Old town sportsman 120 vs something else

[peelout]

I'm torn between picking up a brand new old town sportsman 120 or a multitude of other options. A retailer by me is clearing their 2022 models out for $1000CAD. This will be my first boat so I don't want to spend the extra cash just yet for a pedal drive. I also am going to be car topping this yak on my civic so the weight is the main thing I'm concerned about. I'm in my mid 20's and go to the gym frequently so I would describe myself as being in good shape but I don't want to get the old town and then be turned off from taking it out on the water frequently because it's a pain to transport. There are some other options which are a little bit lighter such as the perception outlaw 11.5 and the tarpon 120 but for the price of a used one in my area I can get a brand new sportsman 120. Also I've read how well the tarpon paddles compared to the heavier kayaks and now I'm starting to second guess the old town even more. I was hoping the experts on this forum would be able to give me some guidance on this one, thanks!

[MediumMouthBass]

I found the Outlaw and Tarpon to have felt like half step kayaks, no where near as bad as cheap $300 Lifetimes, but no where near $1000+ fishing kayaks. If you can get one of them around $500 they would be worth getting. But they lack many features.... Which in the modern day are now considered basic features, the one doesnt have a tank well just a cover that bungees down, the other has a seat right on the plastic itself😐 These are glorified Walmart specials Lifetimes/Pelicans, with an absurd price tag attached.

 

If spending around $1000 for a new kayak that has all the bells and whistles theres only 2 options:

#1. Old Town Sportsman 120, 85lbs (your price $1000). #2. Crescent Lite Tackle 2, 79lbs  (MSRP $1200).

 

Both kayaks have sit on top seats that are very nice and adjustable (high/low position). Both have a front and rear tankwell that has inside access, which IMO is the most important part. This will let you store rods inside the hull when transporting the kayak, you can also fit clothes, food, camping gear, and tackle storage inside of them too. Both have great reviews and are highly rated along with being loved by the kayak community, and have lots of aftermarket/oem parts for upgrades too.

 

I have an Sportsman 120, Lite Tackle 1 (the 2 is more oriented for fishing), and a Shoalie. The Old Towns feel like boats, super stable although slow to paddle and takes longer to turn, whereas Crescents are still stable but no where near that much, however they are much faster and turn very sharp. I would highly suggest checking out the 2 kayaks i mentioned because they give you alot for the money, and go above and beyond for features. All the kayaks i own are within 10lbs of each other (75-77-85) but the Old Town requires 2 of us to move safely. Its significantly heavier feeling and looks gigantic too.

 

If the 120's weight is an issue theres always the 106...

[JHoss]

I would highly recommend going the used route. I made the mistake of buying my first yak new before realizing I could've had a much better 1-2 year old boat. My first yak was an Ascend 12T which I was fortunate to buy right before their substantial price increase (went from $650 to $800 a month after I bought if I remember correctly) and sell after that increase, so I didn't lose but a few hundred bucks. My second yak was a very well rigged NuCanoe pursuit I picked up for $900 and sold 4 years later for $1700 (with a busted Xi3 Spotlock I had added). I've moved on to a jon boat now, but would never buy a kayak new again. 

 

Not sure how much kayak fishing experience you have or what your goals are (fun fishing vs tournament), but once you experience fishing from a kayak with a motor or pedals, you'll never want to go back. You can't fish effectively with paddle in your hand, so you're giving up a lot of actual fishing time by paddling. If you're tournament fishing, you don't really stand a chance in a paddle kayak against guys in pedal or motorized kayaks. 

 

I'd think if you spent enough time on marketplace or similar, you could find an older pedal drive yak for around that price point. And if you decide to upgrade again in a few months, you'll be able to sell it for close to what you paid. 

[MediumMouthBass]

3 hours ago, JHoss said:

Not sure how much kayak fishing experience you have or what your goals are (fun fishing vs tournament), but once you experience fishing from a kayak with a motor or pedals, you'll never want to go back. You can't fish effectively with paddle in your hand, so you're giving up a lot of actual fishing time by paddling. If you're tournament fishing, you don't really stand a chance in a paddle kayak against guys in pedal or motorized kayaks. 

 

I'd think if you spent enough time on marketplace or similar, you could find an older pedal drive yak for around that price point. And if you decide to upgrade again in a few months, you'll be able to sell it for close to what you paid. 

This is good advice, follow it. I will add onto my original post, i bought 3 kayaks in a few month period before finding one that fit me and my needs. Dont go into kayaking thinking im only going to buy this now and then upgrade later, it will be a very costly mistake. Because when you go to sell a paddle kayak it wont hold much value, whereas the pedals and powered ones do. However the guys on marketplace will often sell theres for a low price because they need the money quick.

 

Theres a few Sportsman 106's with a pedal drive near me around $1500-1700, a few looked like they came with a trailer too. Which is the downside for these, they weigh a ton more and need a trailer unless you have Superman strength.

 

Write down everything you want in a kayak, and then jot some extra stuff down that you think youd want in the future, with everything together buy a kayak that has all of what your wrote down.

The best advice ive heard when i started kayaking was to buy something you could grow into.

 

However you might not want a pedal drive in the future, i am more than happy with my paddle and the 50lbs weight savings, and quite enjoy the exercise.

[MRQturbo]

My autopilot 120 is the only kayak I've ever been on... I had zero interest in paddling or pedaling much so that made my choice easy... IMO it's the best fishing kayak on the market for my needs... Fishing with spot lock and a motor is a game changer.... It's been 2 full seasons car topping it... I fish 2 to 3 times per week in the spring to fall seasons.. Best decision I've ever made... I fish to relax, not exercise.. 

[Swamp Girl]

Another option is the Old Town NEXT. I bought mine used for $500, but it looks new. The advantage is the weight, as it's 56 pounds. It'll also car top easier than a kayak. With the hull up, it'll sit flatly on your rack. I prefer the openness of a canoe, but I'll be mounting a couple YakAttack mounting plates to go along with its kayak seat. I'll paddle it with a canoe paddle instead of a kayak paddle because canoe paddles don't consume as much space:

 

 

Another option is a Kevlar canoe. I paddle a Bell Rockstar. It's 15' 5" long and weighs 32 pounds. That's a lot of boat at that weight. It's slender and tracks like it's on rails, so it's fast and efficient. It does feel tippy and can dump you, so if you buy one, you'll want to practice a bit close to shore. I like its speed because I can cover miles in a morning.

 

[FishTax]

Definitely buy with the future in mind. If you don't get a peddle or motor powered one, either plan to buy a new one that does have those in a year, or have a plan to retrofit a motor onto what you have. 

I also highly recommend used. Look it over, top and bottom, any damage will be obvious. It's an easy way to save hundreds of dollars, and they also usually come with upgrades and things which a new one would not. Those extras add up fast. Mounting brackets, paddle, rod holders, cart, cup holder, rudder upgrades, crate, etc. just to name a few  

[peelout]

22 hours ago, MRQturbo said:

My autopilot 120 is the only kayak I've ever been on... I had zero interest in paddling or pedaling much so that made my choice easy... IMO it's the best fishing kayak on the market for my needs... Fishing with spot lock and a motor is a game changer.... It's been 2 full seasons car topping it... I fish 2 to 3 times per week in the spring to fall seasons.. Best decision I've ever made... I fish to relax, not exercise.. 

Nice man that looks like the ultimate kayak setup! One day I'll be at the point where I can look into something like the autopilot. Do you have some sort of mechanical lift assist to help you get it on your roof? 

[Bluebasser86]

I have an OldTown120 PDL and before I bought that I had a paddle yak. I was ready to quit kayak fishing when I had my paddle yak, it’s so difficult to control a paddle kayak and fish at the same time. Now I have the peddles and a motor on the bow and I’ve been fishing kayak tournaments for 5 years and going to the Kayak Classic for the second year in a row. It’s night and day difference when your hands are free.

[peelout]

Thanks to everyone for all of the advice, this community is awesome! I've read all of the comments and will take everything in this thread into consideration. I think I'll hold off on buying anything for a little bit and continue to scope out marketplace to see if an even better deal pops up or even a pedal drive. If the weather starts warming up and I still don't have anything I think I'll go with the old town and then figure out how to deal with the weight after the fact. Once again, thanks for taking the time to write out such detailed responses!

[MRQturbo]

24 minutes ago, peelout said:

Nice man that looks like the ultimate kayak setup! One day I'll be at the point where I can look into something like the autopilot. Do you have some sort of mechanical lift assist to help you get it on your roof? 

I added a hitch and use the Yakima long arm bed extender... Also built a rolling cart to get it in and out of my garage easily... 

[Koz]

The first thing that I suggest is finding a kayak shop that offers demo days and try a handful of options.

 

Second, don’t cheap out and plan ahead.

 

Sure, you can fish out of a paddle kayak. But unless you’re anchoring you are going to spend 50% of your time on the water just positioning the watercraft.

 

If you do buy a paddle kayak, make sure that it later be fitted with a pedal drive or an electric motor.

 

If you don’t plan ahead, you’re flushing money.

[peelout]

On 2/25/2025 at 6:35 PM, Swamp Girl said:

Another option is the Old Town NEXT. I bought mine used for $500, but it looks new. The advantage is the weight, as it's 56 pounds. It'll also car top easier than a kayak. With the hull up, it'll sit flatly on your rack. I prefer the openness of a canoe, but I'll be mounting a couple YakAttack mounting plates to go along with its kayak seat. I'll paddle it with a canoe paddle instead of a kayak paddle because canoe paddles don't consume as much space:

 

 

Another option is a Kevlar canoe. I paddle a Bell Rockstar. It's 15' 5" long and weighs 32 pounds. That's a lot of boat at that weight. It's slender and tracks like it's on rails, so it's fast and efficient. It does feel tippy and can dump you, so if you buy one, you'll want to practice a bit close to shore. I like its speed because I can cover miles in a morning.

 

I'm assuming that's $500USD for that old town right? That seems like a crazy deal compared to what's on the used market around me. It looks like that orange old town pictured is called the discovery, I'm not sure if that's the model you have or if you have the NEXT which seems less catered towards anglers. I would definitely be open to one of those if a good deal pops up. Most of the advantages of a canoe but you get a way comfier looking seat, some foot rests, rails and rod holders from the factory! 

[Swamp Girl]

13 minutes ago, peelout said:

I'm assuming that's $500USD for that old town right? That seems like a crazy deal compared to what's on the used market around me. It looks like that orange old town pictured is called the discovery, I'm not sure if that's the model you have or if you have the NEXT which seems less catered towards anglers. I would definitely be open to one of those if a good deal pops up. Most of the advantages of a canoe but you get a way comfier looking seat, some foot rests, rails and rod holders from the factory! 

 

Yeah, it's the Old Town NEXT. I just pulled the other photo off the Internet, but my NEXT looks just like it. I think the Discovery and the NEXT are the same boat with different badging, like a Chevy and GMC truck with different grills and badging. And yes, I paid $500. Given that it's similar to Royalex, it's the closet thing to an immortal boat that one can buy, so the age and use don't really matter. I have yet to paddle it, but Old Town has made enough canoes to know how to design and build a good hull. 

 

 

[BassKat]

I fish a ton on land (extremely high winds), in a War Eagle 754 LDV (big water), and in my Hobie Lynx and Compass in smaller water or extremely dense cover on bigger water.  For me, my kayaks are all about fishing backwater creeks that larger boats cannot access, pad fields, log jams, etc. Hobie's Mirage Drive 180 with kick-up fins was a must because in crossing submerged logs etc, #1 I do not wear out or tear up my drive due to the kick-up fins and #2 I can literally get up high speeds, push one pedal as far away as possible and bring one as close as possible to place my fins against the kayak's bottom to jump over logs. I do this a LOT! With traditional pedal drives, you have to approach a log, pull the drive out, paddle across, put the drive back in, and repeat. Mirage is also quiet and efficient. Hobies are expensive so I don't think that people who don't fish in these places need one. You can find them used at times. 

[Sethshaun]

i've owned both the sportsman 120 pdl and the tarpon 120. two choices- go super simple/super light and deal with the wind and not being able to stand, up or go all in and get the PDL. The sportsman without the drive is very slow and heavy. it sucks. 

 

The wilderness systems Tarpon 120 is very light and you can car top it no problem and it slices through the water and the wind but I could only sit on it for a couple hours before I got uncomfortable. But a sportsman with the PDL drive you can really move. hands-free and instant reverse is a game changer and being able to stand up and set the hook is amazing. 

 

 

also- you have to go find a spot to get out and take a leak in the tarpon, but you can lift the drive and pee through the hole on the old town PDL kayaks. 

[DogBone_384]

On 2/25/2025 at 11:16 AM, peelout said:

I don't want to spend the extra cash just yet for a pedal drive.

 

I started out with a paddle only kayak.  It was a good kayak and pedal drive wasn't mainstream yet.  To do over, I'd have bought a pedal drive.  I own two FeelFree Lure 11.5's.  Their Overdrive unit is removable and a storage box goes in its place if you choose to paddle, which might be an option because you buy each piece from FeelFree a-la-carte.  I remove the pedal drive to store and transport only.

 

If your main reason for buying a kayak is fishing, a pedal drive is the better option.

 

The Lure's hulls weigh about 75 pounds.  I'm 58 and can still lift them onto my Tundra's ladder rack. I also have a '99 Honda CRV whose roof rack is strong enough for the Lure and has enough room for the seat, Overdrive, and fishing gear when I take only one kayak.

 

If it's within your budget, I'd recommend getting a pedal drive unit straight away.

 

Best of luck choosing your new boat.

[Functional]

I've owned 2 kayaks and use my wife's from time to time for fishing still. All 3 are paddle kayaks and I can confidently say the day that I buy another kayak it will 1000% at a minimum be peddle of some type. Half the time in here you see a key to bass fishing is boat position, well be prepared to fight for decent boat position 75% of the time in a kayak and 99% of the time with any wind or current. 

 

Its still better than shore fishing in a lot of ways but there are plenty of struggles with a paddle. Just realize that if you have to go paddle.

 

Maybe a canoe is different but this has been my experience.