By Paul Lebowitz

Kayak anglers are a creative bunch when it comes to rigging boats for the maximum in fishing utility. The do-it-yourself tradition still central to the sport originated out of necessity. In the early days, commercial products were scarce. Now off the shelf options are multiplying, but they’ll never fill every niche. Solutions to rigging problems both simple and complex continue to emerge from garage workshops across the country, often with a distinct regional flavor.

Here’s a look at improvisation born on the steelhead streams, broad bays and rough ocean of Northern California.

DIY FISHFINDER SHELF – Sometimes an otherwise great fishing kayak lacks usable deck space for electronics. Adam Coca has an answer. He makes his own, crafting it from an inexpensive plastic cutting board, then mounts it in the surplus space often found at the front of the cockpit. “I use a piece of cardboard as a template and glue it down with a marine-grade adhesive. Now you only need one hole in your ‘yak for the transducer cable. I put mine directly underneath the shelf, keeping water away from the connector,” Coca wrote.

TACKLE STORAGE DONE BETTER – Often, commercial products can be improved or combined for added and space-saving usefulness. Ben Newman’s tankwell tackle storage is a prime example. He paired a water-resistant Flambeau 1408 dry box with a West Marine 3-pole holder. The extra U-bolt serves as a bomb-proof tie-down and leash mounting point.

NOTHING FANCY - Good ideas are often simple, like this rod leash submitted by Don Anglin. “I like to take old car cell phone charger cords, crimp a brass clip on one end and a loop on the other. The curled loop does a fine job of holding on to reel handles. I’ve found these to be very easy to put on and off on the water. They’ve saved me three set-ups so far,” Anglin wrote.

ANCHOR LIKE A DRIFT BOATER – Intrepid steelhead seekers have been pioneering river kayak fishing techniques over the past few seasons, following the lead of the Great White Kayak Company's Sean White. A drift boat style aft anchor mount is one of the discipline's essential items. Michael Moltchanoff set this one up for one-handed use. “I used a V-cleat which is basically a clam cleat with a fairlead. If you let go of the rope, it falls back in the jaws and saves your anchor,” Moltchanoff explained. Anchoring in current is a dicey proposition. Moltchanoff sent along this safety note: “To dump the anchor in case of a problem, all you have to do is hold the rope in the release position. The rope will slide through the cleat and pulley. Bye-bye anchor.”

A NEW-SCHOOL POWER SUPPLY – Large rechargeable batteries aren’t always practical, especially on multi-day trips away from the grid. Erik Sowa sent along this alternative using AA batteries. Ten of them wired into a waterproof box provide the right voltage and enough amps to run a fishfinder for a day or more. “It is small, very easy to hook up and recharge. I’ve used it for over a year now and been extremely happy with the weight and performance,” Sowa said.