6 Best Fishing SUPs ( Stand-Up Paddle) Boards + Buying Guide 2021

Are you tired of the typical swimming and snorkeling experiences and would like to include some more fun activities whenever you hit your favorite beach destination? How about grabbing yourself a paddle board and setting off on an angling adventure?

Paddle boards- also known as Stand-Up Paddle boards (SUPs) – are floating devices that are popular amongst water sports lovers and fitness enthusiasts. Paddle boarding is a fun activity and is easy to learn if you’re a beginner.

However- to completely unlock the fishing possibilities that come with this aquatic machine– you need to go for one that offers great traction, is safe, of great quality, and above all, is designed specifically to enhance angling experiences.

Read on for an elaborate overview of some of the best fishing SUPs in the market today.

1. ISLE Airtech Yoga Paddle Board

Maybe you need a versatile paddleboard that can perfectly facilitate your fishing expeditions while still coming in handy whenever you feel like going through your yoga routines out in the water. Then- the ISLE Airtech is your answer.

This inflatable SUP features a wide design (32 inches wide) with optimal balance and stability (six inches thick), allowing enough room for a variety of yoga poses.

There’s also a bungee cord attached to this board’s side, which you can use in combination with an anchor to secure your floating device should you wish to avoid drifting while fishing at a certain specific spot or going through your yoga routines.

The ISLE Airtech also features intricate design patterns that makes it a beauty to look at, while the ergonomic design ensures users are totally comfortable when standing or exercising on it.

Meanwhile, a bungee on the board’s front end provides storage space for your gear- such as angling equipment. At only 20-pounds, this paddle board is really lightweight and easy to carry around, even for younger or female anglers and yogis.

It’s also easily inflatable so it’s always a breeze folding and packing it into a backpack.

For maximum strength and durability, the ISLE Airtech features dual-layer construction which includes the use of military-grade PVC and Airtech Fusion-Lite.

These materials ensure the desired sturdiness is achieved, with better protection against scratches and wear and tear; while also keeping the board as lightweight as possible. With such impressive rigidity upon full-inflation, you’d be forgiven for refusing to believe that this is an inflatable.

Performance-wise, the ISLE Airtech is a winner. The detachable fin offers up perfect traction in calm water bodies including lakes and ponds. It’s also great for use on ocean and seawaters on calm days, as strong water currents will inevitably cause it to lose traction.

The retail package features numerous, good-quality SUP accessories. These include a high-pressure pump that comes with a pressure gauge to facilitate fast and easy inflation of the paddle board, and a self-floating, 3-piece aluminium paddle that can be adjusted anywhere between 65-86 inches.

There’s also a carry bag where after you’re done fishing or exploring the waters; you can deflate, roll, and store your paddle board in.

With a substantial user weight capacity of 240-pounds, you can even bring your young one or favourite pet along as you ride the shallow waters or get your yoga on atop this beautiful paddle board.

Finally, using the ISLE Airtech is really easy. Even the detachable fin doesn’t require any special installation tools, as it can be simply done by hand within seconds.

2. BOTE Rackham Aero iSUP Board

Ideal for fly fishing expeditions on water bodies with narrow creeks and reefs that regular boats might not be able to navigate through, this paddle board is as stable as they come.

Those that have tried paddle board fishing know that it can get tricky, with the device prone to wobbling side-to-side movements that hamper the user’s stability.

Not with the Rackham Aerobote- though- as it boasts sizable length (12-feet) and thickness (4-inches), which give it stability levels much superior to that of a typical canoe or kayak.

With such a sturdy paddle board, you won’t even have to bring your anchor along for your fishing expeditions. What’s more, you don’t have to worry about losing your balance due to wind and swell.

The Rackham Aerobote is inflatable and comes with a carry bag where you can easily store it once you completely free it up of air. The array of accessories- including D-rings and bungee nets- also help you expand your possibilities; as they provide additional storage space if you prefer to keep your deck spacious.

Safety features include a textured, non-slip deck to prevent accidents as a result of slips and falls.

This paddle board also comes equipped with an optional lean post that you can always install to reduce fatigue if you have to stay standing for several hours on one of those long fishing trips. In addition, it features mounts for holding your fishing rods.

There’s a paddle sheath close to this board’s bow, for easy storing of the adjustable three-piece paddle that’s available as part of the product package. Achieving such a quick and stealthy release when storing your paddle is important if you’re stalking a school of fish in the waters beneath your board.

Without this feature, you’d likely have to noisily drop down your paddle on your deck, probably alerting and scaring the fish away. If you’ll be fishing in shallow waters- however- you’ll probably have to buy a push pole on the side; as it’s the best for use- in place of a paddle- when navigating shallow water bodies. The makers of the Rackham also sell these push poles as standalone products.

At a retail price of about 1700-dollars, the Rackham Aerobote seems like a bargain. It would be hard to find another similar-sized SUP board on the market that boasts the same level of stability and customization options; unless it’s a skiff/canoe/SUP hybrid, in which case, it would cost more.

3. Fish Stalker Stand Up Paddleboard

The fish stalker is a great investment if you’re a SUP fishing enthusiast with a penchant for style and trendiness. Aesthetically speaking, this unique-looking paddle board stands out from the rest of the options on this list, mostly due to its tri-chamber design.

Despite featuring dual-construction, this SUP board is rather light, owing to the PVC material that it’s largely made out of.

The fish stalker is 12-feet long, boasting enough room for users to move around on.  A breadth of 34- inches also ensures good stability and balance on relatively calm water bodies.

Even with a substantial catch and all your fishing equipment atop the deck, it’s highly unlikely that this fishing vessel could topple over, given its 500-pound weight limit. Meanwhile- the double front fins accords the SUP increased stability as they cut through the resistance of the water waves.

The dual station pump that comes included in the product packaging makes the inflation of this vessel a breeze. There’s up to four handles attached to this paddle board, thus dragging it ashore once you’re done for the day shouldn’t be difficult.

The Fish Stalker also has a mount on which you can always attach an underwater sea scooter for faster propulsion if you’ve got one. This feature is especially handy, since you may need to move faster with your paddle board if you’ll be looking to explore several fishing locations within a single trip.

There’s also a duffle bag available for you to use as a carrier bag when coming to or from your favourite fishing spot.

4. Atoll Inflatable Fishing Paddle Board

This impressive SUP board comes as an improvement on previous versions from the same manufacturer. 14 D-rings and bungee straps on either side of the vessel provide more than enough storage space.

At 38 pounds, this board is quite heavier than most of the other boards on this list. Still- it’s quite portable and 38 pounds- whichever way you look at it- shouldn’t be that heavy.

The detachable triple fins- meanwhile- allow for unmatched stability. The Atoll is made out of durable fusion-lite material, ensuring it can serve you for a lifetime.

This SUP board comes in a 11-inch-long, 33-inch-wide, and six-inch-thick frame for maximum stability; which is reinforced by the tri-fin system.

With a 350-pound weight capacity, there’s no compromising on what you can bring aboard. Whether you enjoy fly fishing or cast net fishing, the weight of your respective equipment- plus your own- most likely won’t add up to that much. Finally, the Atoll’s manufacturer offers customers up to two years of product warranty.

5. Ancheer Fishing Paddle Board

The Ancheer boasts six-inch thickness for optimal buoyancy, allowing users to avoid getting their feet wet in case they’ve got their shoes on while fishing.

The board also features a solitary fin system for great manoeuvrability, while the military-grade PVC construction material makes this a sturdy vessel that can be efficiently used for fishing for years.

Other standard features that are available on this vessel that you can also find on the other quality fishing SUPs already detailed within this article include a decent weight capacity (240 pounds) and lightweight construction (17 pounds).

Finally, there’s a GoPro camera mount installed on the paddle board to allow you to take clear footage as you’re angling.

6. True Wave 8’0 Youth Kid’s Paddle Board

This paddle board is designed specifically to the needs and tastes of children and is a great way to get your kids involved in your angling trips. It weighs just 12 pounds and is only eight feet long, making it one of the most portable commercial paddle boards.

The junior SUP paddle that comes with this product allows for size adjustment, enabling you to set a length that’s comfortable enough for your young ones, depending on their age. For a great paddle boarding experience, you might want to ensure that the paddle is at least 4-7 inches longer than the user.

The True Wave 8’0 Youth is made out of durable hardboard to stay in good shape for years, thus negating the need to purchase your adventurous young one a new one every now and then.

This paddle board boasts a 100-pound weight capacity, allowing minors to comfortably sit on it without any buoyancy issues. Meanwhile, safety features include a PFD-attachment strap and a textured traction pad on the deck for optimal grip.

Buying Guide for Fishing Paddle Boards

Before you make your fishing SUP purchase, there are several aspects that you might want to take into account to ensure that you’re getting value for your money.

Weight Capacity

First off, you’ll need to check the board’s weight capacity, as it determines the limit within which it can be loaded and still stay afloat. You might be planning on bringing along lots of additional accessories for your SUP fishing trips; therefore- choosing one with a low weight capacity might sell you short and leave you with buoyancy issues, given your own weight plus all that equipment.

Size- Width, Thickness & Length

Secondly, you’ll want to ensure that the fishing board you’re going for is of the right size for you, considering that angling requires certain specific equipment that take up a substantial amount of space when brought on deck.

If you won’t be using an angler and prefer cast net fishing, the size of your board matters even more, as it’s more difficult to maintain balance on a narrower board while throwing a cast net, than it is on a wider one.

A sizable board- 30 inches wide or more- ensures that you stay stable atop your floating device even when the weather is rough and the water waves are stronger.

Width aside, you’ll be surprised to find out that the size of your fishing board matters in all three dimensions; including thickness and length.

How thick your paddle board is affects buoyancy; with a thickness of about six inches ensuring you float at just the perfect depth beneath the water surface and keep water from seeping onto your deck. This also helps the user avoid having to go through the uncomfortable feeling of getting their feet wet while atop the SUP board.

Meanwhile- how long your paddle board is determines how much wiggle room the user gets. Therefore, if you’ll be bringing lots of fishing gear for your paddle board adventures, you might want to go for one of the longer SUP board models.

Construction Material

The next factor to look into before making your SUP board purchase is the material that it’s constructed out of. It’s important to note that the fact that inflatable SUPs come fully deflated, with an apparent soft-touch to them, doesn’t mean that they’re any less tolerant of wear and tear compared to canoes and kayaks.

They’re made of soft yet incredibly durable PVC material to facilitate both collapsing deflation and long-term use. With a military-grade PVC constructed inflatable paddle board, chances of ending up with unsightly pet nail scratches and dents on your floatation device are minimal.

Safety

The amount of grip that your paddle board can accord you while you’re out there in the water is also a crucial safety consideration. Ensure to find out whether the board you’re about to purchase features textured deck padding to keep you grounded whenever you hit rocky waters. Deck padding also helps with keeping the on-deck equipment safe from falling off into the water.

Accessories

Another essential fishing SUP board purchasing consideration is the angling accessories that come with it. Most paddle board companies that specifically design SUP boards for fishing incorporate some of these accessories within the retail package. Still- you can always buy these accessories as standalone purchases.

However, getting them inside your product packaging saves you all the hassle. Alternatively, you may want to check whether the paddle board you’re about to purchase has any specific mounts or storage spaces for some of these accessories. We go through these accessories below.

1. A paddle

Whereas surfers use their hands to propel themselves through the water while lying flat on their stomachs atop their surfboards; paddle boards- on the other hand- necessitate the use of a paddle, since they’re operated while standing.

A typical SUP paddle resembles that of a canoe, save for a slight curve-out close to the blade.

2. A leash

Most commercially-available paddle boards- especially inflatables- are sold with a leash included in the product packaging.

The leash helps keep users safe by keeping them afloat in case the paddle board tips over due to the strong pulling force whenever large fish species get hooked onto the angler or owing to strong waves and water currents. It’s worn around the ankle, hence comfort is also a major factor.

3. Personal Floatation Device (PFD)

This is another important piece of safety accessory that often included in the product package for SUP boards. A PFD is especially important if you’re not a good swimmer, or if you don’t have an ankle leash.

The above mentioned accessories are common amongst most SUP board brands. However, there exist even more accessories that are sometimes included within the product retail package by their manufacturers as a way of offering the customers more solutions within a single package.

Some brands that make SUP boards that are specifically designed for fishing may- for instance- incorporate some of the accessories detailed below:

1. SUP fishing rod holders– these accord SUP board anglers more organization, as they help users keep the deck clear of angling gear.
2. SUP fishing cooler– coolers that double up as removable seats can be attached onto paddle boards using rubber stabilizers, turning them into some sort of hybrid kayak and helping users avoid fatigue from all that standing. Not to mention their obvious function of holding and keeping your beverage refreshments cool as you fish.
3. Stabilizers– these help to keep your board stable, allowing you to maintain balance with much more ease. This is a great inclusion if you’re a SUP board angler with poor physical balance, as you no longer have to worry about falling off your board.
4. Anchor– this helps SUP board anglers to avoid drifting whenever they’ve discovered a sweet fishing spot that they’d love to explore for longer. With paddle boards- especially inflatables- being even lighter than small boats and canoes- even regular-sized anchor can most certainly to get the job done.

Finally, as with any other product, you’ll probably want to ensure that you’re okay with the warranty timelines offered by the brand behind the paddle board model that you’re about to buy. Some even offer money-back guarantees, should you find your paddle board to be defective.

Further SUP Ideas & How-tos

The following is a collection of more Stand up paddleboarding articles and board guides

Stand Up Paddleboards

• Best SUPs for Bigs Guys
• Best Bamboo Paddle Boards
• Best SUP-Kayak Hybrid Boards
• Best Pumps for Inflatable Stand Up Paddleboards(ISUPS)
• What Size Paddle Board Do I Need?
• Types of Stand Up Paddleboards
• Inflatable vs Solid/Rigid Paddleboards
• How Long Do Inflatable Paddle Boards Last?
• How to Store SUPs

Paddleboarding

• How to Prepare for Paddleboarding
• What to Wear for Stand Up Paddleboarding?
• How to Paddle Board: SUP Techniques, Strokes & Tips for Beginners
• How to Get on a Paddle Board, After Falling & from a Dock
• How many Calories does Paddleboarding Burn?
• Best SUP Workouts to Instantly Improve your Paddling
• Benefits of Paddleboarding(SUP)