Now that’s an interesting light raft option—NRS Approach 120

Matt B

Matt B

RAMONES
Forum Supporter
This thing looks like it’d be a blast, highly capable and fishable and also plug and play. Stripped down, it’s 120 lbs.

www.theflyfishjournal.com

If You Don't Row You Don't Go - The FlyFish Journal

Looking for a new fly fishing raft? The NRS Approach 120 should be on your list for a highly capable, trailer free and very portable option.
www.theflyfishjournal.com www.theflyfishjournal.com

It’s also $4995. Looks pretty sweet though.
www.nrs.com

NRS Approach 120 Fishing Raft Two-Person Package

Catch the adventure wherever your rig can take you and wherever your buddy wants to explore in the Approach 120 fishing raft. The perfect size for two anglers and gear, the Approach 120 is built to access remote headwaters and, even when fully rigged, doesn’t need a trailer to transport it.
www.nrs.com www.nrs.com
 
That looks like a great little boat. No trailer issues, no need to have a giant truck to tow it (or launch it), and will get you just about anywhere safely. Would be about the same pain to store as most other boats, though. You don't want to be deflating and inflating a raft every time you go fishing, so you'd probably want to keep it at least mostly inflated, which eats space. Of course, they all have that issue....

It is about the same price as a stripped down drift boat, which seems high for a raft, but the advantages would probably be worth the money.
 
Looks very much like the Flycraft (V 2.0) but slightly heavier with the dry box storage and longer rowing frame. I have the Flycraft which comes in at 103# compared to the Approach range from 120 to 160#. Looks like a really good fishing and easy rowing machine.
 
Those smaller rafts are super slick. A buddy has the outcast Stryker...super nice little raft.
 
Salmo_g said:
Looks very much like the Flycraft (V 2.0) but slightly heavier with the dry box storage and longer rowing frame. I have the Flycraft which comes in at 103# compared to the Approach range from 120 to 160#. Looks like a really good fishing and easy rowing machine.
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Is it safe to say the NRS Approach's frame is "beefier"? Something about the Stealthcraft and Flycraft frames and overall builds look less robust to me, but that's purely speculation and vibes, I never looked into it. I trust NRS, ya know?
 
Don't know if the NRS is beefier. It does look like it might be slightly larger diameter tubing. The Flycraft frame is aluminum; I didn't check on the Approach frame material. Seems plenty strong enough. Given the raft tube diameter and width to length ratio, I'm not floating anything more than Class II, easy Class III.
 
I've been thinking about transporting my NRS Slipstream 96 in my truck bed like that but the thought of driving over 405 & 90 with the back hanging out 3 feet makes me uncomfortable but maybe I just need to get over it.
 
jeradjames said:
I've been thinking about transporting my NRS Slipstream 96 in my truck bed like that but the thought of driving over 405 & 90 with the back hanging out 3 feet makes me uncomfortable but maybe I just need to get over it.
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Could make some sort of bed-extension so at least it’s hanging over on something rigid?
 
Just strap it in appropriately and you're good to go.
 
Salmo_g said:
Don't know if the NRS is beefier. It does look like it might be slightly larger diameter tubing. The Flycraft frame is aluminum; I didn't check on the Approach frame material. Seems plenty strong enough. Given the raft tube diameter and width to length ratio, I'm not floating anything more than Class II, easy Class III.
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It does look a little on the narrow side.
 
I have a buddy who has the flycraft stealth 2.0 which is pretty similar to this size wise. It feel sturdy enough, but definitely not the same as a full sized raft with frame.

For transporting he deflates it some and shoves it into the bed of his Jeep Gladiator, he uses a bed extender to help support it since those have the shortest, most useless, bed this this side of a Cybertruck. Because it has to be deflated some he also has to remove the frame. So setting up riverside isn't quite as simple as it could be. This would probably be less of a problem with a truck that has a remotely normal sized bed.

I also agree that at 52" and fairly high seats the flycraft feels super tippy. Even some pretty light water on the Kalama felt a little sketch sitting in the front seat.

It is nice to have more places to put rods that say, a water master, and having normal oars is a plus I'd say. But the set up and tear down felt way less 'easy' than that dumb video where people throw the raft into the river off the bridge.

I figure this NRS would be pretty similar.
 
Long_Rod_Silvers said:
It does look a little on the narrow side.
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It's 48" wide. They wanted it to slide into the bed of a full size pickup. It's 5" wider than the Flycraft V 1.0. I thought the V 1.0 felt tippy when sitting in the front seat, like being in a canoe. The V 2.0 feels much more stable, and we stand to cast even without using the lean bar. The raised front seat (relative to the rear rower's seat) makes it easy to cast from a seated position, so for short casts to the bank there is usually no need to stand.
 
Attention small raft retailers: I am accepting proposals to review your small framed raft entry in a Small Raft Shootout! Now is your big chance to get exposure for your product as you pit it head-to-head against your competitors, assessed and evaluated by an experienced panel. All you have to do is let me use your product for a season or three. Or, take me on 2-5 guided trips (actual number depending on trip quality and fish poundage landed) and let me, er, the panel & l, experience your product that way.

I’m also accepting applications for the Small Raft Shootout Review Panel. SRSRP. PM me for details. We’ll be sippin’ on some sizzurp SRSRP.
 
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From what I could see this NRS has no self bailing floor?
That would be a deal breaker for me.
 
_WW_ said:
From what I could see this NRS has no self bailing floor?
That would be a deal breaker for me.
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Buried deep in the Q and A I saw an answer that the floor is “rigid” and self-bailing.
 
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