Rigging Paddlecraft For Fishing

Published: Friday, July 20, 2018
By: Dan Armitage, Buckeye Sportsman Radio

Paddlecraft such as kayaks and stand up paddleboards (SUPs) make great tenders for use off of sail and power boats, as shared in this issue’s “Love My Tender” boating column, found here. The simple, inexpensive craft are good for getting to and from shore from boats that are moored and are fun for exploring and paddling around to get some exercise or to explore shallow water or places otherwise inaccessible to larger craft.

Sooner or later, you or your guests may get the urge to participate in boating’s most popular activity: fishing — and doing so from the SUP or kayak. Not only is that doable, but kayak fishing is one of the fastest growing watersports activities these days, with angling from a SUP an up-and-coming sport better suited for the more adventurous and agile among us.

Anyone who has attempted to wet a line from a recreational kayak, let alone an SUP, realizes that, while it’s perfectly possible to do so with no alterations to the watercraft, a few simple accessories can make the activity easier to accomplish, more fun, and more effective.

The first accessory you will want is a rod holder. Unless you are using a pedal-powered kayak such as those offered by Ocean Kayak with the PDL and Hobie with the Mirage Drive, paddling either a kayak and a SUP requires two hands, which means you need a secure place to put the rod and reel as you cruise between fishing spots. Yes, you can tuck a rod under a sit-inside kayak but you risk breaking the fragile rod tip and you need to contort a bit to stow and deploy the tackle. An open-decked, sit-on-top kayak and a flat decked SUP absolutely require some way to hold a rod and reel while you are paddling.

We use a recreational, pedal-powered model Malibu kayak from Ocean Kayak which, like most rec model kayaks and SUPs, doesn’t come with any accommodations for holding rods. Most kayaks, even non-fishing models, do offer lockers and spaces and cargo-netted areas that can be used to secure tackle, as do some SUPs. So, again, the main thing you will need to rig your paddlecraft for occasional angling is a place to secure a rod.

Fortunately, that’s easy to do thanks to the poly or fiberglass material that most popular paddlecraft are constructed of, and aftermarket accessories offered for just such use.

For kayaks, I recommend a plastic, flush-mount angled rod holder of a design offered by several manufacturers, including Attwood, Scotty, RAM, and others. The flush mounting means the holder is out of the way when the boat isn’t being used for fishing, yet is always there when there is a need for such a rack. I’ve used the flush mount holders in my kayak for holding everything from fishing pliers and a landing net to a camera ‘tripod’ - the latter using a holder specifically designed for use in rod holders.

To mount a flush holder, you simply determine where you want a holder, fit a power drill with a circular saw-like bit designed to cut a hole the size of the outside diameter of the rod holder’s tube, and drill away. Once the hole is cut, you slide the holder’s tube into the hole and secure the flanged base to the deck using a few self-tapping stainless steel screws placed through holes pre-drilled by the manufacturer. You don’t even have to drill pilot holes for the screws in poly hulls; they will bite into the material and snug up nicely. And, that’s it.

For SUPs, which may not be thick enough to accommodate the tube of a traditional flush mount rod holder, I recommend using a two-piece base-mount system such as offered by Scotty, Attwood, and others. Just make sure you select a model with an enclosed base hole to keep water from draining into the hull. To install, you simply mount the base in the same manner as the flush-mount holder. The rod holder itself is separate and fits into the base when the SUP is being used for fishing, and removed when not. The base is flush and remains out of the way and, like the one piece rod holder, also can serve double duty, as there are several accessories deigned to fit in such bases, including cup holders, camera tripods, navigation lights, and more.

Tackle storage aboard SUPs can be a challenge, and I recommend using an around-the-waist fanny pack or over-the-shoulder sling-style tackle “pack” for lures, pliers, and terminal tackle. Some anglers strap a milk crate to the back of their board, much like kayakers also use, to stow bulky items and for adding tube-style rod storage and net holders.

When using any paddle-powered craft for fishing it’s important that you have a holder and/or leash to secure the paddle while casting, fighting, and landing a fish. Otherwise, you risk a slow hand-paddle back to the Mothership, nearest shore, dock, or points downwind.