Ascend 12

[NittyGrittyBoy]

So I've never fished out of a kayak, and have always wanted to try out the whole kayak fishing scene. 

 

Guy at work selling a brand new Ascend 12T for $350. Is it a decent kayak? Should I wait and purchase a better one? Just kinda wanted some reviews, don't want to waste my money on a sub par yak. 

 

I'd fish ponds and saltwater Creeks with it 

[Yakalong]

You don't need an expensive kayak to get out and fish. If it's going to be ponds and small creeks then I would get it and go catch some fish. Also, by buying a cheaper kayak you can figure out if this is something you like, if it is you can always upgrade and sell this one down the road. I bought a field and stream from dicks years ago. Still use it today, there are more expensive ones out there but this one catches fish just fine. My advice is buy it and have some fun.

[DogBone_384]

I started kayak fishing with an Ascend 128T. It was a great kayak for not a lot of money.  It was stand up stable and had beaucoup storage.

 

$350 sounds like a good deal that’ll get you into a whole new world of fishing.

 

Last I knew, Ascend kayaks are made here in the US too.

 

Best of luck.

[BoatSquirrel]

Thats a nice boat for that price.  

[FishinBuck07]

I have never been in this kayak myself but read many reviews and by looking at pics of it, I would say that is a heck of a price for that kayak.  I would ask the guy since you work with him if maybe you could meet up somewhere so you could hop in the yak and paddle it around for a little bit and see what you think.

[Dens228]

I'm a member of a small kayak group of 11 guys.  While I've never been in one 4 of them have Ascend's and I've never heard one complain about it. 

[IgotWood]

I had a 12T for a season. I absolutely hated everything about it. But it got me out on the water. If that’s what you can afford, go for it! It’s an entry level boat. Fish out of it while and get familiar with it. Then you’ll know exactly what to shop for when you’re ready to upgrade. 

[NittyGrittyBoy]

I have a boat, so it's not really going to open up a new world, it just seemed like a good price. I'm the kinda guy when a good deal comes along I like to invest! 

 

Sometimes I fish smaller ponds with no ramp and I put my boat in just fine, just would be easier to launch a yak. 

 

Thanks for the answers fellas, I think I've made my decision

[Allen Der]

I'm not a fan of Ascend myself but at that price you wont lose money if you want to sell it.  Bass Pro scrubbed a lot of negative reviews from their website of Ascends with bad hatches and seats.  I think the problems are fixed now but there's always a lot of Ascends for sale on craigslist and FB marketplace so that tells you something.  I also have a boat but we have a lot of no motor lakes and small rivers around here too and I have several wilderness systems kayaks that we use to fish them. 

[Harold Scoggins]

3 hours ago, NittyGrittyBoy said:

I have a boat, so it's not really going to open up a new world

Please revisit this statement once you have been close to the water, paddled into areas where bigger boats can not go, and have paddled up close to deer or elk standing along the shore. When I first set out in a kayak, my bass boat sat in the garage for 3 years before I realized I'd never use it again. Fishing from a kayak takes some getting use to, but once you adjust, well, just wait and see. I don't know anything about the kayak you're looking at, that being said, do not let your experience seal judgement on all kayaks. If you have an opportunity to go to a "demo day," you should go. They'll let you try out many different brands of kayaks.

[EGbassing]

$350 on that is a great deal. If you want the kayak then go for it.

[BoatSquirrel]

4 hours ago, NittyGrittyBoy said:

Thanks for the answers fellas, I think I've made my decision

I would be interested in your feedback—of the boat and kayak thing. 

Good luck man!

[Hydrilla Guerrilla]

I have the 2016 12t and absolutely love the little yak. It is super stable for standing, tracks straight, paddles easily, only weights 75lbs, lots of accessible storage, comfortable seat..... $350 is a steal and I wouldn't pass up the deal

[NittyGrittyBoy]

I haven't told the guy no yet, but that's my leaning. I 90% river fish, so it wouldn't be used that much right now. 

 

The wife and I are purchasing a camper next year and I want a yak to take with us so I can fish while we travel, so even though it's a good deal, I'd rather wait and purchase a qaulity yak sometime by next year. 

 

I do appreciate all the responses. 

[IgotWood]

7 hours ago, NittyGrittyBoy said:

I haven't told the guy no yet, but that's my leaning. I 90% river fish, so it wouldn't be used that much right now. 

 

The wife and I are purchasing a camper next year and I want a yak to take with us so I can fish while we travel, so even though it's a good deal, I'd rather wait and purchase a qaulity yak sometime by next year. 

 

I do appreciate all the responses. 

Smart move. Some love these kayaks, and some don’t. As said, it paddles easily, but as soon I stopped paddling, it would immediately start to turn right 90 degrees within a couple second. It was terrible. I could stand on it, no problem. But for a boat designed for stability, it really isn’t all that stable. The deck doesn’t drain water well at all. The water running off your paddle makes puddles on the deck. One thing I really hated, it when I stood up the deck flexed under my feet and felt very spongy. Eventually, I’d probably crack it. But even worse is that it makes it a little tricky to keep your balance. If you ever paddle a high quality kayak, and then an Ascend, you’ll see it’s night and day. 

 

Keep your eye on Craigslist or any local kayak fishing forum you may have. There are plenty of great buys on used boats out there. It’s almost silly to buy one brand new. Take a look at what’s out there and watch some YouTube reviews. There are a few guys on the Tube who do reviews, who are not on a pro-staff, so they offer a pretty unbiased review. 

 

However, if it gets you on the water for $350, I’d say it’s worth it. But if you start really getting into kayak fishing, you’ll be ready to buy a new kayak by next year. And at least you’ll know what your looking for in a new kayak. Good luck! Let us know how it goes!

[Smalls]

For $350 I’d buy it. It’s not the greatest kayak out there, definitely big and hard to paddle. 

 

But for that price if you decide you want something smaller/better/different, you should be able to get $3-350 back out of it while you save. 

 

Like IgotWood said about the deck being “spongey”, stick some firm foam blocks underneath the deck to support your weight. I’ve seen some crack, but that seems to be the most common prevention.