How should you actually rig a fishing kayak?

Track gives every future accessory a slide-and-lock mounting point instead of a hole drilled through the deck in one permanent spot. Most anglers change their mind about exactly where a rod holder, a fish finder arm or a camera mount should sit after fishing from the kayak a few times, and track lets that position move without a new hole. Installing track first avoids committing to a layout before you actually know what works.

Anchoring from a single fixed bow point lets wind or current swing the kayak broadside, which is uncomfortable and can be unsafe in real chop. An anchor trolley runs the anchor line through a ring that slides along a track from bow to stern, so the paddler can move the effective anchor point and let the hull settle bow or stern into the wind or current instead of sitting sideways to it.

GT90 GearTrac is a surface mount track that needs backing hardware installed from inside the hull, accessed through a storage hatch, and accessories slide in from one end of the rail. Top loading track like the GTTL175 skips the inside hull access requirement entirely, since accessories drop straight into the track from above, which matters on hulls where reaching the backside of the deck is difficult or impossible.

It depends on the hull. Some fishing kayaks are already stable enough to stand in calm water without added floats, while narrower or less stable hulls benefit from a stabilizer with rigid molded floats on a crossbar. A stabilizer changes how the hull behaves in waves and current, so practicing in shallow, sheltered water before relying on it for standing to cast is worth doing before a real trip.

Two flush mounted or track mounted rod holders cover most anglers running one active rod and one backup rigged with a different presentation. Anglers who commit to multiple pre-rigged setups for different conditions, or who fish tournaments where switching techniques quickly matters, tend to add a crate with four to six holders instead of relying on a couple of individual track mounted holders scattered around the deck.

Yes for most anglers, particularly with a pedal drive kayak that can weigh well over a hundred pounds loaded with gear. A cart rated for the kayak's actual loaded weight, not just the hull's empty weight, turns a two person carry into a solo job. The main tradeoff is storage space in the vehicle, which is why carts that fold flat or fit in a kayak's own tankwell get used more than bulkier ones that end up left behind.