Feel Free Kayaks

[Montanaro]

Just learned about these today and they look nice. Anyone experience one? What are the options for trolling motors as I have bad shoulders. Nucanoe has a bracket for foot operated tm but I wanted to check all my options

[microotter]

I am in a kayak fishing club and some of the people there said that their plastic is flimsy compared to jackson, old town, wilderness systems, and native kayaks. Others seem to really like them. I really like the wheel in the keel design that they use. I have never paddled one. I know guys that have trolling motors on native ultimates as well as old town predators. Not saying that it can't be done. The feel frees are made over seas also. This matters to some people and not so much to others. They seem to be a great deal.

[Montanaro]

Sorry I thought I was on right forum...

Yeah the wheel design is great and useful for me.

[boostr]

Don't know about flimsy plastic, I've hit and ran over plenty of rocks and boulders, and still no holes. Haven't heard anybody complaining about the plastic cracking or what not. I love my Lure 11.5.

[boostr]

But then again I haven't hit the white water rapids which I don't intend to...

[keyvike]

Feelfree makes great fishing kayaks. The Moken and Lure series are very nice but they are not designed to use with a trolling motor. If that is what you really want then take a look at the Minnkota powered Old Town Predator XL... that design has had me drooling since it came out last year. I fish out of a Native slayer 12 and it is a good kayak and I like it but their are many new models that have hit the market in the past year that I think I would like even better. QUICK GET THAT YAK MONKEY OFF MY BACK! 

[rippin-lips]

My buddy just got a lure 13.5 and he had the 11.5 prior to that. I paddled the 11.5 around a bit. It's a nice yak. Seat and standing area are very nice. The 13.5 is even better with all the storage it has. The lure 11.5 might replace my Ride 115x come next spring. Hate to say that.

[Scott F]

A friend of mine has the 10 footer. It has the best seat I've ever seen on a kayak.

[Montanaro]

The Old Town Is okay, I've Seen It At field and stream and it's expensive. Also you have to adjust speed by hand,so no standing and trolling.

[The Young Gun]

I work fulltime for a feelfree kayak dealer in Tomahawk, WI and the lure 11.5 in blue camo is my favorite fishing kayak. Im 185lbs and can fully jump and land back in the kayak without tipping over. The three way gravity seat is very comfortable and the amount of options and accessories is endless.. On the model I demo for people at the shop it is outfitted with a 250cm feelfree paddle, unibar, and a helix 5 fishfinder with the feelfree rod/cooler crate in the back. It is a hell of a yak. And being able to roll it, is awesome. Let me know If I can help with any questions!

[THE BASS WHISPERER]

have you ever thought about the hobie cat pro aNGLER 14/12 ? You use your feet to propel the kayak. i have one , and one for sale. they are pricey but worth every penny. look at the hobie cat web site. you will be impressed.

[Montanaro]

I know about Hobe but mirage drive was designed more for saltwater fishermen.

Being able to stand and propel myself efficiently for pitching heavy cover is important to me. I'll probably go nucanoe but the more I look at feel free the more I like them.

[lmbfisherman]

Hrm that actually looks pretty nice.  I'm thinking of buying a new kayak for my or daughter probably in 2016.  The 11.5 might be the ticket.

[Montanaro]

Going to look into them this weekend and can get a deal on the 11.5

Does it come with flush holders? The dealer said one Trac mount is like 100 bucks. I'd like just one for depth finder

[kschultz76]

Test paddle all you can and find what works for you. I'm both and an avid angler and pretty avid paddler. I have been fishing out of my WS Tsunami 120 for a few years and mostly with no issue. But fishing out of 25" wide day touring kayak with four rods plus tackle is tricky.

This past weekend I went test paddled fishing kayaks planning to get a dedicated boat for it. Because I've spent a lot of time in touring boats and also have seat time in ww boats I just can't get right with a sit on top. My research lead me to the Jackson Kilroy, and from the 20 min test I took the boat is awesome, and has some features that truly work. I was amazed at my ability to stand in this boat, turn around to fish different directions, pitch and cast while standing. Paddling in it is very comfortable and I was surprised at well it paddled given its width and weight. The rod holders/tubes inside are great I made sure to test them. Long story short I've ordered one in Forest Camo. Check it out, and if you like sit on tops look at the Cuda, similar hull.

Now I also tried a Native Ultimate 12 and while it was ok, standing stability was an exercise in balance and trust, took too much concentration. Also didn't care for how it paddled, it just didn't track well or handle well. Also didn't have the storage and organization features of the Kilroy which I think I will really enjoy.

Good luck with your search!

[J Francho]

You might want to look into the hull weights of the boats you're looking at, if you have lifting issues. The Old Town is over 100 lbs. the NuCanoe is pretty heavy too, as is the Lure. A Hobie is out of the question. I'm not sure a TM is straight forward for the Lure. You might consider a Wilderness Systems Commander. The 140 is only 65 lbs. Hookup for a TM is straight forward, and two seating positions, plus a stable platform that even a big guy can stand in makes it ideal.

[Montanaro]

Hull weight isn't an issue. I've come to the conclusion that I'm not gonna find a kayak that's designed with standing foot control as of now. Better to find a kayak with features I want and just paddle like everyone else.

[J Francho]

ATAK, if you control the new prop pod with your toes, lol. Your probably looking for a pond prowler or something similar for bass boat like control. Or you can fish a kayak like a kayak, like you said. It's every bit as efficient, if you have the right tools: drag chain, stakeout pole, steering with your bait, etc.

[Darren.]

The Lure looks to be a fantastic yak for the money.

 

I've kept a keen eye on them since their release.

 

That said, I own a Native Ultimate 12 which I love.

Picked it over the Commander due to comfort of standing

in the Native's convex pontoons vs. the Commander's

concave - at least that's how I see them.

 

Regardless. If you have an ounce of ingenuity, you could

fashion a mount for a trolling motor (as I've done) and be

happy happy happy.

 

There are DIY videos and web sites out there. Or, if you 

prefer, you can buy a kit from BassYaks for the Lure. Steve

makes a killer e-yak setup and from everything I've read and

seen, it is worth the extra $$. Better than a DIY...or at least

MY DIY, LOL.

[boostr]

Going to look into them this weekend and can get a deal on the 11.5

Does it come with flush holders? The dealer said one Trac mount is like 100 bucks. I'd like just one for depth finder

It has 2 flush mounts behind the seat, and the track mount adapter is like 25 bucks. It's a plate with holes in it where you can attach rod holders and FFs. The Uni Bar is the piece that goes across in front of you and attaches to the tracks on the left and right sorta like a dash board, that's 199 bucks with three adapter plates and less without them.

http://feelfreeus.com/accessories/fishing-accessories/

[DogBone_384]

I bought a Lure 11.5 in April '14 because I paddled it before I bought it.  Ialso own an Ascend 128T and Native Redfish 10 kayaks and like/use the Lure the most.

 

I can't help you with a trolling motor, but I can say the it's a great fishing kayak.  It's weight is reasonable.  I can hoist it on my pickup's ladder rack unassisted at the end of a day fishing.  It's plenty steady for stand up casting (which I did for 4 hours this morning.)  Storage is good.  I used a scupper hole for my Lowrance's transponder.  The seat is ALL DAY comfortable.  Also, the wheel in the keel aids transporting short distances from my truck to the water.  

 

Like other members already mentioned, try to test paddle as many kayaks as you can before jumping in.  Each mfg. has their strong points.  Read forums and paddle.... and follow your gut, when you buy.

 

Best of luck with your kayak.

[Montanaro]

He must have thought I meant the uni bar which I don't have much need for.

A mount for a FF and a mount for a rod holder should be enough. Would like a stake anchor but a power pole micro would be fantastic.

[boostr]

That's what I plan on doing get 2 mounting plate adapters, one for the FF and one for a rod so I can do a little trolling on the way to a spot, and back to the "ramp"

[J Francho]

Trolling is usually done at .5 to 1.25 mph. That's a really slow paddle. No effort paddling usually gets me to almost 3 mph. For that reason, trolling is something I do on a particular place, not something I do going from place to place. Make sense?

[Montanaro]

Personally I'm not concerned with trolling. Just need a convenient place to put my rod while I get on phone or prepare a rig.