Kayak Buying Advice

[Big Easy Bassin']

I'm looking into buying my first kayak. Just want to get some advice from some guys with kayak fishing experience before I spend the money. I'm a little bit of a bigger guy, but not tall lol. I'm 5'10" and around 240lbs. I would be using it in a park lagoon system to start, and then advancing to some good ole South Louisiana marsh, so open water and waves will not be an issue. I obviously won't be attempting it the first time out, but I'd like something stable enough for me to stand and fish. I'm not a cheap person when it comes to fishing gear, but I certainly don't want to break the bank on my first yak. My budget is in the $1000-$1300 range. Hoping someone can give me some models that will suit someone my size in the types of areas I plan to fish that are in my price range. Thanks in advance for any input guys

[clayton86]

Look for a wilderness systems ride 115 or 135. Great stable boats easily can stand in them but once standing foot room is a little limited. If you can find a good sale or one used check out the wilderness ATAK you can definitely stand in it and move around quite a bit the thing is a floating dock. 

[DogBone_384]

A few questions you should ask yourself : 

What's your budget?

Sit-on-top or sit-in?

Paddle or pedal power?

Will I sit/stand/both while fishing? 

How comfortable is the seat?

How will I transport it; how heavy is it?

That's just a few items. Rigging, rod holders, transucer location, where it's manufactured, and so on... 

I own an Ascend 128T & FeelFree Lure 11.5 and like them both very much. They're both all day comfortable (the Lure's seat elevates and the 128T's swivels), stand up stable, and resonably priced. The Lure is lighter than the Ascend, but the Ascend accepts a transom mount trolling motor straight away.

Lastly, try to paddle them before you buy.

Best of luck. No matter which one you buy, you're going to love kayak fishing.

 

[buzzed bait]

ride 115 would be solid.  i have a 135 and really like it, but a 115 would be a little easier to manage at times!

[Darren.]

5 hours ago, clayton86 said:

Look for a wilderness systems ride 115 or 135. Great stable boats easily can stand in them but once standing foot room is a little limited. If you can find a good sale or one used check out the wilderness ATAK you can definitely stand in it and move around quite a bit the thing is a floating dock. 

Seeing how you're now sponsored by WS
shouldn't that be a disclaimer?  

[Big Easy Bassin']

10 hours ago, DogBone_384 said:

A few questions you should ask yourself : 

What's your budget?

Sit-on-top or sit-in?

Paddle or pedal power?

Will I sit/stand/both while fishing? 

How comfortable is the seat?

How will I transport it; how heavy is it?

That's just a few items. Rigging, rod holders, transucer location, where it's manufactured, and so on... 

I own an Ascend 128T & FeelFree Lure 11.5 and like them both very much. They're both all day comfortable (the Lure's seat elevates and the 128T's swivels), stand up stable, and resonably priced. The Lure is lighter than the Ascend, but the Ascend accepts a transom mount trolling motor straight away.

Lastly, try to paddle them before you buy.

Best of luck. No matter which one you buy, you're going to love kayak fishing.

 

I've been looking at the FeelFree Lure as one of my top choices. A trolling motor won't be necessary in most of the places I normally fish, so that's not a deal breaker. I love the seat in the Lure, and it's in my price range. How easy is it to add accessories to the Lure? I'm a mechanic and a do-it's-yourself kind a guy, but I'm just wondering if there's reasonable and practical spots to mount stuff. 

[flyfisher]

Mounting accessories on any kayak is easy, especially if you use track systems.  Don't mount anything permanently though until you get out a bunch times.  My last boat i purchased i went out probably a dozen times before mounting anything and that was my 6th boat i think so far....

I would recommend paddling any kayak if at all possible.  

[DogBone_384]

56 minutes ago, Big Easy Bassin' said:

I've been looking at the FeelFree Lure as one of my top choices. A trolling motor won't be necessary in most of the places I normally fish, so that's not a deal breaker. I love the seat in the Lure, and it's in my price range. How easy is it to add accessories to the Lure? I'm a mechanic and a do-it's-yourself kind a guy, but I'm just wondering if there's reasonable and practical spots to mount stuff. 

It's a breeze to add accessories to the Lure. Mine is a '14 and required a scupper mount for my Lowrance's transducer. I found good rubber grommets at Lowes and ran my wires in the hull and can stow the Lowrance connector cables inside when I'm not using the kayak.  It's a nice, clean install.

FeelFree has accessory mounts for their rails. The new Lures have an electronics pod if I'm not mistaken. I have one rod holder and Lowrance mount on the front rails. I use a second Scotty rod holder on the rear rails to troll.

I also added anchor trolleys to both sides.

FeelFree also has a big console that sits in front of you, connecting between the rails, but that's much more than I need.  Visit their website.

Of my plastic fleet,  my Lure is my favorite. All day comfortable and light enough to hoist onto my ladder racks at the end of a full day fishing.

[run23]

take a look at the Vibe Seaghost 130. 
if you can find a 2016 model, they are under your budget, comes with a paddle (pretty stock aluminum paddle, but more than capable of getting you around), scupper plugs and a toe control rudder. it has a weight capacity of over 500 lbs and a real comfy chair. a couple features i enjoy in mine are the paddle park and the two tackle box holders on both sides of your chair that fits plano boxes (3600). 

i'm 6' 215lbs and have no problems standing. 

here's a pic of mine in case it helps to see one in the wild. 

 

[Flywatersmallie]

18 hours ago, DogBone_384 said:

It's a breeze to add accessories to the Lure. Mine is a '14 and required a scupper mount for my Lowrance's transducer. I found good rubber grommets at Lowes and ran my wires in the hull and can stow the Lowrance connector cables inside when I'm not using the kayak.  It's a nice, clean install.

FeelFree has accessory mounts for their rails. The new Lures have an electronics pod if I'm not mistaken. I have one rod holder and Lowrance mount on the front rails. I use a second Scotty rod holder on the rear rails to troll.

I also added anchor trolleys to both sides.

FeelFree also has a big console that sits in front of you, connecting between the rails, but that's much more than I need.  Visit their website.

Of my plastic fleet,  my Lure is my favorite. All day comfortable and light enough to hoist onto my ladder racks at the end of a full day fishing.

I've got a 2016 Lure, actually 2, the 10 and 11.5, and yes, the 11.5 and 13.5 do come with the sonar pod. The only drilling I have on my 11.5 is the anchor trolley and have a fishfinder on both. As Dogbone said, they're fairly easy and clean installs even without the pod. I have had 5 different kayaks before I got the first Lure, all left me wanting SOMETHING. I dont get that with the Lures. they are remarkable fishing platforms that actually paddle and track much better than you would expect out of such a wide kayak. I am definitely happy with my current fleet! Feelfree got it right with these, cant recommend them enough

[Quesenek]

Which ever one you decide on make sure it has a raised seat, for example like the one in the Ascend H12.

I never thought about it before I bought my first kayak, however now its at the top of my list for my second kayak.

[wpwarhawk]

You and I are about the same size, but I.m probably older at 56 and have a bad back and some stability issues.  So standing in a kayak is out for me.  My priorities are stability, a comfortable seat, and ease of paddling. 

I ended up with a Jackson Tripper 12, I was looking for a Kilroy, but the local dealers didn't have any in stock. I wound up trading for the Tripper 12 which is the recreational version of the Kilroy. I added some yak attack track, non skid flooring, and a crate with rod holders. Now it's just about perfect for me. 

The Kilroy (and Tripper 12) are hybrids, like the Ascend H12 mentioned above.  I really like the hybrid kayaks and unless I was out in big waves, like in the open ocean, I would choose a hybrid.