Gear: Boat in a Backpack?

Photos courtesy of Creek Company.

With the ICAST show only a few weeks away, I'm starting to get word about some of the cool new stuff that will be released at the fishing industry's biggest trade show. As a fisherman who likes getting off the beaten trail and who has a fondness for small boats and small waters, I couldn't help but take note Creek Company's new Osprey Fishing Stand Up Paddle Board. This cool inflatable craft rolls into its own backpack and weighs in at only 36 pounds. Unroll it, inflate it, grab your paddle and you're ready to hit the lake.

Creek Company Osprey Fishing Stand Up Paddle Board, fully rigged

I haven't seen these in person yet (although I'm eager to check 'em out at the show!) However, I know that Creek Company has been making float tubes, pontoons and other inflatables designed for fishermen for many years. Therefore, I'm confident they've thought through the practicalities of making a craft of this sort into a functional fishing platform, and I have no doubt that it's seriously stable.

The bare basics approach for true backcountry fishing is to tote just the boat and the paddle. However, the Osprey also is set up so you can strap in an optional cooler for storage and a seat and so you can rig it with extras like rod holders, cargo straps, a fish finder and an anchor. Either way, it fits in the back of a vehicle and offers easy access to waters of many different kinds.

Keep watching. I'll continue to pass along work about cool stuff, both from what shows up in my inbox and especially from what I see for myself on the floor of the show.