10 Best Budget Fishing Kayaks in 2023 | All Good Fishing

Last updated on January 4th, 2023 at 02:44 pm

Fishing Kayaks can be very expensive, especially if you are running at a specific budget in your mind. You are likely to spend several thousand dollars to get the best kayak, ideally to float out there in the water. But, if you aren’t pretty confident about kayaking or just a casual kayaker, you are literally throwing those thousands of bucks straight into water bodies.

If this is the right case with you guys, you must consider buying the best budget fishing kayaks. As manufacturing technology evolves, people start getting a plethora of features and several advantages. But, all these things come with an additional cost that you, of course, have to bear.

Now, if you want a cheap fishing kayak that is loaded with luxurious features, it isn’t going to be possible at all. But, if you compromise on those attractive yet expensive things and concern yourself with your budget for getting a comfortable, robust, versatile, lucrative performance and enormous space in the cabin, this best budget fishing kayak guide is dedicated to you!

Several brands have been launched in this decade with hundreds of kayaks in their fleet to provide you with the best possible options. The market gets loads of options to purchase each year, but they aren’t the best ones. Skipping those under-performing and mediocre options, you get premium options.

Out of those premium options, the challenge of finding cheap fishing kayaks gets started. As usual, this also requires skills, time, and effort to compile a list of kayaks that isn’t everyone’s cup of tea! So, to respond to these challenges perfectly, we are here with our selections for today’s fishing kayaks guide.

Best Budget Fishing Kayaks At A Glance

IMAGE	PRODUCT	SHOP
Overall Best Budget Fishing Kayak	Intex Excursion Professional Series Kayak Benefits: Quite an easy to inflate kayak, A strengthened & durable build, Can handle up to 400 pounds, An inexpensive fishing kayak, A Cushioned & adjustable seat	Shop Here
03 Person Fishing Kayak	Sea Eagle 3 P Inflatable & Portable Canoe Kayak Benefits: The stable & maneuverable kayak, Adjustable yet comfortable seats, Easily Handles up to 650 pounds, Durable yet a lightweight kayak	Shop Here
Kayak with ample Storage	Lifetime Tamarack Fishing Kayak Angler 100 Benefits: With a Decent Stability in waves, Performing & lightweight kayak, A Considerably spacious space, Can handle up to 200 pounds	Shop Here
Budget Fishing Kayak for Kids	Lifetime Youth Wave Kayak with Paddles Benefits: Fairly lightweight & balanced, An easy to maneuver fishing kayak, With a decent build quality, Handles up to 130 pounds	Shop Here
The Budget Sit On Top Kayak	Pelican Sentinel 100X 9.5 Feet Sit-on-Top Kayak Benefits: A Fast & Responsive Fishing kayak, Can easily carry up to 275 pounds, Strengthened yet a lightweight build, With a supported & sit on top seat	Shop Here
The Ultra Stable Kayak	Pelican 10 Feet Lightweight Sit On Top Fishing Kayak Benefits: Maneuverable yet lightweight, Awesome durability & quality, Stable & balanced fishing kayak, A Comfortable & adjustable seat	Shop Here
Compact & Universal Fishing Kayak	Lifetime Fishing Kayak Hydros Angler 85 Benefits: Lightweight yet a durable build, Stable and easy to maneuver kayak, Comfortable & supportive seating, Can easily handle up to 225 pounds	Shop Here
Inflatable Fishing Kayak	Intex 68310VM Dakota K2 Inflatable Kayak Benefits: Superior Inflatable Construction, A Versatile & Rigid Fishing Kayak, Maneuverable & comfortable design, Lightweight yet high quality oars, Easily carry up to 400 pounds	Shop Here
Easy to Paddle Perception Fishing Kayak	Perception Flash 9.5 Fishing Kayak Benefits: Easy to use & comfortable, A maneuverable fishing kayak, Well-Supported Sit Inside seat, Enormous stability for calm waters	Shop Here
The Beginner Fishing Kayak	Lifetime Sandstone Angler 8.5 Feet Kayak Benefits: Durable & crackless construction, Spectacular stability at calm water, A Best deal for beginner kayaking, Quite an easy to transport kayak	Shop Here

Best Budget Fishing Kayaks | Our Best Picks & Reviews

1. Intex Excursion Professional Series Kayak

Let’s get started with the list with Intex’s favourite fishing kayak, which is a launch in 2019. This fishing kayak has been pretty popular amongst the kayakers, and this marks it to be listed in the top 05 fishing kayaks out there. With a weight of just 44 pounds, this boy becomes pretty easy to handle for any person. Intex only offers this kayak in red colour with a light grey contrast as well.

Key Features:

This is an inflatable fishing kayak that is precisely made by Intex that makes it kind of robust. The tough PVC lamination down the core makes it resistant and to bear impact. Through this classic build practice, the kayak is also protected from getting distorted or damaged through sunlight or due to any reasonable impact.

Intex calls it a professional fishing kayak due to ample pressure with its incorporated spring valves that lead it to provide enormous rigidity. Further, this now comes with a pair of convenience accessories. This might include adjustable bucket seats, integrated fishing rod holders & removable skews for deep & shallow waters. Likewise, it also comes with convenient and adjustable mounting brackets.

With these mounting brackets, you can conveniently hold down several accessories and devices like fish finders, carry bags, pumps, paddles, pressure gauges, and GPS systems. These things further provide more than enough space.

Moreover, you will get an adjustable footrest room, and your sears are also adjustable and their backrests. You will have enough room to carry your essential gear and other things as this kayak can handle upto 400 pounds.

This is durably designed and built by Intex with the incorporation of 03 layer construction. Neither of these layers could be destroyed or damaged easily. The pair of oars is also given that is durably made of aluminum & features a balanced feel. Also, you can proudly carry a partner along with you as it supports 2 people.

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2. Sea Eagle 3 P Inflatable & Portable Canoe Kayak

Sea Eagle is a senior and reliable kayak brand that has been decisively playing in the market for a while. We have grabbed their inflatable Canoe Kayak that was launched back in 2008, and it comes with a weight of around 45 pounds out of the box. You might find it pretty easy to carry as Sea Eagle designs it transportable.

Key Features:

Here, the Sea Eagle is the first brand to introduce colour preferences in their kayaks, so you guys won’t be limited in your preferences and style. This guy is made through durable, compelling yet lightweight materials to ensure a sophisticated build quality out there on the bodies of water.

Sea Eagle claims this kayak to be meant for a 03 person voyage, but the kayak itself doesn’t seem to be meant for 03 persons in any way. They might be considering your pet for the third person as it comes with a spacious cabin.

Anyways, the kayak is designed to handle up to 650 pounds which is more than enough for this affordable price tag. Getting this much weight capacity for this price is almost impossible nowadays. So, this is a great move by Sea Eagle!

Inside the cabin, you will be having a reasonable room incorporated with a comfortable and premium pair of seats. Now, this is a sit-in fishing kayak, as getting a sit on top kayak along with this spacious cabin isn’t a joke for this price tag.

Moving back to the vessel where you will have easy to adjust and supported seats. If you are planning a long day out with your kayak, your seats need to be adjustable, convenient, supported and comfortable, of course. Thankfully, Sea Eagle perfectly takes care of all these things.

Further in this cabin, you will get a pair of responsive yet lightweight paddles, which is a good gesture for sea eagles. These paddles feature aluminum rods, by the way. The foot pump is nicely located alongside both its open and closing drain valves. Moreover, this vessel is pretty easy and fast to set up.

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3. Lifetime Tamarack Fishing Kayak Angler 100

Lifetime is the successor of Sea Eagle, which is an emerging brand of kayaks. We have got you with their Tamarack Angler 100 kayak, the budget king of kings in the market. Lifetime launched this vessel back in 2013, and it comes in at a considerable heavyweight of around 57 pounds out of the box.

Key Features:

Lifetime has started using durable yet lightweight Polyethylene plastic in their vessels. This vessel’s UV construction helped form a stable and straight bottom that significantly improves inflating at water bodies of any class or level.

This is the first sit on the top vessel of the list with an adjustable yet padded seat packed with ample comfort. The seat is also loaded with reasonable padding on its back which makes your voyage pretty compelling.

Alongside its seat, you will get a nicely located and mounted holder for your fishing rods. Along with that, this vessel also comes with ample room for storage. Here, you will get a pair of storage compartments in the center and rear. Moreover, this vessel also provides a dedicated spot for keeping your paddles.

To make this thing easy to transport, Lifetime has integrated dedicated “T” handles on both ends. The tracking channels are nicely implemented, and all these things directly improve your kayaking and fishing experience out there.

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4. Lifetime Youth Wave Kayak with Paddles

Lifetime simultaneously for the second last time on this list of budget fishing kayaks. If you have a kid who wants to pursue kayaking as a hobby and find a budget kayak for him, nothing could be better than this Wave kayak. Lifetime launched this guy back in 2010, which comes with a weight of 18 pounds, making it the lightest kayak of all.

Being a budget, beginner and kid’s kayak, you couldn’t expect many things, especially for this cheapest price tag. Nowadays, you can’t even get subwoofers for the price Lifetime is offering its Youth Wave Kayak. So, let’s begin!

Key Features:

Youth wave holds a reasonable cabin for your boys and girls so they can comfortably end up with their voyage. With its blue colour, the kayak looks more stunning, and it also gives it some sort of a spacious and wider look somehow.

In the top centre corner of it, you will get drain plugs. You will get the necessary room for storage along with sophisticated stability as well. Likewise, this tiny little vessel supports a weight of up to 130 pounds, inclusive of a supervisor. However, we don’t think it would be packed with ample room to carry both persons!

Considering its build quality and other design elements, this guy would be ideal for performing in calm waters. Lifetime has tried their 100% to optimize this kayak to deal with the impact, and it is pretty much promising in the water.

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5. Pelican Sentinel 100X 9.5 Feet Sit-on-Top Kayak

Pelican Kayaks have been pretty popular, and they are considered among the legendary Kayak brands out there in the market. This 9.5feet kayak was launched back in 2020 and featured a weight of up to 45 pounds right out of the box. It is the second kayak that provides you with colour preferences out there in its fleet.

Key Features:

Like the other vessels in the market, this one is also made of high density yet lightweight plastic. With this thing, you will have sophisticated durability along with a handsome amount of maneuverability as well.

Pelican has made this guy in a hull sort of construction along with a flat bottom that makes it stable and easy to float over the bodies of water. With its optimized yet lightweight build, the kayak becomes considerably easy to transport.

Not only is this kayak easy to transport, but it is also pretty easy to store and maintain. You only need a mixture of soap along with clean water to bring back its brand new shine and beauty. Plus, it doesn’t require frequent care or maintenance either.

Pelican integrates ExoPak removable storage compartment in this vessel that is more than enough to hold your necessary equipment with you. Luckily, this is also a sit on top kayak that is a nice move by Pelican for this affordable price, honestly speaking. You will be having a decent view along with reasonable stability.

With their impressive build quality possible due to the latest manufacturing standards, this Pelican can now carry up to 275 pounds of weight. This kayak doesn’t only feature a strengthened build, and it also features enormous maneuverability that lets you make the most out of this kayak.

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6. Pelican 10 Feet Lightweight Sit On Top Fishing Kayak

Once again, Pelican kayaks with their 10 feet long vessel comes in a sit on a top seating plan for kayakers. This one was launched back in 2019 and featured 50 pounds of the body, making it the heaviest fishing kayak on this list. Still, the vessel is quite easy to carry due to its integrated and retractable handles.

Key Features:

This kayak comes with an open cockpit that allows a wide nature coverage and optimal stability as well. Plus, it also makes your entry pretty easy and comfortable. The flagship hull design lets Pelican craft a flat bottom surface. With this thing, the kayak gets more stability and is easy to manoeuvre for you guys.

In this cabin, you will get ample room to carry your gear with you. With its cushioned and adjustable seat, you don’t get tired as it has already been padded. You can add all of your fishing accessories at their dedicated locations in the cabin.

Overall, the kayak has been nicely made by Pelican that reflects in its performance over the water. You will get a balance between durability and versatility of this kayak that lets it last for a long time if you take care of it perfectly. For the price, it is a pretty nice deal for fishing, and it is also easy to manoeuvre on calm waters.

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7. Lifetime Fishing Kayak Hydros Angler 85 | Budget Fishing Kayaks

Lifetime for the second last time with their impressive Hydros Angler 85, which is a launch of 2018. They tried to make it lightweight, and this is why it comes in a weight of a few less than 40 pounds. Anyways, this Hydros Angler by Lifetime comes in at a length of 8.5 feet.

Key Features:

Just like the Pelican Sentinel, this one also comes in a hull back design with a flat bottom to provide improved stability out there. It cannot provide a lucrative speed as it is not meant for this at all, even though its build quality is above average in this regard.

The kayak comes in a sit-in cabin that isn’t lucrative enough for the price. The seating is also nicely crafted, and you will be having a comfortable and good posture on it. Anyways, this cabin is still enough to carry your gear with you.

Besides all these things, Hydros Angler supports up to 225 pounds of weight to carry, including your luggage. Its lightweight construction makes you confident, and it also makes it easy to transport. Moreover, it is a versatile & promising kayak.

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8. Intex 68310VM Dakota K2 Inflatable Kayak

Intex is back in the game with their last fishing inflatable kayak that comes along with a special set of features. Alongside, this guy comes in at a weight of around 38 pounds which is lightweight though, but not the lightest like Lifetime’s own Youth Wave Kayak! With the launch date of 2020, this strong boy has earned quite a complimenting progress in this short span of time.

Key Features:

Let’s start exploring the kayak with the build quality as usual. Intex uses top-notch and spectacular vinyl that protects the bottom from getting punctured. As compared to some other inflatable kayaks, this one tends to be more stunning and rigid, to be honest. Just due to its most arduous yet most competent vinyl construction.

Inside this intelligent kayak, you will get dedicated and up to three air chambers for a seamless air intake and outflow. Plus, these air chambers also ensure versatility and provide maneuverable stability to its overall body over the body of water. We forgot to mention its I-beam that also plays a crucial part in its robustness.

Due to its a bit of weight, the kayak becomes a challenge to handle for beginners. However, it still doesn’t slip or flip out for experienced kayakers. Of course, practice is necessary to get used to it! This, along with Boston valves, makes the inflating and deflating quite maneuverable for kayakers.

Upon sitting in the kayak, you will have an enormous cabin room that provides a good user experience. Of course, you aren’t going to get dedicated spots for stuff due to its inflatable design. However, you do get a plethora of legroom to make both of you comfortable and spectacular.

Likewise, this kayak is designed to hold up to 2 persons with a total capacity of no more than 400 pounds which is a pretty adorable thing for this price. The seats come with portable and adjustable backrests along with other accessories. This might include carry and dry bags for luggage and you also get aluminum oars.

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9. Perception Flash 9.5 Fishing Kayak

Perception has conquered the second last spot of this best budget fishing kayaks with their exclusive flash fishing kayak that is a launch of 2019. It comes in a weight of no more than 40 pounds which is great, but it still could be improved. Perception launches this guy in two color preferences for our enthusiasts.

Key Features:

Following the customs, Perception is using high quality Polyethylene to make out this kayak. Perception hasn’t given the exact idea to determine its build materials for analyzing its quality, but its existing owners seem to be already satisfied. Being a production of Perception, surely it will be top-notch in this regard.

Coming straight to its performance part, this vessel is technically made for beginners by Perception. Of course, it is not the most performing vessel out there, and it still provides decent stability over the water bodies. Due to its short length end body, this kayak doesn’t disappoint in terms of maneuverability.

To get the most out of this vessel, you should be using it at its ideal locations, such as lakes, ponds, and calm waters. It isn’t going to respond so well at flooded streams unless you are experienced enough to manage its flow along with water.

Additionally, this vessel embraced sophisticated seating to make you feel comfortable throughout your voyages. It is meant for solo riding, but it does offer adjustable and removable back seats. These seats are pretty much supported, and Perception integrates a decent build quality for this thing.

Last but not least, you will get ample room in its cabin to make your voyage joyful. Not just that, this also claims integrated cup holders, and they are also pretty easy to reach. You can quickly and comfortably accommodate yourself in this.

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10. Lifetime Sandstone Angler 8.5 Feet Kayak

Let’s wind up this list of the cheap fishing kayaks at Lifetime’s Hydros Sandstone Angler that comes in a versatile and 8.5 feet long construction. With 45 pounds, Lifetime launched this vessel back in 2015, which was a long time ago. Still, the kayak isn’t so compelling due to a few points that need to be cleared.

Key Features:

With this weight, the kayak becomes an almost balanced weight instead of being heavy or lightweight. So, Lifetime needs to update their description to reality. Anyways, Lifetime has tried to make this vessel some sort of durable with their tunnel hull design. With this construction, the kayak gets good stability. Plus, it now becomes relatively easy to carry and transport without additional support.

As usual, it is a sit-in kayak by Lifetime that comes with a nicely built seating structure. Now, this seat does provide excellent back support, but it is not the premium quality support that would be used for longer voyages which is some sort of a disappointment for this price.

However, the only big thing about this kayak is its build quality, stability, and beginner friendliness. It is not a performing kayak at all but can be used for practicing and improving your skills. And, this is the only reason why we listed it on this list. Overall, the kayak works well, but there are a lot of things to work on.

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Best Budget Fishing Kayaks | Frequently Asked Questions

How to choose the best budget fishing Kayaks?

Well, there could be so many considerable factors when purchasing a cheap fishing kayak. However, let us give you some ideal points so you can set your criteria when selecting. The very first thing is your budget. Then, you must focus on its performance and your expectations in longer sessions. Later, Try to consider having some necessary features like storage, bells and whistles sort of things. Considering these things, we have finalized all these budget kayaks here!

Are budget and cheap fishing kayaks worth it?

You will never regret any of these kayaks without any doubt! Nonetheless, they aren’t the greatest investment. However, it’s still a great option from mediocre and poorly made kayaks or not having a kayak at all. We couldn’t judge every single kayak available out there in the market for the budget category. But, we are still pretty sure and confident about our selection here on this list.

Summing Up the Best Budget Fishing Kayaks

Though Fishing is an interesting and adventurous hobby, especially kayaking, it could be expensive for some people. You would require a slightly bigger budget to float your kayak out there in the water joyfully.

If your budget isn’t an issue for this hobby at all, you are a lucky guy as you can pick whatever kayak you would love to have. However, this isn’t the case for budget fishing kayaks. It would be best if you had to find the exact and perfect kayak without risking your budget. Otherwise, you are more likely to regret that.

With a limited budget in hand, you should prioritize safety, performance and comfort over bundles of features. However, you should not worry as we have crafted this budget fishing kayaks guide exclusively for you, which has already solved this mystery! Luckily, this deal is still possible to find a decent match under this budget, but you need to put a lot of effort into research and analysis.