Thinking About Buying A Kayak

[McAlpine]

Need some advice. I have never been in a kayak nor in a canoe for probably 20 years. Have some of the best smallmouth water in the country near me that I can't fish in my boat. Been on a major diet/workout regimen and I think my gift to myself at the end will be a fishing kayak.

So.... Sit in or sit on? And why?

What about propulsion? Paddle or foot pedal? The latter seems nice as it would be hands free. Any brands preferred? Is one more stable than the other if I want to stand up in it?

Anything else you can add will help!

[kikstand454]

Best advice....seriously. ...is to go and try out as many as possible. Rent them, go to demo days, join a local forum and ask to borrow/ tag along in as many as you can. Every persons needs/wants are different as is every persons habitat of use. I could go on and on about how the length and speed of my Wilderness Systems Tarpon140 is just awesome for me, but it'd be useless to someone who mostly fishes small waters or rapids. It also doesn't lend itself to standing up! I also have absolutely zero need/desire/love for a sit inside. ....but people up north may have their reasons for wanting one. Research as much as you can online, then demo as much as you can in real life. Don't be afraid of the cheaper big box offerings because here's reality- no matter what you get, after a while in one you're going to either want to upgrade or find you have no interest in continuing. Either way you're not out much. Research the "budget" yaks and pick one that best suits your needs. However- don't forget that as with most things, the gently used market is the beat deal on a true quality yak. I got my $950 tarpon in like new condition with a seat, paddle and life jacket for $400.

Demo demo demo.

Buying a kayak is one of the best decisions I ever made. Period.

Good luck!

[B@ssCrzy]

I agree with demoing them if you can, but sometimes you just can't.  If that is the case the good thing is that yaks seem to hold their value pretty well so you may take a small loss, but will be able to get a big chunk of your money out of it again if you feel you made a mistake in your purchase.  I was unable to demo my kayak before I bought it, but am happy with what I got.  I bought a Jackson Cuda 12 and it has been great.  Don't see myself ever upgrading, unless it is for a pedal yak.  For me sit-on-top is the way to go.   You are going to get water in the yak no matter what from fish, your paddle, etc.  So not having to sponge out the extra water, etc is great.  The other thing that I see is even more important is that a sit-on-top makes self-rescue if you flip it so much easier.  In cold water that could save your life.  I think there are certain yaks that are definitely more stable and mainly that is attributed to width.  Check out yakangler. com and their reviews.  You will be able to find those that best fit your needs.  The best thing that I like about the cuda is the seat.  For me it is very comfortable.  The "camp" style seat and the ability to have a high and low setting on the yak is very nice.  There are other brands that offer that type of seat and I am sure they are very comfortable as well.  Starting next month as fall starts to roll around you should be able to find some great deals on used kayaks on craigslist.  Good luck!!

[Droppingshot]

I'm happy with my wilderness systems ride 115 but if I had the money I would get a hobie with mirage drive for sure. Being able to fish while controlling yourself is key. One of the most dificult things to do in a kayak is hold yourself against wind or current, mirage drive solves that. At a hefty price I might add

[Felix77]

I treated myself to a fishing yak after achieving some diet goals as well.  This was a way to transform my habits to be more active.  You won't regret the choice no matter what you get.

 

With that said I did a bunch of research and for me it ended up with the Ride 115x.  It is extremely stable and the fishfinder console works great for me.  Go to a kayak shop and at the very least sit in them to get a sense for what they are going to be like when riding it.  If you can actually get them wet then take advantage of it.

 

Good luck!

[McAlpine]

Great advice guys, thanks. Only thing I am stumped on is how to find a place that will let me demo one.

Just for grins I've been looking when I go into the local dicks, cabelas and bass pro. The local bps just got in the ascend yak's and the storage options look great plus it's pretty cheap.

The one that just won best of show at incast looks pretty awesome too.

I watch kentucky afield every week and the host sometimes fishes out of a hobie or another brand I think both with pedal power of some sort. He had a motorcycle accident and lost the use of his right hand but gets arround in these great. They look like they would be awesome for fishing.

[DogBone_384]

I'm going to repeat what almost everyone has already said: go try as many as you can. This is my first year kayak fishing for which I ended up buying an Ascend 128T and a Feelfree Lure 11.5 so someone else (wife/daughter/friend) can come along.

My 128T is big, stable, is loaded with accessories out of the gate, but it's fit/finish is a notch below my Lure. The Lure's keel mounted wheel is very helpful getting to & from the water.

Both kayaks have great seats, which should be a priority if you plan on spending a lot of time on the water.

The Feelfree's integrated handles (midship) make it easier to lift onto my truck's ladder rack than my 128T, though it's manageable too.

The 128T's storage, deck size, and drink holder are advantages over my Lure.

I live by the ocean and have had both in fresh & salt waters - the Lure glides a little better and the Ascend tracks straight and true.

So far both make great fishing kayaks - the 128T costs roughly 2/3 the Lure, for what it's worth.

Best of luck with your choice, and regardless of the model you end up with, Kayak fishing opens up a whole new world that pedestrians and bass boats can't touch.