Stable fishing kayak that won’t break the bank

[spokanefishin]

Been looking at the field and stream shadow caster 123 yak mainly because of its features. The stability to stand, adjustable seat, and the ability to cut through water fairly well. Only down fall is that it is $800. Anybody found the features of that yak for any less ( not used ) I’d greatly appreciate it if you had any better options. 

[flyfisher]

Keep an eye on the used market.  People are always trying to upgrade and unload their old stuff.  One thing I will say is it is worth waiting for the right deal or saving up a little longer.  There is also going to demo days where first off you can paddle a bunch of boats and second there are usually good deals to be had.  

 

good luck in your search!!

[Chris Chodaczek]

I bought a shadow caster a year ago and I LOVE it. I agree with the prior poster to either look on the used market or to save up for what you want. A good kayak in that price point is really worth the investment

[Turkey sandwich]

@flyfisher is spot on.  It is absolutely worth it to search for used gear or save up to get the boat you want.  An unstable kayak, or one that doesn't fish well to your style or your local waterways can be more of a hindrance than an asset.  Watching guys complain about and then try to modify low-end kayaks in Facebook groups is kind of like staring at a bad car accident.  What kills me is that the amount of time, energy, and money spent building outriggers and poorly-imagined sonar pods would have easily been better spent picking up an extra shift, doing some odd jobs, etc to have the extra cash to get something more functional.  

 

This month I saw someone use PVC pipes to build outriggers for a Sun Dolphin.  Outriggers on a Sun Dolphin.  

 

IIRC the Field and Stream sit on top boats are made by/in conjunction with Feelfree and, to my understanding, fish well for the money.  

[burrows]

800 is a pretty standard price for a good entry leval kayak.

[J Francho]

16 hours ago, _509_outdoors said:

Only down fall is that it is $800.

That's half of what you'd pay for a serious kayak.  Short of looking at used, you won't do much better.  Some good boats out on the used market are Rides, Prowler Big Game, Lure, Commander, and Native.  All standable, and even used, are a better boat.

[NYWayfarer]

16 hours ago, _509_outdoors said:

Been looking at the field and stream shadow caster 123 yak mainly because of its features. The stability to stand, adjustable seat, and the ability to cut through water fairly well. Only down fall is that it is $800. Anybody found the features of that yak for any less ( not used ) I’d greatly appreciate it if you had any better options. 

Never buy at full price from DSG! Kayaks go on sale all the time even during peak season. Check the weekly flyers in your area. 

[Hawkeye21]

You can get the Pelican Catch 120 for under $800.  Sometimes it can be found on sale for as cheap as $599 which is what I paid for mine.  It's plenty stable and can be stood in while fishing.  Great entry level fishing kayak that won't break the bank.  Allows for some extra money to add accessories to it.

[JustJames]

Look at ascent 12T, I've heard it pretty stable. A used one might not be a bad idea if you can check them in person.

[boostr]

You can probably get a sweet deal on some of the older FeelFree Lure models now that they have a pedal/motor drive system that only works on the newer models.

[Hawkeye21]

I was just made aware of this company yesterday.  They are a Veteran owned business that's made in the USA.  Their kayaks are very affordable but I have no idea how good they are.  Could be worth checking out.

[haggard]

On 1/24/2018 at 2:34 AM, Turkey sandwich said:

This month I saw someone use PVC pipes to build outriggers for a Sun Dolphin.  Outriggers on a Sun Dolphin.

What's wrong with outriggers on a Sun Dolphin? A $185 yak with PVC pipe outriggers sounds like a win if you're clever and not made of money.

 

On 1/23/2018 at 5:54 PM, _509_outdoors said:

Been looking at the field and stream shadow caster 123 yak mainly because of its features. The stability to stand, adjustable seat, and the ability to cut through water fairly well. Only down fall is that it is $800. Anybody found the features of that yak for any less ( not used ) I’d greatly appreciate it if you had any better options. 

A yak stable enough to stand in is probably going to cost a pretty penny. If standing stability is very important to you, consider saving longer/more $ to get a better yak. If you're looking for a lower cost yak, consider sacrificing the standing bit. You can do a lot from a sitting (or elevated sitting) position and the yak will likely cost a lot less.

 

 

[flyfisher]

On 1/25/2018 at 11:45 AM, Hawkeye21 said:

I was just made aware of this company yesterday.  They are a Veteran owned business that's made in the USA.  Their kayaks are very affordable but I have no idea how good they are.  Could be worth checking out.

I checked them out and they aren't much cheaper than any other boat really.  I also had a tough time finding anywhere saying that they were made in the USA.

[Turkey sandwich]

14 hours ago, haggard said:

What's wrong with outriggers on a Sun Dolphin? A $185 yak with PVC pipe outriggers sounds like a win if you're clever and not made of money.

 

A yak stable enough to stand in is probably going to cost a pretty penny. If standing stability is very important to you, consider saving longer/more $ to get a better yak. If you're looking for a lower cost yak, consider sacrificing the standing bit. You can do a lot from a sitting (or elevated sitting) position and the yak will likely cost a lot less.

 

 

 

 

you answered your own question.  

[haggard]

7 hours ago, Turkey sandwich said:

 

 

you answered your own question.  

LOL, you almost got me there    I say almost because I said "consider", not that it was the only option. For people who want to not miss a season on the water in order to get into a better boat, getting a cheap yak and going the DIY route has its merits. The key is knowing when you're about to cross the point of diminishing return.

 

 

 

[IgotWood]

I regularly see the BPS Ascends on the local for sale sites in my area. I own one. It's not as nice as my Hobie, but it definitely serves its purpose. I bought it a year old for $400 with a few accessories. I can do gymnastics on this thing without worrying about tipping. It paddles just as fast as most other kayaks, but it tracks like crap. Not a big deal to me though because I never have to paddle long distance in it. I bought it specifically for stand-up fishing against trees on my local lake.