I tried really hard to like ab pulldowns. Just like I tried really hard to like Celtic Frost's Into the Pandemonium, I stuck with it for a long time. But I never got much out of it.
Stand away from the lat pull machine, place the strap around your neck and crunch down. Nothing fancy, really. But it is done standing up, which most sports (besides fishing) require you to do. And even fishing requires that you get up to put the fish in your cooler. So even if you are an avid angler, give this a shot.