I was sitting at my computer in a local coffee shop the other day, looking through SUP fishing pictures from our recent trip to the Yucatan. It seems like fishing pictures always seem to draw attention… especially when they are taken against the backdrop of a pristine tropical blue sky and expansive sandy shallows in the salt water flats! One buddy came by, looking over my shoulder to check out the photos. Another joined him and then another. Pretty soon, a small crowd had gathered.
Here is a summary of the questions I got relating to using an SUP for fly fishing:
Are those stable enough to fish from?
Yep. Those baffles along the sides of the board help to minimize wave movement. Whenever it gets too rough, I just sit on the cooler or kneel on the board to paddle.
What do you do when you hook a big fish?
I hold on.
Is there a way to sit down and rest?
Yes. The cooler provides a great place to sit and rest, tie flies, etc.
How do you store gear?
The cooler is a great place to store beer, food, water, etc. I use bungees to tie down an additional bottle of water and life jacket.
How do you manage rods, paddles, nets, and flies?
The outside of the cooler and board have track systems and mounting options for rod holders, paddles, nets, etc.
That board fits in the trunk of your car?
Yep. My wife can fit two boards in her minivan when they are folded in half. Fully deflated, a board would fit in the trunk of a Mini Cooper. 
So the airline just let you fly to Mexico with that board?
Yep.
How heavy are they?
They aren’t heavy at all. Even with the pump, most inflatable boards are 30-40 lbs.
Are they hard to inflate?
They inflate in less than ten minutes. We use a hand pump. I think of it as a nice pre-paddle warm up.
How expensive are they?
A good inflatable board ranges from $1,000 to $1,650 depending on board type, size, and what it’s designed to do.
That cooler set up is awesome. Can you stand on that too?
The cooler adds a bunch of options. It contributes to the whole SUP experience by making it an excursion vessel instead of something you just take out to paddle for an hour. When standing on the cooler to better view fish we usually use the Stealth Stick push pole. This allows some extra visibility and is great in the shallows and flats.
