BUENA VISTA — While Colorado’s central location and diverse terrain place it on the forefront of many an outdoor endeavor, the increasingly popular trend of fishing from a kayak is not one of them.
Fishing? Top-notch. Kayaking? World-class. But the combination of the two? Not so much. At least not yet, anyway.
The kayak traces its origins to the original Eskimo fishing vessel, a stealthy saltwater craft proven effective on the hunt for seal skins and whale blubber. Through the course of evolution, it’s proven its worth on the sportfishing flats as coastal anglers prowl the sand and mangrove-lined marshes and estuaries in pursuit of bonefish, redfish, tarpon and the like.
Last we checked, none of those scenarios bore much resemblance to Colorado’s landlocked, freshwater fishing grounds. In a state known for cold, freestone rivers tumbling down from the Rocky Mountains between impoundment pools, the modern kayak fishing model was a tough sell.
That was before four-time freestyle kayak world champion Eric Jackson got involved.
“We make whitewater boats,” said Jackson, a former Olympic athlete and founder of Tennessee-based Jackson Kayaks. “When we started looking into making a fishing kayak, we learned that all the existing designs are for offshore fishing. No one made a boat for fishing the rivers, so we did.”
The river kayak fishing niche has been all but overlooked in years past. True, many paddlers have their hands full simply navigating the currents of a river without the distraction of a fishing rod. But for adventurous outdoorsmen with a bit of whitewater savvy, a properly outfitted fishing kayak offers greater versatility than a canoe and a vastly more comfortable ride than a belly boat or pontoon float.
With that in mind, Jackson teamed up with bass fishing pro Drew Gregory to design the popular Coosa fishing kayak. Gregory has hundreds of kayak fishing trips under his wading belt and brought his knowledge of necessary components and accessories to the design table. Jackson, who grew up bass fishing, brought the whitewater expertise to craft an 11-foot fishing vessel that’s stable enough to stand in while casting in calm water and capable as a river-runner in class III whitewater.
“It’s a new category, so there’s still a lot of room for improvement,” Jackson said while demonstrating the boat at last weekend’s CKS Paddlefest event in Buena Vista. “We were lucky to have someone point that out to us. Then I was like, ‘You mean I can whitewater kayak and go fishing at the same time?’ “
Truth be told, almost any plastic sit-on-top kayak can be accessorized to accommodate a fisherman. But some will perform better than others. With a creek-style displacement hull design, river-friendly rocker for turning and reliable secondary stability, Jackson Kayaks’ Coosa has eliminated much of the guesswork.
Factor in some handy details like multiple rod holders, a lockable rod storage locker, a cozy seat that can be raised for fishing or lowered for paddling and ample storage throughout, and you’re offered a vessel versatile enough for much of Colorado.
“The fact is, it’s a big hassle if you want to go fishing conventionally in a lot of places,” said Ken Hoeve of Gypsum, a veteran kayaker and consultant for Confluence Watersports. “They say that a boat is a hole in the water that you pour your money into, but that doesn’t apply to kayaks. There’s no gas, no maintenance, they fit in the back of a pickup and they last forever. A boat like that really expands your access in Colorado.”
Access is the ultimate benefit of a nimble watercraft, whether it’s a pool of water loaded with uneducated fish between rapids, a small pond or a patch of public fishing water sandwiched between private riverside properties.
The small boat makes solo fishing and even short hikes an option where bigger boats aren’t. Colorado’s high winds can also serve as an enemy to self-propelled fishermen in larger vessels like rafts.
“I love bonefishing from a kayak,” whitewater park designer Mike Harvey of Salida said. “I’ve never done it in Colorado, but last time I dropped my raft into Antero Reservoir and spent 20 minutes rowing into the wind to the takeout, I was definitely wishing I had a kayak.”
Jackson has tested out his Coosa (named for a river in Alabama) on rivers as large as Canada’s Ottawa at 10,000 cfs, where even the world champion tipped over twice in big whitewater. The new boats have proven wildly popular in the meandering rivers of the Southeast, driving a 46 percent increase in Jackson Kayaks’ industry-leading 40 percent whitewater market share.
In Colorado, he sees the boats best served on rivers like the Upper Colorado or the Animas through Durango once the peak runoff subsides. Browns Canyon on the Arkansas could be an option at lower water for those who are already comfortable in whitewater.
“This is a river boat, designed to turn and navigate whitewater like a kayak,” Jackson said. “But it’s not like all of the sudden you can run The Numbers (on the Arkansas) just because you’re in a Coosa.”
