Fishing Kayak Help Buying

[Chevydriver2123]

I have about 700 dollars to equip myself with a fishing kayak but with the 700 I also need a way to transport it around I have a suv. Anyone have any suggestions I was looking at field and stream eagle talon?! I don't know any insight would be great thanks everyone for your help

[sparky241]

They do have roof Riggs you can buy, a lot of guys use those

[B@ssCrzy]

If you have roof crossbars for your SUV then you just need kayak holders. For $99 the Even Keel system by Yakima is hard to beat. That would leave you with about $600 for a yak. I would strongly suggest you buy used and just get the best deal you can find on an angling yak. If you have to go new the bass pro ascend yaks seem to be the best bang for the buck in that price range. Although they are pretty heavy. Good luck. Hope you find something.

[dwtaylor]

I have an eagle talon. The seat is terrible. Not a bad yak if you don't intend on standing up, as its not the most stable.

Watch out for a memorial day sale. I got mine last year for like $400 with a coupon. Get a replacement seat though. I just ordered this seat:

http://www.austinkayak.com/products/2545/Gone-Fishin-Kayak-Seat.html

I'll see how I like it.

[Jim Mac]

I would look into the Perception Sport Striker at Dick's, $499. The Perception kayaks are very popular budget kayaks.

[Darren.]

If you have the time and patience, check out Craigslist or local adverts for kayaks in your area. Sometimes there are excellent kayaks (over $1000) that sell for far less.

 

Otherwise, you can also visit any local kayak stores and ask what they have in the demo area (like scratch-n-dent).

 

Not sure why I'm suggesting used other than some really nice yaks can be had for used dollars.

 

Otherwise, what do you want to do? Stand and fish, or planning on sitting and fishing. Standing limits your choices unless you add stabilizers.

 

Bass pro has some really nice offerings that fall under $700.

 

My Native Ultimate was a previous-year model and just a little more than your target. The Ultimates retail in the $1000 range.

 

FWIW.

[RipSomeLips]

Ok...so I just typed most of my answer and accidentally closed my browser before posting, so now you get the abbreviated version.

 

DarrenM is wise to ask you for a little more info on how you intend to use the kayak, this would help us give you the best answer. That being said I would give the following general recommendation:

Buy a SOT or Sit On Top kayak. Gives you better access to your gear (also generally includes watertight storage) and will not sink if flipped over. You can simply turn it back over and get in(remember to strap all your gear onto your kayak in case this ever happens). It also positions you slightly higher in the water which is a fishing advantage!

 

There are tons of inexpensive mods you can do to your kayak including but not limited to: additional rod holders, seat upgrades, anchor or micro power pole system, rudder, paddle leashes, scupper hole plugs, fish finders, crates for holding gear etc.

Because of this I decided to scour craigslist and get the best value kayak I could find and then if I really liked it do some upgrades until I found what I did and didn't like for a lower investment. I found a pelican castaway 116 for $200 that included a paddle, and although I know it is not the Cadillac of kayaks (mouthful) it has been a blast to use.

 

If you can't find a good used deal then the best deal in the marketplace to me right now is the following at academy sports:

http://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/pelican-castaway-100-10-kayak/pid-168331?color=Tan&N=670787849&Ntt=kayak&Ntk=All

 

The 2 big drawbacks to this Pelican castaway 100 that I have posted the link to is:

1) No water tight storage because it is not long enough to include, also 10' is on the short end and may not track as well or be great for large bodies of water.

2) Does not offer adjustable foot holders.

 

The 2 big advantages to this kayak are:

1) $200 on sale is a righteous deal!

2) Lightweight and here comes the kicker......you can fit 10' kayak in most suvs! In fact I put my front seat all the way forward and lay down my 2nd and 3rd row and my 11' 6" kayak fits in my medium SUV, it just sticks out the rear hatch glass a little. This makes it where I don't have to lift it onto the roof, or get a trailer.

 

I will tell you this, there are some really cool kayaks owned by BR members, and plenty of creative ideas of how to modify them floating around (pun intended). It would be well worth your time to spend a few minutes searching this forum before you buy! Good luck.

[dumfish]

Wilderness ride 115 advance. feelfree lure 11.5 or 10.

[flyfisher]

If your suv has cross bars just put the boat right on the cross bars and strap it down.

 

I'll second the advice on looking for a used boat if you have the time to wait for a good deal.  

 

The other thing to consider which i am not sure your budget includes or not is the price of a paddle and a PFD as those are obviously necessary once you get a kayak and will add some cost to the equation.

[Nelson Wormefeller]

If there is a bass pro shops near, you can fully outfit . I have their Ascend FS-10 $499.00 and Malone Kayak Carrier roof rack $119.00.

[Flywatersmallie]

I have the Eagle Talon. Its a good platform, stable enough to stand in. Replace the seat though. that seat stinks. I bought a new one before I even got the boat wet. Sitting in it in the driveway was enough to know.

[2833-34497]

I have four kayaks; Wilderness Tarpon 100 and Commander 120 and two 12' Hobie Pro Anglers! I like them all depending the situation, but my favorite in the Hobie Pro Angler and it's pricey along with heavy. For you I'd recommend getting a Wilderness Ride (they have 2 11.5' and 13.5') and car top it. I did the Wilderness kayak's I had on roof racks (check dealer rating 1st on racks) and used foam pipe insulation as cushioning. Most importantly go to demo's which dealers will do and try them out to find one YOU like and fits your needs and where you want to fish! I went to demos' and some I got in it and it tracked treble, other I felt I'd tip, etc. so try them out 1st and find one you're comfortable in IMO!! Good luck it's a great way to fish and my wife likes to paddle along and kick back on beaches, so I get to fish even more.   

[Blake2737]

I have an eagle talon. It's a great yak. I can stand up in it with ease. It's a good balance between stability without sacrificing speed and tracking.

[shawnmc]

I too have an Eagle Talon 12. I replaced the seat right away as well and made a difference, especially in back support.  You can see my YouTube channel below has a few vids of me fishing out of it and a little overview of when I got it.  It's not a bad starter fishing kayak.