Bass anglers hate to be caught on the water without the bait of choice on a given day.
But when your tow vehicle is equipped like the A.R.E. Fishing Team 2014 Tundra that was on display at the Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo in Birmingham, anything you need could be sitting at the boat ramp.
The Fishing Team version, available for all makes of popular tow trucks, enables anglers to stow a massive amount of tackle, spare equipment and tools beneath a weather protected and secured tonneau cover.
There are several key elements on the versatile truck bed accessory that make this possible. The A.R.E. Pickup Vault placed in the truck provides lockable drawer space for organizing any number of lures and tackle goodies beneath a flatbed surface. Each of the two sliding drawers come with adjustable dividers for lure and tackle organization and the Vault is offered in various sizes to fit all truck beds.
Each drawer can be pulled out the entire length of the truck bed and away from the tail gate. When drawers are stowed and the locking handle closed, contents are sealed due to a compression seal system that keeps dust and moisture out.
You also can pile heavy duty items on the top deck which can handle up to 2,000 pounds.
“If you want to haul larger items, you can easily remove the tonneau cover and put just about anything you might want to carry on the deck,” said A.R.E. President Todd Hoffman. “The deck also offers an adjustable tie-down system for securing gear on top of the vault.”
The Fishing Team version shown at the Classic was outfitted with the LS2 Tonneau Cover that can be custom painted to match any truck. The cover has a piano-hinge lift system for easy access and a vertical seal that slides into the T-slot mounting rail for an airtight fit.
The ceiling, walls and bed rug on the LS2 are lined with marine grade carpeting that is puncture resistant and made of closed cell foam that prevents it from absorbing moisture.
An LED light system positioned in the top of the cover near the tailgate provides more than enough light for working on tackle during low light hours or locating gear anywhere in the bed.
The unit is fitted with an e-lock system tied to the truck’s key fob and wired to the truck. That enables anglers to lock and unlock the tonneau cover simultaneously with the truck’s locking system.
The A.R.E. Fishing Team model as described here retails for around $4,300, depending upon the truck style and features an angler needs. A.R.E. offers various other models, including a slide-out Cargo Glide that provides easy access to gear stacked on top of the Glide. The company also builds and markets a variety of truck caps and other truck accessories.
A.R.E. products are sold at more than 600 truck accessory dealers nationwide. To learn more, visit www.4ARE.com.
