various types of kayaks leaning against a wall

Whatever Floats Your Boat! | Types of Kayaks Compared

Despite what some may believe, there are, in fact, many different types of kayaks to choose from depending on your kayaking goals.

These different kayak types have distinct features that can impact function and should be selected for your specific needs.

various types of kayaks on shore

Some kayaks are longer or wider to promote increased straight-ahead speed and stability in calm waters. On the other hand, if you see yourself in a whitewater situation, then a short, stubby, and maneuverable craft will serve you best. So which type should you choose? Keep reading!

Well, don’t get intimidated by what is ultimately a simple boat! Let’s take a look at the different types of kayaks so you can find out for yourself!

Types Of Kayaks

Lucky for you, this guide will provide guidance and information surrounding some of the main kayak types, to direct you toward the best kayak for your next adventure!

You can click on the links below to jump straight to the various types:

Sit-In Kayaks

man and woman in sit-in kayaks

Sit-in kayaks are probably what you imagine when you picture a kayak.

Also called recreational kayaks, sit-in kayaks have one seat that is in the center of a boat that usually ranges from 8-12 feet long.

Sit-in kayaks are designed for comfort; with the bodies being wide, making entering and exiting easier. They typically also have a lot of leg room for the occupant.

The comfort-oriented design of a sit-in kayak lends itself to calm water travel. A recreational kayak like this can travel at decent speeds and stays stable in a relaxed water environment.

The downsides, however, are that these designs can struggle through rough water, in strong wind, and over long distances.

On the upside, recreational kayaks are usually one of the more affordable options given their widespread availability. Their versatility and price point make them a great option for any kayaker.



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Sit-On-Top Kayak

pelican sit on top kayak

Sit-on-top kayaks are similar to the standard sit-in, recreational kayak.

The key difference is that instead of the occupant sitting inside the kayak structure, they sit on top, as the name implies. (photo credit: Amazon)

The open-air design of sit-on-top kayaks makes entering and exiting even easier than the typical sit-in kayak. What’s more, the lack of walls around your legs and feet provides significantly more room for a rider, making these types of kayaks extremely comfortable.

This open-air concept also makes for a more efficient hunting kayak setup, giving the hunter more range and freedom to move about.

The sit-on-top kayaks are also great options if you are looking to do some fishing.



The downside to the open-air design, however, is the fact that the rider has little protection from the outside elements.

These kayaks, similar to sit-in kayaks, do well in calm waters. But again, these type kayaks can struggle greatly in maneuvering rough waters.


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Whitewater Kayaks

man paddling in a whitewater kayak

If you have rough water adventure in your sights, a whitewater kayak may be what you’re looking for!

While the first two kayaks we discussed excel in calm waters, whitewater kayaks fill a different niche.

These kayaks are designed for fast, rushing whitewater with rapids and they tend to be shorter in length to increase maneuverability and stability in these difficult conditions.



However, the shorter length makes distance traveling in calm waters particularly difficult. In this sense, whitewater kayaks can struggle outside of a whitewater setting, which makes this model of the kayak a one-trick pony of sorts. 


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Tandem Kayaks

woman and kid kayaking

Kayaks are traditionally sleek and made for just a single person. But, then there are tandem kayaks…

Tandem Kayaks are designed such that two people can be seated in the watercraft as opposed to just one.

Tandem crafts can be found in numerous styles, including the sit-in and sit-on-top models. However, the tandem version of these two types of kayaks is going to be heavier and more expensive.

Fitting an extra person with you in a tandem kayak comes at a price. You are giving up speed and maneuverability due to the extra weight. However, you should expect to be more stable on the water with your extra passenger.

Plus, who doesn’t love kayaking with a friend?



Portable Kayaks

man and woman riding in inflatable kayak

Portable kayaks can encompass any of the kayak types we outlined avove.

The key difference between portable kayaks and regular kayaks is that portable ones can be broken down into smaller, more manageable packages to transport.



There are two types of portables: inflatable kayaks (like the one pictured above) and collapsable kayaks.

Portable kayaks are usually more affordable and easier to transport. However, they have factors you’ll want to consider before purchasing. For example, you’ll have to inflate or assemble them once you get to the waterfront.

woman in collapsible kayak

Portable kayaks can make transportation a cinch. But, you’ll also be giving up some conveniences…

Portable kayaks also tend not to move through the water as efficiently as other types due to their design. They may also lack some of the comforts of a more standard-construction kayak.

With that being said, there is a range of portable kayaks available on the market, with some costing more but providing more features such as stability, upgraded seating, propulsion systems, etc.

Just like with most things, in the world of kayaks, in one way or another, you get what you pay for!


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Final Thoughts On The Different Kayak Types

people sitting in calm water in kayaks

At the end of the day, there are several types of kayaks to choose from depending on what you want from the boat and the specific activity you’re looking to take part in. There is truly a kayak for all styles of life, for all cars, and for all different types and speeds of water.

Consider the bodies of water you wish to explore in your kayak, as the speed of the water will help guide you towards the correct boat.

Kayaking is a great experience alone or with friends and should be a staple for any person who enjoys being on the water.

So, get on a kayak and get paddling!

The Hardy, Plentiful (and BIG) Blue Catfish

The blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) is the largest catfish in North America and is a very interesting species in general. In this article, we will take a deep look at this species, its’ anatomy, and its’ behavior.

Blue Catfish (A General Description)

blue catfish

Some distinctive features of the blue catfish are its body shape, color, jaw and fins. (photo credit: Tennessee Aquarium – tnaqua.org).

Blue catfish have a blue-gray coloration and have wide and stocky bodies.

One of the key physical identifiers of a blue cat is a distinct and noticeable dorsal hump when it becomes a mature fish, which is a good anatomical feature to distinguish a blue catfish from a channel catfish.

blue catfish forked tail

The tail of the blue catfish has a deeply notched fork.

Other catfish in North America have a lower protruding jaw, but blues have an upper protruding jaw which is another observation you can make to distinguish between catfish species.

The blue catfish features barbels, or “whiskers,” which are present on all catfish species in North America.

The number of anal fin rays is also different from that of a channel cat. Blue catfish anal fin rays will vary from 30-36 rays, while channel catfish only feature between  25-29 rays.

cody and Alyssa Hall with blue catfish

Blue catfish (pictured here) are sometimes mistaken for channel catfish (below picture) as a result of having a similar appearance in the bodies of water where both are found. This occurs more often when trying to determine the species of the fish when they are juveniles.

channel catfish
Channel Catfish


Where Are Blue Catfish Located?

The most well-known waters the blue catfish calls home would be the Mississippi river system and its branches and tributaries, which include the Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, and Ohio rivers, along with their tributaries and nearby smaller bodies of water.

The rivers listed above aren’t the only rivers to hold native populations, other rivers, such as the Rio Grande river and the Des Moines river in Southern Iowa, also have prominent populations of blue cats.

Cody Hall holding blue catfish

Interestingly, the blue catfish range extends farther south than most people in the United States are aware of, farther than any other catfish prominently found in North America, and extends throughout the Gulf coast of Mexico and continues south to the countries of Guatemala and Belize in Central America.

Blue catfish have also been introduced into many bodies of water outside where they are found historically, expanding their range and giving anglers more opportunities to catch the fish.


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Blue Catfish Diet

The blue catfish has a diet comparable to all catfish species, and they will feed on various species such as frogs, mussels, crayfish, small to medium-sized fish like bluegills and bullheads, minnows, and other aquatic and semi-aquatic prey like small land mammals and birds.

Blues are opportunistic feeders like all catfish and eat virtually any animal or edible animal parts that is the appropriate size.

blue crabs

One interesting food choice… The blue catfish also feeds on the blue crab, a valuable species for the economy around the Chesapeake Bay. Blue crabs are the most valuable species in economic fisheries for seafood, and the number of blue crabs has suffered due to the introduction of blue catfish.

Blue cats prefer easy meals, such as animals that are already dead or wounded, this is the main reason the fish will gather near any hydroelectric dams to feed on animals and fish that have been pulled through the spillways.

Anglers who fish for blue cats favor using live bait like bullheads or cut bait from various fish species like shad, skipjack, bullhead, bluegills, and others. Some anglers also use various other types of bait, like chicken liver or a mixed catfish bait recipe that is thick, smelly, and has a consistency of something like peanut butter.



How Big Do Blue Catfish Get?

According to NOAA Fisheries, mature blue catfish will typically be less than two feet long. However, blue catfish can grow to be even 5 feet long and weigh in over 100 pounds!

two men with a blue catfish

Most adult blue cats, like this one pictured, tend to be less than 24 inches in length, but they can get huge… over 100 pounds!


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Invasive Species

Blue catfish is a very adaptable species that can tolerate a wide range of environments, which means that in some places where they have been intentionally or accidentally introduced, they can have negative effects on the ecosystem.

They can even tolerate water with salinity levels, such as tributaries and brackish water areas leading to the ocean.

In certain waters in Virginia, the blue catfish was purposely introduced in the 1970s, the population quickly exploded and has caused issues with the native species to this day.



In the tidal rivers leading to the Chesapeake Bay, the blue catfish has become the dominant predatory species, out-competing other species native to the waters.

Small fish species like alewives, anadromous shad species, and blueback herring have seen massive drops in numbers due to predation from the blue catfish.

There is a bit of a silver lining to the blue catfish issues in Virginia waterways, as the catfish also feed on the Asian clam and hydrilla, both of which are also invasive species. While they help keep these invasive species in check, it’s difficult to say whether this outweighs the effects the fish has on native species.



Fishing for the Blue Catfish

Like all fish, the blue catfish has preferences in its habitat, and to successfully catch them, you have to be in the right place at the right time.

As mentioned earlier, your best choices for bait selection will typically be live or cut bait, with cut bait being the most prominent selection. When fishing in locations holding blue cats, cut bait utilizing herring, shad, bullheads, bluegills, or manhaden is sure to seal the deal on one!

Commercially produced stink bait, chicken liver, and other smelly types of bait are the favorite of many anglers, and some swear by their effectiveness over live or cut bait in certain fishing situations.




Blues like deep holes in the river systems they inhabit, so be sure to search out any holes that are 15-25 feet in depth, along with any depressions in otherwise flat and shallow areas that are in the 10-12 foot depth range.

If there is timber present on the edges of holes or in the hole itself, be sure to add it to the top of your hit list, and even areas with rocks, rip rap, and boulders can consistently hold big blues. Maybe you can put a hook N1!



It’s a great idea to run as many rods as you legally can for blue cats, covering a fairly wide area and running a variety of bait options.

Not only does having multiple lines help you contact more fish, but running different bait options not only allows you to figure out what the fish are keyed into on any given day, but you can also adjust your offerings based on what they want.



Final Thoughts

Blue catfish can get huge and are vicious predators in the waters they inhabit. Understanding the fish, its environment, behavior, and anatomy can help you be consistent on the water when pursuing them, and the results can be epic.

man holding giant flathead catfish

Water Whiskers! | Different Types Of Catfish

North America has several different species of catfish, with a few being well-known among anglers and others that are a bit more obscure, or less desired, as a prized catch.

So, let’s take a look at the different types of catfish in North America (and one bonus catfish!)

Flathead Catfish

flathead catfish2

The flathead catfish can grow very large and is one of the most popular catfish in North America. (photo credit: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources – dnr.wisconsin.gov)

 The flathead catfish is one of the most popular species among anglers, only overshadowed by the channel catfish, and this is due to their wide distribution throughout the United States.

The flathead catfish is also popular with those who prefer to catch catfish by hand (called “noodling”).

General Description

Flatheads have an olive base coloration that features mottled brown and black splotches along their flanks for camouflage, this coloration giving way to a white or yellow colored belly.

man holding 2 noodled catfish

The flathead catfish typically has an olive-colored skin with brown and/or black splotches that can vary based on the color of the water they live in.

Depending on the bodies of water they inhabit, such as stained or murky water or clear water environments, the darkness and coloration of the flathead catfish can vary.

Flathead catfish can grow to very large sizes compared to other freshwater fish in North America, with a length of 60+ inches and a weight of 100+ pounds or more being possible, depending on their environment and available forage.

two men holding giant flathead catfish

Flatheads can grow very large and provide an epic fight, whether caught with a fishing pole or even by hand (noodling).


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Distribution

The flathead catfish has a range that extends from the very southern parts of Canada throughout the Great Lakes region and as far south as Northern Mexico.

Flatheads can be found throughout the Appalachian range, Ohio, Mississippi, and Missouri basins, the Gulf coast states, and as far west as Texas.


Giant flathead catfish caught by hand!

Diet of the Flathead Catfish

The diet of flathead catfish mostly consists of live prey, as that is what they prefer to feed on. They will eat most live prey, from insects, and crayfish, to various fish species like bluegills and even smaller catfish, including other flatheads.

bluegill fish

Flatheads feed on various forms of prey, including bluegill like this one.

They will also feed on other prey if the opportunity presents itself, including small birds, frogs, and small land animals that may fall or swim into the water.

The flathead, like most catfish, has small eyes in proportion to its’ body, which is a clear indicator that the fish does not rely on its’ eyesight as a predominant method for feeding or catching prey.


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Channel Catfish

channel catfish

The channel catfish is the most numerous true catfish species in North America, with a large distribution. They are very popular among anglers, and while they are numerous, they do not reach the sizes of the flathead and blue catfish species (photo credit Texas Parks and wildlife – pwd.texas.gov).

General Description

Like with flathead catfish, the coloration of the channel catfish can vary, and in the case of the channel catfish, they can have an olive, light brown, or grey coloration depending on the body of water.

Some channel catfish may feature speckles or mottled colorations, while others may not feature any additional markings at all.



The top end of the size and weight for that channel catfish, while still large compared to other freshwater fish, is much smaller than the blue and flathead catfish, with 40 to 50 pounds in weight being the typical maximum.

The average weight and length for a channel catfish caught in any given body of water is around 2-4 pounds and 12-26 inches in length.



Distribution

Channel catfish can be found in the Nearctic of Canada and are widespread throughout southern Canada. The channel catfish is found throughout the eastern two-thirds of the United States as well as the northeastern coast of Mexico.

holding channel catfish

The Channel Catfish has also been introduced to waters outside of their native ranges, such as states in the U.S. like California and in landlocked bodies of water in Europe, most notably in the Czech Republic and Romania (photo credit: University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources – calfish.ucdavis.edu).

Europe isn’t the only place with bodies of water hosting stocked populations of channel catfish, they can also be found in parts of Malaysia and Indonesia in Southeast Asia.



Diet of the Channel Catfish

Like other species of catfish, the diet of the channel catfish is quite diverse, and they will feed on everything from small fish like perch and sunfish to snails, worms, insects, crayfish, frogs, small birds, and small mammals.

Channel catfish will also feed on other food sources like algae, nuts, seeds, grains, and aquatic plants.

Blue Catfish

blue catfish

The blue catfish is the largest species of catfish in North America, but compared to the channel catfish, they inhabit a much smaller range (photo credit: Tennessee Aquarium – tnaqua.org).



General Description

Smaller blue catfish are often misidentified as channel catfish due to their coloration, which at times is very close to the gray coloration of some channel catfish.

Blue catfish have a blue-blueish-gray coloration and have a very bulky and wide body shape. The fish features a prominent dorsal hump on its back when they get to adult size, which is a great identifier.

Whereas flathead and channel catfish and a lower protruding jaw, the blue catfish has an upper protruding jaw, along with the barbels that are the characteristic feature of all catfish.

The tail is deeply forked on the blue catfish, and a failsafe way to identify a blue catfish is to count the anal fin rays. The blue catfish has anywhere from 30-36 rays, while channel catfish have 25-29 fin rays.

two men with a blue catfish

The blue catfish is the largest species of catfish in North America, but compared to the channel catfish, they inhabit a much smaller range.



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Distribution

The main region of waterways hosting blue catfish is the Mississippi river and its’ tributaries, which include the Tennessee, Ohio, Arkansas, and Missouri rivers.

Some other rivers hold native populations, such as the Des Moines in Southern Iowa and the Rio Grande river.



The blue catfish range also extends far south, farther than any other catfish in the United States, and follows the eastern coast of Mexico to the countries of Belize and Guatemala.

Blue catfish have also been stocked in many different reservoirs and lakes throughout the southeastern United States.


Catch and release of a blue catfish.

Diet of the Blue Catfish

The diet of the blue catfish consists of mussels, small fish, crayfish, frogs, and other semi-aquatic and aquatic prey. Blue catfish are opportunistic feeders like all catfish, and will eat almost anything that is deemed edible.

Blue catfish prefer to eat food that is already dead or wounded and will congregate near the spillways of dams to feed upon fish and animals that are disoriented, killed, or wounded from going through the spillways

Bonus Catfish: The Wels Catfish

wels catfish

We decided to add a very interesting catfish to this discussion, and while they are not in North America, catfish anglers in the states can appreciate the Wels catfish simply for what it is (photo credit: Watershed Council – watershedcouncil.org).

General Description

The Wels catfish can grow to incredibly large sizes, with reports of massive fish weighing 440-550 pounds recorded in the last two centuries.

The fish, on average today, can reach lengths of 5-6 feet, and fish weighing well in excess of 100-150 pounds are still somewhat common.



The anatomy of the Wels catfish is quite different from the catfish in North America, and the body drastically tapers with a very large head narrowing down towards the tail.

The anal fin of the Wels catfish is much longer than those of other catfish as well, with the anal fin following half the length of the body.

The Wels catfish is the largest freshwater fish in Europe and Western Asia.

Distribution

man with giant wels catfish

The Wels catfish can be found throughout most of Europe and is a dominant fish species in all of Eastern Europe (photo credit: deviantart.com)

The range of the fish extends from Europe to the northern regions of the Middle East and continues eastward into western Asia, with large populations in Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan.



Diet of the Wels Catfish

Catfish that can reach the size of the Wels catfish can eat larger prey like ducks, birds like pigeons, and small to mid-sized land animals, snakes, and fish of varying sizes.

There have been reports of the Wels catfish feeding on people’s pets.



Final Thoughts On Types Of Catfish

There you have it, the general information on the three main species of catfish in North America, plus the bonus Wels catfish, which holds a legendary status in the regions where they are found.