Hi there! I'm a fisherman since 12 years back. I have never competed in fishing, but I have however tried my fair share of boats and rods. In other words, I know what works and what doesn't. A common question I get is whether to get a 'real' boat (as some people like to call it) or an inflatable one. Both have their pros and cons, obviously, but contrary to popular opinions, real boats aren't always the best choice when it comes to fishing.

Before we move on, we have to clear a few things up. Inflatable boats, what are they exactly? Am I talking about those cheap pool toys you can buy at every department store? No way! Those are pure garbage and should never be taken outside your pool area. So what are they? Inflatable boats range from inflatable kayaks to inflatable pontoon boats, and everything in between. They all excel in some way or another, but no inflatable boat is versatile enough to be used everywhere, that's why you should always know where you're going to be fishing.

Probably the most important question of all... It's also at this step that most people fail and choose the wrong kind of inflatable. Yes, it's actually possible to buy a 'wrong' kind of inflatable for fishing. You don't want to buy an inflatable pontoon boat if you're going to be fishing in the ocean, same with inflatable dinghies, don't buy one if you plan on going down whitewater rapids.

There are generally speaking 3 types of water conditions you can fish in:

• Calm water
• Moderate Water
• Rough Water

Calm waters are lakes, ponds and sometimes rivers where there's little to no waves, chop or current. You don't have to worry about hitting rocks, trees or other debris. You don't have to maneuver or try to fight the water to have a good time.

Best Choice: Inflatable Pontoons and Float Tubes

The best inflatable fishing boats for calm waters are pontoon boats and float tubes. But since it's calm water and the conditions are generally the easiest of all, every kind of inflatable boat will work just fine here, but from my testing I've found that pontoons and floats are the most rewarding. Why? Because they make your fishing experience so much more 'personal' so to speak. They get you up close to the water, it's kind of hard to explain it, but it's way different. It's almost as you're one with the water, sitting just a couple of inches above the water. If you want to get even more 'persona', go for a float tube. This is basically a large inflatable seat with pockets and fishing accessories, you sit in the water so you'll get wet but that's the thing! You get in there with the fish, you stalk them, and you catch them.

As I said above, you don't have to buy a pontoon boat or float tube if you plan on fishing in calm water. Literally any inflatable will do here, I've done fishing in calm waters with dinghies, rafts and kayaks too, I just prefer something more personal.

I consider large lakes with a little bit of chop and rivers up to class 2 as moderate. This means there could be currents, small waves and often other obstacles in the way. Maneuverability an steering is important.

Best choice: Inflatable Kayak and Inflatable Dinghy/Raft

Moderate water can be divided into two parts, rivers and choppy open water. Say you're fishing on a large open lake, like the Crater Lake in Oregon, you're bound to experience some wind and maybe even some smaller waves. Even though most inflatable kayaks will handle small waves and chop just fine, I'd recommend to go for a dinghy or raft. This is because they have larger surface areas and are way more stable on waves.

But if you however want to fish in rivers up to class 2, I'd say an inflatable kayak is a way better choice. You will have more control over the steering, making it easier to control through small tight sections where there's a lot of jagged rocks and sticks. Go for a wide and open kayak, Advanced Elements makes a great yak called "The Straitedge", it's very stable and puncture resistant, it's made for rivers.

Generally I wouldn't recommend fishing in rough waters with an inflatable, but hey someone has to do it right? I consider the open ocean and rivers up to class 4 as rough water. There are strong currents, lots of wind, chop and waves. It's requires skill and plenty of attention to maneuver your craft in these kinds of water.

Best choice: Inflatable Dinghy and Inflatable Kayak

Yeah, pretty much the same as moderate waters. However you'll need something tougher, a larger dinghy is perfect for oceans. It can take a lot of weight, which means more people, gear, and of course, gas motors. This makes it easy to go between point A and point B on a large and wavy ocean. Rowing is just not possible if there's a lot of wind and chop.

It doesn't make sense to fish in a class 4 river, but I've heard of people trying it before so it doesn't hurt throwing it out there. Go for a whitewater kayak,  these are pretty much flat with no tracking or steering, but they are wide so they have a lot of space. Just don't expect to keep any of the fish, chances are you'll fly out of the kayak soon enough too. ;)

This is just a brief introduction to fishing with inflatables, there's a whole world to discover and I haven't covered it all here. Do your research and don't make any hasty decisions. Knowledge is power.

That's all for me. If you want to find more of my work, head over to http://inflatablesguide.com