Attention kayak anglers… we’re talking to you with this one.
There’s no shortage of fishing content and content creators on YouTube and TikTok with their tips and tricks to help you catch more bass. And most of them do a really great job. Even pro anglers these days basically have a second job as a content creator/social media personality. If you’re fishing on the Elite Series or the Bass Pro Tour, there’s a pretty good chance most of your time on the water is parlayed into content creation… sponsors love it, it supplements those tournament checks, and helps to grow both your personal brand and the sport of fishing.
But A LOT of it seems to be geared towards bass anglers with a bass boat, and generally, anglers who are fishing big reservoirs in the middle and/or southern part of the country. For me living in Wisconsin, fishing smaller, natural lakes, you really have to parse out the correct information or you’re gonna find yourself buying a bunch of gear to fish the shad spawn (we don’t have a lot of shad up here in most bodies of water save for a few places like Winnebago, Lake Michigan and the Mississippi River which have gizzard shad). The point is, a lot of fishing content doesn’t apply to everyone, and a lot of it certainly doesn’t apply to bank anglers.
But for me, who primarily fishes out of a Old Town kayak in the northern part of the country, my gear guides and bait recommendations are probably slanted a little more towards the northern fisherman, just because that’s where I live and where most of my experience is drawn from. So all that being said, kayak fishing is one of the easiest and most affordable ways to get off the bank and out on the water, but just like any kind of fishing, it can be pretty overwhelming with all the gear available. The first and most obvious must-have is a PFD, but over the years, I have found a few things that are just game changers for me out on the water as a kayak angler. Here’s my top 5 for 2026:
Game Changers
Plano GoNow Field Box – $99.95
Lots of companies make some kind of gear crate, but the Plano GoNow Field Box is a relatively new offering from Plano that I just got my hands on, but I won’t leave shore without it. It can hold all my tackle and my baits, as well as some of my electronic components and my even my graph battery. It gives you durable, waterproof organization out on the water, an can even hold rods for you with their custom attachments. Boat anglers can leave rods, tackle, gear… pretty much everything in their boat, but with kayak fishing in particular, you spend a lot of time loading up and loading out. Fishing is all about being efficient, and this makes it that much easier.
Yak Power Complete Kayak Power System – $149.99
If you’re running a graph on your kayak, or maybe a camera system for creating content, maybe some lights for safety at night, powering your rig is essential. Maybe you even have a trolling motor (more on that in a minute). But wiring is a critical component of outfitting a kayak for some serious bass fishing, and this Yak Power setup makes it super easy and streamlined with a convenient controller that you can operate from your phone. Depending on your kayak setup it can be as easy as a couple quick splices and your boat is fully rigged with a plug and play system. At worst, you drill a couple holes, but it just makes it so easy for someone who may not have much wiring experience.
YakAttack Leverage Net – $89.99
It’s pretty simple… a landing net helps you land fish. Sure, you can just try and hoist them into your lap (don’t really recommend with treble hooks), or lean over the side and grab them, but when you potentially have a new PB on the line, why risk it? Just grab the net.
But with limited space on a kayak, the foldable nature of this net, plus the elbow support, make it a must-have for anyone who wants to catch some bigs.
FXR Adventure Light Tri Laminate Jacket – $259.99
I’m not really one for fishing in the rain. Granted, the electronics can handle it, the trolling motor can handle it, but if a check isn’t on the line, I can wait until the rain stops to go back out. But if you’re tournament fishing rain or shine, or just so happen to get caught in the rain, you need some rain gear. And let’s be honest, you can’t trust the weather folks. I don’t know how many times I’ve checked the weather, saw nothing but clear skies and wound up getting stuck in the rain. Literally as I am writing this, it is raining outside and I can look out my window at the lake and see a dude on a kayak… in the rain. Hope he has a good FXR jacket on.
This FXR jacket is super lightweight, but keeps you bone dry in a rainstorm… sometimes I wear it when I’m not even fishing because it’s that great.
Rapala Magnetic Tool Holder Combo – $59.49
Again… it’s all about organization and efficiency when you’re on a kayak. The last thing you want to be doing is fumbling around for tools when you’re on the water or have a fish on the line, and this magnetic holder keeps it all in once place. Just slap it on there and go. It couldn’t be easier.
Bonus Items
Now these are some top tier items, things that won’t be of interest to every single kayak angler, but if you have the means and want to get serious about kayak fishing, this is what I run on my Old Town Sportsman kayak.
Fish Finder
Humminbird Xplore 9 – $1,199.99
The Humminbird Xplore series, paired with their new Mega Live 2, delivers big-boat performance in a kayak-friendly package. A top-tier graph with reliable navigation and a clean setup that doesn’t overcrowd the kayak, Xplore checks all the boxes.
Trolling Motor
Minn Kota Terrova Kayak Trolling Motor – $1,599.99
A trolling motor with spot lock is so key for me… and relatively recently, Minn Kota launched a Terrova built for kayaks with a 36-inch shaft… game changer. I can spot lock in deep water, cruise the bank flipping pads or brush, get to my spot quicker (and get home quicker), everything about it makes fishing more efficient and more fun. Boat position is SO important in fishing, and pretty underrated… there’s nothing worse than constantly fighting the wind or the current.
*This post contains links through the Tackle Warehouse Affiliate Program. While all products are independently selected by our expert Riff Outdoors team, if you use these links to make a purchase, we may earn a commission.
And for a detailed bait recommendation, specific to your exact location and waterbody, check out the Bass Forecast Bait Advisor. Just input your ZIP code or share your location, and Bass Forecast will give you 5 bait recommendations, a bite rating, and suggestions for peak feeding times.
Bass Forecast Bait Advisor
What is Bass Bait AI – Powered by Bass Forecast
Our advanced bass fishing algorithms analyze over 11,000 factors, including weather shifts and bass behavior, to predict what baits will give you the best chance at success for any GPS location. Just enter your location, and it does the calculating for you.
Giving you the complete bait breakdown for major and minor Bass feeding times in any bass fishing location. Click HERE to learn more.
