The Quest For The Ultimate Fly Fishing Kayak - The SipaBoards Fisherman SUP

Ok...they finally got me.

When I thought SUPs designed for fishing couldn't get any more rad, I get an email about this self-inflating, electric-propelled model from SipaBoards...

Yeah, you read that right.

So let's walk through what's going on here. It's an inflatable stand up paddleboard with a nice, large platform (almost 6 feet long by 3 feet wide) to paddle and fish from. Like most fishing-oriented SUPs, the Fisherman has a lot of D rings to tie and strap things down, be it fishing gear, dry bags, coolers, whatever. But that's where the "normal" comparables end.

At the core of this SUP is a "jet engine," basically a centrally located compressor that serves two functions. The first is that it inflates your board in a few short minutes (video below). The second is that it also plays the role of trolling motor, providing extra "paddle assist" that keeps you on the move for up to 3 hours.


Oh, and how do you control this electric jet engine? Through a Bluetooth control in your paddle, of course. How slick is that?

Here's a little bit more information provided by the manufacturer:

SipaBoards delivers all the advantages of inflatables, like easy storage and transport, at the same time boldly breaking new ground with self-inflation and several hours of paddle assist from the fully integrated electric motor. 

Founder Sebastjan Sitar was happy to answer the calls of those in the fishing community with a model that fits their every need: 

“Our fishing model is also a bit of a hint that SipaBoards is set to introduce some new things. We won’t be surprised if the Fisherman is next year’s hit, since we worked so closely with fishers and paddleboarders to give them exactly what they asked for.”

Now I'm not going to lie, all these bells and whistles don't come inexpensively, but damn if this board wouldn't be a ton of fun to take out on the water. Really hope some demos show up at some point here in the US. MSRP is $2790, but the SipaBoard Fisherman is currently being offered at an introductory-sale price of $1990.

ICAST / IFTD 2015 - Fishing Kayak & SUP Roundup

So. Many. Boats...

If you're into paddlesports, there was a lot to behold at this year's ICAST & IFTD show. Personally purchasing a fishing kayak a few years ago, I have a special interest in looking at what's out there...although as an admittedly non-expert boater, I'm certain a lot of stuff goes over my head. Fortunately, many were on display in the New Product Showcase sections, so I didn't necessarily have to go hunt them down.

That noted, there were more than a few cool kayaks & SUPs on display, as well as some of the needed accessories that go with them.

In no particular order, here's a recap by manufacturer of what stood out to me...

WILDERNESS SYSTEMS

A very highly anticipated entry from Wilderness Systems, the A.T.A.K. 140 has been receiving quite a bit of buzz since it hit retailer shelves around April or May of this year. Like many of the newer fishing kayaks, the open cockpit has a ton of room to stand up and move around in, and the standard AirPro MAX seat allows for adjustment on the water.

Perhaps the most compelling part, (although not pictured here, sorry), the A.T.A.K. will be compatible with Wilderness Systems' new Motor Drive, which allow anglers to truly fish hands free with the assistance of a rechargeable lithium battery powered electric motor that simply drops through an opening in the hull of the boat.
MSRP $1795 (unpowered)


VIKING

I have to admit, I don't know Viking Kayaks from the next boat, but I found this feature of the Profish Reload Dorado Edition kind of interesting.

Yep, a built in cooler...or Chill Pod, which keeps ice and fish cold for hours on the water. Sure, there are other great features on this sweet boat, like the 3 accessory tracks, 4 Railblaza StarPort bases, 2 Rod holders, a seat, and a rudder...but my eyes go back to the Chill Pod...which evidently isn't a new development, but new to me.  Note: all those cool accessories only come standard with the Dorado edition of the kayak.
MSRP $1999


NUCANOE

NuCanoe sort of gets a bad reputation because to date, the boats it has released to date are not really canoes nor kayaks. They're kind of a tweeners, that many in the kayak crowd seem to disregard due to their size and speed, even though it's stability cannot be argued. Perhaps as a response to this, NuCanoe has released the Pursuit, a more streamlined version of their Frontier model.

The Pursuit takes cues from the Froniter with an open, customizable deck and great stability for stand-up anglers, and adds quad internal rod tubes, paddle storage, rod holders, gear tracks, and spaces specially designed to hold a cooler or tackle crate. It also utilizes a new multi-height seat for comfort and flexibility.

The slimmer silhouette makes the Pursuit a "faster" paddle, something that all NuCanoe critics should enjoy.
MSRP $1599


SEA EAGLE

When I first walked by this boat, I didn't even realize it was an inflatable. I mean look at the beef on this Sea Eagle Inflatable Travel Canoe and all of the accessories mounted to it!

I was even more impressed when I touched the 3" double-walled inflatable hull and saw truly how rigid it was. Again, you'd never know this was an air-filled boat...at least not the kind I think of. Oh, and did I mention it was HUGE! Inflated, it's 16' x 38" and deflated it's 39" x 24" x 12" and stores in a carry bag which can fit in a car trunk. Amazing!

While I have no clue how it paddles, although it claims to be aided by bow & stern molds and rear removable skeg, of all the boats at the show, this was on the one I'll remember for a while.
MSRP $2399


FEELFREE

I'm not certain if FeelFree had a new boat at the show, but they did have a few accessories that might be of interest to kayak anglers, a camo fish bag & a camo crate bag.

The Fish Bag is close cell foam insulated and designed to fit in your kayak for storing and keeping your catch nice and cool. Fortunately, it also has a removable liner to get cleaned or hosed out...because no camo pattern can hide the stink of dead fish.
MSRP $109-$139

The Crate Bag is a Swiss Army knife of functionality for your kayak. Large storage capacity is a given, but it also has side holders that accommodate up to 5 fishing rods and a stern light. Water resistant, you find pockets for plenty of gizmos, such as pliers, maps, etc... and to cap it off, the final neat feature is that it has a pocket in the front that is removable, converting into a waist pack, allowing you to take your gear with you should you hop off to wade the shorline or flats on foot.
MSRP $199


CREEK COMPANY

The Kingfisher Inflatable Fishing SUP from the Creek Company is quite the fishing platform. At 10' x 41" x 6" and only 31 pounds, the Kingfisher touts stability and rigidity and an ultra-convenient package that deflates into an oversized backpack.

The best features on the Kingfisher are the multiple D-ring attachment points & bungee cords along the rails and deck and pre-mounted rod holders. This SUP is geared with one purpose in mind, catching fish.
MSRP $1299.99


SWITCHSUP

Speaking of fishing SUPs, one that really caught my eye was the FishSUP from SwitchSUP. Now the inflatable board here looks like a really solid entry into the inflatable SUP market, but that's really not what I'm talking about, I'm looking at the box on the back.

The FishSUP box is basically a cooler-sized plastic crate (not a cooler), but it has two outrigger pontoons coming out of the side for additional stability. As a person who is balance-challenged at times, I could see how those pontoons could be extremely helpful to anyone a bit intimidated to fish off of their SUP.

The crate also doubles as a seat and integrates a fishing rod holder, paddle holder, beverage holder, tackle box shelf, and holes for stakeout poles. Open the box and you'll find storage for tackle, PFD, collapsible paddle, you name it...and even has wheels for easy transport. The FishSUP works on most SUPs.
MSRP $495


TRUE RECREATION

It was good to see the TrueRec guys at the show. I had featured their DFP kayak on Troutrageous! 2 years ago when it was still in prototype stage and they were trying to raise money on Kickstarter to fund the project. While I don't think the campaign was successful, they continued on and are ready to bring boats to the market!

What makes the DFP unique are the concealed pontoons in the side which are easily deployable for extra stability on the water. These make this kayak an ideal for stand up fishing, or as a platform to dive from.
MSRP $1799


ESTRADA / LIVE WATERSPORTS

Winner of the 2015 "Best In Show" award in the boat/personal watercraft category on the IFTD side of the house, this Estrada Art adorned Live Watersports L2Fish SUP was a sight to see, (even though this picture doesn't do a good job of it)!

Personally, I really dig Eric Estrada's art, so this Signature L2Fish was a really cool collaboration project that takes the already capable catamaran-hulled SUP to an all new level.
MSRP $2699


EDDYLINE

Last, but not least, the eddyline C-135 YakAttack Edition Stratofisher Kayak...which happened to win overall "Best In Show" at the ICAST side of the house.

The C-135 is a 13.5' x  34" high-gloss thermoformed Carbonlite 2000 kayak that is relatively lightweight at 69 pounds, and boasts a 450 pound capacity. The standard version features a very open floor plan and a 4-position Cloud 10 comfort seat. The C-135 was designed to accept trolling motors, stakeout poles, and even a casting bar.

This special YakAttack edition of the boat comes with all of that, plus a ton more YakAttack accessories, including the BlackPak kayak crate, a VisiCarbon Pro safety light, a Zooka Tube rod holder, paddle clips, and several Gear Tracs for additional flexibility.
MSRP $2599


In closing, there was just so much to see and too little time, so I apologize if I missed a manufacturer or product you were curious about. I tried to keep this recap to the novel, notable, and new.

As you've probably noticed, I've embedded links to each of the manufacturer websites within each write-up, so if you're looking for more information on any of these products, please click through and pay them a visit!


This post is also being tagged as part of the recurring "The Quest For The Ultimate Fly Fishing Kayak" series; to view prior entries, click HERE.

The Quest For The Ultimate Fly Fishing Kayak - The BOTE Rackham 12'

It's been about a week of neglect for the blog...

Really not too motivated to write, but this sweet video of the new BOTE Rackham 12' popped into my inbox yesterday.  Since I teased this SUP a bit in the ICAST/IFTD paddlesports recap a few weeks back, let's do another installment of "The Quest for the Ultimate Fly Fishing Kayak"....(TQFTUFFK for short)...

Oh, and if you are hesitating on clicking play, there are scantily-clad women doing chickenfights toward the end.  I need to get over to Destin, pronto.  I mean that's why one lives in Florida, no?

The Rackham will hit dealers' shelves in mid-October.
Take my money now.

Oh, So I Was In Vero Beach Last Week...

...and didn't catch any fish.

But that's OK, I didn't try especially hard.

The Mrs. & I spent an adults only retreat in Vero Beach last week.  She nabbed some deal on Travelzoo or Travelocity or Groupon or somewhere like that for a few nights at the ever so swanky Vero Beach Hotel & Spa.

While the hotel was very nice, we had no idea the part of Vero Beach we were staying in was really, really quiet and probably more aligned to the AARP crowd (no offense to my older readers).  As such, it pretty much shuts down daily at 4PM.  Oh well...nothing wrong with eating dinner at 2:30 I guess...

I swear this picture was in focus when I took it...

I do have to admit, the old folk hotel bar scene is pretty interesting to observe.  Abundant "Golden Girls" all Jean Nate'd up, tossing back vodka after vodka on the rocks.  If I wasn't happily married, I soooo could have gotten lucky.  I actually hope they made it back to their rooms okay, because you know what happens if they fall and break a hip...

I think the highlight was when an older Englishman(?) came over and straight up questioned the bartender's manhood.  He demanded to sniff the Remy Martin bottle, because according to him "I'm from Europe, and we know VSOP....this isn't VSOP!" holding high the glass of cognac from which he had just sipped.  It was one of those things you had to be there for I guess...

I probably shouldn't make fun.  I'm 100% certain us Tenkaradorks™ hanging out en masse at the hotel bar at last year's Tenkara Summit trading furled line recipes and intently discussing the merits of Hungarian partridge in kebari tying are far, far lamer than any the above.  Truth.

We did get in a beach day (really just a morning, it rains every afternoon in Florida this time of year), where in between relaxing on the lounge chairs and standing in the waves I tried my luck at fishing from the beach again.

Well, I actually tried twice, first the night we got there in the waning hours of daylight...which went horribly wrong.  It was at high tide and all of the seaweed or whatever was was being washed from the beach into the surf.  Wasn't easy to strip a clouser through that crap without getting hung up.

Crab, not crap

The second day was much calmer, but I couldn't get anything to bite.  Actually, we did see a snook when I happened to be in the water without my fly rod; it buzzed our feet in the shallows and freaked K.C. out sending her back to her beach chair immediately.  She doesn't enjoy the concept of fish touching her.

So like I said,  no fish, but not a loss. because we did go on an SUP eco-tour up in nearby Melbourne Beach on Friday morning.  That was pretty sweet, paddling through the mangroves.  There was even a manatee sighting and a few dolphin.  It was both our first times on SUPs, and it took about 15 minutes to get my sea legs...and then all was good.  I'm so getting one.  I don't think K.C. was a fan.

Shame I didn't have my rod (or quite the coordination yet to cast it from the SUP)...as the base of those mangroves just looked ever so fishy.

Oh, and did I mention dolphins?  P.S., they're everywhere.  I spotted these 4 or 5 when I was taking a stroll through a community park in Vero Beach (like I said, everything else closes early, so you have to find things to do).  Perhaps they're the ones chasing all of the fish away...bastards...


All in all, it was a successful mission.  Yeah, no fish...but mornings of sun, an SUP adventure, ornery old-heads, valet parking, Jack & Cokes, and of course, time with the wife sans kid.  All is good...well, except that now I'm no longer on vacation...  Boo.

BoardLove & BlogLove: Tidal Roots & Pocket Water

Stumbled upon a few things online that I thought were worth mentioning here...because I'm quickly becoming a fan of both.

BoardLove

The first is a new stand-up paddleboard (SUP) company called Tidal Roots.  What sets Tidal Roots apart from the other SUP companies I've highlighted here from time to time?  How about the fact that these boards are sustainably built in Maine out of...wood.  Gorgeous wood at that.

But these boards aren't just for looking at, they're made for fishing...inspired by the founders' quest to find a better way to chase striped bass on the local mud flats.

Did I mention they're gorgeous?

Check them on Facebook, Twitter, G+, Instagram, or of course, their website.

BlogLove

Next is a little bit of blog love for a blog called Pocket Water.  A site about "Fly Fishing and Tenkara trip reports, videos, photography, and art," but is really much more.

I quickly found myself drawn in by the somewhat unique layout, as well as the stunning photos.  It's all really well executed, and I look forward to reading more from this blog in the future.  I think you will too.

P.S., don't skip the post on tenkara unicorns.  It's not what you think...

The Quest For The Ultimate Fly Fishing Kayak - Part 7

The local outdoors store in Jacksonville (Black Creek Outfitters) made note on Facebook the other day that they were going to begin carrying LIVE Watersports Stand Up Paddleboards (SUPs) shortly.

While SUPs are not technically fishing kayaks, LIVE does make a fishing SUP, called the L2Fish.

What makes these boards pretty unique is the catamaran style hulls.  With such a wide base, this becomes a seriously stable platform that should be ideal for fly fishing.  The MSRP of $1999 may put the L2Fish out of some people's budget, but we can all dream, right?


I do see this being a very fun boat to take out on ponds, creeks, and saltwater flats.  And as you can see from this pic lifted from the LIVE Facebook page, you can accessorize these for fishing to no end.

Lifted from LIVE Watersports' Facebook

Specs from the LIVE Website:

• Dimensions: 12'6" x 34" x 9"
• Volume: 300+ Liters
• Proudly made in the USA
• Large straight-cut tunnel port for smooth pass-through ensuring unrivaled stability and speed
• Wide spread catamaran hulls provide tremendous stability, minimal drag, and better glide ratio
• Wide outboard hull flotation for maximum roll resistance and pearling prevention
• Hollow design provides the highest possible performance with the lightest carrying weight in its class
• Molded construction to ensure manufacturing precision
• Superior materials and patented LIVE technology employed under deck pad for incomparable sturdiness
• Oversized deck space for transporting cargo, the kids, your closest friends, or even a trolling motor
• Custom double-layer traction pads for comfort
• Multiple tie down locations for carrying coolers and other cargo

DISCLAIMER:
I currently hold no association with LIVE Watersports, this post simply highlights product(s) of interest for those seeking a kayak (or SUP) for fly fishing.


The Quest For The Ultimate Fly Fishing Kayak Series
Part 1  |  Part 2  |  Part 3  |  Part 4  |  Part 5  |  Part 6

SUP? Yes, Please!

When I was researching fishing kayaks, I also spent quite a bit of time also reviewing stand up paddleboards (SUPs).  They're very popular right now, and many are made with fishing-specific features.

I found three common themes in doing this extensive research - relative portability, the need for a special paddle, & that bikinis are standard equipment...

I haven't quite made up my mind yet if I want to get one...so I suppose I'll put in more time to do additional research.  I'll keep you all abreast of my findings.  Happy Friday....

The Quest For The Ultimate Fly Fishing Kayak - Part 2

With the original "The Quest For The Ultimate Fly Fishing Kayak" post being so well received, I thought I might continue along this particular path and update it with a second installment.

(Just to briefly recap, the first post highlighted the following fishing kayaks: NuCanoe Frontier, Jackson Coosa & Cuda, Freedom Hawk 12, Badfish Badfisher, and the Diablo Chupacabra...)

However, there were so many good suggestions made in the comments of the original post, as well as in other social media outlets this blog is hooked into, I figured it might be a good idea to document those as well in a follow up...so here we go...

Leading off, the Emotion Stealth Angler (suggested by Spurky) is a pretty interesting choice.  The smallest, and most price friendly, I'm not sure that it accommodates my desire to stand up, but everything else is top notch.  Nice and compact, I think this would be a lot of fun to have to simply tool around in...with a little bit of fishing functionality thrown in there.

Lunker Hunt Clif next suggested a Hobie Kayak featuring Mirage Drive.  Holy Crap.  If I'm going to go that route, it'd be impossible not to go for the totally pimped out Pro Angler 12.  Now do I want to spend almost $3000 on a fishing kayak?  Maybe not, but damn if it isn't really, really tempting.  I even went to go look at one in person at the local dealer.  This thing is friggin' awesome.

A little bit out of the box, T! Pro Staffer Dub offered up scrounging Craigslist to find a good time old Coleman Crawdad, which is more like a plastic jon boat than a kayak.  It's no longer made, but he also says you can find them inexpensively used and they're plenty roomy.  (Pelican appears to make something similar, so it does live on as new!)  The picture below shows it's definitely more of a bass boat...but who said I only needed one boat?  Bring on the Troutrageous! Armada!

Both Lance Milks & River Mud Kirk recommended looking up the Native Ulitmate Angler...which is more canoeish, like the NuCanoe in the last post, and a very compelling suggestion.  I'll be looking into this one a little bit more, as it appears more than suitable to fit the type of fishing I'm looking to do.  This dude frogk04 did a pretty nice walkthrough on YouTube, so why reinvent the wheel...

Michael Finn suggested the Old Town Predator...I'm not sure if he was referencing the 13 or MX, but both look pretty badass.  (The camo doesn't hurt either...can you see it?...didn't think so...)  I think I'm liking the MX a touch more (which I think was the one he was actually recommending), being a bit shorter, a smidge wider, and with a more pronounced deck...but you probably wouldn't lose with either...

The Diablo Amigo was then referenced by Lynn David, who saw it being teased on Facebook... and...well...from what I can see, I like it very much.  It's basically like the other Diablo SUP-ish kayaks, with the exception that it will be roto-molded instead of thermoform ABS...which will bring the price down.  Yuuuuuup!  I'm not going to complain about that one bit!  Unfortunately, it's a brand new model just launched at the ICAST/IFTD Show, so details such as that reduced price are a little bit thin at the moment...  Good things come to those who wait...

And last but not least Spurky chimed in again with the FeelFree Lure.  Now I've never heard of FeelFree Kayaks before, but everybody on Facebook is raving about the clean lines and how sweet this kayak will be.  I also read it will have a 3 height adjustable seat platform, and feature FeelFree's tool-less track system which will accommodate the new Unitrack crossbar "dashboard," making pimping your ride easy.  Much like the Diablo Amigo, this 'yak is brand new and details are also somewhat sketchy at the moment...I mean there's not even a picture, only this rendering to go from...

Got all that?  Suddenly the menu of choices got a heck of a lot bigger...

Here's the chart from the last post, updated to include some of the newer suggestions...

And I'll close this post as I closed the first one...

So do any of you own any of these fishing vehicles?

What about comments / recommendations?

I'd welcome any & all below...