Looking for kayak

[N Florida Mike]

I already have one, but it wasn’t made for fishing. Just a shell you sit on. It also leaks real bad.

I know little about kayaks. Trying to start the hunt for one I will like. What features are essential, what is a good length, your pros and cons , etc? I weigh around 250 pounds. I want something very stable , but as short as I can comfortably fish. I’m primarily looking for a good used one at this point.

I will primarily fish smaller waters with it ..

[Koz]

When you buy a kayak, you need to think about what you will most likely want 2-3 years from now.

 

My first kayak was a pedal drive and a year later I wanted to attach a motor to it but found out that the weight of it would eventually cause problems with my hull. I still have that kayak, but I also bought an Autopilot. So your first question is paddle, pedal, or motor for your baseline kayak and where do you see yourself in a few years?

 

Other considerations:

 

1. Storage. Crate storage, cooler storage, dry bag storage, spare parts storage, and rod holders come into play here.

 

2. Weight capacity, especially adding a battery or two. Your baits and tackle, especially soft plastics, add more weight than you think. Adding a cooler and drinks also adds a lot of weight.

 

3. Wiring. You may start with a simple fish finder, but later you may want to add FFS, lights, USB ports, cameras, etc. Are there spaces for batteries or battery boxes? How accessible is the hull to run wires?

 

4. Mounting options. Not all rail mounts are created equal. Will you need extra rod holders, electronics, a phone mount, over the rail transducer arm, etc.? Are there enough rail mounts and are they in places that will not interfere with your ability to fish or land fish?

 

5. Transducer mounting. Can the transducer be mounted on the hull or is a transducer arm required?

 

6. Transport. Car top, truck bed, or trailer? The more stuff you add, the more space you need. If you're older, car topping gets less and less fun. So does trailering unless you do what I did and add a winch.

 

7. Will you be fishing strictly for fun or do you eventually plan to enter tournaments (even local tournaments)?

 

8. Sit, stand, or both? If you plan to stand, you had better have either great balance or a very stable kayak.

 

9. If you eventually want a motor, do you want speed or spot lock? I love my Autopilot with spot lock, but I'm limited to about 3.5 mph with my load out. I see guys with rear mount motors blowing by me at twice that speed.

 

What I'm getting at now is that what you think is a good kayak right now might not be a good kayak in a year or two.

 

If I was buying a kayak today I would buy the new Bonafide XTR 130 and build out from there. Well, maybe night. I might buy a pedal drive Hobie and then add a motor to it. But if you're fishing is only going to consist of smaller waters, Bonafide makes great pedal and paddle kayaks.

 

If you're more budget conscious and looking for a pedal drive, to this day I still love my Seastream Angler 120 pedal drive kayak. I've used it on small waters and big lakes. The only time I use it now is if there is a river tournament that doesn't have a lake option because I don't want to ruin my Autopilot.

[Swamp Girl]

@Koz gave you a great answer. I would only add that a simple Google search of best fishing kayaks will give you other options. I know canoes are no longer fashionable, but I sure enjoy the light weight of mine compared to kayaks. There are even solo canoes today that weigh about 25 pounds. They aren't cheap, but you could reach water that other boats couldn't reach. 

[MediumMouthBass]

8 hours ago, N Florida Mike said:

I will primarily fish smaller waters with it ..

Shorter kayaks turn faster, and maneuver better as well.

River kayaks may be something to look at.

 

Take your weight, your gears weight, and the kayak you are interested in's weight and add it up.

Ex, a RVR 115 has a 425lb weight capacity, your weight + 15lbs of gear +85lb kayak comes out to 350. So pay attention to their weight capacity to find out if what you are looking at is too much or not enough for what you need.

 

Hull design is a crucial part too, speed, stability, maneuvering, and even getting or not getting blown around by the wind is all from this design.

 

I personally dont like Old Towns (paddle), they are nice kayaks especially for fishing and i have one. The things are built like tanks, heavy, wide, and slow. Super stable though, but again way to slow and heavy for my liking.

But if you are looking at a peddle drive they are fantastic for the price, even better used (just make sure everything is working). Probably the 10'6" would be something you may be interested in.

 

The Crescent Shoalie is another option, out of the 3 i have this is my favorite and the only one i feel like was made for me. its not too heavy (but still no where near as light as a canoe or cheaper kayak). Its 11'10, fantastic handling, corners great, speed isnt as fast as my Light Tackle, but its miles above the Old Town, stability is odd. Its still very stable but more so has alot of play in it (its a river kayak).

 

Bonafide has several good kayaks on the market too.

As well as Nucanoe, but they are more like skinny boats.

[N Florida Mike]

Great info y’all. Thanks!

@Koz it’ll take me awhile to mull through your detailed response. @Swamp Girl, I have a canoe. I keep it but rarely use it. I got blown all over the place the few times I used it. I have an old ford ranger shortbed to haul my various watercraft in, but the canoe is the longest and Id rather slide something into the bed than have to tie it off on top. 
@MediumMouthBass , another great response. 
 I want to keep it as simple and easy as possible, so probably going with a paddle ‘yak. I usually only fish for a few hours at a time, so gonna be traveling light. I just want something I can quickly load and unload, with as few breakable parts as possible!

 

 

 

[Swamp Girl]

34 minutes ago, N Florida Mike said:

I got blown all over the place the few times I used it.

 

Yep, their high sides work like sails. 

[Bigbox99]

On 11/23/2024 at 3:43 PM, N Florida Mike said:

I already have one, but it wasn’t made for fishing. Just a shell you sit on. It also leaks real bad.

I know little about kayaks. Trying to start the hunt for one I will like. What features are essential, what is a good length, your pros and cons , etc? I weigh around 250 pounds. I want something very stable , but as short as I can comfortably fish. I’m primarily looking for a good used one at this point.

I will primarily fish smaller waters with it ..

Perception outlaw 11.5.  Super stable, light and with a very high seating position and low sides that makes casting and pitching a breeze.  You will get blown around in the wind sitting up that high but that's not as much of a concern on small bodies of water.  It's also cheapish as under $1,000.