Water Master

Kodiak Raft Package

You've heard of remote rivers and streams where fishing pressure is non-existent, the fish are big, wild, and opportunistic, but access is next to impossible—unless, you have the Water Master Kodiak Raft Package. Based out of Missoula, Montana, Water Master designs and builds some of the best inflatable rafts designed for fly fishing, so you can access the goods, without having to bushwhack, cross property lines, or risk ripping the bottom out of your drift boat.

Water Master offers two rafts: the Kodiak and the Grizzly. The Kodiak is slightly larger than the Grizzly for enhanced stability on larger rivers and increased gear hauling capabilities for those bigger adventures; although it weighs just a few pounds more, but, it does maintain the same compact design for easy carrying to and from the water. The total weight of the Kodiak with all accessories is 42lb with the raft itself weighing just 27lb. Where the Kodiak really shines, though, is with its portable design, which allows the raft, seat, and included oars to be stowed in the the included dry bag/backpack and carried to remote put-ins and packed out of even further take-outs, without too much hassle.

In terms of on-the-water performance, the Kodiak is stable, buoyant, and able to track well on moving water and easily handle windy days. The Water Master design forgoes a rockered bow to increase surface contact for better stability and a more reliable feel on the water. Where the Kodiak differs in design from the Grizzly, though, is with the boat's pointed bow and stern and large diameter tubes, which enables the Kodiak to handle larger rivers and streams with a heavier load (a max of 750lb). The open bottom design of both boats really comes into play when you get to a section of river you want to fish, but don't want to take the time to bring the boat to shore—just stand up and fish that seam as the boat remains around your legs, and when you've hooked that fish you knew was there, just take a seat and keep on floating down the river where more fish await.