Jackson Yupik. The most versatile kayak on the market.

One of my personal favorites! The Jackson Yupik is extremely versatile and one of the best fishing kayaks to rig up to your liking. The Yupik is best when paired with kayak accessories due to the amount of gear track placed on the kayak. The Jackson Yupik is considered by many to be one of Jacksons best fishing kayaks and its most customizable. #yupik #jacksonkayaks #kayak #kayakfishing #fishingkayak
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[@BottomLineBassin2]

It's a big dudes kayak, super stable and holds a ton of gear. I want another one so I can put a Newport on it. Nice work !

[@thebeardedpaddler]

Thank you for watching

[@Cascadians]

The Yupik was built for my Newfoundland Orka, water rescue dog. The Yupik is the BEST kayak made for a large dog! The wide open even platform with no obstructions is perfect, with the low profile sides for jumping. Jackson extended this to the TakeTwo if you have 2 or 3 dogs you want to paddle with, along with 2nd person. A million kudos to Jackson for innovating and LISTENING to kayaker needs!

[@thebeardedpaddler]

I'm a big fan of the open deck for sure

[@kawh8719]

The open storage concept is wonderful! I love the idea of good paddling but lots of space for gear of any type, extreme utility ftw!

[@camorrisiii]

Very nice yak, I would certainly consider a Yupik from JK when I can afford to upgrade 😎 I really love how versatile it is and the aluminum tracks are very nice. I didn’t really think that I would like the idea of no hatch, but I love how open it is. Most of the time I don’t even use a hatch if it isn’t right in front of me. I definitely like the secondary stability too. Great video, thanks.

[@thebeardedpaddler]

Very good point on the hatch. My first kayak had several hatches and I found myself storing more gear up top. I prefer open deck space as it allows me to clutter it up with all the gear I take lol. Thank you for watching!

[@jimelam8058]

Love my Yupik. Got it at your Ozark MO location. Great boat, does everything pretty well

[@thebeardedpaddler]

Absolutely. Glad you like it! Thanks for watching

[@nathanmora9734]

Nice work,

[@thebeardedpaddler]

Thanks for watching!

[@MysticalDragon73]

Nice video overall. I'd not really considered the yupik before. Looks like an interesting concept. I can see where the open layout could be handy when carrying alot of gear or oversized gear. Nice seeing the bite in the background too. I need to stop looking at boats since I'm at 6 already.

[@thebeardedpaddler]

Thanks for watching! The Yupik is in my personal fleet and we love it

[@MysticalDragon73]

@@thebeardedpaddler The more I look at it, the more impressed that I am with it. I'd be curious to see how it compares to the coosa X. They look similar in many ways except the front hatch and volume bow of the X I did more searches and its amazing how few reviews there are on this boat. Yours is one of the best ones out there. With the updated EZ hi low seat attached to the side tracks, do you experience flexing or twisting with them?

[@jeremydrouin9975]

Nice overview. I debated getting the Yupik as a fly fishing kayak due to the wide open platform. But ultimately went with the lighter option--in overall weight and on the wallet--Bite Angler. But I'd like to upgrade to a Yupik at some point.

[@thebeardedpaddler]

You can't go wrong with either one. The Yupik is a little bit better of a paddler (my opinion) and is a little more customizable. The Bite has great stability and paddles very well for a wider fishing platform. Thank you for watching!

[@bradmizzou]

Also went with the Bite Angler. It's about 20lb lighter. I just wish the Bite had the gear tiedowns like the Yupik.

[@jeremydrouin9975]

@@bradmizzou for the price, I would've liked the Bite to have more gear track, especially in the rear of the boat. But it's certainly something I could add at little cost. Overall, it's been a great fishing kayak for me.

[@bradmizzou]

@@jeremydrouin9975 I agree - the addition of gear track with the ability to pass cam straps underneath would make the Jackson Bite a perfect kayak. I need to lash larger dry bags, and the bungees that come with the Bite aren't quite long enough. For shorter trips, the bungees are great. For multi day kayak camping trips, I need the ability to lash larger bags. Still a great boat though!

[@skeet6189]

@@thebeardedpaddler so then the bite is more stable then the Yupik? Thats one thing I always wondered because I’ve owned the bite and the shape of the Bite and Yupik look similar and I was thinking the Yupik would be more stable because of the longer length so I’m glad I saw this comment.

[@zoommaster7253]

I want one

[@thebeardedpaddler]

Very good yak for sure

[@travisjae1775]

I'm glad I came across your channel, I've had my eyes on the unlimited due to being g a larger guy. I'll be fishing in Carolinas, large lakes, large rivers ( nuse river) and inshore. For the price and size it's seem the unlimited is hard to beat plus that swivel seat makes it stand out. From your experience for a guy @ 6'3 280 would you suggest the unlimited?

[@thebeardedpaddler]

100% yes. Thank you for watching!!

[@travisjae1775]

Where are you located?

[@thebeardedpaddler]

@@travisjae1775 Cotter, AR

[@rjc123]

I have a dealer near me selling their 2023 yupiks for a little over 1200 and at that price point I am having a hard time deciding between it or the crescent litetackle 2. I will be fly-fishing primarily and was wondering what would be best. Hard choice

[@thebeardedpaddler]

For fly fishing go with the Yupik. That's 2021 prices and I would jump on it

[@MattStarkFishing]

First off, I love the channel. I’m an avid bass fisherman, and I own a bass boat, but the idea of being able to access smaller bodies of water is alluring. The problem is, there’s just way too many options. I am looking for a true fishing platform that I can stand up and fish on that has an open cockpit design that I can put a trolling motor with a foot pedal controller to mimic the feel of my bass boat. My question is, does the Yupik accommodate a bow mount? In an ideal world, some wood would make a 10 foot kayak that my 6 foot 200 pound frame can stand in and allow me to operate with a foot pedal controlled trolling motor. That way I could pick it up throw it in the back of my pick up truck and go. Is there such an animal? The Blue Sky Boatworks (Jackson) looks amazing but it’s too big to haul without a trailer.

[@thebeardedpaddler]

Nucanoe Frontier 10 footer. Nucanoe sells foot peg steering as well

[@thebeardedpaddler]

Also subbed to your channel. Good stuff! Thanks for watching and your feedback!

[@MattStarkFishing]

When I say “foot pedal control” I’m referring to a bow mounted foot pedal control like you see on Minn Kota Fortex trolling motors that allows control while standing.

[@MattStarkFishing]

@@thebeardedpaddler thank you and thanks for the insightful info. I wish I lived closer so I could drop by your shop. Your selection is amazing.

[@nathanmora9734]

I purchased a paddleboard a few years bag and ended up strapping a seat on it and using it as a Kayak. Looking back i should have gotten a Kayak. I don't fish but I like to spend time paddling around the lake with a cooler and my dog. I have been going down rabbit holes on the best kayak for this type of situation and this one might just fit the bill. If you have any suggestions for the leisure kayaker that would be great.

[@thebeardedpaddler]

If you like paddleboarding, look at the Bote HD Aero. Great setup and has a better weight capacity and you can use their coolers for seats (the Kula cooler). If you like more of a kayak for bringing a dog with you, look a the Jackson Bite. The Bite has that "open floor plan" and a 400lb capacity for safely carry a dog. The Yupik is the step up from the Bite and has the deck padding that makes it a little more comfy for a dog. My wife uses a Yupik and we bought it so we could take our lab with us.

[@corbslusher8562]

Looking to upgrade my kayak, this one was recommended to me for multi night kayak camping trips.Need something for river paddling with some rapid sections. Im looking at this one or the Ascend 12t strictly for the open deck storage..I realize JK is a lot higher quality so thats where Im leaning at this time.Any inout would be greatly appreciated.

[@thebeardedpaddler]

Yupik is a totally different zip code for quality. The biggest difference is paddle performance and stability with the Yupik. Trimming the seat forward and backward is a big game changer

[@corbslusher8562]

@@thebeardedpaddler thank you for the feedback and reply.This is the information I need.thank you

[@thebeardedpaddler]

@@corbslusher8562 I'm happy to help. Thank you for watching

[@ryanparrish23]

I personally would like to see you do a bit longer video comparing the Yupik and Nucanoe Unlimited with what is better than the other and why in your opinion. I'm not as tall as you but but am in the same weight range and a lot of comparison videos are doe by these skinny guys who don't have as much weight moving around as we do when leaning. I really like the idea of the swivel seat but as a newbie with some weight and age on me not sure about the stability.

[@thebeardedpaddler]

I owned both kayaks. They are slightly different but very similar at the core. They are both very stable and extremely customizable. The Yupik will paddle better and will do better in wind due to its low profile in the water (lower gunnels/sidewalls) The Unlimited will be a bit more stable due to its size. It's just 4 inches longer but at 41" the Unlimited is quite a bit wider. This is to accommodate sitting much higher and the swivel function. If you are looking to motorize, or add pedal drive go with the Unlimited. If you want to stay at paddling and want more performance go with the Yupik. I should say that you can motorize a Yupik as it has the inserts for Powerpole or Toqueedo mounts on the stern.

[@ryanparrish23]

@@thebeardedpaddler How stable is the Unlimited with us bigger guys sitting sideways in the swivel seat? I've seen videos of small guys testing it in this manner, but no big guys. At 5'9" 260lbs with the seat at its highest position (including the 2" height kit installed) is it going to be stable enough for me to fish sideways off the swivel seat with a light chop on the water? Right now the Nucanoe is #1 in my running as it can easily be turned into a tandem and I can take the grandkids out on the water. They are fairly young so they won't be paddling. On the days we don't have them it seems like it would be quick and easy to switch it from tandem to a fishing or casual setup. It just seems like a really versatile yak that can quickly and easily be switched from 1 use to another with the amount of rail and open space.

[@thebeardedpaddler]

@@ryanparrish23 Absolutely! Stability is a term that will mean different things to different people on kayaks. If you are wanting to fish sideways in chop and don't have the best "sea legs" you will want to slide the seat closer to the middle of the kayak (widest part) I had no problems doing it and loved the ability to do so. Now you just need to pick a color! I love the Tundra and the Thunderstorm personally

[@wolfriveroutdoors]

Just found your channel - really enjoy the videos and information! How would you compare the Yupik and Bite to the Crescent Lite Tackle II? Thanks

[@thebeardedpaddler]

Yupik and Bite will be a lot more stable and wide open.

[@thebeardedpaddler]

Glad to have you here!

[@jcksnjy]

Good morning, I’ve paddled a friends Frontier 12. How would you compare the stability of the F12, Bite & Yupik? Thanks. Where is your shop located?

[@thebeardedpaddler]

The Frontier 12 is going to be more stable that the Bite and Yupik due to its size (41" wide) the bite gives a good river and lake kayak option and the Yupik is a bit of an upgrade from the Bite in that it paddles a little faster, has motor mount capability, and the seat can trim almost the length of the kayak

[@user-zy8vp4zi4t]

Will this boat support an Orion Core 35 cooler too?

[@thebeardedpaddler]

Pretty sure it will. I tend to keep Orion 25 in stock due to a majority of kayaks fit them

[@squint-]

6' 1" 298 POUNDS... Put this on this list or pass? What Jackson's should be on my list for my first kayak?

[@thebeardedpaddler]

That will depend on budget and what you intend to use it for. The Bite is also a great platform but with the Yupik you get a high/low adjustable seat, more weight capacity, padded deck, and one of the most customizable platforms on the market ( all that gear track) Thanks for watching and the great feedback!

[@robertmaddox1441]

No Rudder? How well does it track when paddling?

[@thebeardedpaddler]

Tracks really well. Has a keel line underneath almost the length of the boat.

[@danschulte113]

Do you know of a motor mount adaptor that will work for a trolling motor on the transom? I see the one on their website but I have a feeling that bolt pattern is universal. I'd like to get a 30lb motor rated for salt so I can crab in the bay sometimes. Also - do people just find old dairy crates for behind the seat?

[@thebeardedpaddler]

You will want the transom motor mount from Jackson. It's very high quality and will give you a sturdier mounting option for your motor. It's made by Yak Gadget

[@danschulte113]

@@thebeardedpaddler do you trust Newport motors? For salt water...sorry 1000 questions... I'll support your page somehow. Buy some schwag.

[@danschulte113]

@@thebeardedpaddler just donated $20

[@thebeardedpaddler]

@@danschulte113 thank you so much for your support!

[@danschulte113]

@@thebeardedpaddler I bought the mount from their website. Any recs on a motor rated for saltwater I can mount on it? Basically what else do I need? Mount - motor - battery - battery case? - charger... I figure I can get one for spot-locking after I wear this one out haha. $ sink... I love it though.

[@danschulte113]

I bought one of these today and have to store it in a hallway. What is the best way to store the Yupik? Flat on its hull? Diagonally on the side? In j-hooks?

[@thebeardedpaddler]

On its side is fine. If you want to be extra careful you can set some padding underneath.

[@danschulte113]

@@thebeardedpaddler first kayak - i'll watch some more of your vids for ideas on how to outfit it. Any rec on a budget fishfinder? I'm in Oregon and plan on lakes, rivers and even some close to shore ocean - so over 100 ft there. Yak attack? What is that? Thanks again!

[@thebeardedpaddler]

@@danschulte113 YakAttack is a company that makes accessories for kayaks. As far as fish finders I would say the Garmin Striker 4. Thanks for watching!

[@trentwalker4]

Is the Bite or Yupik more stable? Primary stable that is.

[@thebeardedpaddler]

I would say the primary on the Bite may be slightly better. The Yupik shines on secondary and tracking.

[@thescrambler2112]

How would you compare the Yupik to the Nucanoe Pursuit?

[@thebeardedpaddler]

Yupik is shorter and wider. It's more stable and wide open deck space. The pursuit is longer and slimmer and is a faster paddling kayak.

[@jackritter4805]

How would this boat be for river fishing?

[@thebeardedpaddler]

Really good. We have taken ours down Buffalo river with no issues.

[@xarrow81]

Like hobie knock off! But in a good way, innovation and competition is great for us consumers

[@thebeardedpaddler]

Very different than a Hobie (at least this one) but you are absolutely correct. Look at the Hobie Pro Angler and the JK Knarr

[@zoommaster7253]

Do you need wheels or can you drag

[@thebeardedpaddler]

Depends. If its asphalt get a cart. If it's dirt you can drag

[@zoommaster7253]

@@thebeardedpaddler will a c tug cart handle it or what do you recommend

[@thebeardedpaddler]

@@zoommaster7253 the Wilderness Systems Cart or the YakAttack Bar Cart would be what I go for

[@zoommaster7253]

@@thebeardedpaddler I trust your opinion which one would you buy ? I have Hobie cart for my lynx but hate having to lift up myself or roll to side to install so I got a c tug this week I haven’t tried yet but if I get a Yupik or a bite FD need cart as well. What does your wife use on her lynx ? Thanks love all info you guys put out helps out tremendously Mike from CT

[@thebeardedpaddler]

@@zoommaster7253 between the 2 it's 6 of one half dozen of the other. In a coin flip I always go with YakAttack