Kayak priorities from experienced users????

[Defiant Clone]

About to pull the trigger on my first Kayak. I have it narrowed down to a few, but it seems to me that between every model and brand there is a give and take factor. What are the "must haves" that you have developed after being on the water for a while. As a bank angler all I have ever done is stand and fish, so naturally I am looking at ones with bigger decks and more stability for standing, but my friend seems to think I will regret that in the long run and want a better seat.

 

So what are your lists of priorities when choosing your kayak, what made your ultimate decision or lead you to change with your second yak. Did it come down to price/value, Paddle/Peddle, Seat, Deck Space, Versatility and storage, style/color, etc.

 

Looking for insight more than I am into a brand discussion although I am sure that will come up at some point. 

[J.Bass]

2 hours ago, Defiant Clone said:

About to pull the trigger on my first Kayak. I have it narrowed down to a few, but it seems to me that between every model and brand there is a give and take factor. What are the "must haves" that you have developed after being on the water for a while. As a bank angler all I have ever done is stand and fish, so naturally I am looking at ones with bigger decks and more stability for standing, but my friend seems to think I will regret that in the long run and want a better seat.

 

So what are your lists of priorities when choosing your kayak, what made your ultimate decision or lead you to change with your second yak. Did it come down to price/value, Paddle/Peddle, Seat, Deck Space, Versatility and storage, style/color, etc.

 

Looking for insight more than I am into a brand discussion although I am sure that will come up at some point. 

I bought a Brooklyn Kayak 11.5 Kayak over winter on sale. I got it for $599. The price was hard to beat. It came with rudder, seat, and paddle. Has the same stuff as ones priced around 1K. By saving money it helped me get my kayak trailer and get accessories for my kayak. 
 

The huge factors were price and what it had to offer. For it being so cheap and having the same amount of stuff was a no brainer. I can also stand on it as I plan to. It’s got tons of storage and rod holders built on kayak. Overall I’m happy. I know there’s a video out of a kayak company that list the top 10 of 2020 and of 2019. It’s very good video on YouTube that will help you decide your kayak. Helped me understand a lot. 
Good Luck!

[Tracker22]

Comfort first and foremost. Your spending 4,5,6,9 hours in a plastic boat. 

[Defiant Clone]

51 minutes ago, J.Bass said:

I bought a Brooklyn Kayak 11.5 Kayak over winter on sale. I got it for $599. The price was hard to beat. It came with rudder, seat, and paddle. Has the same stuff as ones priced around 1K. By saving money it helped me get my kayak trailer and get accessories for my kayak. 
 

The huge factors were price and what it had to offer. For it being so cheap and having the same amount of stuff was a no brainer. I can also stand on it as I plan to. It’s got tons of storage and rod holders built on kayak. Overall I’m happy. I know there’s a video out of a kayak company that list the top 10 of 2020 and of 2019. It’s very good video on YouTube that will help you decide your kayak. Helped me understand a lot. 
Good Luck!

I looked at that one and their PK13 Peddle and so mad I didn't just go on ahead an buy it right then and there. Was waiting on my bonus. 

 

Have you used it yet? If so do you like the overall design and confort?

[michaelb]

It is more a series of decisions, that yes involve trade offs but more that one decision leads to another

 

Do you want to paddle or peddle (and can you afford a peddle kayak)

How big of water are you paddling + wind and waves or surf + distance to fishing spots

How important is standing and fishing?

Do you need to lift it solo, roof top or truck bed or trailer?

 

Most of the best standing kayaks have stadium seats that are all pretty nice. But standing and paddling speed and efficiency don't usually go together. Peddle kayaks can be both fat and wide and fast enough to get somewhere.

[J.Bass]

1 hour ago, Defiant Clone said:

I looked at that one and their PK13 Peddle and so mad I didn't just go on ahead an buy it right then and there. Was waiting on my bonus. 

 

Have you used it yet? If so do you like the overall design and confort?

Haven’t yet. We have a stay at home order. All parks are closed. Nowhere to fish unless private. Sucks. Soon I’ll be able to test. I sat in it in yard and it’s roomy and comfortable.

[Defiant Clone]

1 hour ago, michaelb said:

It is more a series of decisions, that yes involve trade offs but more that one decision leads to another

 

Do you want to paddle or peddle (and can you afford a peddle kayak)

How big of water are you paddling + wind and waves or surf + distance to fishing spots

How important is standing and fishing?

Do you need to lift it solo, roof top or truck bed or trailer?

 

Most of the best standing kayaks have stadium seats that are all pretty nice. But standing and paddling speed and efficiency don't usually go together. Peddle kayaks can be both fat and wide and fast enough to get somewhere.

I have been trying that but with zero fishing kayak experience its hard to determine these factors, so I am reaching out to those with experience.

 

• I am looking to keep it under $1600 since that's the top line price for one of my choices (Bonafide ss127). I have found several peddle options that fall under that price point. So that could be an option.
• Southern Louisiana, so majority would be small local ponds, canals, bayous with occasional inshore fishing around Grand Isle/Venice. Might occasionally hit up False River and Atchafalaya Basin. 
• My only option is standing to fish since I can only fish banks, been 15+ years since I was last in a boat so I cant recall sitting and fishing, much less trying to do it in a kayak. Do you prefer to sit or stand or mix it up?
• Right now lift solo, roof of Ford Escape, Hull weight is an important factor and I don't mind removing accessories to load/unload. 

[Dens228]

2 hours ago, J.Bass said:

Haven’t yet. We have a stay at home order. All parks are closed. Nowhere to fish unless private. Sucks. Soon I’ll be able to test. I sat in it in yard and it’s roomy and comfortable.

If you are in Illinois all parks and public waters are NOT closed.  State parks are, some counties have closed their lots but you can still access by foot.  Cook county has closed a couple of entire preserves because people are having parties and not observing the social distancing.   Most Cook are still open. Due to the shut down I'm currently not working and have fished about 10 times the last two weeks.  This includes talking to both municipal and conservation police on two separate occasions. Both times the sole topic was them asking me how the fishing was.  Up here Lake, Kane, and DuPage Forest preserves are all open. Wednesday I'm going to a public lake by Bloomington.  I'm just trying to let you know that you are not prohibited from fishing or taking the kayak out.  Whether or not a person does is a personal choice. 

[schplurg]

I may be in the minority here where I have determined that yak fishing is probably not for me. I'm 52, some tendinitis and a back issue I need to be careful with.

 

This is a list of what I don't like - maybe these will help you find something that works for you:

 

- Paddling far. Most places I launch are far from my fishing area. I have tendinitis which is bad enough, but besides that, managing a paddle, storing it while fishing, getting it out again, putting down your rod to do so, is a pain. If you can afford a pedal yak get one. If you can't afford one, get one anyways. That's PEDAL  

 

- I don't like twisting around to grab stuff behind my seat too often. Find one with some front storage, I mean like a drawer under the seat, or at least room under the seat for a Plano or two. 

 

- Weight. My Ride 115 is 75 pounds, not a beast at all, and I'm not crazy about dragging it up the ramp (any distance) and lifting it back into my truck after a day on the water. My bad back and tendinitis again. One wrong move and I'm screwed.

 

I'd rather have a jon boat or small aluminum fishing boat. If I'm using a ramp, launching is way easier with a boat (or trailer). The kayak definitely is cool sometimes, but I'd rather have more comfort, room to move around, and a motor. 

 

I've considered adding a motor to the kayak, and I may since I may not be able to buy/store a boat in the near future. But putting a motor on a yak - I think you may as well get a boat.

 

It's mainly about comfort for me. I have an awesome seat, but I'm talking about being stuck immobile in that seat for hours at a time. It's not the seat, I just need to move around a little I think. Stand, stretch, even lay on the deck.

 

I'll keep the yak, especially now that it's the only way to get on the water around here during this Covid lockdown stuff. But a small boat is in my very near future. I prefer a boat by a wide margin.

[michaelb]

I think you should definitely get a kayak you can stand and fish; you will be on skinny water and sight fishing and standing is a huge advantage and you can mix sitting and standing for comfort. You don't need a boat designed for surf and open water paddling.

 

But if you are roof topping this solo than weight and is a definite consideration. With 70+ lbs canoes, I can sort of sling them over my head and then get them up on the roof rack, but canoes have gunwales for grip and an open space for your head. It is much much hard to do this with a fishing kayak. I have the Kaku Wahoo 12.5; I have managed to get on the roof, but it is too heavy and large and hard for me solo. I built up a kayak trailer, and it is a beast dragging it up on that 2 feet off the ground. So you may need to look into lift assist bars for your rack or try rollers if they could help. But I would also look for a lighter boat. The specs on kayaks can be misleading, since they often list the "hull weight" which is not the weight of the kayak, since that doesn't count everything else attached. I see my wahoo lists its hull weight as 76 lbs, so rigged up it is more like 80. Personally, like the wahoo, I think the bonafide 127 is too big to roof top solo.

 

So I would be looking at boats under 70 lbs rigged, so the Jackson Bite for example. Kayaks are one of those rare gear purchases in which the lighter options may be cheaper, and the heavy options are heavy and expensive because they have tons of rigging. The Diablo hybrid SUP/kayaks also look really cool and the Chupacabra comes in at 56 lbs (just make sure that is the total).

 

edit: I carried our bathroom scale out to the driveway and picked up the wahoo still dripping from the lake, but with no seat and minimal extra rigging and that came in right around 80.

 

[Tracker22]

Might I add. You get what you pay for. If you go cheap, you may be happy; or you may be miserable. There’s a reason Hobies cost 3 grand. I own a Jackson and have been happy with it for five years.

[J.Bass]

4 hours ago, Dens228 said:

If you are in Illinois all parks and public waters are NOT closed.  State parks are, some counties have closed their lots but you can still access by foot.  Cook county has closed a couple of entire preserves because people are having parties and not observing the social distancing.   Most Cook are still open. Due to the shut down I'm currently not working and have fished about 10 times the last two weeks.  This includes talking to both municipal and conservation police on two separate occasions. Both times the sole topic was them asking me how the fishing was.  Up here Lake, Kane, and DuPage Forest preserves are all open. Wednesday I'm going to a public lake by Bloomington.  I'm just trying to let you know that you are not prohibited from fishing or taking the kayak out.  Whether or not a person does is a personal choice. 

Maybe up there.. Down here all state parks and parks are closed. Heck at the Hennepin Canal the CPO gave a few guys $200 fishing fines. It says in my Illinois outdoor news that all public fishing regulated by state closed. Your lucky if you get to fish. Lake Bloomington is kind of private. It’s controlled by city and you pay a membership sticker each year. 

[GTN-NY]

Stability to me is the biggest priority. I don’t swim well. I found that out the hard way. 
Speed is secondary. 
Gear storage is a nice add-on. 
I love my Jackson Big Rig and the trailer it rides on. It paddles like a barge and weighs almost as much

[flyfisher]

Seat

stability

ease of paddling

maneuverability

features YOU want

 

i wanted an electronics pod because I hate transducer arms 

location for flush mount rod holders 

tracks for other add ons like fly rod holders

manageable weight

made in the US 

 

I have an ATAK 140 and of the many kayaks I’ve owned, this is by far my favorite. 

 

that pretty much sums it up for me.  

[Dens228]

1 hour ago, J.Bass said:

Maybe up there.. Down here all state parks and parks are closed. Heck at the Hennepin Canal the CPO gave a few guys $200 fishing fines. It says in my Illinois outdoor news that all public fishing regulated by state closed. Your lucky if you get to fish. Lake Bloomington is kind of private. It’s controlled by city and you pay a membership sticker each year. 

What county are you in?  State Parks are closed by state order.  They have left the rest up to each individual county.

 

[CountryboyinDC]

I think people have touched on what I consider the most important things for a kayak, except for hull design.  I can't tell you how many times I've talked to someone who got sold on the topside features and bought a kayak they later regretted.  Stability is the easiest to test, and what most folks getting into kayak fishing prioritize.  With stability, you're going to compromise on efficiency/performance and to a lesser degree maneuverability.  But if the best fishing spots are 2 miles from the launch site or you're going down a rocky technical river, paddling that barge can be a chore.  The Bonafide is a great boat (sit in the seat some before you buy it, most really like it but it sort of pinched me at the hips, strangely), and it has amazing stability for its width.  It won't be quite as stable as the Big Rig @GTN has, but it's 20 pounds lighter or more.  It is still somewhat of a pig to paddle, it weather vanes quite a bit (rudder really helps this boat) and is in no way nimble for its length.  But it may be just the compromise for which you're looking.

Otherwise, the seat and weight are most important like others have said, IMHO.

[VolFan]

Comfort should be number 1, with transport number 2. If you dont like being in it, you wont use it. And if its too hard to get it to water, you wont use it. With those two taken care of - what fits the type of fishing you do? I fish primarily lakes, bringing a 9yr old with me most times, so a Nucanoe Frontier 12 is what I have. It's super stable and confortable with swivel seats, and almost impossible to turtle on flat water. It is eminently customizable, or, and the way I usually fish it when alone, you can strip it down to the seat and a couple rods and have almost 8 feet of deck. When correctly balanced, it paddles well for a big yak. The trade off is that it is sizable to maneuver on land at about 80 lbs empty, but with good technique it is easy to cartop.

[J.Bass]

10 hours ago, Dens228 said:

What county are you in?  State Parks are closed by state order.  They have left the rest up to each individual county.

 

LaSalle county. We have individual lakes but there closed as well. It’s bad here. Im going to a private lake with my buddy today hopefully I catch them.

[kayl.]

Go peddle. Save more and go peddle even if you need to go with a Hobie Compass instead of an Outback. I have a paddle kayak (Native FX 15) and it's great, but peddle is a game changer.

[Defiant Clone]

Thank you so much for all the reply’s! Seems like comfort and stability rank the top Followed by weight which is what I figured. I came across the Vibe Shearwater and think I’m going to wait and test it out before deciding. It seems to check a lot of the boxes I am looking for and has versatility for paddle/peddle. Local shop has some set to come in with no waitlist. 
 

My dad and I are In the process of fixing up my grandads old 14’ Jon boat, which I’m sure I will use on larger bodies of water with friends or my sons when older.
 

Majority of the time it will be just me and I really like the idea of getting the kayak out and going. Plus we are moving end of year to a house that has a lake behind it and figure I will use it around there as well. 

[Hook2Jaw]

I've been kayaking to bass fish since I was 22 years old, but most of my experience is in the last four.  I've fished ponds, rivers, lakes, and the ocean.  I've pedaled and paddled.  That's my amount of experience.

 

The most important part of a fishing kayak to me is the tracking.  Through my craft traveling in a straight line, I'm able to fish down a bank more easily and that's arguably where you'll be aiming your casts as a kayak angler.  If your kayak makes staying on target difficult, you're going to be adjusting the rudder more in a pedal boat or losing both hands to your paddle.  A line in the water means fish, and if your kayak is unable to help you keep your line in productive water you're apt to have a bad time.

 

Second, I need stability and speed.  I consider them in the same ballpark because one trades for the other.  Speed to get to an area that I hope holds fish, and stability to fish it safely.

 

A comfortable seat is a must.  I'm about to add some additional support to my seat, but it's one of the only complaints I have.

[michaelb]

the shearwater looks like a really nice boat. at 35" standing should be no problem, and it comes with the rudder, right? the rudder will help with tracking and with handling bad conditions, particularly cross winds. The pod gives you options down the road. Multiple seat positions, plus a track to slide the seat to adjust trim (really key with a motor or loaded for a overnight trip).

 

Everything except the easy to cartop part, but you will find a way to manage. There are options for rollers off the back of your SUV and that might make getting it up on the roof easier.

[Dens228]

10 minutes ago, michaelb said:

the shearwater looks like a really nice boat. at 35" standing should be no problem, and it comes with the rudder, right? the rudder will help with tracking and with handling bad conditions, particularly cross winds. The pod gives you options down the road. Multiple seat positions, plus a track to slide the seat to adjust trim (really key with a motor or loaded for a overnight trip).

 

Everything except the easy to cartop part, but you will find a way to manage. There are options for rollers off the back of your SUV and that might make getting it up on the roof easier.

The other problem with it is that it isn't available right now.  It's supposed to be delivered mid April.  With all that's going on we shall see.  I do really like the looks of it though. 

 

[NJBasstard]

I'm surprised nobody has asked yet, but does your $1600 budget include a paddle & PFD or is it just the kayak itself? 

[Hook2Jaw]

1 hour ago, Dens228 said:

The other problem with it is that it isn't available right now.  It's supposed to be delivered mid April.  With all that's going on we shall see.  I do really like the looks of it though. 

 

I like the Vibe Seaghost 130.

 

I, however, can't stand all the hype over a boat no one has any seat time in.

 

Bleh at that Shearwater until it's out.