Buyers Guide to Inflatable Rafts for Fishing

Rigid Rafts : Frame & Whitewater Inflatable Rafts

These types of inflatable rafts are the large inflatables of the rafting world. These are the types of inflatable rafts commonly used by fly fishing guides for their guided float trips. These types of rafts are also commonly used by river running outfits that take guests through wild whitewater rides.

The Clark Fork in Montana is an excellent river to use an rigid inflatable raft for fly fishing.

This type of inflatable raft is a "high pressure" inflatable raft. What this means is that the raft is inflated to a high working pressure - usually around 3 psi (pounds per square inch). As such, the inflatable raft is considered a rigid inflatable raft. Thus, when you sit down on the side of the raft or try to push your thumb down on the inflatable tubes, neither you nor your thumb will sink down any.

What make these inflatable rafts popular among guides and river running services are both their very large size and their durability. These inflatable rafts are capable of easily carrying 10 or more people and have a capacity of several thousand pounds. As such, these inflatable rafts are ideal for long float trips by several people or a group float on a day trip. The durability of these inflatable rafts is also excellent. These rafts are made of tough fabric material that can easily survive nasty encounters with rocks, logs and pretty much anything else you put in it's way. This combination of tough durability and massive capacity has made these inflatable rafts the choice of river guides and outfitters.

These inflatable rafts also have the option of having a frame installed. This frame, which is removable (not permanently attached to the boat), provides for tremendous versatility in the boat. The type of frame used in these inflatable rafts really depends on what you want to use the raft for. For general fly fishing on a rapid free river, a massive frame with numerous seats may be safely used. The frame adds extensive functionality to the raft, making it easier to fish out of as well as making things more comfortable and organized.

Conversely, if the inflatable raft will be used primarily in whitewater, either a very small whitewater rapid frame - or generally no frame at all - will be used. The reason no frame at all (or a very short frame) is generally used in rafts that travel extensively through whitewater is the raft itself needs to be able to bend to conform to drops and waves. If the raft has a full-length frame when going over a 5 foot drop, disaster is likely to happen to the raft and the people inside it.

These inflatable rafts, whether they use a frame or not, are also fairly portable. Generally, outfitters and river guides who use their boats extensively use a trailer to move them around, as it does take a while to set them up due to their large size. However, as they are inflatable, they do pack down into a relatively manageable size. Thus, while not the type of inflatable raft to haul around in the back of your trunk, they are perfectly suitable for being deflated and fitting nicely into the back of a pick up truck.

Rigid Inflatable Rafts Summary

In summary, these types of whitewater rafts are an ideal boat for fly fishing use. So, what's their main drawback? Cost, mainly. Unlike many other inflatable rafts that are suitable for both river running and fly fishing, these rafts - due to their very large size - are expensive. The cost of these inflatable rafts generally starts at $1000 and work their way up from there. And this cost doesn't include the cost of a frame - which you will probably want to get for both convenience and organization reasons.

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