20 Must Have Kayak Fishing Accessories

One of the first questions that many anglers have right after purchasing their fishing kayak is what gear and accessories do they need to have that will help them catch more fish and take their experience to the next level.

As a kayak angler myself, I know how fun it can be and how important it is to get the right gear and equipment for your kayak that matches your style of fishing. For this reason, I have put together the following list of the best kayak fishing accessories you should consider adding to your yak.

Here are 20 kayak fishing accessories that will help keep you safe, more organized, and improve your overall kayak fishing experience.

The 20 Best Kayak Fishing Accessories

FISHING PFD

The first thing any kayak fishing angler needs to have is a proper life jacket that is built for fishing. At some point you are going to run into dangerous situations on the water and having the right life jacket can literally be a life saver. Don’t make the mistake of fishing without one.

Not only are fishing life jackets designed to keep you safe, but most of them come with additional storage options. These pockets make it easy to store your phone, pliers, tackle and other fishing accessories you use often.

If you already have a life jacket that’s great, just make sure to wear it at all times. If you don’t, I’d highly recommend picking up this life NRS Life Vest from FishUSA. It will help keep you safe and also provide you with some additional storage options.

LANDING NET

Another great addition to any kayak fishing setup is a nice landing net. There is nothing more heartbreaking than reeling in a big fish only to have it get off just inches from the boat. This can be especially painful if you are fishing in a tournament.

To make sure this doesn’t happen to you get yourself a nice net that will allow you to land those monster fish. Not only will it help you catch more fish but it will also keep you and the fish safe.

The YakAttack Leverage Landing Net is the ideal net for any kayak angler. You’d have a hard time finding a better net. This net is compact with its folding ability and can fit in a tube or a flush mount rod holder. It also has a unique forearm grip, that gives you more control and leverage as you bring in your catch. This net is well worth the investment.

FISH GRIPS

Another great tool every angler should have in their tackle collection is a pair of fish grips. These are a perfect fish landing tool for fishermen of all kinds. If you are targeting toothy creatures than this accessory is a must have.

Not only will this make it easier for you to remove lures and temporary keep your catch, but it will also help keep you and your fish safe. You can find these at pretty much any tackle shop or you can find them on Amazon by clicking this link.

KAYAK CART

Most fishing kayaks can get pretty heavy especially when you add all of your gear and tackle to the mix. This can be a challenge when launching and loading your kayak. Instead of struggling to get your kayak down to the lake, you might consider buying a kayak cart to help haul your boat around.

Not only will a kayak cart make your life a whole lot easier but it will also help keep you from damaging the bottom of your kayak. This will extend the life of you kayak and keep if from scraping up against rocks, concrete and other potential damaging surfaces.

Here is a quick guide of some of the best kayak carts out there:

Best Kayak Carts

Kayak Kart	Kayak Brand
Malone WideTrack Kayak Cart	Universal
Suspenz All-Terrain Kayak Cart	Universal
C-Tug Kayak & Canoe Kayak Cart	Universal
Hobie Trax 2-30 Plug-In Kayak Cart	Hobie

FISH FINDER

When I first purchased my fishing kayak I wanted to keep things simple and debated on whether or not I should add a fish finder to my boat. Let me tell you adding a fish finder was one of my best decisions .

In my experience adding a fish finder to your kayak is well worth the investment. I’ve fished in kayaks and boats without one and it definitely makes a big difference.

Having one will allow you to see depth, water temperatures mark structure and fish and will ultimately make you a more effective and efficient angler.

In my opinion the ideal fish finder for your kayak is the Humminbird HELIX 7 CHIRP MEGA SI. It’s features, clarity, size user experience makes it an all around great fish finder for any kayak.

If you do decide that a fish finder is right for your fishing kayak here are a few other things that you’ll need in order to use one.

Transducer Mount
Battery
Battery Box

FLAG & VISIBILITY LIGHT

We as anglers love to head out fishing super early in the morning and stay late into the evening when the bite is good and the boat traffic is low. After all this is some of the best times you can fish.

That’s why I would recommend adding a flag and visibility light to your kayak setup. In fact, according to the United States Coast Guard your kayak is required to have navigation lights that must be displayed between sunset and sunrise and during periods of restricted visibility.

If your looking for the best Flag/Visibility light combo than the YakAttack VISIPole II is a great option. If you just want to add a simple and affordable light than these navigation lights from Amazon are a cheap alternative.

TACKLE CRATE

If you are anything like me you try and bring as much tackle, gear and rod’s as you can on each fishing trip. After all you never know when that one bait or lure will be the deal.

As kayak anglers often times we have to be selective about what we can bring and may not have the storage capabilities that a regular boat would have. For this reason having an efficient way to hold additional rods, baits and tackle is critical.

That’s why I would highly recommend adding some type of tackle crate to your kayak fishing setup. This accessory is a must have for any kayak fishing angler.

The gold standard for kayak crates has been the BlackPak by YakAttack. It gives you the ability to store multiple rods, has drain holes and will keep your tackle organized and protected.

However, if you are on a budget a simple diy project with a milk crate and some pvc pipe can get the job done as well. Whatever route you decide to go make sure a tackle crate is at the top of your list. It’s something every angler should have.

ROD HOLDERS

Another simple yet needed kayak fishing accessory are rod holders. As a bass fishermen I know how important it is to have several rod and reel setups each being a tool I can utilize while I’m out on the water.

Adding some or more rod holder storage will not only allow you to bring more rods with you but will also keep your kayak nice an organized and clutter free. I’ve lost many fish trying to grab my net under rod’s I wasn’t using and this could have been prevented if I added some more rod holders.

You have a few different rod holder options. You can get one that will mount to your track system, kayak crate or you can install a flush rod holder to the hull of your kayak.

Here are three I would recommend checking out:

Fore more kayak fishing tips check out this article: 20 Kayak Fishing Tips to Make You a Better Anglers

ANCHOR SYSTEM

There is nothing more frustrating that catching and being on a group of fish only to get blown of your spot by wind or boat traffic. That’s why its important to have a way to anchor your kayak and stay locked on your sweet spots. Having a good anchor system will pay huge dividends over time.

Now there are several different options or way you can use to anchor your kayak some are more expensive than others. Whatever way you decide to go is find with me but I would highly recommend adding some type of anchor system to your kayak.

YakAttack LeverLoc Anchor Trolley is the anchor system I personally have on my kayak and i’ve been very happy with the results. It keeps me lock into my spots and it easy to raise and lower my anchor in and out of my kayak.

Here are some other great options you should look into:

LEASHES & FLOATS

I’ve seen first hand how easy it can be to lose your rod’s, paddle and other important items on your kayak. You never know what kind of situation you’ll be faced with that can cause your kayak to tip. If your rods or paddles don’t have leashes or floats your gear will most certainly take a deep dive to the bottom at some point.

Do yourself a favor and protect your gear with some nice leashes or floats. It will give you peace of mind and will allow you to focus on fishing instead of worrying about losing your gear when big waves come.

Here are a few great options to help keep your rods and paddles protected:

FISHING PLIERS & SNIPPERS

Regardless of the species you are targeting having a pair of pliers and snippers is a must have for any kayak angler. A good pair of snippers will make it easy to cut your line and pliers will allow you to safely remove lures and hooks from the fish you catch.

Having tools like these designed for fishing will help you minimize the amount of gear you have to carry as well as maximize your efficiency when switching out tackle and lures and unhooking fish.

Here are a few of my favorites:

SCUPPER PLUGS

Keeping the deck of my kayak has always been important to me and this is especially true when fishing in colder months. That’s why I purchased scupper plugs and have been very happy with the results.

The great thing is because the ones I got have a two way valve system I never have to take them out and when water gets in they drain out through the scupper holes, but it also prevents water from getting in. Making it a super easy and convient way to keep your boat dry and water free.

Here are the scupper plugs that I would recommend getting: Kayak Scupper Valves

DRY BAGS

When you are spending your day out on the water your stuff is bound to get wet at some point, especially if you take on a big wave or end up rolling your kayak.

There may be certain things such as food, clothing, batteries, phones etc. that you need to protect and keep from getting wet. That’s where having some dry bags you can use to store important items comes in handy. They are super affordable and something you should look at adding.

VIDEO CAMERA

If you are into fishing from a kayak, you know how exciting it can be to real in a big fish, and having a camera like a GoPro is a great way to capture the action and re-live the magic.

Instead of telling stories about your latest fishing adventures capturing it with a camera can help you share your story and be proof that you really did catch that monster fish.

I’ve been a big GoPro fan over the years and have really enjoyed recording, editing and sharing my fishing adventures with friends and family. After all its all about the memories we make.

In my opinion the best kayak fishing camera is the GoPro HERO9. It’s features, screen, accessories and user experience is pretty tough to beat.

CAMERA MOUNTS

If you are an angler that enjoys filming and re-living your fishing adventures you should consider picking up a camera mount designed for kayaks. Having mount designed for kayaking will help keep your camera secure and allow you to capture your big catches from some unique angles.

There are a lot of different camera mounting options that you can use on your kayak. All of which give you a unique angle and different mounting options.

Here is a look at some of the best camera mounts you can use on your kayak

TAKEOUT POLE

If you are a shallow water fishermen or just want an easy way to push your kayak on and off the bank than the YakAttack ParkNPole is worth investing in.

It has a handle which you can use to push yourself in shallow water and can also be used as a stakeout pole that will hold your kayak or paddle board into place as you are fishing.

For more information about using the ParkNPole by YakAttack check out this YouTube video here.

ACCESSORY POUCH

Sometime its the little things that can make a big difference. Adding a simple accessory pouch to your tackle crate or somewhere else on your kayak can be a great way to get some additional storage.

If this something you think you’ll want to add the YakGear Accessory Pouch is a great choice. It’s a hand storage pouch that will keep your tools and accessories within arms reach and can be rigged to coolers, crates, boxes and many other places.

PADDLE HOLDER

If your kayak didn’t come with a paddle holder or you want a more convient way to access and secure your paddle than I’d recommend picking up a paddle holder.

The best paddle holder in the business is the YakAttack RotoGrip Paddle holder. It’s super easy to install on your kayak’s track system and makes it easy to store and use your paddle. It can also be used to store your net and other kayak fishing accessories.

If your kayak didn’t come with a holder you can easily install one by picking up this paddle holder on Amazon. These simple solutions will make your kayak experience much more enjoyable.

GEAR TRAC

Adding a gear trac to your kayak can be a great way to add additional space for new accessories such as rod holders, camera mounts as well as many other kayak trac mounts & accessories.

They come in a variety of sizes and the installation is pretty easy and straightforward. Here are a few different options that would be great additions to your fishing kayak.

CUP HOLDER

Kayak fishing all day can be physically demanding and staying hydrated out on the water is extremely important. Adding a cup holder to you kayak can be a simple yet helpful way to store your drinks making them easy to access.

The Yakattack MultiMount Cup Holder is a great storage solution it will allow you store drinks, phones and other miscellaneous items. This an easy way to add some more storage to your fishing kayak.

Final Thoughts

As we have discussed throughout this article there are plenty of accessories you can add and modifications that you can make to your fishing kayak that will help keep you safe and improve your fishing experience out on the water.

Whether you’re a beginner or seasoned kayak angler, there are always things you can do or purchase that will improve your setup and enhance your time out on the water.