Choose a fishing kayak by how it sits in the water
Hull type decides more about a fishing kayak than any other single choice — whether you can stand to cast, whether your legs stay dry, whether both hands are free for the rod. Start there, then narrow by brand.
Five ways a fishing kayak can be built
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Sit-on-top
An open deck you sit on rather than inside. Self-draining, easy to climb back onto in deep water, and the default hull for kayak fishing.
70 current models · 11 brands
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Sit-inside
An enclosed cockpit that keeps your legs out of the wind and spray. Drier and warmer in cold water, harder to re-enter if you capsize.
11 current models · 5 brands
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Pedal drive
A pedal drive frees both hands for the rod and holds position against wind and current. The heaviest and most expensive way to move a fishing kayak.
35 current models · 6 brands
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Inflatable
Packs into a bag, so it suits a flat with no garage and a car with no roof bars. Slower and more wind-affected than a hardshell of the same length.
10 current models · 4 brands
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Tandem
Two seats, for fishing with a partner or a child. Longer and heavier to carry, and one paddler sets the pace for both.
11 current models · 7 brands
What this site is
A guide to fishing kayaks organised the way people actually shop for them: by hull type first, then by brand. Every model listed has been checked against the manufacturer’s own catalogue, so a boat that is no longer made says so, and says what replaced it.
There are 92 current models here from 12 brands. The specification tables are the finished part; the written comparisons are being rebuilt, and older reviews that covered discontinued boats now point at the range that succeeded them.
Start here
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Best Fishing Kayaks for Beginners on a Budget
Let’s face it. Not all of us have the money to throw down on a new fishing kayak as a beginner.
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How to Choose a Fishing Kayak
When I started Kayaking during my early 20s, it took no time to know that kayaking is a brilliant sport.
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What to Wear Kayaking: The Beginner’s Essentials
Why Clothing Can Make or Break Your Next Kayaking Trip? Spending time fishing or recreational kayaking is a great activity for family and friends.