Slowly, I sneak up on the tailing reds. When I can see their spots, I grab a rod out of a rod holder and make a long cast. Two twitches and fish on. The battle is tough but the fish goes in the fishbox. My action camera catches the fight. I check the depth with my fish finder and circle back on the mark on my GPS. Grabbing the paddle from the holder, I brace myself against the leaning post and slowly sneak up on the next pack of tailing reds.
That’s a lot of action on a standup paddleboard, and new accessories made it all possible.
Base drop
The biggest innovation comes in the smallest package. To make SUP rigging possible, designers are inserting leash plugs and 1/4- 20 mounting inserts in the board. These attachment points are glassed into the board to be flush with the deck. Without the accessory, the mount does not interfere with fishing or paddling.
New mounting bases allow the angler to screw in or latch almost any accessory. Look for leash plugs and mounting inserts that are encapsulated with glass or epoxy for added strength. Be careful not to apply too much lateral pressure; the mounts have been known to loosen and break.
Stuck like Chuck
Anglers who want to turn a standard SUP into a fishing machine don’t need a drill and fiberglass kit. Aftermarket permanent and temporary mounting bases will attach to almost any surface. Whether you paddle an inflatable SUP or a hard board, adhesive mounting bases stay stuck in any condition. Some bases use a peel-and-stick adhesive while others require application of powerful glue; these bases go down and stay down.
For anglers afraid of long-term relationship, suction cup mounts make it easy to install and remove accessories. Suction cups stick best on smooth surfaces. The best suction cups vent air to provide the strongest seal.
Hold on
To meet the needs of SUP anglers, accessory manufacturers are quick to design new mounting bases that accept their whole line of gadgets. The 1/4-20 inserts and leash plugs are standard across the industry, so gear can be switched from board to ‘yak to boat and even car, plane or house.
When placing mounts on a SUP, be sure the gadget doesn’t snag lines or get in the way of fishing. Place the mounts so that the rigged-up board can still be carried under an arm. And, after adding rod holders, cup holders, electronics, cooler, tackle boxes and cameras, make sure there is still room to stand and fish.
This article originally appeared in Kayak Angler‘s Winter 2015 issue. Subscribe to Paddling Magazine’s print and digital editions here, or browse the archives here.
