Jackson Kayak “SUPerFISHal” Hot

Demoing the SUPerFISHal at the East Coast Paddlesports & Outdoor Festival on James Island, SC I was really impressed with the stability. I have never tried a stand up paddle (SUP) board because I feel that I do not have the worlds greatest balance so I have avoided to try a SUP.

To break my fear I decided that I would try the Jackson SUPerFISHal. Placing the Jackson SUP on the waters edge. Instead of just getting on by kneeling on the board initially, I decided to just walk onto the SUPerFISHal with the paddle. I was surprised at that point on the stability. After all I was still on the board and dry.

Using the paddle I pushed myself away from the bank and started paddling. I was impressed with the ease of paddling as the SUPerFISHal glided across the water. Turning the SUP was not that complicated as I thought it would be. The duel fins under the SUP aid in tracking and helps with the turning of the paddle board.

The SUPerFISHal has a fishing deck that has rod tip protectors, an area for your fishing crate or tackle box, and a place to store the SUP paddle when you stop that tailing redfish. Like all Jackson Fishing Kayak product lines the SUPerFISHal has several mounting spots for rod holders and GoPro cameras. If needed you can secure a hard style cooler to the rear section so that when you get tied of standing you can sit on the cooler.

Although I did not fish from this board, I was so impressed with the SUPerFISHal I have added the Jackson SUP to my list for a other fishing platform.

In the year that I have had the Jackson Kayak “SUPerFISHal” I have certainly put it through some interesting paces. The first big adventure was paddling it through the swamps chasing wild pigs. I was successful and got to see just how well it carried me, my gear and a medium sized hog.
During the Kars Park Boondoggle, it proved to be capable of throwing a cast net from its deck. Bringing it back to my slow moving river in Alabama, I used it to fly fish for hybrids and stripers and in still water it worked great for flipping and pitching into cover. We even loaded it down with our bows and used it as a bowfishing platform.
The SUPerFISHal is an outstanding platform for many different uses. We outfitted ours with a folding chair to allow using a double bladed paddle for distance. This worked a bit better for me than using a cooler style seat. I paddled fine with a standard SUP paddle, but being a better kayaker than SUP’er, I just feel more comfortable with a double blade paddle.
If there is a downside, it would be that it is not a speed demon, especially with a chunk of redneck standing on it. I find that moving for or aft will raise the bow a bit to help get over small waves but it tracks straighter with the whole hull in the water. I use it for shorter trips of 1 to 3 miles or when I just absolutely want to stand. This board is as stable as standing in your driveway.
At 69lbs, the SUPerFISHal is no lightweight, but thankfully Jackson put handles in just the right places for carrying and the one in the center makes it a lot easier to pick up. There is ample flat space for crates or gear and lashing points for securing larger loads like camping gear.
The SUP is not a “do all” craft although we have certainly done a lot on it. I look at it more to augment my kayak or for specialty trips. I have to admit it is pretty darn fun for what we do use it for though. Being able to stand without fear has enabled us to fish some places in new ways and it adds many feet to a fly cast. The SUPerFISHal has a place in the Feral fleet just for doing the tasks we ask of it well.

I was skeptical, at first, about how useful a standup paddle board could actually be for day to day use. It seemed more suited to playing and exercising on flatwater and some saltwater applications; not practical in a River Stalker's world. After borrowing a friend's SUPerFISHal for a test run, I was so blown away by it's practicality, simplicity and general "fishability" I ordered one the next day. After putting it through grueling shallow water creeks, swift rivers, and windy salt flats, I can say that it is my new favorite river fishing craft. The SUPerFISHal handles moving water well, offers extraordinary stability and features a simplistic, useful layout tailored to a spartan style of fishing.

Stability is unparalleled. Standing and fishing is the norm in today's kayak fishing world, but it takes a fair amount of skill and athletic ability. The SUPerFISHal offers such stability that the heavy set and less gifted, such as myself, can stand and fish with ease. Not only can I stand, but I stand all day long through all water types. I have even taken on class II rapids while standing. The layout is simple, spartan and everything you need built in. The front deck attachment is the star of the show. It features rod holders, tackle and gear storage and a paddle stager all in one. The rod tubes allow you to run your rod tips into the tubes that not only securely holds them in place, but protects the guides and tips from breakage; a common occurrence when river fish or currents push you into a cut bank. The paddle stager features an angled slot that holds the blade, keeping your paddle at an easy to reach 35 degree angle. The transition between reaching for the paddle and reaching for a rod is seamless. As for storage, the front deck has two tension straps and a criss-crossed bungee system and the back deck features a tension strap for a bulky item or crate.

The SUPerFISHal handles moving water much like it's sit on top cousin, the Coosa. Much like the Coosa it is ultra responsive. Minute paddle strokes can quickly move the boat allowing you to nimbly navigate rock strewn rivers and hit every good location as you float down a river. It handles class I and II rapids with surprising ease; even while standing up. The only fault in moving water is the low-volume hull can dig in on vertical descents. The boat does get blown around by the wind, without the fins installed, but that comes with a near keel-less boat.

The SUPerFISHal adapts the stand up paddleboard craze to freshwater by providing a strong, rotomolded crossover that truly bridges the gap between a sit on top and a standup paddleboard. It's simple, utilitarian layout perfectly fits the spartan angler who wants to carry a couple of rods and a small amount of gear.

For some folks, sitting down and paddling just isn't their cup of tea. For others, they just have to be able to stand up and fish, but have a hard time standing in even the widest of kayaks. Available now from Jackson Kayaks is the “SUPerFISHal”, a SUP designed for stand-up paddle board fishing. Using more muscles to move the SUP also means you can get more fit while fishing.

The SUPerFISHal is built off the Jackson “SUPerNATURAL”, and includes a number of key items to make it excellent for the paddler looking to do some fishing. Throughout the board are threaded inserts that allow the SUP angler to choose the ideal location for the included RAM rod holder. At the front of the SUP are a pair of straps that normally strap down the deck organizer; or the organizer can be removed, and any other item you might want can be held securely to the board. In back, another nylon strap makes a great location for stashing a cooler. Like everything else in the Jackson line-up, the SUPerFISHal is also GoPro® ready and comes with a GoPro® mount which can be installed at any of the threaded inserts.

First time SUP paddlers will find the SUPerFISHal an extremely stable platform for paddling and fishing. With just a few minutes on the water, it is easy to retrieve gear, cast, and otherwise just move around the board. The 35” wide beam is narrow enough to be an efficient watercraft while at the same time be Incredibly stable. Because it's rotomolded (like all the Jackson kayaks), it is also very strong and will stand up to significant abuse. A pair of removable skegs also keeps the SUP tracking well in the water.

The front deck organizer is a great addition to the SUPerFISHal. It includes a paddle holder, drink holder, bungees for tackle storage, and additional areas with plenty of room for modifications like additional rod holders, fish finder bases, and more.

Jackson was pretty conservative with the 300 lbs carry capacity, but the SUPerFISHal is capable of holding a ton of gear including the paddler. It is also quite capable at running whitewater and surfing, though these capabilities decrease the more heavily the SUP is loaded. This is why the capacity is kept down - so the SUPerFISHal is not overloaded to the point that maneuverability and safety are compromised.

Length: 11′ 7″
Width: 35″
Height: 7″ (board only, 10″ with deck organizer)
Weight: 69 lbs
Capacity: 300 lbs
MSRP: $969

The SUPerFISHal is a great fishing platform and is very forgiving for the first-time SUP paddler. I can say that, as it is the first SUP I paddled. Standing and fishing from the SUP is easier than any kayak, making the SUPerFISHal the idea fishing platform for the kayak angler who prefers to spend their time standing. With a cooler on the back side of the SUP, it can be used as a seat and you can paddle the SUP around just as you might a kayak. The SUPerFISHal is at home in whitewater and flatwater, which makes it great for whatever type of fishing you like to do.