Why Anglers are Buying Inflatable Fishing Boats
Let’s start right off by summing up the advantages of inflatable fishing boats: wide-beam stability, buoyant ride, affordable, portable, easy to care for, and lots of space on deck to store gear, rods, tackle, nets, and coolers.
Thanks to their ability to serve as general-purpose craft, inflatables are enticing more and more boaters to make the switch from hard-hulled boats.
Why Anglers Love Inflatables
Actually getting to see an inquisitive bass come up from the deep to strike a top water lure is a sure thrill. You won’t get that close-up experience as a bank fisherman and you sure won’t get it by noisy trolling. An inflatable boat allows you to drift quietly over your prey without water lapping loudly against the sides of a hard hull to spook game fish.
Many Designs, One Purpose
There are two inflatable fishing boats you should check out:
Sea Eagle’s FoldCat is an exceptional pontoon-style design that has plenty of room for you and a fishing buddy, plus gear. It comes equipped with pre-mounted rod holders with lock-in rings that accept all rods, plus the holders rotate 360°. This folding frame inflatable boat is a classic platform design for fishing lakes and bays.
Sea Eagle Inflatable Fishing Boats - Factory Direct
The PaddleSki is unique inflatable catamaran kayak that serves well as a fishing boat. Like the FoldCat, the seating puts you up out of the water where you can see more of the lake surface. The deck is a stable platform to stand on for casting and fly fishing. Versatile and maneuverable, it goes more places than the FoldCat, and can be outfitted with a sail, a motor, or a rowing frame.
Going Further Out
If a pontoon fishing boat or catamaran kayak isn’t what you are looking for, we recommend you check out the fast and light Sport Runabouts. These fun little boats feature molded plastic floorboards for stability when standing, and its rounded rear pontoons and a 7" inflatable keel allow for rapid planing and cutting through waves. You can even equip an SR with a center-mount Steering System
for an outboard motor. You can also get a riged inflatable keel on the 10.6sr RIK model that travels up to 18mph with one or two people onboard. The largest Sport Runabout has a 40 hp engine capacity, which will get you across the water faster than most other inflatable fishing boats.
Another “don’t miss” design worth your research time is Sea Eagle’s inflatable Motormount Boats. Normally motormounts don’t have anything special to offer anglers, but these are sold with a Fisherman’s Dream package option. That’s right: they have made a multi-purpose runabout rigged for fishing! This craft is ideal for trolling since it can be paired with a 6 hp or smaller gas motor, or up to a 74-lb thrust electric motor.
A New High for Anglers
Inflatable boats are a brilliant tool to use in the strategy and psychological warfare of fishing. Since they all have closed floorboards you don’t have to worry about dropping hooks and other gear through the wide slates like you’ll find on other pontoon designs and losing stuff in the water. You have better things to do – like setting a hook – and you don’t have time to fuss with boating issues. So do yourself a favor, check out these inflatable fishing boats, and see how they can get you out to the fishing holes you’ve been dreaming about.
Reviews
Sea Eagle 375fc FoldCat - A highly recommended inflatable catamaran certified for safety and quality.
Sea Eagle 395 PaddleSki - The PaddleSki lets you sail, motor, fish, paddle, and row, making this inflatable catamaran kayak a unique recreation boat.
Sea Eagle 14 SR Sport Runabout - A solid investment and a good choice for an all-around, multi-purpose watercraft.
Sea Eagle 124 Super Motormount Boat - A versatile craft that can be used for fishing, duck hunting, or extended trips.
Return from Inflatable Fishing Boats to the Best Inflatable Boats Home Page