Need guidance for buying a fishing kayak

[Yves Regimbald]

Hey,

I guess I've been looking and studying fishing kayaks for too long. I thought I was decided on a model, but now I'm confused. I'm tired of fishing out of a rec kayak. 

I've narrowed my choices down to these models. Some of them are cheaper than others. I'll be carrying it on top of my car.

Which one would you recommend?

Old Town Topwater 106

Old Town top water 120

Bonafide RS117

Bonafide SS107

Wilderness Systems Radar 115.

 

Should I buy cheaper and get it better equipped or the other way around? 

Thx.

[Hook2Jaw]

Feelfree.

Moken.

12.5.

V2.

 

Seriously, I think it's the best value and performance per dollar for a paddled kayak at the moment.  Very feature rich and highly customizable.  My brother and I are going to be setting one up for him soon.

[Yves Regimbald]

9 hours ago, Hook2Jaw said:

Feelfree.

Moken.

12.5.

V2.

 

Seriously, I think it's the best value and performance per dollar for a paddled kayak at the moment.  Very feature rich and highly customizable.  My brother and I are going to be setting one up for him soon.

Thanks, but there's no FeelFree dealers where I live. ?

[HookInMouth]

11 hours ago, Yves Regimbald said:

Hey,

I guess I've been looking and studying fishing kayaks for too long. I thought I was decided on a model, but now I'm confused. I'm tired of fishing out of a rec kayak. 

I've narrowed my choices down to these models. Some of them are cheaper than others. I'll be carrying it on top of my car.

Which one would you recommend?

Old Town Topwater 106

Old Town top water 120

Bonafide RS117

Bonafide SS107

Wilderness Systems Radar 115.

 

Should I buy cheaper and get it better equipped or the other way around? 

Thx.

Have you sat in any of these? The seat makes a big difference in how much time you want to spend in it. From my experience the SS127/107 seat is the industry standard for comfort. I really like a 12' kayak though. There is a noticable difference in stability between the SS107 and the SS127 (I have a couple SS127 and my brother in law has a 107). The SS107 is still a comfortable and stable boat though. It's just not as stable and/or quick as the SS127. 

[Dens228]

I had a Radar 115 and now have a Bonafide SS127.  

Several in between including an Atak 120 and a Seaghost 130.  

 

For me the Bonafide is far and away the best for fishing.  Stable, a lot of deck space, far and away the most comfortable seat.  I installed a rudder because I put a Bixby motor on it. It also paddles easier than some people claim.  Some call it a barge but I have no issues paddling. I always have the seat in the high position which does make me catch some cross winds sometimes when I'm trying to sit in one place but a little practice mitigates that. 

 

My second choice is the Radar, not far behind the Bonafide.

 

Next was the Atak, fastest paddling of the bunch but sat too low in the water for my liking.  Didn't feel as stable as the SS127 or the Radar.

 

Seaghost 130.  Least favorite by far.......not nearly as stable, the center console was too big and just got in the way, very uncomfortable seat.  I had to add a cushion to the seat to make it bearable. Rear tank well was too far back from the seat due to the large hatch they installed between the seat and tank well.  That made it difficult to reach for rods and into my crate. I literally used this kayak for about six weeks before moving on. 

[Mike 126]

I'm a little biased but I would look at the Jackson kayaks.  I have the Bite which is a very open and stable kayak.  I am 6'4" and 215 pounds and easily stand and fly fish.  Eric Jackson (company owner) is a very avid kayak bass fisherman and has multiple kayaks in the fishing line to address a variety of different fishing requirements.  They have great support.

 

When I researched kayaks I looked at the Old Towns, Wilderness and Bonafides.  One thing I would do is look for kayaks in the 11 - 12 foot range with some width (34" or wider).  Hull design also plays a major factor in speed, stability and standability.  A tri-hull design is a must IMHO.  It really helps to have a kayak you can stand up in.  After multiple hours on the water sitting gets very tiring.  My adult son uses my wife's Jackson Cruise 12 which is a little narrower and designed more for touring than fishing.  He can stand in it but it is not nearly as stable as the Bite.  I can outlast him because I spend at least 50% of the time standing.

 

I would get the best kayak you can and keep it simple and not bog it down with gadgets.  The only thing I have added to mine is a Hook 5" finder using the Yak Attack Swicth Blade transducer mount.

 

Also, make sure to get a good paddle.  Bending Branches makes several fishing paddles that are lighter weight.

 

Good luck with your research!  

[flyfisher]

Radar will give you the most flexibility as far as propulsion options as you can add in a motor or pedals at a later time.

I have not paddled the bonafide but i know i see a lot for sale on the used market and nearly everyone says you have to add on their skegs or a rudder, that is a bad sign to me but it seems like they have a cult like following much like jackson does.  Not necessarily a bad thing but gotta take it all with a grain of salt I guess.

I would get out and paddle what you can and go from there.  I have an ATAK 140 and in my 15+ years of fishing out of a kayak it is my favorite one.  It is as stable as any boat i have been in and doesn't get blown around by the wind as bad as other boats.  After having the boat for 5 years or so the seat is getting worn out but that is normal.  I will be adding a motor to it as well to facilitate solo river shuttles if you will.  It isn't the most maneuverable boat but it does fine, just not as quick as some of the other boats I have owned.  I'll take that tradeoff for not needing a rudder and being able to maintain a 3+MPH speed with minimal effort.

Lots of good boats out there right now for sure.....when you do rig the boat, don't do it based on what you saw on youtube or a message board or what you think you will need.  Paddle it a few times and see what you want and where.  Even on my attack i went out 3-4 times before i started mounting things.  

[HookInMouth]

I've not yet found a reason to add the flex wings or a rudder to my SS127. It tracks about the same as any fishing kayak. I think people mistake wind (with the high seat) for poor tracking maybe? If you're paddling long distances in the wind for sure, the $40 flex wings might help and it's cheap enough. 

[michaelb]

In terms of "Should I buy cheaper and get it better equipped or the other way around" I would buy the better/proper kayak now, and worry about outfitting later, even years later. All of those boats are very nice and ready to go, and "outfitting" is fun and something you may change your mind on, after you fish and use it for a few months or even years.

 

What kind of water are you primarily going to paddle? Does this include rivers? Big northern lakes with wind and waves? I like my 12'+ kayaks better on big lakes and waves, but they would not be as suited to moving water and rivers. Ottawa offers both of course so maybe you want it all (and everything is a compromise).

 

Unless I am missing one that is a reasonable weight, all of these are going to be a beast to roof top. Have you done that? It is shocking how much harder it is to flip a 75lb kayak up to the roof vs a 75lb canoe; mostly lack of grip and leverage and balance.

 

If you are looking at local, paddle them and stand on them, and buy the one that offers the best overall feel and performance.

[CountryboyinDC]

If the were all close to the same price, I'd pick the WS Radar.  You can add pedals later, and you're likely to want them.. I don't have much seat time in the Topwaters, but I have a Predator PDL.  The seat is nowhere near as comfortable as my Jackson Coosa HD seat.  If paddling and maybe adding a electric motor is in your plans, but no pedaling, the Crescent LiteTackle looked pretty solid.  I want to get some time paddling one if ever see one on the water.  I looked them over pretty good at the Richmond fishing expo over the winter.