Here’s an unusual boat for you: the Flatstalker. The creator realized that kayak fishing is fun, but it’s also hard on the back. And there’s little room to carry your lunch or your catch, much less your rods and spare tackle. So Flatstalker came out with the “micro flats skiff,” an 11’ long sit-or-stand fishing machine.
Yes, it looks like little more then a glorified surf board, but when I tried paddling around on a Flatstalker I was surprised at how stable it is and even found it possible to paddle from a standing position. Sitting on the 20” high console (which houses a cooler, tackle drawer, and three vertical rodholders) was more comfortable, and paddling furiously, I crossed the cove in no time. That console is removable, too, for easy transportation. You’d rather relax then paddle? The transom can take a 60-pound thrust electric trolling motor. Poling the boat is another option anglers will want to check out, and since it’s possible to stand on this platform, poling is even more efficient then paddling the Flatstalker.
Waterfowl hunters: note the natural camo.
The Flatstalker is constructed of a rotomolded polyethylene exoskeleton with expanded polystyrene inside, so it’s 100-percent un-sinkable. (And this construction allows the choice of several colors: blue, green, orange, and yellow.) The tunnel hull construction, with “kiss offs” in the bottom, help create suction with the water and boost the Flatstalker’s stability. That’s part of what gives this boat what no canoe or kayak can offer—comfort—without sacrificing shallow-water performance or fishability. If you like probing the flats and exploring un-fished cuts and creeks from mini-machines, but the traditional choices wear out your body and force you to leave half your gear at home, the Flatstalker might be a good alternative.
