Turn Your Full-Size Vehicle Into the Ultimate Fishing Rig

A Mix of DIY and Aftermarket Accessories Can Turn Your Full-Size Vehicle Into The Ultimate Fishing Rig

The sound of tree limbs clawing across paint and sheet metal filled the truck with a sound that was both deafening and nerve-racking. The overgrowth along the narrow trail slapped the windows with a vengeance. Mud splattered across the windshield as the tires spun their way through the soft earth.

Its rockers were rusted, the paint severely scratched. The windshield looked like a spider web, but when in 4WD, the truck never failed to travel where the air was fresh and the streams flowed clear. The state of Michigan would have said the boy driver was too young for such exploits and driving without a license was illegal, but the boy’s father thought it was important for his son to experience the outdoors—I followed my fatherly instinct.

Much like their father, my sons don’t remember their first fishing trip, neither can they recall the first time they slept in a tent, or cooked over an open fire—the outdoors has always been their way of life. Their mom and dad, on the other hand, vividly remember the first time they transported three little ones into the mountains. There were diapers, wet wipes, trinkets to keep them occupied and a plethora of snacks to keep them fed. With three kids in tow, the days when a solitary bag and a single cooler were all that was needed to make it through the weekend had disappeared.

Introducing three little boys to the joys of trout fishing meant days filled with tangled lines and countless cries from downstream, “Dad! I’m snagged!” It also meant larger than life smiles as those boys felt the tug of a trout on their fly line.

Thankfully, those boys have not outgrown their love for the outdoors. Although, when three teenagers pack for a weekend fishing trip, it takes a considerable amount of room to make everyone happy. Meaning, we have to make the most out of whatever space is available and organize efficiently to make room for everyone’s fishing gear. An EarthRoamer would provide more than adequate room, but when budget prevents ownership of the ideal, you make do with what you have.

Gear Storage

In the ’80s, our adventure rig was a Chevy Suburban. It sported a modified bedliner for hauling, fishing and hunting gear. When accelerating or braking, everything in the slippery bedliner would slide to where you didn’t want it to go. For today’s outdoors enthusiast, organizing gear in a full-size vehicle has become easier than ever before. There are myriad of drawer and slider systems on the market that make organization a breeze.

We chose the BEDSLIDE S for our full-size application and modified it to accommodate all the gear we take on our fishing trips. By removing the third seat of the Suburban, the BEDSLIDE S fits snug and fills the entire cargo area resulting in minimal wasted space. With a 1,000-lb. weight capacity, the slide is more than adequate to handle all of our fishing and emergency/recovery gear.

“FOR TODAY’S OUTDOOR ENTHUSIAST, ORGANIZING GEAR IN A FULL-SIZE VEHICLE HAS BECOME EASIER THAN EVER BEFORE. THERE ARE MYRIAD OF DRAWER AND SLIDER SYSTEMS ON THE MARKET THAT MAKE ORGANIZATION A BREEZE.”

Dad always said people who didn’t pack a shovel and recovery gear were crazy. Or, maybe it’s the people who go to places that require a shovel and recovery gear who are crazy? Either way, the aluminum frame of the BEDSLIDE S offered a place to mount a shovel, axe, Ultimate Echo-Sigma Trauma Kit and four-way lug wrench.

We fabricated a simple rack to keeps these essentials out of the way yet make for quick access. Also located at the front of the slider are two Rigid storage boxes that hold enough tools to make major repairs. A plywood storage shelf was added to the top of the BEDSLIDE S giving us plenty of extra storage. Whether it’s a soft-sided cooler, rod case or camera gear, each piece fits securely in its place. For longer trips, an ARB 50 quart fridge/freezer would be a welcomed addition.

On the Ground

Somewhere around 1927, my grandfather limped an old Ford across rough Michigan roads to spend time in the woods. Each time I hear the story, he includes a notation: In those days, flat tires were expected and repairs plentiful.

It’s no secret that tires have evolved since the ’20s and now provide specific designs that meet the needs of those who spend more time on dirt than asphalt. Our choice for the full-size Chevy was the Toyo Open Country R/T series. With its rugged design, tough-looking aesthetics and all-terrain features, the R/T was just what we needed for the mix of weather and terrain we encounter. After two years of traveling in rain, snow, ice, mud, two-tracks, and highway, we have no complaints with the Open Country R/T. For the outdoorsman who traverses both highway and backroad, the Toyo R/T offers exceptional performance no matter what the conditions.

While most of our off-road driving does not require a 6-inch lift, we did install the Bilstein 5100 Series Adjustable Height Shocks to provide better handling and additional spacing to squeeze the Toyos in the Chevy’s narrow wheel wells. To ensure proper caster, camber and overall alignment, the factory upper control arms were replaced with a set of beefier Zone Offroad upper control arms. This added feature provides proper geometry, replaceable ball joints, and a sure fix to ball joint binding issues.

“THANKFULLY, THOSE BOYS HAVE NOT OUTGROWN THEIR LOVE FOR THE OUTDOORS. ALTHOUGH, WHEN THREE TEENAGERS PACK FOR A WEEKEND FISHING TRIP, IT TAKES A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF ROOM TO MAKE EVERYONE HAPPY.”

Performance

The need to turn bigger tires and increase performance under load found us in the market for a programmer. The Diablo Sport Trinity (T2) programmer offered all the features we needed. Its simple interface, touch screen, 87-octane performance tune, ability to calibrate speedometer for tire size and the option to disable the 5.3L’s Active Fuel Management made it the ideal choice for both highway travel and off-road excursions.

While a Suburban with a handful of modifications might not be every fisherman’s choice of vehicle, it will get us to the river until the kids are gone. At that time, we may look for a Jeep.