Contemplating a kayak

[FryDog62]

Ok I’ll say it... if it were me I would get a side job (drive Uber, seasonal work, etc.) until had the funds to buy a motorized kayak. I know that may not sit well with the kayak purists and I get it - but when I go fishing I’m there to fish, not fight the wind, current, course correct, etc. A year ago I said I’d never own a kayak for 2 reasons and one was boat control. Now I have an Autopilot, Spot-lock, etc. and I may like it as much as my bass boat.

 

I saw this comment from another Autopilot user recently: "I too have the old town AP love spot lock as well, never realized how much fishing I wasn’t doing on my other kayaks I’ve had over the years."

 

I’m likely an outlier, but my .02 anyway - 

[Skunked again]

FryDog62 - I understand what your saying. Point taken. 

At the moment, anyway, I’m leaning towards a peddle kayak. 

For me to do anything, At the earliest, this fall. 
I had a second job, Not really wanting to do that again. 

[TnRiver46]

4 hours ago, Skunked again said:

FryDog62 - I understand what your saying. Point taken. 

At the moment, anyway, I’m leaning towards a peddle kayak. 

For me to do anything, At the earliest, this fall. 
I had a second job, Not really wanting to do that again. 

I’ve got 4 jobs, it can be a drag!

 

we have 5 kayaks, used to have 6 but one blew off the dock into the lake haha. I got 3 of them for free, one for $20, my wife has nice little pelican sit on top that I think she got for $200 or $300 back in the day, and she has a Jackson liska that was $1,000. Luckily the one that disappeared was a freebie. I honestly enjoy fishing out of all of them, they all have their advantages. The cheap ones are easy to pick up and use on a quick trip. The Jackson is 90 lbs so you better pack a lunch if you’re carrying it alone but it’s 1000x more comfortable and stable . It all depends on what you’re looking for. 
 

me personally, I like a canoe better unless the wind is blowing. In today's fishing world, a canoe is almost forgotten about. Money makes the world go ‘round and retailers can make a whole lot more off a kayak than a canoe 

[Skunked again]

TnRiver46 - 4-5 jobs????!!?? I bow down to you!!!! Much respect!

Ive been watching Craigslist, currently anyway, people are asking as much or more for canoes than kayaks. 

[Scott804]

I have an Old Town Sportsman 120 PDL. Probably the greatest fishing investment I have ever made, to be honest. I can stand in it, fish on the move, battle wind/current with ease, instantly reverse with no hands available, and all of the rigging is incredibly intuitive. No drilling holes or voiding warranties or what have you. I would consider it worth every penny. Kayak tournaments are a blast too. It's not a bad idea to start small with a paddle kayak probably, but I just went ahead and swung big on the PDL and I do not regret it in the slightest. I have fished out of my brother's Ascend 12T and it is good and all but the OT is seriously like on another level as far as having stability you don't even have to think about and the layout feels incredibly well though out. I think you should probably decide whether you want to go small or go big first. Pedals can seriously be a gamechanger though. If you decide to go big then the question becomes motorized or not... I fished out of a friend's autopilot and it was cool but it definitely lacked some of the seamless movement of the PDL, it was very stop and go for me, but depending how you fish I could see it being the other way around. Being able to with move with my feet without having to fumble with a controller was paramount to me with how I fish. Maybe someday I will do a rudder mount or a bow mount trolling motor so I can have both, but it just feels a little silly to go with a trolling motor only for me, especially when your batteries could die or something and you would have to paddle an absolute behemoth like that. Not to mention stealth factor, but that is a whole different conversation. Physical condition also matters. I am young, in shape, and able to move around easily, if I wasn't I would probably be in an electric motor kayak. In the end it is all about finding the right boat for you. Every kayak is very different and there are a ridiculous amount of options out there. I have fished in friend's kayaks and thought "wow this is literally unbearable" despite them swearing by it (looking at you PA14), it is all personal preference in the end.

[schplurg]

Old Town Sportsman PDL 106 here. Bought it sight unseen (had no choice really) and I love it. Was my second kayak, first one had no pedals...big mistake for me. Five year warranty on the pedal drive unit too.

 

That yak is $2k. Should leave you with close to a thousand for accessories.

 

Absolutely necessary accessories are PFD, paddle, whistle or horn for help (or both), and a $15 first aid kit.

 

Seriously, I went fishing one night in my old Ride 115 with just a paddle, two rods, PFD, whistle and a Plano 3600. For a quick trip that is all you need. Caught a five pounder.

 

This yak comes with 3 built in rod holders and you can lay down one or two more. Just saying you don't have to get a crate or storage right away. But milk crates are only $10 at Home Depot.

 

Trolling motor and fish finder can wait. That's $500 - $800+ easy right there.

 

I'm biased about my kayak I'm sure, but then again I did a ton of research and this is the best quality yak for the price. I bought it because it was the best I could find.

[TnRiver46]

10 hours ago, Skunked again said:

TnRiver46 - 4-5 jobs????!!?? I bow down to you!!!! Much respect!

Ive been watching Craigslist, currently anyway, people are asking as much or more for canoes than kayaks. 

Believe me, none of them are lucrative haha

1. Wildlife removal/exclusion

2. fly fishing instructor

3. food delivery 

4. kayak/canoe/paddleboard rental and shuttle

5. Cutting grass 

i used to be in the landlord business but the boss said never again 

 

food delivery pays the best, might have to move it to the top of the list 

 

but I have a lot of boats and water close by so as long as bills are paid I’m all good 

[Junk Fisherman]

Skunked Again- Do you have a boat?  If so, you might be like me and not enjoy kayak fishing as much as others.  I wish I had bought a used kayak.  If I had, I would have already sold mine and gotten it out of my garage.  Don't get me wrong, kayak fishing is definitely better than shore fishing or wading but it doesn't compare to fishing out of my boat.  When I bought my kayak I thought I would be taking all these short little trips to nearby lakes but I haven't.  And whenever I have the option of taking my boat or kayak, the kayak is never even considered.  But if I were buying new, I would definitely get a pedal-drive kayak and one that has forward and reverse.  Boat control has always been my biggest issue with kayak fishing.   But pedal-drive and an anchor and trolley system definitely makes it easier.  Good luck.  

[casts_by_fly]

4 hours ago, Scott804 said:

I have an Old Town Sportsman 120 PDL. Probably the greatest fishing investment I have ever made, to be honest. I can stand in it, fish on the move, battle wind/current with ease, instantly reverse with no hands available, and all of the rigging is incredibly intuitive. No drilling holes or voiding warranties or what have you. I would consider it worth every penny. Kayak tournaments are a blast too. It's not a bad idea to start small with a paddle kayak probably, but I just went ahead and swung big on the PDL and I do not regret it in the slightest. I have fished out of my brother's Ascend 12T and it is good and all but the OT is seriously like on another level as far as having stability you don't even have to think about and the layout feels incredibly well though out. I think you should probably decide whether you want to go small or go big first. Pedals can seriously be a gamechanger though. If you decide to go big then the question becomes motorized or not... I fished out of a friend's autopilot and it was cool but it definitely lacked some of the seamless movement of the PDL, it was very stop and go for me, but depending how you fish I could see it being the other way around. Being able to with move with my feet without having to fumble with a controller was paramount to me with how I fish. Maybe someday I will do a rudder mount or a bow mount trolling motor so I can have both, but it just feels a little silly to go with a trolling motor only for me, especially when your batteries could die or something and you would have to paddle an absolute behemoth like that. Not to mention stealth factor, but that is a whole different conversation. Physical condition also matters. I am young, in shape, and able to move around easily, if I wasn't I would probably be in an electric motor kayak. In the end it is all about finding the right boat for you. Every kayak is very different and there are a ridiculous amount of options out there. I have fished in friend's kayaks and thought "wow this is literally unbearable" despite them swearing by it (looking at you PA14), it is all personal preference in the end.

im really curious about the stop and go you experienced. I have the ap and I bass fish out of it pretty exclusively (lots of guys use them for trolling or saltwater).  About the only drive based thing I would like from the PDL versions is instant reverse. On the ap you have to turn the head 180 degrees which is slightly annoying but manageable if you think about it (like going for a snag on the bank and turning the head before you get all the way in).

 

what I’ve found super useful on the ap is cruise control paired with heading control. On a straight bank I can set a direction a couple hundred yards away, set cruise control to 0.5 mph or so and start casting. Speed up or slow down depending how much cover there is you want to hit. But I only touch the remote once and I’m good for 15 minutes.

 

2 hours ago, Junk Fisherman said:

Skunked Again- Do you have a boat?  If so, you might be like me and not enjoy kayak fishing as much as others.  I wish I had bought a used kayak.  If I had, I would have already sold mine and gotten it out of my garage.  Don't get me wrong, kayak fishing is definitely better than shore fishing or wading but it doesn't compare to fishing out of my boat.  When I bought my kayak I thought I would be taking all these short little trips to nearby lakes but I haven't.  And whenever I have the option of taking my boat or kayak, the kayak is never even considered.  But if I were buying new, I would definitely get a pedal-drive kayak and one that has forward and reverse.  Boat control has always been my biggest issue with kayak fishing.   But pedal-drive and an anchor and trolley system definitely makes it easier.  Good luck.  

 

this is definitely true. I got a kayak because I couldn’t get a boat (storage). The autopilot handles much like a boat given the autopilot motor and I can launch it in places that don’t have a ramp or into places with ramps a further ride away. But it is lacking in some areas compared to a boat. I want to have my rods and tackle inside the boat when I launch. I want to keep my rain gear in the boat constantly. I’d like to be able to access all of the things I’m carrying without having to crawl to the very front or back over top of what I have. If I had a boat, I’d probably sell the kayak. I wouldn’t lose any important fisheries and I’d get the benefits above. 
 

rick

 

 

[Skunked again]

Junk fisherman- no boat, sold it over the winter. 
 

Everyone - More good thoughts and points to ponder ! Thank you all very much!!

[schplurg]

It would be great if you could borrow a kayak - any kayak and see if you even like being in one.

 

I hated my first yak. Not stable enough, no pedals, hated being stuck in a seat. Thought I'd never try it again.

 

But with the new one, pedals, super stable, seat is about the same, I love it. Getting rid of the paddle was a biggie. It's a better yak all around.

 

You don't have to try the one you want to buy. Just being on the water, being so low to it, having limited movement will give you an idea not only if you like kayaks, but what you might like in the one you want.

[michaelb]

As i said above, i agree with the idea of trying renting and testing kayaks for fishing. Because we all have different preferences and needs and there are major differences in between boats. 
 

i think the kaku zulu is the coolest/best fishing kayak money can buy. I don’t have one though and would love to try one. It can come with peddles. There may be situations where a hobie pa is better, but i am not sure about that, and pa costs twice as much. A core question is how much are you going to stand (almost always better for the fishing) and how well suited the kayak is for standing and fishing. Flat and smooth and simple, like say a bass boat, is better for the fishing vs a heavy plastic bath tub. 

[Skunked again]

Good news on the rental/trying out a kayak front, just found out a friend has one. Gonna see if I can borrow or rent it.

Have no idea what it is, other than a kayak and it supposedly floats!!

[TnRiver46]

53 minutes ago, Skunked again said:

Good news on the rental/trying out a kayak front, just found out a friend has one. Gonna see if I can borrow or rent it.

Have no idea what it is, other than a kayak and it supposedly floats!!

Cool deal! Wear a life jacket and just paddle around close to the bank for a while until you get used to it 

 

fair warning you will probably find it very fun and next thing you know you’re buying a hobie 

[cyclops2]

They are very addictive.  DO NOT ride it.  If you can not afford to buy one !!  New or used.  

 

You have been warned !!!    Enjoy The engine that always starts !!  NO maintenance fees !!  NO extra expenses !!        ?

 

[Koz]

16 hours ago, michaelb said:

i think the kaku zulu is the coolest/best fishing kayak money can buy. 

I'm sorry, but that thing looks like somebody glued a lawn chair to a paddleboard ?

On 3/23/2022 at 10:12 PM, casts_by_fly said:

 But it is lacking in some areas compared to a boat. I want to have my rods and tackle inside the boat when I launch. I want to keep my rain gear in the boat constantly. I’d like to be able to access all of the things I’m carrying without having to crawl to the very front or back over top of what I have.

 

Yes, it can be a pain to twist and turn to get to your crate. Thankfully, I can fit some planos under my seat.

 

But somebody needs to come up with a better kayak that has storage cubbies built in to the inside side walls of the kayak and deck storage for tackle in front of the seat.

 

One thing that is a pain for me is that in some areas I fish there are some very low underpasses that I have to navigate and that means I have to pull my rods out of the rod holder when I cross under. I also have to hope that all of the birds in there that go flying off don't poop on me as I go by.

[michaelb]

8 hours ago, Koz said:

I'm sorry, but that thing looks like somebody glued a lawn chair to a paddleboard ?

 

Yes, it does. Fishing SUPs generally consist of a larry chair or cooler strapped to the top. This has kayak shaped hull on the bottom though for rough water and waves. As a design for fishing, a flat top you stand on is clearly better than a bath tub you sit in. I don't have one, but self rescue (the act of climbing back on the boat and also getting it back upright) is much easier on a paddle board vs a kayak, and can be a major safety issue with hobies, as they are so big and heavy that it can be challenge to get them to flip upright, and the more bath tub shaped the boat, the harder it is to get back over that side.

 

You can stand on top of that lawn chair. You can also sit on top of the back and fish. No other boat (that I know of) offers that, so yes, that is the best designed kayak fishing seat that money can buy. Other brands have followed this design somewhat so there may be some other seats you can stand on and fish as an elevated platform (I don't know if Kaku really invented that idea, but seems to have certainly pushed it forward). That seat slides on track, which is a hugely important feature that many boats skip, and allows you to push the seat back and fish from the center, and adjust the seat and the boat trim if you have gear (or a dog or a kid) on board.

 

[J Francho]

Get seat time in several boats if possible, even if it's just on the sales floor.  If you have a demo day close by that would the most ideal.  

34 minutes ago, michaelb said:

I don't have one, but

Until you've put the time in on the water, you can't really say.  I've been in a quite a few SUPs, fishing and not.  I actually fished from one before they were marketed as fishing vessels. They aren't an ideal choice for most waters that are accessed by motor boats.  If you're accessing backwaters or mother shipping, they might be the ideal vehicle.  I don't know of ANY actual rollovers with sit on top kayaks.  I would fall off my Compass before rolling it, and reentry is not difficult at all.  I'd say the hardest reentry was with my Commander, but that was a hybrid kayak/pack canoe design.  While strongly urge EVERYONE to practice reentry, falling out is such a rare occurrence.  I only know of two people in my circle that done it in the past two decades.

[Fishingmickey]

Just one thing to add. in my opinion the seat is everything. If your not comfortable sitting in it. You'll find yourself after a hour or so hurting in "certain" areas. Lower priced kayaks with crappy seats will make you hate kayaking. So which ever one you decide make sure it has a great seat.

FM

[Jmilburn76]

@michaelb  I bought two of the Wahoo 10"s as soon as they came out. They were nice little yaks for the price but I upgraded quickly to my Native. My only negatives and, really aren't that big of a deal, is the plastic was a little thin in areas and they aren't made in US.  The Zulu is a well though hybrid and Id love to have one though.

[HookInMouth]

2 hours ago, michaelb said:

Yes, it does. Fishing SUPs generally consist of a larry chair or cooler strapped to the top. This has kayak shaped hull on the bottom though for rough water and waves. As a design for fishing, a flat top you stand on is clearly better than a bath tub you sit in. I don't have one, but self rescue (the act of climbing back on the boat and also getting it back upright) is much easier on a paddle board vs a kayak, and can be a major safety issue with hobies, as they are so big and heavy that it can be challenge to get them to flip upright, and the more bath tub shaped the boat, the harder it is to get back over that side.

 

You can stand on top of that lawn chair. You can also sit on top of the back and fish. No other boat (that I know of) offers that, so yes, that is the best designed kayak fishing seat that money can buy. Other brands have followed this design somewhat so there may be some other seats you can stand on and fish as an elevated platform (I don't know if Kaku really invented that idea, but seems to have certainly pushed it forward). That seat slides on track, which is a hugely important feature that many boats skip, and allows you to push the seat back and fish from the center, and adjust the seat and the boat trim if you have gear (or a dog or a kid) on board.

 

Kaku makes some really interesting boats. I've got two Voodoo and love them. 

[casts_by_fly]

12 hours ago, Koz said:

I'm sorry, but that thing looks like somebody glued a lawn chair to a paddleboard ?

 

Yes, it can be a pain to twist and turn to get to your crate. Thankfully, I can fit some planos under my seat.

 

But somebody needs to come up with a better kayak that has storage cubbies built in to the inside side walls of the kayak and deck storage for tackle in front of the seat.

 

One thing that is a pain for me is that in some areas I fish there are some very low underpasses that I have to navigate and that means I have to pull my rods out of the rod holder when I cross under. I also have to hope that all of the birds in there that go flying off don't poop on me as I go by.

 

I have horizontal rod holders, so overpasses and low trees aren't a problem.  Though I do have to watch my left side when I am getting close to brush, walls, or docks.  I'm not usually that close that it matters unless I'm going in for a stuck lure or in significant standing timber. 

 

I also don't run a crate.  I just have a tackle bag that sits behind my seat in place of a crate.  Its a soft sided, rubber bottomed plano bag with 5 3700's, 1x 3600, and some pockets for soft plastics.  Its not bad getting into that from the seat.  The problem is if I want to get further back or into the front hatch.  The front hatch means crawling over the trolling motor.  The rear means a long reach.  I don't normally carry anything in the far rear since my net sits there when I'm fishing.  If I take off a rain jacket or if I have a small cooler it will go there.  I have a small plastic bin that will fit there, but I don't normally need to carry that much but it would be nice to be able to put the things that I DO carry into lockers/hatches and not have to make guesses at the start of the day what I may or may not need.

 

With the design of the autopilot (motor in the front middle of the boat), I don't see a lot of options for built in storage.  I understand why there isn't much and why that's the limiting factor on this boat compared to a Hobie for instance.  If you didn't have the scupper holes in the front floor, then I could see a perfect flat area to build in a hatch.  Definitely big enough for 4x 3700 boxes, more in the 136 AP.  Scuppers would have to be relocated to the sides though (engineering and assembly problem) and the hatch would have to be absolutely waterproof for the event of a front deck flooding (I've had it happen a couple times).  The rear well could be hatched, but you'd lose storage space so I don't see the point.  All around the sidewalls aren't tall enough to fit a 3500 let alone a bigger box.

 

thanks,

rick

 

[Gfd63]

Good advice from all. I started out with an Emotion 10ft paddle kayak then wound up getting a 12ft Hobie Mirage Compass with pedal drive. Gotta admit the older ya get the better the pedal drive is on the bad shoulders & rota-tor cuff issues. They're right. By the time you get the kayak you want then outfit it with all the ginger bread including the fish finder you can easily spend another $1000. Good luck have fun shopping.

[Koz]

5 hours ago, casts_by_fly said:

 

I have horizontal rod holders, so overpasses and low trees aren't a problem.  Though I do have to watch my left side when I am getting close to brush, walls, or docks.  I'm not usually that close that it matters unless I'm going in for a stuck lure or in significant standing timber. 

 

I also don't run a crate.  I just have a tackle bag that sits behind my seat in place of a crate.  Its a soft sided, rubber bottomed plano bag with 5 3700's, 1x 3600, and some pockets for soft plastics.  Its not bad getting into that from the seat.  The problem is if I want to get further back or into the front hatch.  The front hatch means crawling over the trolling motor.  The rear means a long reach.  I don't normally carry anything in the far rear since my net sits there when I'm fishing.  If I take off a rain jacket or if I have a small cooler it will go there.  I have a small plastic bin that will fit there, but I don't normally need to carry that much but it would be nice to be able to put the things that I DO carry into lockers/hatches and not have to make guesses at the start of the day what I may or may not need.

 

With the design of the autopilot (motor in the front middle of the boat), I don't see a lot of options for built in storage.  I understand why there isn't much and why that's the limiting factor on this boat compared to a Hobie for instance.  If you didn't have the scupper holes in the front floor, then I could see a perfect flat area to build in a hatch.  Definitely big enough for 4x 3700 boxes, more in the 136 AP.  Scuppers would have to be relocated to the sides though (engineering and assembly problem) and the hatch would have to be absolutely waterproof for the event of a front deck flooding (I've had it happen a couple times).  The rear well could be hatched, but you'd lose storage space so I don't see the point.  All around the sidewalls aren't tall enough to fit a 3500 let alone a bigger box.

 

thanks,

rick

 

I should have explained my idea a bit better. My thought is that part of the deck should take the place of your plano box, not a place to store your plano box. You would lift a hatch and there would be compartments like your standard plano box.

[Darth-Baiter]

On 3/25/2022 at 3:31 PM, Koz said:

I should have explained my idea a bit better. My thought is that part of the deck should take the place of your plano box, not a place to store your plano box. You would lift a hatch and there would be compartments like your standard plano box.

I can tuck 4 Plano boxes away in front of me on my Hobie Outback.  Plus two under the seat.  I don’t tho because I can turn sideways pretty easily.    The Outback has a great layout.