Old Town came out with their AutoPilot line of fishing kayaks in March 2020 and Wired2fish has been putting them to the test ever since. We’ve fished them in every condition, on all types of bodies of water, and targeted a long list of fish species with them. Here’s what we have to say about the lineup, and the Sportsman AutoPilot 136 model specifically.
GEAR USED
- Old Town Sportsman AutoPilot 136 Kayak
- Humminbird HELIX 7 G3 Fish Finder
- Dakota Lithium 12v 54Ah Deep Cycle Battery
- Dakota Lithium 12v 100Ah Deep Cycle Battery
- Power-Pole Micro Shallow Water Anchor
- Power-Pole Micro Battery Pack And Charger Combo
- Malone WideTrak Cart
- Malone MicroSport LowBed Trailer
- Yakima EasyRider Kayak Trailer
- Mustang Elite Inflatable PFD
- Lew’s Team Pro Ti Speed Stick Casting Rod
- Lew’s Team Pro Ti SLP Speed Spool Casting Reel
- StrikeMaster 24v Lithium Ice Auger
Wired2fish staffer and kayak fishing junky McKeon Roberts celebrates the spring thaw by dragging his Old Town AutoPilot 136 out on a frozen lake while reminiscing on the past year fishing in the kayak. Roberts discusses what you can expect if you’re thinking about getting into the Minn Kota-powered Old Town Sportsman AutoPilot line and what he feels makes these kayaks so effective for fishing.
KEY TAKEAWAYS & LESSONS LEARNED
- Accessibility: kayaks go places boats cannot which provides you the opportunity to chase unpressured fish (aka – willing biters).
- Excellent Stability: while this is a heavy kayak, with that, it provides unmatched stability while fishing in wind, waves, and current.
- Spacious: there’s room for tons of rods, tackle, and camping gear for any adventure.
- Fishabilty: with the use of an iPilot hand remote (FOB), this kayak is virtually hands-free for maximum fishability.
- Anchoring: from Spot-Lock to a shallow water anchor, you can keep this kayak pinned to a spot for thoroughly fishing an area, handing fish, re-rigging, or just taking a break.
- Add a Fish Finder with Custom Mapping Capability: properly rigged, this kayak makes custom mapping hard-to-reach bodies of water quick and easy.
- Battery Life: Use lithium-ion deep cycle batteries to save weight and have consistent, reliable, all day power.
