Fishing Kayak Review: FeelFree Lure 13.5

Call a spade a spade and call a standup kayak a standup kayak. Many boats try to do it all. Feelfree’s Lure 13.5 shines at standup fishing. In fact, we’d say it’s one of the best boats in the class.

[ Kayak Angler Buyer’s Guide: See the Feelfree Lure 13.5 ]

Feelfree Presents the Lure

Feelfree introduced the Lure line of utilitarian kayaks in 2014. The low and wide boats snagged the attention of many anglers, and quality construction and innovative features kept them hooked. This 13.5-foot boat gives the line a flagship that is easy to stand-and-fish while also tracking well enough to paddle some distance.

The Lure 13.5 is built to be stable and comfortable, featuring a catamaran hull that spreads volume away from the keel to increase primary stability. I can step off the bank onto the boat without a wobble. Standing on the seat for a better viewpoint is a no brainer, and I can move around the deck with ease.

Standing and fishing is made even more pleasant with foam padding covering the open deck. A bow hatch with locking latches keeps gear dry. Behind the bow hatch, an insulated, covered well will hold cold drinks, the day’s catch or gear that you want to keep out of the way but in easy reach. The hatch cover doubles as a cutting board and has a cool etching of a mean-looking fish.

[ See also: How Standup Rigging Will Help You Catch More Muskie ]

Practical Pod and Gravity Seat

Feelfree added a removable electronics pod to the deck. Mount a fish finder display to the topside of the pod and the transducer to the bottomside. Then store the battery inside the pod and it can be removed and installed in seconds. Or use the pod to store gear and load and unload the boat just as quickly.

The crowning achievement is the Lure’s seat. The Gravity Seat is one of the easiest to use multi-level seats on the market, and one of the most comfortable. The seat is well padded with an adjustable backrest. To lift it, grab the back and front and raise the seat up to 11 inches. Then pull a red strap from under the seat and the legs unlock to lower it. It’s even easy on the water.

The deck is outfitted with gear tracks bow, midship and stern. Two flush mount rod holders make the boat fishing ready off the shelf.

[ Read more: Mounts And Gear Tracks For Fishing Kayaks ]

The Lure 13.5 features Feelfree’s famous Wheel-in-the-Keel, which makes it easy to move the boat from the car to the launch and back.

Stand Tall or Sit Pretty in the Lure 13.5

The Lure 13.5 has the solid construction we’ve come to expect from Feelfree and the flagship’s longer waterline and wider deck are packed with a long list of fish-friendly features.

Video Review of the Feelfree Lure 13.5:

This article was first published in the Early Summer 2015 issue of Kayak Angler Magazine. Subscribe to Kayak Angler Magazine’s print and digital editions, or browse the archives.

FeelFree’s new Lure 13.5 is stand-and-fish friendly with a long waterline for straight tracking. | Feature photo: Ric Burnley