2022 Jackson YuPIK Review & Specs: Fully Customizable Paddle Fishing Kayak
Join Jeff Weakley, editor of Kayak Fishing Fun magazine, for a full review of the Jackson Kayak YuPIK 2022 paddle kayak where he touches on the best features of the Jackson YuPIK and puts it to the test with a day of fly fishing in freshwater.
IDEAL APPLICATION: The YuPIK will probably appeal most to experienced kayak anglers who prefer the simplicity and shallow- water access of paddling or poling. A Torqeedo motor may be mounted on the transom— there are threaded inserts installed there to accommodate the motor or perhaps a Power-Pole Micro anchor. The deck is super clean and accommodating for fly fishermen or folks wanting to bring a canine companion.
OVERVIEW: If you’ve ever looked for or thought to add a gear track or tie-down spot on a fishing kayak, we guarantee you’ll like this boat. Jackson designers made a real run on the track supplies—there are tracks port and starboard, and even running full length down the center line. Also, the tracks have intermittent recesses built to accommodate tie-down straps. Some other handy stuff: An elastic strap forward to stage your paddle while fishing or docking, and adjustable foot pedals. The boat is billed as a “blank slate” but Jackson adds some useful accessories in the box—including a two-tackle tray bag which fastens to the seatback through Molle attachment or Velcro; track-mount cupholder and rodholder (YakAttack Omega); longload flag and standup-assist strap.
NOTABLE: Jackson put a lot of thought into the high-low seat on the YuPIK—it’s adjustable to slide forward or aft, or place in a high or low position notch. Moreover: You can remove not only the seat (nice little camp chair!) but also the entire seat pan, leaving behind the sturdy, open deck with full-length center track and multi tie-down points. Drop a sturdy cooler on there and you could sit on that and fish the YuPIK like an ultra-stable, ultra-functional standup paddleboard. MSRP $1,669.
- LENGTH: 12’ 2”
- WIDTH: 35”
- WEIGHT: 90 LBS.
- OVERALL CAPACITY: 425 LBS.
- PROPULSION: PADDLE
More info: jacksonkayak.com
