The Sea Eagle FishSUP 126 may simply be the most suitable choice in the case of an inflatable fishing paddleboard. I’ve had the pleasure of fishing from this inflatable SUP from Lengthy Island Sound to the distant ponds and lakes of upstate New York, and I’m actually impressed with it’s portability, flexibility, and ease of use for each highway journeys and impromptu fishing missions.
(Observe: On The Water is reader-supported. Whenever you purchase via hyperlinks on our web site, we might earn an affiliate fee.)
Over the previous 3 to 4 years inflatable paddleboards have grown extra well-liked, and a rising curiosity in utilizing them for fishing has led to an explosion of latest manufacturers and fashions coming into the market. I’ve been a devoted kayak fisherman for some time, however I’ve been looking for a paddleboard to make use of for pond hopping, and as a fly-fishing platform. Nonetheless, there aren’t many inflatable paddleboards which might be geared particularly in direction of fishing. Normally, the most-popular paddleboards required costly add-ons and attachments to be sensible for fishing.
Enter the Sea Eagle FishSUP 126: a steady, inflatable paddleboard designed to be fished proper out of the field, made by an organization that’s been in enterprise for practically 60 years and relies on my dwelling of Lengthy Island, NY.
Paddleboard vs. Kayak: Why an inflatable fishing paddleboard?
The 2 makes use of I had in thoughts for a paddleboard had been for fly fishing and road-tripping.
One among my greatest pain-points when fly fishing from a pedal kayak are all of the tangles and snags that happen on the deck when stripping fly line. With no sensible area for a stripping bucket, free line would wrap across the pedals, my fish finder, or my ft. I attempted to treatment this by eradicating as many equipment as attainable from my kayak, however it was nonetheless a irritating expertise.
When it got here time for a highway journey, bringing my 14-foot kayak led to considerations about safety, parking, and entry. A kayak weighing over 80 kilos isn’t the simplest factor to hold round, and after I was carried out fishing for the day, I needed to go away it on my truck, which made parking at a restaurant or on the town an issue, if not unattainable. I might go away it the place I used to be staying, however then I’d fear it might get stolen whereas I used to be away. Moreover, some small ponds or hand-launches had been too small for a fully-rigged fishing kayak to be sensible.
I’d checked out just a few completely different fashions of inflatable paddleboards and even some non-inflatable ones, which I’d anticipated could be extra sturdy. However as a rule, they had been too-heavy or impractical for fishing, with no means to tie-down gear like a cooler or rod holders. A lot of the inflatable paddleboards I checked out fell brief too, as a result of they didn’t have the steadiness or sturdiness I wanted. They had been designed with leisure paddling in thoughts, not severe fishing.
After I got here throughout the Sea Eagle FishSUP 126, I used to be very excited to see it got here with 14 metallic D-rings welded into the hull from front-to-back for tying down gear. It additionally included a sturdy transom mount which permits for a small trolling motor to be simply connected, with loads of room between the transom and the seat for a water-resistant battery field or fishing sort out. It even included a mesh bag with two vertical rod holders.
What makes the FishSUP 126 an ideal inflatable fishing paddleboard?
For those who ask me, one of the best qualities of the FishSUP 126 are it’s customization potential, portability, and stability. At 45 kilos when fully-inflated, it may be simply carried over your head to the water and moved round your yard or storage when storing. Evaluate that to attempting to stow your common hard-plastic canoe or kayak in extra of 60 kilos.
The connected handles in the back and front make it easy to hold as a staff when you have a buddy with you, even when it’s fully-rigged up with gear. It’s kayak cart appropriate as nicely and, when deflated, it might probably match within the backseat of just about any automobile.
The additional D-rings make it a breeze to connect a cooler or seat. As a paddleboard, it does take some water over the deck in tough situations, so I like to recommend utilizing waterproof storage for something you don’t wish to get moist, and one thing to sit down on to keep away from chafing. Whereas fishing in calm situations on Lake George nevertheless, I stayed dry till the new climate compelled me to take a dip over the facet.
What’s the greatest paddleboard fishing setup for the FishSUP?
Sea Eagle supplies varied gear packages for the FishSUP 126, starting with their ‘Begin-Up’ base-model bundle, which incorporates:
- a dual-action guide air pump
- transom mount
- stand-up paddle
- mesh storage bag
- carrying pack
It is able to fish out-of-the-box, however you may discover it lacks some creature-comforts. On the prime of their listing of packages is the ‘Professional Motor Fishing Rig’, which comes with all the things above included, plus a swivel seat, trolling motor, and battery field.
» Go to the FishSUP Product Web page for the total listing of drugs packages!
How steady is the Sea Eagle FishSUP 126?
The FishSUP could be very steady to fish from—partially as a result of the deck is 36 inches broad. I’m a husky human being at 200 kilos, and I nonetheless had loads of area to crawl across the deck, sprawl out, and get snug. However the FishSUP additionally has glorious main and secondary stability. Even in tough waves, the paddleboard remained completely flat, with out rocking in any respect. Typically, I’d lay flat on my stomach and paddle it like a surfboard, or kneel and paddle it like a canoe when my again or butt wanted a relaxation.
I’ve sat with my ft over the facet whereas jigging for fluke with out worrying about tipping over, and we even match one other 200-pound angler on it throughout a 4th of July journey to Lake George. Though we got here near the 500-pound weight restrict, the Sea Eagle remained sturdy and tracked nicely within the water whereas we fished for smallmouth bass below docks and downed timber with our legs over the facet.
The bow of the paddle board goes over waves somewhat than via them, which helps maintain you dry and permits it to trace nicely in uneven situations. The soundness of the FishSUP additionally makes it straightforward to get well within the extremely unlikely occasion of flipping, or should you determine to take a dip, like I did.
What is an efficient motor for the Sea Eagle FishSUP 126?
The Sea Eagle FishSUP 126 has just a few completely different bundle choices that embody a WaterSnake Venom 34 trolling motor, or a Bixpy Okay-1 Electrical Motor. However one other light-weight choice is the brand new ePropulsion eLite electrical motor. This all-in-one electrical trolling motor weighs simply 15 kilos, produces 500W or 1.5 HP, and is extraordinarily moveable, with no exterior battery required. I had by no means used a trolling motor earlier than, and I used to be shocked at how straightforward it was to mount and function proper out of the field.
I not too long ago examined the motor on my FishSUP and though it was one other windy day, the ePropulsion eLite made gentle work reducing via the wind and reaching pods of bunker that had been a mile offshore. The eLite additionally features a carrying case, which made it straightforward to retailer below my rear seat. I additionally took it with me to a distant river, the place it made touring upstream a breeze. I used to be capable of hit a prime velocity of about 4 knots upstream, and 5 knots with none present or wind.
» Study extra concerning the ePropulsion eLite by visiting their web site.
What’s fishing from an inflatable paddleboard like?
In a single phrase: relaxed. It’s a really minimalist expertise when fishing from a paddleboard. Having simply the fundamentals and loads of room to loosen up whereas an electrical trolling motor takes you to a spot is nice, particularly in the summertime. For those who’ve ever spent 10 hours in a fishing kayak, you understand what I’m speaking about.
My first voyage with the FishSUP 126 was with nothing however a cooler and my fly rod. It was in no way a peaceful day. West winds as much as 10 knots made for powerful paddling situations, however the FishSUP tracked straight with the included skeg fins connected.
Even with light rollers and boat wakes in my path, I used to be capable of stand and forged to blitzing striped bass & bluefish. There have been just a few occasions I practically fell over whereas making back-casts, however the FishSUP remained planted on the water, and I might regain my stability.
I then launched into a road-trip to fish a secluded river for smallmouth bass, northern pike, and musky. This time, I connected the very snug and downright-essential swivel seat that got here with my FishSUP bundle. The seat provides hardly any weight, and makes it far simpler to function a tiller and make casts 360-degrees round me.
The FishSUP supplies a flat, spacious deck for touchdown and measuring fish as much as 36 inches. The deck ruler makes measuring a slot-striper or keeper-sized fluke a breeze with no additional gear required.
Is the FishSUP Sturdy?
A standard concern with inflatable watercraft, basically, is sturdiness. The FishSUP makes use of powerful, 1000 Denier Strengthened Drop Sew materials. On prime, there may be an EVA deck-foam platform that’s snug for sitting, standing, and kneeling on. Sea Eagle additionally bolstered the hull in areas almost definitely to make contact with jagged or abrasive surfaces.I pulled my FishSUP throughout Lengthy Island’s rocky North Shore, dragged it throughout my truck mattress, and ran into boulders with no issues. However, do you have to run into any points, Sea Eagle additionally features a restore equipment with the FishSUP to simply patch holes of any dimension.
Sea Eagle has a video on their YouTube channel the place they clarify the supplies, stability, and sturdiness in-depth; they even run over one among their inflatables with a jeep.
If that isn’t sufficient, Sea Eagle’s boats are additionally NMMA licensed, and have handed rigorous testing for high quality & security.
What kind of fishing is the FishSUP inflatable paddleboard good for?
The FishSUP 126 excels in again bays, inshore areas, back-country ponds, rivers, and lakes. With a spacious deck and a steady casting platform, you’ll be able to comfortably sight-cast to fish even on a breezy day. The big, flat deck can maintain stripped fly line, and supplies a full 360-degrees of casting freedom. The power to make false-casts with no concern of snagging something moreover myself was one thing I wasn’t used to. (Facet be aware: The FishSUP gained’t make you a greater fly angler, however it might probably make it simpler to be taught.)
Additionally it is a perfect-match for the touring angler. You possibly can throw it in your automobile, drive to a distant pond, carry it to the water along with your fishing gear, and have a relaxed day catching bass, trout, or different freshwater fish.
For those who’re a fly fisherman searching for a steady platform, a pond-hopper who wants one thing straightforward to move, or simply somebody who prefers the leisure of paddleboard fishing—the FishSUP 126 could possibly be the most suitable choice for you. Sea Eagle thoughtfully designed the FishSUP with the particular wants of fishing in thoughts, from stability, to sturdiness, and customization. Their gear packages present distinctive worth and make the FishSUP straightforward to rig, so that you’re able to hit the water as quickly ASAP.
» For extra from Sea Eagle, go to their web site at seaeagle.com or be taught extra concerning the FishSUP 126.
Associated Content material
Fishing for Bonito from a Stand-Up Paddle Board
How Far Can You Go along with an Inflatable Boat?
Fishing from Inflatables
The Advantages of an Inflatable Fishing Kayak
