DECEMBER’S summer long issue of Fishing
World featured a review of the Big Rig kayak
from Jackson. The Big Rig, as the name
suggests, is a large specialised fishing kayak
with all the bells and whistles. During the
same fishing trip on Sydney’s Nepean River,
we also tested the new Jackson Cruise Angler- In size, the Cruise 10 is the complete
opposite to the Big Rig. It’s light and easy to
manage solo, the accessories are kept to a
minimum and it’s easy to paddle and
manoeuvre while fishing around snags.
It may be a basic ’yak, yet it still maintains
quality Jackson construction and features a
few nifty designs which make these fishing
kayaks so popular.
Ten foot is small for a fishing kayak and the
Cruise would best suit a small to medium build
fisho. With a total capacity of 136kg and limited
capacity and space for gear, it’s not really
designed for multi-day river trips. The Cruise is
better suited for day trips fishing tight creeks
and rivers for natives and estuary species. I found
it easy to load on and off the roof racks and
simple to carry across to the river.
Despite its compact size, is you don’t feel
cramped in this ’yak. At 820mm, it’s quite beamy
and it also sits quite high in the water. Once
seated you feel like you’re fishing in a much larger
kayak. It’s also very stable and features a f lat f loor
for standing and fishing. I wasn’t overly confident
standing for any length of time, but with a bit of
practice, it wouldn’t be a problem.Features
The transom features an open storage area
ideal for a small tackle bag or crate. You could
also fit a small cooler back there. Moving
forward and the seat is one of Jackson’sexcellent removable “deck chair” style seats.
Directly forward of the seat is a small storage
hatch and a drink bottle holder. Further
forward is a R AM mount and R AM rod
holder. The rod holder did seem a little too far
forward for easy reach. This cockpit area also
features adjustable foot rests.
Moving towards the bow and there’s a
bungy cord for stashing a dry bag safely and
a dry hatch with a surprising amount of space.
Jackson has teamed up with GoPro and now
offers a GoPro mount ready to attach your
action cam to the kayak’s bow. Clever idea!Fishabilty
As mentioned, I found this kayak to be very
stable. Being short, it manoeuvres easily when
fishing in tight water and paddling around
snaggy areas. The elevated seat position also
made fishing easier with more vision, allowing
the angler to see down into the water. The open
cockpit and under seat storage meant my small
tackle box, pliers and camera weren’t getting in
the way when I fished.
One drawback with a compact kayak is the
speed of paddling. When it came time to call it
a day and return home, the kayak paddled
reasonably slowly. That’s not a criticism, it’s just a
trade off for its convenient small size. And unless
you’re in a rush, it’s no big problem anyway.
All up, I found the Cruise Angler 10 to be
a great little kayak with just enough features
to make it a specialist fishing kayak without
losing its simplicity and light weight design.
More details at http://www.horizonline.com.au.
RRP is $1495.As Scott Thomas discovered, the Jackson Cruise Angler 10 is a
well-designed compact fishing kayak suitable for tight water.
Going For A Cruise
(^102) FEBRUARY 2015
REVIEWED
The Jackson’s
excellent stability
makes it ideal for
freshwater rivers
and creeks.
REVIEWED JACKSON CRUISE ANGLER 10