The Sea Eagle FishSUP 126 might just be the best option when it comes to an inflatable fishing paddleboard. I’ve had the pleasure of fishing from this inflatable SUP from Long Island Sound to the remote ponds and lakes of upstate New York, and I’m really impressed with it’s portability, flexibility, and ease of use for both road trips and impromptu fishing missions.
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Over the past 3 to 4 years inflatable paddleboards have grown more popular, and a rising interest in using them for fishing has led to an explosion of new brands and models entering the market. I’ve been a dedicated kayak fisherman for a while, but I’ve been searching for a paddleboard to use for pond hopping, and as a fly-fishing platform. However, there aren’t many inflatable paddleboards that are geared specifically towards fishing. In most cases, the most-popular paddleboards required expensive add-ons and attachments to be practical for fishing.
Enter the Sea Eagle FishSUP 126: a stable, inflatable paddleboard designed to be fished right out of the box, made by a company that’s been in business for nearly 60 years and is based on my home of Long Island, NY.
The two uses I had in mind for a paddleboard were for fly fishing and road-tripping.
One of my biggest pain-points when fly fishing from a pedal kayak are all the tangles and snags that occur on the deck when stripping fly line. With no practical space for a stripping bucket, loose line would wrap around the pedals, my fish finder, or my feet. I tried to remedy this by removing as many accessories as possible from my kayak, but it was still a frustrating experience.
When it came time for a road trip, bringing my 14-foot kayak led to concerns about security, parking, and access. A kayak weighing over 80 pounds isn’t the easiest thing to carry around, and when I was done fishing for the day, I had to leave it on my truck, which made parking at a restaurant or in town a problem, if not impossible. I could leave it where I was staying, but then I’d worry it would get stolen while I was away. Additionally, some small ponds or hand-launches were too small for a fully-rigged fishing kayak to be practical.
I’d looked at a few different models of inflatable paddleboards and even some non-inflatable ones, which I’d expected would be more durable. But more often than not, they were too-heavy or impractical for fishing, with no ability to tie-down gear like a cooler or rod holders. Most of the inflatable paddleboards I looked at fell short too, because they didn’t have the stability or durability I needed. They were designed with recreational paddling in mind, not serious fishing.
When I came across the Sea Eagle FishSUP 126, I was very excited to see it came with 14 metal D-rings welded into the hull from front-to-back for tying down gear. It also included a sturdy transom mount which allows for a small trolling motor to be easily attached, with plenty of room between the transom and the seat for a waterproof battery box or fishing tackle. It even included a mesh bag with two vertical rod holders.
If you ask me, the best qualities of the FishSUP 126 are it’s customization potential, portability, and stability. At 45 pounds when fully-inflated, it can be easily carried over your head to the water and moved around your yard or garage when storing. Compare that to trying to stow your average hard-plastic canoe or kayak in excess of 60 pounds.
The attached handles in the front and back make it effortless to carry as a team if you have a buddy with you, even when it’s fully-rigged up with gear. It is kayak cart compatible as well and, when deflated, it can fit in the backseat of almost any vehicle.
The extra D-rings make it a breeze to attach a cooler or seat. As a paddleboard, it does take some water over the deck in rough conditions, so I recommend using waterproof storage for anything you don’t want to get wet, and something to sit on to avoid chafing. While fishing in calm conditions on Lake George however, I stayed dry until the hot weather compelled me to take a dip over the side.
Sea Eagle provides various gear packages for the FishSUP 126, beginning with their ‘Start-Up’ base-model package, which includes:
It is ready to fish out-of-the-box, but you might find it lacks some creature-comforts. At the top of their list of packages is the ‘Pro Motor Fishing Rig’, which comes with everything above included, plus a swivel seat, trolling motor, and battery box.
» Visit the FishSUP Product Page for the full list of gear packages!
The FishSUP is very stable to fish from—partially because the deck is 36 inches wide. I’m a husky human being at 200 pounds, and I still had plenty of space to crawl around the deck, sprawl out, and get comfortable. But the FishSUP also has excellent primary and secondary stability. Even in rough waves, the paddleboard remained perfectly flat, without rocking at all. Sometimes, I’d lay flat on my belly and paddle it like a surfboard, or kneel and paddle it like a canoe when my back or butt needed a rest.
I’ve sat with my feet over the side while jigging for fluke without worrying about tipping over, and we even fit another 200-pound angler on it during a 4th of July trip to Lake George. Although we came close to the 500-pound weight limit, the Sea Eagle remained sturdy and tracked well in the water while we fished for smallmouth bass under docks and downed trees with our legs over the side.
The bow of the paddle board goes over waves rather than through them, which helps keep you dry and allows it to track well in choppy conditions. The stability of the FishSUP also makes it easy to recover in the highly unlikely event of flipping, or if you decide to take a dip, like I did.
The Sea Eagle FishSUP 126 has a few different package options that include a WaterSnake Venom 34 trolling motor, or a Bixpy K-1 Electric Motor. But another lightweight option is the new ePropulsion eLite electric motor. This all-in-one electric trolling motor weighs just 15 pounds, produces 500W or 1.5 HP, and is extremely portable, with no external battery required. I had never used a trolling motor before, and I was surprised at how easy it was to mount and operate right out of the box.
I recently tested the motor on my FishSUP and although it was another windy day, the ePropulsion eLite made light work cutting through the wind and reaching pods of bunker that were a mile offshore. The eLite also includes a carrying case, which made it easy to store under my rear seat. I also took it with me to a remote river, where it made traveling upstream a breeze. I was able to hit a top speed of about 4 knots upstream, and 5 knots without any current or wind.
» Learn more about the ePropulsion eLite by visiting their website.
In one word: relaxed. It’s a truly minimalist experience when fishing from a paddleboard. Having just the basics and plenty of room to relax while an electric trolling motor takes you to a spot is great, especially in the summer. If you’ve ever spent 10 hours in a fishing kayak, you know what I’m talking about.
My first voyage with the FishSUP 126 was with nothing but a cooler and my fly rod. It was by no means a calm day. West winds up to 10 knots made for tough paddling conditions, but the FishSUP tracked straight with the included skeg fins attached.
Even with gentle rollers and boat wakes in my path, I was able to stand and cast to blitzing striped bass & bluefish. There were a few times I nearly fell over while making back-casts, but the FishSUP remained planted on the water, and I could regain my balance.
I then embarked on a road-trip to fish a secluded river for smallmouth bass, northern pike, and musky. This time, I attached the very comfortable and downright-essential swivel seat that came with my FishSUP package. The seat adds hardly any weight, and makes it far easier to operate a tiller and make casts 360-degrees around me.
The FishSUP provides a flat, spacious deck for landing and measuring fish up to 36 inches. The deck ruler makes measuring a slot-striper or keeper-sized fluke a breeze with no extra gear required.
A common concern with inflatable watercraft, in general, is durability. The FishSUP uses tough, 1000 Denier Reinforced Drop Stitch material. On top, there is an EVA deck-foam platform that is comfortable for sitting, standing, and kneeling on. Sea Eagle also reinforced the hull in areas most likely to make contact with jagged or abrasive surfaces.I pulled my FishSUP across Long Island’s rocky North Shore, dragged it across my truck bed, and bumped into boulders with no problems. But, should you run into any issues, Sea Eagle also includes a repair kit with the FishSUP to easily patch holes of any size.
Sea Eagle has a video on their YouTube channel where they explain the materials, stability, and durability in-depth; they even run over one of their inflatables with a jeep.
If that isn’t enough, Sea Eagle’s boats are also NMMA certified, and have passed rigorous testing for quality & safety.
The FishSUP 126 excels in back bays, inshore areas, back-country ponds, rivers, and lakes. With a spacious deck and a stable casting platform, you can comfortably sight-cast to fish even on a breezy day. The large, flat deck can hold stripped fly line, and provides a full 360-degrees of casting freedom. The ability to make false-casts with no fear of snagging anything besides myself was something I wasn’t used to. (Side note: The FishSUP won’t make you a better fly angler, but it can make it easier to learn.)
It is also a perfect-match for the traveling angler. You can throw it in your car, drive to a remote pond, carry it to the water with your fishing gear, and have a relaxed day catching bass, trout, or other freshwater fish.
If you’re a fly fisherman looking for a stable platform, a pond-hopper who needs something easy to transport, or just someone who prefers the leisure of paddleboard fishing—the FishSUP 126 could be the best option for you. Sea Eagle thoughtfully designed the FishSUP with the specific needs of fishing in mind, from stability, to durability, and customization. Their gear packages provide exceptional value and make the FishSUP easy to rig, so you’re ready to hit the water as soon ASAP.
» For more from Sea Eagle, visit their website at seaeagle.com or learn more about the FishSUP 126.
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