Kayak vs Boat

[dickenscpa]

I’m 48 and I’ve had a bass boat since I was 16, now granted I couldn’t afford a big nice glass rig until around 2000. I love everything about a kayak. I like being in my own little cocoon with all my stuff. I LOVE fishing tournaments from the kayak. Will not do it from a boat. 
 

I do prefer pedals though. Bought my first kayak Sept ‘19 and boat hasn’t got wet since Aug ‘19.

[Whatever]

I went from a kayak to a canoe, just so I could take my dog out. I really preferred the yak, as it moves easier, and has less wind resistance. But I was limited in how far out I could fish, and not have to paddle for an hour or two to get back to the launch. Now I have a 14' johnboat, so I can run 5 or 10 miles down the reservoir, and get back in a hurry when it gets dark. I still use the canoe, as some lakes lack boat ramps. With the dog gone now, I am wanting another kayak. And next year I will probably be buying a 16 -18 foot boat, to fish the bigger lakes. A friend has 8 various boats and float devices. He uses them all.

But a yak is always a good start. Even if you move up, it will serve a purpose.

[schplurg]

OP has not returned so I'm not going to answer. If I did answer though my answer would be boat. Or maybe a kayak, but in most situations - boat. Except maybe not. Then again...

[Tom D]

      I fish and duck hunt out of both, Its pretty simple if you think of it this way

Kayaks more convenient and quicker to get on the water a lot less freedom of movement and you need to be a couple steps ahead with access to stuff. easy to paddle

Canoes are a little more cumbersome but allow more freedom of movement and easier to throw stuff in it. harder to paddle alone (unless it's a one person model)

  Also you can make more mistakes in a canoe and not get wet.

[Mike 126]

Like others have said, the size of the water and your age will help you decide.  I'm 59 and got into kayak fishing a year ago and love it.  Shortly after my first kayak I bought one for my wife and adult son to use.  My son and I fish almost every weekend.  I've modified a utility trailer by removing the ramp and adding 2 cross bars.  It makes it easy to transport.  The hardest part is loading the boat by myself but there are ways to do that easily.  I fish smaller HP restricted water so the kayak is the better option.  I do like that I can get into tighter areas that probably would be difficult with a small boat.  Plus not having the noise of an engine is nice.  The added benefits are I get exercise and can stand and fish.

 

That being said, I am also toying with the idea of a small boat for larger waters.  Something like a 16' Mod-v or V with a 25 - 40 hp motor and trolling motor.  But I definitely would still use the kayaks.

[Spankey]

On 8/5/2020 at 1:07 AM, MN Fisher said:

Canoe

Dude, that’s a nice setup and rig you got yourself. 
 

I fish 19 ft. Tracker. I do love it. When I’m out it’s like fishing from my living room. But I realize it is overkill. But there are times I’d like to be able to drag something down for easy access. 
 

Be safe. 

[MN Fisher]

2 minutes ago, Spankey said:

Dude, that’s a nice setup and rig you got yourself. 

I've actually done some more work on it since this pic. One of these days I'll get new pics and even a vid up that goes over what I've done to it.

[Spankey]

3 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

I've actually done some more work on it since this pic. One of these days I'll get new pics and even a vid up that goes over what I've done to it.

Nice. 

[Tom D]

On ‎8‎/‎11‎/‎2020 at 11:44 AM, MN Fisher said:

I've actually done some more work on it since this pic. One of these days I'll get new pics and even a vid up that goes over what I've done to it.

I think I've seen your vids. I have the same canoe, did you notice any major difference when you removed your middle seat? I've always wondered if the floatation changed? Prob not I imagine. What I did with that middle seat was just strap a 2x6 across it with the fish finder and other mounts on it. But the 2x6 go across just up to the other rod hole so I can still use it for a net or something

     I have a love hate relationship with the seats, I love what you did with the rear seat. Great idea!

[MN Fisher]

4 minutes ago, Tom D said:

I think I've seen your vids. I have the same canoe, did you notice any major difference when you removed your middle seat? I've always wondered if the floatation changed? Prob not I imagine. What I did with that middle seat was just strap a 2x6 across it with the fish finder and other mounts on it. But the 2x6 go across just up to the other rod hole so I can still use it for a net or something

     I have a love hate relationship with the seats, I love what you did with the rear seat. Great idea!

At this point I've removed all three original seats and replaced with 2x2 aluminum angles supporting 2x12 treated/painted wood. Clamps and straps to hold the shape between removal of originals and installation of new...haven't had any issues with floatation changes.

[Tom D]

cool would love to see a pic/vid of that

[Spankey]

Up at the lake there are a few yak anglers I see on a regular basis. They are pretty proficient in using them in and around cover and how they approach cover. 
 

Than there are the other 95% of them who don’t stand a chance on catching anything decent unless the fish gets foul hook because with the first cast they are hung up and the yak is in the tree limps and blow downs. Unless you are suppose to fish like that. 
 

I’m willing to bet they are pretty decent anglers. But not being up high enough to make a decent cast or see the correct angle you want to fish something must no go real well. 
 

I would not mind having a kayak. But maybe not for fishing. Standing gives me better sight picture. 

[Dens228]

14 minutes ago, Spankey said:

Up at the lake there are a few yak anglers I see on a regular basis. They are pretty proficient in using them in and around cover and how they approach cover. 
 

Than there are the other 95% of them who don’t stand a chance on catching anything decent unless the fish gets foul hook because with the first cast they are hung up and the yak is in the tree limps and blow downs. Unless you are suppose to fish like that. 
 

I’m willing to bet they are pretty decent anglers. But not being up high enough to make a decent cast or see the correct angle you want to fish something must no go real well. 
 

I would not mind having a kayak. But maybe not for fishing. Standing gives me better sight picture. 

I stand and fish in my kayak all the time.  Especially when working cover. 

[MN Fisher]

11 minutes ago, Dens228 said:

I stand and fish in my kayak all the time.  Especially when working cover. 

The outriggers I have on the canoe let me stand for flipping/pitching.

[Spankey]

12 minutes ago, Dens228 said:

I stand and fish in my kayak all the time.  Especially when working cover. 

Don’t see many doing that. I guess you fall in the 5% I see. 
 

No knocks against kayak use. In one area I fish, if I want to get on a particular piece of cover or structure I make sure I do it early before a kayaks are in there. Have to believe some or most are casting somewhat blindly. 
 

The kayaks that are made for fishing seem to give the angler a bit of an advantage. 

[J Francho]

I'd say 90% of real fishing kayaks are designed for standing, and somewhere around 75% of the kayak anglers I know stand.  Many of hem I taught in my classes, and I stand in all but the roughest conditions, so that could be an influence.

[Ratherbefishing75]

All I have the room for and budget for is a canoe.  But it’s a great boat. I run a trolling motor on it and I also have a 4 hp outboard for it when I’m going long distance with it  would still like to get a bigger boat though 

[MN Fisher]

4 minutes ago, Ratherbefishing75 said:

All I have the room for and budget for is a canoe.  But it’s a great boat. I run a trolling motor on it and I also have a 4 hp outboard for it when I’m going long distance with it  would still like to get a bigger boat though 

I'd love to just be able to afford a 3-4HP to put on mine. With the 30#TM, I'm limited to how far I can go from the launch as my time is limited.

[Alex from GA]

I've had boats for the past 50 years and about 20 years ago I bought a kayak to fish where I can't get to in a boat.  That's the only reason for the kayak.

[Ratherbefishing75]

4 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

I'd love to just be able to afford a 3-4HP to put on mine. With the 30#TM, I'm limited to how far I can go from the launch as my time is limited.

I have a 55 thrust pound tm and a 1000cca deep cycle battery and it will run all day 

[MN Fisher]

1 minute ago, Ratherbefishing75 said:

I have a 55 thrust pound tm and a 1000cca deep cycle battery and it will run all day 

Oh my 75AH will run the TM all day - if I HAD all day. I'm limited to 4-5 hours a trip, and limited funds mean limited equipment. I'd love to explore more areas on the lake, but given the limited time and the speed the 30# will move the canoe - I can either spend an hour+ each way to better spots, or fish more than half the time I'm on the water.

[the reel ess]

This all depends on how you like to fish, where you like to fish and how much money you feel like spending. Growing up, we had a house on a big lake so we always had boats. Fast forward. My parents are gone and we sold the lake house. I fish a small lake 2 miles from my house now. It's electric motor only. I can easily get around the lake once in about 2.5 hours. I also have access to about 4 other ponds that don't even have a landing. I rarely fish anywhere public. So the kayak is the obvious choice for me. But if I was fishing a big lake I'd have to have a real boat. I eventually found the big lake scene to be a rat race.

[RoLo]

 

You guys are very kind, and though I've never owned a kayak, I don't separate kayaks from boats.

A kayak is a boat for which I have a lot of respect (My love for rowboats & oars has never subsided).

Okay, I feel better now  

 

Roger

[Born 2 fish]

I’ve had a boat since 2000 I recently sold my big boat. I now fish out of my bass raider 10e and really couldn’t be happier. 

[DaubsNU1]

I really have not fished much in the last 15+ years....got my boat ready and on the water and I was AMAZED at how many Kayaks were on the lake! Cool looking rigs! 

 

I got in to fishing in the late 80's / early 90's...we fished from the bank...then a buddy who worked at Cabela's introduced me to a belly boat.  Wow, that was cool! I could kick around and felt like the world had opened up to me! 

 

A few years later a buddy at work had a canoe.  We fished the crap out of that thing. Pain the tail to find a place to store it, and had to lug it on top of his Crown Vic. But man did we fish a lot and have a great time! 

 

I found this boat / outboard / trailer in 2000...gave $650 for the whole set up.  Installed casting deck up front, seats and trolling motor.  It's been a great set up for me. It's 14' and I don't worry about scratching it up when I'm banging around in flooded timber. I'm fortunate to have a place to store it, and do all the maintenance myself (replacing the water impeller now...and new housing for the trolling motor...it broke last week). Pretty cheap to own.

 

Wife and I have Kayaks (in the background of this picture). They aren't fishing Kayaks. A buddy is trying to get me to purchase a fishing kayak....I'm going to stick with my boat. I can fish two if needed, have lots of room for tackle and 10+ rods, and can stand to fish.