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Jackson kayaks are some of the industry’s best, and they offer a wide range of variety within their catalog, too.

There are lightweight kayaks that are easy on the wallet, wide, stable kayaks that can handle both inland waters as well as the ocean, and even hybrid kayaks that are perfect for a cast and blast trip.

But what’s best for you? We rounded up some of the best Jackson kayaks and evaluated them by feature so you could (hopefully) narrow down your search.

Best for the Budget Conscious: Jackson Staxx

The Jackson Staxx offers premier performance and tons of top-end features at a bargain of a price. It is the most cost-conscious option on this list, making it great for fishermen on a budget.

But this doesn’t mean it’s light on features. This sit on top has a wide, comfortable cockpit, a small dry storage area in front of the seat (perfect for valuables), and plenty of open storage at at the bow and stern.

The Staxx also has a folding seat that is both comfortable and easy to stow, making this kayak perfect for transport and storage. It’s also only 64 lbs, making it a great choice for itinerant fisherman who might have a ways to get to their favorite hole.

Also, if you’re wondering about the name, it comes from the fact that this Jackson kayak is designed for “stackability.” It literally “stacks” so if you have a family and want to build a small fleet but don’t have a lot of room, you could stack a bunch of these on top of each other.

Best for Fishing with a Pal: Take Two

While many pursue their target quarry alone on the water, there are others who travel in company. Most fishing kayaks are designed for a maximum occupancy of one but the Jackson Take Two is designed to bring a friend.

It is 13’9”, and weighs 127 lbs with both seats, making it Jackson’s largest capacity kayak. The Take Two can be paddled solo or with a partner, and thanks to Jackson’s EZ Hi-lo seating system, making seating adjustments for comfort can be done with one hand.

The Take Two offers an open deck with plenty of space for seating and storage, delivers improved handling and speed, and has a four-hole bolt pattern at the stern to support some trolling motors.

It also features Jackson’s Tritrak for mounting accessories and offers tons of storage space. If you’re a Jackson loyalist and need a kayak that can support either one or two people depending on the trip, the Take Two is the yak to beat.

Best for Shallow Water and Beaching: Coosa FD

If you launch your kayak from a trailer, dock, or pier, worrying about the drive unit hardly matters. On the other hand, if you launch from the shore, you need to take special care not to damage the fins or prop when launching.

Some models have easily removable drive units, but at the same time, you don’t want to sacrifice control when you’re coming in for a landing, so to speak.

The Coosa FD’s Flex Drive Mk IV system has a retractable propeller, so beaching is a breeze. This is great on marshes as well as sandy beaches, in which sand, mud, weeds, and other impediments can tangle a drive system - but not this one.

That’s not the only reason to point out that the Coosa FD is an excellent pedal-drive Jackson kayak, though. It is also impressively feature-rich.

It’s packed with fisherman-friendly features, including but not limited to capacious hatches with improved hatch seals at the front and rear (plus a bungee-less, “snag-free” bow design), a large rear tank well, rod tip protectors, flush mount rod holders, and a pass-through for electronics like fish finders.

The Coosa FD is ready to fish right out of the box and packed with features that are designed expressly for fishermen, even though it will cost a little more than the Staxx and Take Two.

Best for All-Around Versatility: YuPIK

Last but not least we have the YuPIK. While the Jackson YuPIK might be a little less feature rich than the Coosa FD, it tops out on versatility, and it’s relatively affordable, too.

The YuPIK is more generalized, and is designed to be paddled, but it is also engineered with a rear mount and a square stern for a trolling motor, if you need a little power.

The lack of a pedal drive keeps costs down and simplifies the overall design of this kayak, making it perfect not only for freshwater and saltwater fishing but for hunting, too.

It’s extremely stable, with a wide-open cockpit and a large, padded standing area, making it ideal for sight fishing as well as for hunting. There is plenty of forward storage for decoy bags, tents, and other hiking, camping, and hunting gear.

The YuPIK also features a bow-to-stern track system for mounting fishing accessories, along with a strap-down gear track for added security.

On top of these features, the YuPIK offers seat-side tackle stagers, a phone stager, a large rear tank well, and paddle blade storage, bow and stern handles for easy launching and transport, and Jackson’s EZ Hi-lo seating system that enables easy, one-handed seat adjustments.

Comfortable, capacious, and packed to the gunwales with angler-friendly features, the YuPIK is a great choice for the generalist.

The Right Jackson Kayak for You, Guaranteed

Though this list of Jackson kayaks includes top picks for fishermen, hunters, the budget-conscious, and tandem-yakkers, there are still plenty of other good choices. These include the Bite Rec, the Knarr FD, the Bite Angler, and the Coosa X.

You can learn more about these Jackson kayaks in our collection page, but we’d be more than happy to help you pick the best one for you.

Just give us a call at 512-229-0560 or reach out to us at Support@NoBadDaysKayak.com and let us know what you’re looking for in a fishing kayak. We’ll make sure you get one custom-picked for you based on your needs.