While a lot of people kayak for purely recreational purposes, many use kayaks are a vessel to get out on the water and fish. Fishing kayaks are versatile and affordable, making them a popular option, specifically more popular in the last few years!

Reviews of the Best Fishing Kayaks

1 .Perception Kayak Pescador Pro

 

The Perception Kayak Pescador Pro is a good sit-on-top fishing kayak for a solo fisher. It has a weight capacity of 350 pounds (or 158 kilograms), which is more than enough for you and your fishing gear.

Pros of the Perception Kayak Pescador Pro

  • This fishing kayak is fitted with a comfortable seat with great back support, making this a great option for those who enjoy spending hours out on the water
  • The seat and the foot braces in this fishing kayak are all adjustable for extra comfort
  • This fishing kayak is fitted with a dry storage space
  • This fishing kayak is 12 feet and 6 inches long, meaning that you will get both stability and speed from this boat
  • This fishing kayak comes with an optional rudder and has a built in paddle-keeper, perfect for storing your paddle while you are fishing

Cons of the Perception Kayak Pescador Pro

  • This fishing kayak weighs 74 pounds (or just under 34 kilograms), which may be a bit heavy for fishermen or women on the smaller side, which could make transporting the kayak or getting in and out of the water a bit difficult
  • This fishing kayak is not very easy to stand up on

2. Wilderness Systems Ride 115X Fishing Kayak

 

The Wilderness Systems Ride is a stable and easily maneuverable vessel, perfect for anglers. This fishing kayak is best suited to rivers and lakes

Pros of the Wilderness Systems Ride 115X Fishing Kayak

  • The seat of this fishing kayak is able to slide forwards and backwards for you to find the perfect fishing position
  • There are comfort carry handles attached to the sides of this fishing kayak, making for easier and comfortable transportation of the boat
  • This fishing kayak is fitted with scupper holes, which make this boat self bailing, perfect for accidental flooding
  • This fishing kayak is fitted with a Keepers Foot Brace System, for better leverage and comfort

Cons of the Wilderness Systems Ride 115X Fishing Kayak

  • This fishing kayak is not very fast moving
  • This fishing kayak is on the more expensive side

3. Straight Edge Angler Inflatable Fishing Kayak

 

The rugged Straight Edge performs just as well as any rigid fishing kayak out there!

Pros of the Straight Edge Angler Inflatable Fishing Kayak

  • This inflatable fishing kayak is seriously durable, so much so, that scratches from river beds are unlikely to puncture the boat
  • This inflatable fishing kayak is fitted with a mounting bar that creates a lot of space for your fishing gear and accessories
  • This inflatable fishing kayak maneuvers very easily and tracks just as well as a rigid fishing kayak
  • This inflatable fishing kayak comes with a one year manufacturer’s warranty

Cons of the Straight Edge Angler Inflatable Fishing Kayak

  • It takes a while to completely dry this inflatable fishing kayak before you are able to store it

4. Wilderness Systems Pungo 140 Fishing Kayak

 

The Wilderness Systems Pungo is a remarkably fast moving kayak, due to its 14 foot hull length and 28 inch beam.

Pros of the Wilderness Systems Pungo 140 Fishing Kayak

  • This fishing kayak weighs only 60 pounds (or just over 27 kilograms), making it very easy for almost any fisherman or woman to easily transport, load and unload it
  • This fishing kayak has standing room that is completely unobstructed
  • This fishing kayak is fitted with dry storage spaces in both the stern and the bow
  • This fishing kayak is fitted with a comfortable adjustable seat that is covered with mesh fabric, meaning that there is airflow through the seat, keeping you cooler in the heat

Cons of the Wilderness Systems Pungo 140 Fishing Kayak

  • While this fishing kayak does have standing space, it does not have a stand-assist strap
  • Being 14 feet long, this fishing kayak is not as easily maneuverable as other shorter fishing kayaks

5. Prowler Big Game II Fishing Kayak

 

The Prowler Big Game II is stable and comfortable, both in how it handles on the water, and in aspects such as the seat and storage

Pros of the Prowler Big Game II Fishing Kayak

  • This fishing kayak is impressively stable
  • You are able to stand up very comfortably and with a lot of stability on this fishing kayak
  • The seat on this fishing kayak is very comfortable
  • There is storage space for your fishing rods on this boat
  • This fishing kayak is fitted with a stern tankwell, and it boasts an abundance of space for all of your fishing gear
  • This fishing kayak is fitted with paddle holders where you are able to store your paddles while you are fishing

Cons of the Prowler Big Game II Fishing Kayak

  • The speed of this fishing kayak is less than impressive

6. Hobie Mirage Outback Fishing Kayak

 

The Hobie Mirage Outback is fitted with a mega drive pedal, that features two incredibly flexible fins that give extra propulsion to the kayak when you are peddling. This is quite a unique feature!

Pros of the Hobie Mirage Outback Fishing Kayak

  • The fins attached to the bottom of this fishing kayak are able to rotate 180 degrees
  • Due to the mega drive pedals, the propulsion of this fishing kayak is absolutely hands free

Cons of the Hobie Mirage Outback Fishing Kayak

  • This fishing kayak is on the pricier side of the scale of fishing kayaks

What Makes a Good Fishing Kayak?

Fishing kayaks need to have specific features to enable them to be able to carry the gear and rods that every fisherman needs.

A Few Questions to Ask Yourself Before Purchasing a Fishing Kayak

  • Are you more concerned about stability, or about speed? Take the environment you are going to fishing in into consideration when answering this question (for example, if you are going to be on the ocean, you may favour stability due to the waves, whereas if you are going to be on a lake, you may want a speedier boat)
  • What is your level of skill out on the water? This is one of the most important factors to consider
  • Do you want a sit-on-top fishing kayak, or a sit-in fishing kayak? This will be mainly dictated by how cold or tropical the waters you are fishing in are
  • Do you want a rigid fishing kayak, or an inflatable fishing kayak? Factors like the amount of money you want to, or are able to spend, and how you are able to transport your fishing kayak from your home to the water will come into play here

Different Kinds of Fishing kayaks

While a fishing kayak is already a specific type of kayak, there is a whole range of different kinds of fishing kayaks which each come with their own unique advantages and disadvantages.

Tandem Fishing Kayaks

These kayaks are also known as double kayaks, and they basically allow to anglers to comfortably fish in one boat. They are commonly designed with overlapping foot wells, and are considered to be very stable, as they are heavier and longer than solo fishing kayaks.

Sit-On-Top Fishing Kayaks

The difference between the average sit-on-top kayak and a fishing sit-on-top kayak, is that with a fishing st-on-top kayak, the seat is mounted above the hull, not inside of it. These sit-on-top fishing kayaks are characterized by a solid hull, that is fitted with holes or small channels that work to drain any water from the boat.

Fly Fishing Kayaks

Fly fishing kayaks are normal tandem, sit-on-top or sit-in kayaks that have been specifically fitted for fly fishing, although most fly fishermen prefer to use sit-on-top kayaks that are easier to get back onto in case the boat topples.

Bass Fishing Kayaks

Bass fishing kayaks are again, just normal sit-on-top, sit-in or tandem kayaks which have been specifically outfitted to be used for bass fishing. Bass fishing kayaks tend to be more narrow and are quick on the water.

Inflatable Fishing Kayaks

Inflatable fishing kayaks can come in various forms (bass fishing, fly fishing etc), but they are inflatable making them a lot cheaper than their rigid counterparts.

What Are the Pros and Cons to Buying a Fishing Kayak?

The Pros of a Fishing Kayak

  • Fishing kayaks are really quick on the water
  • Fishing kayaks are quite affordable and they are easy to maintain
  • Fishing kayaks have the ability to be incredibly stealthy
  • Fishing kayaks give you the ability to get as close to fish as possible

The Cons of a Fishing Kayak

  • You will most probably get very wet when in or on a fishing kayak
  • Fishing kayaks do not always have the most comfortable seats, which may result in back aches if you are going to be out on the water for longer periods of time