Hate wearing a personal flotation device while fishing from a drift boat, float tube or kayak?
You're not alone. Many anglers despise traditional PFDs because they're too bulky, uncomfortable and restrictive when it comes to repeated fly casts.
That's where fishing PFDs like the Stearns Sportsmen's Series Fishing Vest come in handy:
Stearns Sportsmen's Series Fishing Vest
Looking for an economical PFD without all the bells and whistles of the advanced and more expensive models?The Sportsmen's Series by Stearns, available at Wal-Mart ($20 MSRP), is a Type III PFD built for the angler on a budget. It's not recommended for use on vessels longer than 40 feet or for water skiing, but would get the job done for the occasional kayak or drift boat angler.
The Sportsmen's Series comes in olive green or blue and is made of light PE foam with a ripstop fabric shell.
It has open sides for casting comfort and can be adjusted via two shoulder straps and a pair of belts across the chest.
This particular model is only equipped with two cargo pockets, so this probably isn't the best PFD if you're looking for tons of storage. A tool or two could be clipped to the D-ring located on the right-hand side of the vest.
The PFD, however, would be great for float tubing because it is extremely lightweight.
Go to walmart.com for more information.
Conclusion
This wouldn't be my top choice for open-ocean paddling, but if you're paddling on a calm day on a lake or an enclosed bay, the Stearns model would work just fine.
It's less bulky and allows for a little more freedom while fishing, so if you're going out just for the day, the PFD would hold up just fine.
