Kayak Recommendations

[fishking247]

i am looking to buy my first kayak this winter. i am rather tall at 6'3". i think i want to go with a sit on top due to safety reasons. i am just looking for some recommendations. the kayak will be used in small ponds and lakes (120 acres and less). i was looking at the ocean kayaks but i know nothing about them.

[WV Mojo]

I've got an Emotion Mojo Angler kayak that I use for small lakes and slow moving rivers. I'm 6' tall and I have the foot pegs set about half as far forward as they will go. It comes with 2 flush mounted rod holders and a Scotty rod holder. With the rod holders on my crate I usually carry 4 rods. The thing I don't like about it is the scupper holes in the seat, they can be plugged though. I bought mine at directboats.com, took about 2 weeks to get. I bought the Emotion Slingshot Paddle with it. The kayak paddles very easily. When casting a large swimbait I don't even need to paddle around the lake, casting and reeling the swimbait is enough to move the kayak around.

[flyfisher]

There are a lot of nice kayaks out there that will easily handle a guy your size. if you are looking at primarily flatwater and smaller lakes i would recommend taking a hard look at some of the hybrid boats out there like native ultimate or the wilderness systems commander. Both are great boats that paddle well and make it easy to stand and fish when needed. I personally have the commander 120 as my flatwater boat and it is a great boat. Tons of storage super stable and easy to rig how you want with teh slide trax on both the top and the sides of the boat.

There are also some of the new jackson boats out there that look pretty nice as wekk like the cuda 12 which gives you a high seat position and also the ability to stand with the self draining capability of a standard SOT.

I am pretty sure JFrancho paddles an OK so i am sure he will chime in....

Above all else if you can get out and paddle a few different boats on a demo day somewhere you will be able to easily determine which boat you want.

[Hanover_Yakker]

As an avid kayak angler, I feel I can offer several tidbits of information based upon personal experience and having paddled a variety of different kayaks. My first piece of advice is to browse the various kayak forums for information and reviews on different kayak styles and models. Second, check out your local kayak shop and get several hands on days to check out the various models. Third, schedule a demo or check with other kayakers in the area (the forums are great for this) and meet up with a few of them to try out theirs. If you do this, make it a point to take a notepad with you in your car, so that you can summarize your experience when you are done. All of these pieces of information will go a long way ot helping you make your decision. With that said, your initial thoughts on a SOT (Sit On Top) over a SINK (Sit INside Kayak) are correct relative to safety, but SINKs have their place and are very useful (the Wilderness Pungo 120 and Jackson Kayak Daytrippers are favorites of several people I know).

With that said, the next step is to take into consideration your current fishing style and future desires or styles you will make an honest effort or investment in pursuing. What I mean here is what is your preferred style of fishing you do 75-80% of the time? If you are a fly fisherman, then your kayak choices may differ from someone who is a live liner and soacks minnows all day long, just like it would differ from someone who fished tidal creeks and large saltwater bays and sounds - kayak length will be a huge factor here. Here are some of the factors about you to consider:

1. Fishing equipment - are you a gear junkie that carries everything you own or can you scale back to 2-3 rods with a couple tackle trays and maybe a binder or bag for soft plastics.

2. Physical abilities - any limitations in range of movement, flexibility? Shoulder, back, knees, foot arches, etc. are all considerations that factor into which kayak to decide upon.

3. Method of transporting the kayak - do you have a truck? If not, then you might need some form of rack system for the top of your vehicle. Additional costs to keep in mind.

4. Method of storing the kayak - it is not recommended to just leave any kayak on the ground or hard flat surface. It is also not advisable to leave it out in the sun unprotected.

5. Method of launching the kayak - not all locations have a dedicated hand launch or ramp close, so you may need a cart of some form to transport your kayak to the water's edge. Also, unless you have afriend that will be fishing with you, you won't have anyone to help you load or unload the kayak!

6. Additional safety equipment required - a Class III PFD (required), a properly sized paddle, a handheld VHF radio (saltwater only), a light visible from 360 degrees, cold water gear if you plan on fishing in water temps below 60 degrees and air temps below 60, etc.

7. Other accessories - paddle leashes, rod holders, rod leashes or floats, crate or tackle storage of some form, kayak straps to secure the kayak, etc.

When it comes time to start narrowing down your choices, it is time to start thinking about the various styles of kayaks and their uses. There are several models out there that are designed for specific purpose.....Keep in mind the models listed are just a sampling of ones to look at.......

Paddle based kayaks......

River/Creeks - look for kayaks in the 10-12 foot range (Jackson Coosa, Tarpon 100/120, Commander 120, Ride 115, Native Manta Ray 11/12, Slayer 12 or Ultimate 12, Ocean Kayak Trident 11 or Tetra 10/12, Diablo Paddlesports, etc)

Ponds/small lakes - kayaks in the 12-14 foot range (Jackson Cuda 12, Tarpon 120/140, Commander140, Ride 135, Native Slayer 12/14 or Ultimate 14, Ocean Kayak Trident 13, Prowler Big Game, etc)

Large Reservoirs - any kayak in the 13 foot or larger (Cuda 12 or 14, Tarpon 140/160, Commander 140, Slayer 14 or Ultimate 14, Trident 13/15, etc.)

Saltwater - same as large reservoirs.

Non-paddle (you provide propulsion via another means)

Ocean Kayak - Torque series (Minn Kota based)

Native - Mariner and Propel series

Hobie - mirage drive based kayaks

Other - addition of a kit from Torqueedo,, BassYaks, etc to any of the kayaks on the market.

If you are diligent in your testing sessions, you will notice that certain platforms will transfer to various bodies of water with little or no limitations.

Now, if you are cost conscious, there are several options to consider:

Demo kayaks - your local kayak store will have last year's models and the ones they rent out or use at demo days at a deeply discounted price.

Perception Pescador and Sport Caster are 2008 Wilderness Systems molds sold to Perception - same hulls as the old Tarpon and Ride series

Pompano - West Marine branded hull using the same molds as Perception

Ascend - Bass Pro Shops branded kayaks (tend to be a litte on the heavy side compared to other brands of similar/same size)

Craigslist - winter time is the perfect time to get one used - this is the time of year when people learn they need more space in the garage and are not as interested as they were in summer

The one factor that is often overlooked and in my opinion the most critical is COMFORT!!! If you sit in a kayak in the store and are uncomfortable within the first few minutes, imagine how you are going to feel after an hour? 2? 4?, etc...... The only way to truly figure all this stuff out is paddle as many different varieties as possible in different water conditions.

If you have any questions, don't be afraid to ask. Hope you find all of this helpful. Good luck.