Bote’s New Inflatable Kayak Is Enjoyable, Secure, and Made for Fishing

After years (and miles) of wade fishing, I’ve at all times wished my very own kayak however may by no means fairly determine tips on how to virtually retailer one. Living in an house in upstate New York means I merely don’t have the house to stash a hard-shell boat. Add within the trouble of shopping for a trailer or a roof rack simply to get it to the water, and proudly owning a kayak has at all times been like a down-the-line dream.

Sure, inflatable fishing kayaks have existed, however I’ve at all times been skeptical. For years, they carried the status of being gentle, couch-y, and one fish hook away from catastrophe. But the class has advanced, and Bote’s new Argo Aero—the model’s first devoted inflatable fishing kayak—promised the steadiness and fishability of a tough shell, with out the headache of really proudly owning one. After taking it out on the water, I discovered myself forgetting that it was inflatable in any respect.

Bote Argo Aero Single Kayak

Capacity: 675 kilos
Inflated weight: 33 lbs
In-bag weight: 67.4 kilos

Pros
+ Packs right into a rolling bag—no roof rack, trailer, or storage required
+ Lightweight and straightforward to move solo
+ Elevated body seat is snug and a neater casting angle
+ Generous accent package consists of paddle, pump, seat, fin, restore package, and bag
+ Feels surprisingly near a hard-shell on calm water
+ Easier to inflate by hand than different inflatable water vessels

Cons
– Doesn’t paddle as rapidly or effectively as a hard-shell, particularly in wind
– Rod holders and attachments must be bought individually
– $1,499 may be cost-prohibitive

Who it’s for: Anglers who need the efficiency of a fishing kayak with out the trouble of proudly owning one

Setup Is Surprisingly Painless

The largest benefit of an inflatable kayak is clear earlier than it ever touches the water. Instead of wrestling a 100-pound boat onto my roof, the Argo Aero comes neatly folded in an included rolling journey bag that matches in my Subaru’s trunk. In the bag, the Solo mannequin and its equipment weigh 67 kilos (the 15-foot Tandem is available in at 84 kilos), making it dramatically simpler to maneuver than most hard-shell fishing kayaks.

But as somebody who has owned inflatable paddleboards for years—including a few from Bote—I used to be absolutely anticipating the inflation course of to be the worst half. Pumping a SUP to 12-plus PSI at all times devolves right into a sweaty mess, a lot in order that I’ve since defaulted to utilizing an electrical pump that plugs into my automobile to avoid wasting myself the distress.

Shockingly, the Argo Aero doesn’t require that a lot sweat in any respect. The aspect pontoons solely want 2 to three PSI, and the ground inflates to six to eight PSI, so I had the entire thing able to launch by hand in about 8 minutes. It’s the primary inflatable watercraft I’ve used the place the setup didn’t make me need to skip the paddle altogether.

Once inflated, setup was easy: I hooked up the elevated Solis Frame Seat (included), assembled the included five-piece paddle, and slid within the adjustable footrests. I grabbed my rod, gear bag, and PFD, in fact, hopped in, and shoved off from shore. The entire course of took me round 20 minutes to hit the water—significantly much less time than I believed it might for my maiden voyage.

It Doesn’t Feel Inflatable

This is the place I anticipated the Argo Aero to lose me, nevertheless it didn’t. The 41-inch-wide pontoon-style hull makes for a secure platform. I by no means felt that wobbly sensation that some kayaks—and plenty of inflatables—can have. I used to be additionally impressed by its ample, “real” boat-like options, together with bungee tie-downs, lash factors, and even scuppers within the backside of the hull designed to self-bail in rocky water. Bote additionally borrowed just a few considerate touches from its paddleboard lineup, like MagnePod magnetic compatibility that retains your water bottle or tumbler from sliding round, plus Rac receivers for rapidly mounting equipment like rod holders, digicam mounts, and different gear with out resorting to a bunch of DIY rigging.

On the water, the Argo Aero tracked surprisingly properly. Most inflatable kayaks, and even some paddleboards, “wag” backward and forward once you paddle as a substitute of holding a gentle line. The Argo Aero didn’t, particularly when outfitted with the detachable fin. Now, it doesn’t paddle with fairly the identical effectivity or velocity as a composite touring kayak, however that’s not what this boat is making an attempt to be. I bought pretty blown round in windy situations solely due to the lightness of the hull. But on calm days on my native lake, I forgot it was inflatable throughout the first couple of minutes.

Built for Fishing, Not Just Floating

The standout function is the Solis Frame Seat, which sits a bit greater on the deck than different seats on fishing kayaks. That elevated place improves visibility into the water and provides you a a lot better casting angle than the low, reclined seats discovered on many leisure kayaks. It additionally makes spending a number of hours on the water far more snug.

Casting a spin rod from a seated place felt pure, and I had no hesitation leaning over the aspect or behind me to seize gear. Standing as much as solid felt surprisingly secure, too, because the pontoon sides supplied one thing to anchor my ft in opposition to. Bote additionally included loads of considerate rigging factors for equipment, dry baggage, and kit, so the kayak feels customizable with out turning into cluttered.

After testing the kayak for a few month, I undoubtedly advocate shopping for a rod holder. The first day I took my Argo Aero out, I forgot my Slide-In Rac Receivers from my Bote paddleboard that I’ve had for just a few seasons. I bought away with laying my spin rod down behind me with the butt of the rod beneath my seat, however I favor to have a safe place for my gear, and now I at all times convey the Racs with me. Still, all through that first paddle, I shifted my weight whereas reaching for deal with, altering lures, and repositioning my rod, and I by no means felt unsettled or like my rod would fall out.

The Verdict

At $1,499, the Argo Aero isn’t cheap. In reality, you’ll find budget hard-shell fishing kayaks for the same worth. The distinction is that these kayaks additionally require someplace to retailer them and a strategy to transport them—and even then, they don’t embody a few of the extras (the paddle, bag, foot rests, and so on.) that the Argo Aero does.

Will the Argo Aero exchange a premium fishing kayak? No. Dedicated anglers who spend each weekend chasing fish in salt water or uneven situations will most likely nonetheless respect the velocity and rigidity of a premium hard-shell. And whereas the Argo Aero is appropriate with a variety of Bote equipment, it doesn’t come built-out to fish, so that you’ll must buy rod holders individually, which may be costly ($30-$250 relying on which Rac systems you go together with). But in the event you’ve averted kayak fishing since you don’t have a storage or trailer (otherwise you’ve merely gotten uninterested in wrestling one round) the Argo Aero makes a remarkably convincing argument that inflatable kayaks are method higher than they was.