Fishing River Kayak

[kevind62]

I've searched the web far and wide and cannot find a single manufacturer that sells or makes a true river kayak for fishing. All of the fishing kayaks are actually ocean/lake/"slow river" kayaks. Unless you can secure your gear in closed compartments you'll be chasing it down river after your first dunk. The fishing kayaks all have some sort of a keel on them. A dangerous thing in a fast moving river and rapids.

I grew up in the swamps of SE Louisiana. My main mode of transport as a pre-teen and early teen was a pirogue. These crafty little rigs had no keel for a reason. Fast maneuverability in the fast currents of the Mississippi and it's immediate tributaries. If needed, in a total of four alternating strokes forward and backward, you could do a 180 and paddle upstream agains the current with ease. Same with a river kayak. With a keel, the current will grab it and try to spin you back around force you downstream. It will also grab the vessel when sideways in the current and shove it downstream in a hurry. And just try to imagine trying to navigate through a rapid and having the keel catch a rock and spin you around or shift your direction unexpectedly would get "exciting" pretty quick.

Are manufacturers afraid of making these? Thinking some idiot will sue them because they were in a rapid and hit their rod with the paddle knocking it loose, knocked their tackle box overboard trying to reach for the rod, lost their paddle while grabbing for the tacklebox, flipped and fell in while trying to grab the paddle, lost all their gear and almost drowned?? In today's world there's a high probablility such an event with such a person would transpire, and we'd end up with a lawsuit and a recall of 250,000 Fishing River Kayaks.

 

[denver1911]

First off, I disagree with your assertation that no one makes a river fishing kayak. What makes a kayak a river kayak? Class-2 capable? Plenty of fishing kayaks meet that criteria. In the hands of a skilled paddler (not me), some will work acceptably well in class-3 water. What makes a kayak a fishing kayak? The ability to mount your preferred rod holder? Plenty of whitewater boats will allow for that. Why isn't there a kayak that you can stand up in, carry 50 lb of gear, maneuver by peddling your feet, and still handle class-4 water? Probably the same reason there is not a 50 mpg SUV that will traverse jeep trails, turn sub-10 second quarter miles and be competitive on a road course. You have to choose your most important attributes and find the right balance. I've been fishing rivers (class-2 and below) out of a kayak for 20 years. I've owned several boats (still have three). Todays boats are 10-times better than the ones I used to use. And cheaper too! Good luck in your quest for just the right boat for you. I say they are available with just a few tweaks of your own and by making a very few manageable concessions.

 

[airborne 82nd]

Due credit to you kyack guys , looks fun , healthy , I've never tried it , but I'll admit I think if I was shooting line on the river I'd roll over in the thing and my ass would drown ..lol It looks fun but I'll stick to wading

Airborne ( David )

 

[denver1911]

Due credit to you kyack guys , looks fun , healthy , I've never tried it , but I'll admit I think if I was shooting line on the river I'd roll over in the thing and my ass would drown ..lol It looks fun but I'll stick to wading

Airborne ( David )

I've fought a smallmouth bass on a fly-rod while traversing riffles on a large river .. standing up in my kayak. These things can be made very stable. Obviously they don't make you smarter though.

 

[karstopo]

My old Heritage Marquesa didn't have any keel. It is a SOT and 14'. What I liked about it was that slick bottom allowed me to maneuver in tiny marsh drains by pushing with the paddle or easy paddle strokes, I could spin it like a top with me being the center point. People said it didn't track well, but I thought it did fine. I also never liked rudders on my kayaks.

Another good thing about the slick keel less bottom is that if I paddled into too shallow of marsh muck I could back out with relative ease. My Commander with its aggressive keel digs in and will not spin or turn in water that is a tiny bit too shallow to navigate. I've had to jump out into thigh deep marsh ooze and walk the kayak back into navigable water. You want to build some quads, just try the thigh deep marsh ooze walk. Also, the turning radius on the Commander is about that of an Iowa class Battleship.

My Marquesa still lives. I paddled over an oyster reef and a piece of shell pierced a weak spot right below the stern. My fix anything friend fixed it and I just told him to keep it at his place. That kayak has been used to run crab traps and fish in the Brazos and an old oxbow lake by him and his son ever since. It now sits on his raised porch awaiting the rise of the river. He uses it to get to his barn during these major flood events like we are having now.

 

[Car7x]

I've got an Aquaglide Blackfoot XL, which is re-named now, but it's the pro grade high pressure drop stitched 2 seater. Self bailer. Since I have a raft, hard hull fishing SUP, drift boat and jet skiff, it is mainly my travel and family beach vacation escape pod. Very businesslike rig and with inflatable risers for folding seats and plenty of lash down options, it would meet any reasonable day trip or extended (solo, packing your own camp) requirements. I've been on rivers a long time and I could take this anywhere I've had the raft or drift boat. Not stable enough for stand up fishing in any kind of turbulence, it's more of a transport, float to fish rig. 40 lb backpack.

For this and my Smithfly raft, I've found the Ryobi dual pressure inflator in their 18v model line to be a real labor saver. I don't bring it on an airline, at least haven't yet, but for vehicle accessed water it is the ticket. Inflates the 3 man Smithfly to about 90% in about 5-10 minutes. And will pump up vehicle tires or pool toys, so I have it in my rig anyway. Best 30 bucks I ever spent!

AquaGlide 2016 Inflatable Kayak & Paddle Board Product Line | AirKayaks.com

 

[The Mad Duck]

Lots of Kayaks today have more of a tunnel shaped bottom than a true .keel. The newer yaks designed for fishing are really stable and are stable in about any kind of water short of class 4+ rapids. I have seen kayaks traverse class 3 rapids with no issues whatsoever. The newer yaks are usually appointed very well in regards to fishing amenities as well as storage