"Must Do" Hawg Trough Mods

Every kayak fisherman realizes the importance of having certain tools while on the water.  Using a tape measure or measuring stick to measure a fish while in the kayak can be a pain to say the least. To me and most anglers alike, measuring boards are the way to go! I would venture to say that the Hawg Trough is the most popular of choices among us kayak anglers. While it is a great tool, it does have a flaw or two.   First thing, the raised lines for every 1/4" can be very hard to see, especially in low light! Second, it DOES NOT float! You don't want to find that out the hard way when you reach to grab the board and drop it in the drink! This is where a couple of little modifications come into play. You will need a few items to perform this task: Obviously a Hawg Trough a black Sharpie, a can of spray foam named "Great Stuff", and a razor blade.

Let's go back to elementary school and trace out the 1/4" lines with the Sharpie. This will solve the problems with the difficulty of being able to see your exact measurement.

Before:

After:





Now that the visibility issue is solved, let's make this thing float.  When you turn the board over you will see a channel running lengthwise on each side of the board. 

Lowes and Home Depot sells "Great Stuff" for under $4.00 a can. You will find it in your construction materials section. Take your can of "Great Stuff", shake it up, and run a bead of spray foam all the way down the length of the channel.  Follow the instructions on the back of the can. This will take a few hours to set up and cure.  Don't worry if you didn't fill the entire gap with foam, this foam expands as it sets up. Once the foam has raised like a loaf of bread and is dry to the touch, run your razor blade down the board to cut off the excess foam. Presto, a floating Hawg Trough!

Now that you can see all your measurement lines and added some foam, you can throw on your sticker of choice to add a little personalization.

With a couple of simple mods, this handy tool becomes even better! If nothing else, it gives you a reason to play with your fishing gear when you're not on the water. Now go get on em!

~See ya on the water!