live baits or large numbers of baits. Plenty of livewells are designed for use on kayaks, however. Some are made by the kayak manufacturer specifically to fit on certain models (such as Hobie’s Livewell V2, which locks into the cargo deck scuppers of rigid Hobia kayaks). Also, more universal models are on the market (such as Frabill’s Bait Station line), which can be strapped into place on just about any kayak.

10. Fishfinders: If you’re a serious angler we’re guessing you have one installed already. But if not, we wonder what you’re waiting for—a fishfinder is second to none when it comes to locating those finned critters.

If you do have one already, we have to ask—does it have side-scanning abilities? Are the detail levels up to snuff? Does it have chartplotting abilities? If you answered “no” to any of these questions, maybe it’s time for an upgrade.

BONUS GOODIE: You have a lot of time and money invested in that kayak, so protect it from the weather and UV damage. Fitted covers are available for just about any size kayak and will extend the lifetime of rotomolded polyethylene by years, so if you don’t already have a kayak cover make this one a priority.

Which of these kayak-enhancing accouterments will be the best pick for you or your loved one, come Christmas? That’s your call, not ours. But one thing is for sure. Any and all of these options will be appreciated by every paddling or pedaling angler on the water.

 

—story by LENNY RUDOW

 

< PREV Return to CONTENTS Page NEXT >