UPDATE: Check out our
2014 Guide to Fishing Kayaks & Canoes
and
Our latest 2015 Guide to Fishing Kayaks & Canoes

Advanced Elements
www.advancedelements.com
The StraitEdge Kayak is the first sit-on-top, self-bailing inflatable kayak to incorporate aluminum-rib frames in the bow and stern to improve tracking in open water. The hull design is similar to a hard-shell, sit-on-top kayak and has self-bailing ports that can be opened in rough conditions and closed in calm/cold conditions. Anglers looking for remote waters will appreciate that the Straitedge can be easily packed away into its duffel bag.

Cobra Kayaks
www.cobrakayaks.com
A user-friendly deck design with forward and rear flush-mount or surface-mount rod holder positions and tons of customizable deck space makes the Cobra Marauder very fishing friendly. A transducer scupper allows for easy plug-and-play installation of a variety of fishfinders; a gigantic tank well with a molded-in bait/gear bucket recess offers plenty of lure and tackle storage.

Delta
www.deltakayaks.com
A modified tunnel hull on the Delta Catfish 12.5 provides great stability without excessive beam width. The hull design also provides easier paddling, with better speed and tracking ability.  A Sea View cockpit viewing window, two storage hatches, a front bulkhead, tackle storage and generous deck rigging are among the many features that make the Catfish a worthy fishing platform.

Eddyline
www.eddyline.com
Built to cover distance quickly, the Eddyline Caribbean 14 has a number of appealing features for fishermen. The cockpit design has a long tray down the center with an access hatch looking aft in front of the seat. An optional console cover allows the paddler to use the hatch as a rod pod, with the cover protecting reels during surf launching and landing. There is a platform for Plano box storage at the forward end of the cockpit and multiple options for mounting rod holders, fishfinders and cameras. The roomy tank well is configured for a milk crate or 5-gallon pail, and there are multiple hatches for interior access.

Emotion Kayaks
www.emotionkayaks.com
Pennsylvania-based Emotion kayaks offers both sit-on-top and sit-inside recreational kayaks in angler models, outfitted with rod holders and storage options to accommodate fishing gear. The Glide is an affordable and lightweight fishing kayak at only 38 pounds, designed to be stable enough to land big fish but nimble enough to venture deep into the backwaters. The Stealth is a “pocket” 10-foot sit-on-top kayak outfitted for close-range fishing, while the Mojo and Grand Slam models offer greater speed and exceptional tracking along with a number of fishing-friendly details.

Feelfree Kayak
www.feelfreekayak.com
Feelfree kayaks offers a line of 10-, 12- and 13-foot sit-on-top angling kayaks in their Moken line. Innovative features include bungee-latched bow storage, built-in rod holders, and a console deck that makes it easy to add electronics.

Freedom Hawk Kayak
www.freedomhawkkayaks.com
Freedom Hawk Kayaks are built specifically for stand-up fishing. They feature a distinctive split tail that transforms quickly into a pair of rigid outriggers, adding tremendous stability. Simply pull the two levers conveniently located on either side of the hull to open the rear outriggers, pull up the casting brace, and enjoy stability like you never thought possible. The resulting one-of-a-kind craft gives anglers the altitude to spot stripers and other gamefish in skinny water.  The Freedom Hawk Pathfinder offers three outrigger positions based on degrees of efficiency and stability. Plus, an upswept bow makes the Pathfinder dry in the most challenging open water fishing conditions.

Hobie
www.hobiecat.com
Hobie revolutionized the sport of kayak fishing with the development of Miragedrive in 1997, a pedal-powered replacement for the paddle. Anglers quickly caught on to the advantages of hands-free kayaking and Hobie responded with a series of fishing kayaks featuring rod holders, tackle storage, and other fishing accessories. Hobie’s contemporary crop of sit-on-top Miragedrive-powered fishing kayaks includes the compact Sport; the wide-hulled, stable Outback; the fast and highly fishable Revolution; the long, lean, distance-covering Adventure; the tandem Outfitter; and for ultimate portability, three inflatable pedal-driven kayaks.  Hobie also offers a serious fishing platform, the Pro Angler, available in 12- and 14-foot models. With ample rod and tackle storage, the Pro Angler is more boat than kayak, and boasts enough stability to allow stand-up fishing.

Hurricane Aquasports
www.hurricaneaquasports.com
This North Carolina kayak company uses Trylon to thermoform their kayaks, making them lighter and more rigid than polyethylene kayaks yet durable enough for flat water. Along with a line of sit-inside and sit-on-top kayaks, Hurricane offers an Open Fisherman, which features an open, canoe-like deck with four recessed rod holders and a top-mounted Scotty rod holder, along with recesses designed to hold fishing tackle.

Jackson Kayak
www.jacksonkayak.com
Jackson Kayak was created in 2003 in Sparta, Tennessee, and makes plastic kayaks for whitewater, recreational paddling, touring and fishing. The Jackson Kayak Cuda is big-water ready, with its speed and stability. Anglers can stand up to fish or use the comfortable and adjustable hi-lo seat. Although most fishing kayaks are sit-on-top models, the innovative Kilroy from Jackson Kayaks is actually a sit-inside. It has a few benefits over the sit-on-top, including stability, thanks to the low center of gravity and easier paddling. The Kilroy takes advantage of all of Jackson’s key fishing advantages with hi-lo seating and RAM-ready mounts.

Native Watercraft
www.nativewatercraft.com
Another North Carolina kayak company, Native Watercraft, offers a line of tunnel-hull kayaks designed with back-bay fishing in mind. The Native Ultimate Propel is a pedal-drive system with a prop that works in both forward and reverse. The Slayer 14.5 offers enough stability to stand up for sight fishing, a comfortable seat that elevates up to 6 inches above the kayak for easier casting, and a clear deck to prevent snagged lines.

NuCanoe
www.nucanoe.com
Washington-based NuCanoe offers virtually unsinkable dual-wall kayak/canoe hybrids with unusually wide, elevated floor plans boasting an excess of stability – enough to raise the seats off the deck or stand up. The result is a craft that fits on top of your car but offers big-boat comfort. Every NuCanoe offers multiple seating configurations—single, tandem or triple—and many ways to move it by rowing or paddling with a single or dual blade, or even with an electric trolling motor.

Ocean Kayak
www.oceankayak.com
Ocean Kayak began on the beaches of Malibu in 1971 when company founder Tim Niemier merged the best features of a sea kayak and a surfboard, creating an un-swampable and stable sit-on-top kayak. Ocean Kayak offers 13 different fishing kayaks, and all feature easily-accessorized decks and innovative design. The Trident series includes a Sonar Shield to protect a mounted fishfinder console and a transducer-ready scupper.

Old Town
www.oldtowncanoe.com
Old Town Canoe Company of Maine offers four sit-inside kayak-fishing platforms, the Vapor, Dirigo, Camden and Heron. The new Twin Heron tandem kayak features an innovative Auto Trim Hull, which allows the Twin Heron to perform well when paddled solo. The front seat can be easily removed to make space for your dog or extra hunting and fishing gear. The Heron 9 Angler is an easy-to-paddle kayak that can maneuver perfectly into your favorite fishing spot, and is an affordable choice for casual anglers seeking a lightweight, compact kayak outfitted for fishing and cruising in calm waters.

Pelican
www.pelicansport.com
Canadian–based Pelican produces a vast array of affordable thermoformed plastic products, including affordable kayaks. The Pelican Premium Kayaks, introduced in 2012, were designed for paddlers who want to invest a little more in their kayaks. This line offers improved performance hulls that provide greater speed, better tracking and more stability with minimal additional cost. There are two fishing kayaks in the Pelican Premium line – the Strike 120x Angler sit-on-top model and the Liberty Angler 100x sit-inside model.

Riot Kayaks
www.riotkayaks.com
Riot Kayaks offers three fishing kayaks, the Escape 12, Edge 11 and Enduro 12. The Edge 11 Angler has two flush-mount rod holders behind the seat and an adjustable rod stand in front. The Enduro 12 Angler is a sit-inside model with ample storage capacity and two sealed compartments to keep fishing and camping gear dry.  Equipped with features for serious anglers, the Escape 12 Angler is a great combination of stability and performance with an excellent load capacity.

Wavewalk Kayaks
www.wavewalk.com
Massachusetts-based Wavewalk Kayaks were designed for painless paddling, allowing anglers to stretch out and even stand up, thanks to a double-hull, catamaran-style design. Wavewalk’s unconventional design is remarkably stable and offers plenty of storage. Several levels of customization allow an angler to choose the number of rod holders and best-suited type of riggings.

Wilderness Systems
www.wildernesssystems.com
Wilderness Systems debuted one of the first popular fishing kayaks, the sit-on-top Tarpon, in 2001, featuring a hull inspired by the fast and sleek sea kayak. Matching the rapid development of the sport, the Tarpon line has evolved over the years, offering improved fishablity with its versatile, adaptable deck plans and boosted storage space. Recently, Wilderness Systems revamped the Ride series to optimize it for fishing. The Ride 135 Advance Angler model now comes standard with the new elevated Phase 3 AirPro Advance seating system designed specifically with anglers in mind.  The tool-less SlideTrax accessory system and the model’s  layout keeps milk crates, all types of rod holders and gear easily accessible.