Build Your Kayak Fishing Rig — Step-by-Step Setup Builder

Name: Build Your Kayak Fishing Rig
Author: Clete Ross

Pick your budget, choose your gear step by step, and get a complete Oklahoma kayak fishing setup. Every option here is paddle or pedal power — no live scope, no trolling motor, just what you actually need to catch fish on Oklahoma lakes.

Built by Clete Ross, a kayak angler based in Edmond, Oklahoma, fishing out of a Bonafide RS117 with a Garmin Striker 4 and YakAttack anchor trolley. This is the simple rig philosophy: under $1,200 all-in, and it catches fish on Grand Lake, Tenkiller, Thunderbird, Eufaula, and every other Oklahoma lake worth fishing.

Budget Tiers

Under $500 — Entry kayaks and essential gear. Lifetime Tamarack, Pelican Catch Classic 100, Pelican Sentinel 100X. Gets you on the water for less than a guided fishing trip.
$500–$1,000 — Purpose-built fishing kayaks. Pelican Catch Mode 110, Perception Outlaw 11.5, Old Town Sportsman 106. The sweet spot most Oklahoma kayak anglers land in.
$1,000–$1,200 — Premium paddle and pedal kayaks. Bonafide RS117, Old Town Topwater 120, Old Town Sportsman PDL 106. Buy once, fish for a decade.

Kayaks in This Builder

Lifetime Tamarack Angler 100 — $249. 10 ft, 31" wide, 275 lb capacity. The entry-level Walmart kayak thousands of Oklahoma anglers started on.
Pelican Catch Classic 100 — $429. 10 ft, 34" wide, 350 lb capacity. Tunnel hull, dual-position seat, rod holders, gear rails. Real fishing kayak at an entry price.
Pelican Sentinel 100X Angler — $349. 10 ft, 31" wide, 300 lb capacity. Lightweight, easy to car-top, stable for calm Oklahoma lakes.
Pelican Catch Mode 110 — $699. 10'8", 34.5" wide, 425 lb capacity. ErgoBoost seat, retractable skeg, gear tracks, 3 rod holders. Best first serious fishing kayak under $700.
Perception Outlaw 11.5 — $649. 11.5 ft, 34" wide, 375 lb capacity. Tracks straight in Oklahoma wind, proper fishing platform.
Old Town Sportsman 106 — $899. 10.5 ft, 33" wide, 400 lb capacity. Benchmark mid-range kayak, won't need replacing.
Bonafide RS117 — $1,099. 11.7 ft, 34.5" wide, 400 lb capacity. What the site owner fishes. Wide standing deck, comfortable all day.
Old Town Topwater 120 — $1,149. 12 ft, 34.5" wide, 500 lb capacity. Handles Grand Lake chop, elite stability and tracking.
Old Town Sportsman PDL 106 — $1,799. Pedal drive. Hands-free fishing from day one.

Fish Finders in This Builder

Garmin Striker 4 — $109. Simple reliable sonar with GPS waypoints. What the site owner runs on Oklahoma lakes. All most kayak anglers ever need.
Deeper PRO+ 2 — $199. Castable sonar — no installation, no wiring. Cast it out, maps to your phone app. Great for scouting before you launch.
Garmin Striker Vivid 5cv — $229. Bigger 5" screen with ClearVü scanning sonar. Easier to read in direct Oklahoma sun on Eufaula or Grand Lake.
Humminbird Helix 5 CHIRP G3 — $329. CHIRP sonar with excellent target separation on clear lakes like Tenkiller and Broken Bow.

Anchor Systems

YakAttack Anchor Trolley + Anchor — $68. Community standard. Lets you position anchor point anywhere on the kayak. Changes how precisely you can fish structure. What the site owner runs.
Folding Grapnel Anchor + 50 ft Rope — $28. Basic anchor for calm water. No trolley — tie off to a cleat. Works as a starting point.