Fishing Kayaks

[flyfishinx2]

Who has one and what kind do you have? How do you like it? I've been researching them and I really want one now, am leaning towards one made by Ocean Kayak.

 

[STONEMAN]

Ocean kayak Angler. If I had it to do over, seat comfort would be top priority.

 

[PocketWater]

I have a future beach 126 kayak. It is a sit in kayak. If I could do it over again, I would definitely get a sit on top kayak.

 

[slay12345]

Ocean kayak trident 13, good all around SOT boat if you don't have a specific purpose or type of water body. It has better than average stats all the way around for speed stability tracking etc but there are better boats for each category. I have used mine in the bays rivers lakes and ponds.
Have you yaked before?
What kind of budget are you looking at?

 

[bigjohn58]

I own an Old Town Predator MX. It is an amazing kayak. If you buy one make sure its a new model and not one of their first run of kayaks becuase they tend to have some issues. Seems like every kayak though has some kind of issue to look out for. When it comes to fly fishing I'd look at the Old Town Predator MX and XL with out the motor, Wilderness Systems ATAK, Jackson Coosa HD, and Nucanoe Purist and Frontiers. They are all quality kayaks. Only one I would maybe consider over my MX right now is the Nucanoe Purist but I am totally happy with my purchase! All those mentioned though you should have no problem standing up in, there is a more open standing deck that will prevent your fly line from getting tangled and stuck on things, and all have very comfortable seats. For rivers you'd want something shorter, for lakes you'd want something longer. All those mentioned range from 11.5'-14' I believe. The longer they are the faster they tend to go but the harder they are to turn making them less effective on rivers. Either way I don't think you can go wrong with any of these kayaks mentioned! If you are serious definitely get one with a seat that sits up off the floor because it is way more comfortable. Also you usually get what you pay for when it comes to kayaks and also all these mentioned have very good customer relations.

 

[chromefinder]

don't buy a kayak without first paddling it to find out what you like and what fits you best... beg borrow rent and demo as many kayaks models that you can... i'm sure you'll now it when you find it.

 

[melvinp]

Have a ocean trident 13 and love it but my next one will be a wilderness.the seat is very,very important.

 

[Takem]

I have a feel free Moken. I can stand in it and it's still fast enough for the ocean. The wheel in the keel makes ramp time so easy.

 

[bearfisherman]

I have a Wilderness Pungo 120 Angler that I love. It is a sit in, but I have stood in it to cast. As previously said, try a bunch of them and see what fits best, and spend the money to get one with a good seat. If you can't sit in it for a while, you won't use it.

 

[sandfly]

Nucanoe frontier, stand up through the rapids no fear.

 

[flyfishinx2]

slay12345 wrote:
Ocean kayak trident 13, good all around SOT boat if you don't have a specific purpose or type of water body. It has better than average stats all the way around for speed stability tracking etc but there are better boats for each category. I have used mine in the bays rivers lakes and ponds.
Have you yaked before?
What kind of budget are you looking at?

I'm definitely looking for an all around yak in the 12-13 ft range. My kayaking experience is minimal but I've always wanted to do multi day river trail trips and of course it would also be used in lakes, ponds and streams. I don't know much about ocean kayaking but that's always a possibility too. I'm definitely willing to spend at least a grand on one not sure how far I'd go over. The ones at Ocean Kayak that have gotten most of my interest are in the $950 - $1050 range, maybe a little more.

 

[baileyoconnell]

Raised seats are comfortable but not good if you plan to fish in the ocean and launch "out front".

I have a Wilderness Tarpon 14 and Ocean Trident 15.

Trident 15 is a beast in the open sea.

If you are only planning sweetwater kayaking, you have plenty of options and comfort.

I recommend a test paddle of a few models. They have them at most dealers here in NJ.

 

[sandfly]

Raised seats are comfortable but not good if you plan to fish in the ocean and launch "out front".

why not I have with.

 

[bigjohn58]

sandfly wrote:

Raised seats are comfortable but not good if you plan to fish in the ocean and launch "out front".

why not I have with.

I'm with sandfly on this one. If you watch those youtube videos of the person catching the 400+ pound grooper and the one guy who was fishing for sharks both were out of an Old Town Predator MX just like I own. If you are looking at a 12 foot kayak the Preator MX is hard to beat and as sandfly mentioned that Nucanoe Frontier is a good one also and I believe both are around $1200.

 

[baileyoconnell]

Those were not northeast surf launches.

Kayaks more than 1.5 miles off shore better paddle and glide well.

I tested the Predator last year, not sure I would be off shore with it, especially on the landing. COG is much higher and the Kayak is wider than what we typically launch on the beach. Perhaps the rudder kit would help in the surf.

You can get lucky on a calm day, but the winds can pick up quickly. Can be a long way to drive to find different conditions than when you left home and hit the bay because of the surf and wind.

Not saying it can't be done, especially on the right day or conditions, however if I was going to surf launch regularly, there are better performers.

I would strongly consider it for bay, river and lakes though.

 

[schiff]

Just my 2 cents. I prefer a sit on top since I don't feel restricted. I can put my legs over either side to relax. I have a Tarpon 120 SOT and it has served me very well. I think there are a few things to consider. How big are you? How strong are you to lift it on and off your vehicle? The beauty in my mind of a yak or canoe is that you can toss it on top of the car and go. My Tarpon is about 65lbs and the canoe is 40lbs. When I messed up my shoulder, the canoe was the only boat I used because only one I could lift to the roof of the car. Seems that the trend in yaks right now is bells and whistles and wide and very heavy. Some need a trailer and that doesn't make sense to me. I personally prefer plain, simple and easy to use. Just me though. Figuring out which one is best for you is half the fun...enjoy.

 

[bigjohn58]

schiff wrote:
Just my 2 cents. I prefer a sit on top since I don't feel restricted. I can put my legs over either side to relax. I have a Tarpon 120 SOT and it has served me very well. I think there are a few things to consider. How big are you? How strong are you to lift it on and off your vehicle? The beauty in my mind of a yak or canoe is that you can toss it on top of the car and go. My Tarpon is about 65lbs and the canoe is 40lbs. When I messed up my shoulder, the canoe was the only boat I used because only one I could lift to the roof of the car. Seems that the trend in yaks right now is bells and whistles and wide and very heavy. Some need a trailer and that doesn't make sense to me. I personally prefer plain, simple and easy to use. Just me though. Figuring out which one is best for you is half the fun...enjoy.

Just get a truck lol no car topping then! Slide it in the back and away ya go! That's what I do but I am working on making a kayak rack for the back of my truck.

I also love the bells and whistles because my kayak is my boat. I can't afford a jet boat like I would want but this is the next best thing. No smallie in the river is safe from me! Storage is a lot easier then a boat too. I keep it in my basement over the winter and sits on my carport the rest of the year.

 

[bigjohn58]

Here's mine

 

[mooney4]

You might want to consider the type of water you will be fishing. I just fish fresh water, ponds and lakes and I'm looking at a Wilderness 135 Ride with the Air max seat. The kayak that I have now does not have a very comfortable seat which prevents me from fishing for long periods of time.

 

[Bosshog]

I have a Native Slayer 14.5 SOT. Super stable can easily get out of the seat to stand, paddles OK, plenty of storage space, and a killer seat with two seat positions.