# Kayak for fishing - but which one????



## Micheal (Jan 28, 2009)

OK I've been to the Bass Pro Shops, Gander Mt, Wilderness Systems, and a few other web sites looking at what is available for a "fishing" kayak. Short of actually going to some of these places and getting a hands-on sales pitch, which I'll most likely do the end of next month, will someone please, please, offer me some insight as to what to look for, at, stay away from, or???, the list goes on & on & on..... Save-me; I've been internet overwhelmed.
I first thought that I wanted a light-weight (less than 50 lb), maybe around 10 feet long, sorta a flat bottomed kayak with provision for "fishin stuff", costing about 350 to 500+ bucks, usable in lakes and streams with maybe some mild rapids tossed in. Easy right?

Holy-come-moly there are open wells, covered wells, foam filled or open areas, able to sit in or on, molded/padded seating; even removeable seating systems, 10 to 14 foot long being wide and/or narrow, able to carry 250 to 400 pounds, able to stand up in or not, weights range from 35 to 85+ pounds, anchoring provision(s), electric motor option, storage holes for 2-6 rods in or on the kayak, rod holders or not, cost from $350.00 upwards of $1,999.00. (yep Gander Mt got one for $1,999.00).

Sooooo, if you were to buy a kayak for fishing or if'n you already own a fishing model; PLEASE tell me what you have or would want/need, any like(s) or dislike(s), what to look for, cost (hopefully) under a grand.....
Any comments, suggestions, etc to help me in finding that ideal kayak will be greatly, greatly, appreciated!


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

I use a 9' Pelican for lake sampling. I can't remember the model but it was about $500. The opening to get seated is probably a little small for fishing. It weighs 40 lbs.

I think you'll notice that you sit down into the water so visibility is much less than a 12' boat.

I've paddled it in whitecaps and it felt pretty stable but I'm comfortable with it.

I think it could have things like rod holders attached by the owner without too much trouble.


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## fffarmergirl (Oct 9, 2008)

A few years ago I went fishing in my little kayak. I don't know what brand it is - it's one of those plastic $300 or $400 ones from a place like Gander Mountain, hollow in the front and behind the seat so you can put your stuff there. I'm not a fisherperson and didn't think I was going to catch anything, so I really didn't think about where I'd put fish if I caught them. Dragging them behind the kayak in a plastic bag didn't work. I wound up putting them in a plastic bag in the place in front of my feet. There were fish flopping all around my bare legs. A compartment that opens upward from the top of the kayak for storing fish in, separate from the cockpit, would have worked better.

Perch swarmed around the kayak. I don't know if it was the color of the kayak or what. It's yellow, if that matters.


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## woodsy (Oct 13, 2008)

Personally I'd rather fish from a canoe for the sake of comfort but i have fished from my 
older model Old Town Loon $500.00 range. This kayak is very stable and the roomy cockpit is a big plus for fishing from.

Old town also offers some fishing models


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## Qhorseman (Jul 9, 2010)

http://www.nativewatercraft.com/index.cfm

These are the ones I am looking at, reviews on them are good, they are not too hard on the wallet


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## Oldcountryboy (Feb 23, 2008)

We have a t.v. show that come on Sunday mornings called "Outdoor Oklahoma". Just so happen they talked about what to look for in Kayak fishing. They highly recommended that you get a long kayak of about 14' the least. Said that longer Kayaks are easier to manuver. They also recommended that you get a sit on top kind as they are "Self Bailing". Whereas the sit in type you will have to periodically pull over to bank and dump the water out, while a sit on top kind the water simply runs off by itself. As for the rest of the features is just simply a matter of your own personel taste. 

I've been thinking about selling my canoe and using the money to help buy myself a Kayak. Actually I would probably need to buy about 3 of them as I have two daughters at home who love to kayak.


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## YuccaFlatsRanch (May 3, 2004)

OH you NEED to take a look at the Wavewalk W-500 at www.wavewalk.com. I have one and post on their website as Gary J. It's the easiest kayak on anyone's body and it solves all of the problems of fishing from a kayak. They are made close to you in Sharon, Maine.


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## PyroDon (Jul 30, 2006)

For fishing a sit on top is a little more stable but you'll get wet .
I fish small strip pits and farm ponds I use a 11ft old town solo canoe , we have two a pack canoa and an 119K. One nice thing about either one is they are just big enough I can set my 7 yr old in and take her fishing without making a major production out of it


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## Micheal (Jan 28, 2009)

Thanks for the comments......
The main reason I started looking at a "fishing" kayak is that as I and my past fishin' buddy age we were finding that it was getting rather difficult to handle my 17 foot, 83 pound, flat bottomed canoe; specially on dry land... 
This year having to go it alone I thought that a "fishing" kayak would be - lighter, smaller, easy for 1 person to handle, less chance of being blown all over the place by a breeze, and just something different.
What I found was buying or looking for a "fishing" kayak is worse than looking for a new car...... the options are, well - many!! Soo this is the reason for the question(s) maybe to find out what is needed or better yet what to look for that prove to be worth (or not) the money.....
I was being sorta swayed toward one from Bass Pro shops for about 500 bucks, but then I saw www.wildernesssystems.com and wow.....
Guess time will tell, but trout season around here opens April 1st and hope I'll be able to have one by then??????


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

You're right about kayaks not catching the wind as much as a canoe.

I used to carry our work kayak about 1/2 mile on my biggest field day. Now I drag it by the handle on the end. Our soil is sandy and we don't have many rocks. After several years of dragging it 1/2 mile 7 times a year I still can't see any signs of wear. That's probably because it's so light.


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## PyroDon (Jul 30, 2006)

weight was a major buying point on our purchasing the solo canoes each is about 38 pounds , ease of entry and ability to load gear was as well .
It depends on how often you end up getting in and out brush piles or beaver dams .
the biggest disadvantage of a small light boat is if you catch a big fish the boat goes where ever the fish does . Its nearly impossible to get a 50 pound flat head in the boat with out going to shore but its sure a fun ride


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## Oldcountryboy (Feb 23, 2008)

Gosh darnit! I want to go kayak fishing! All this talk about Kayak fishing has got me going out of my mind.


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## Micheal (Jan 28, 2009)

Well, spent some time yesterday checkin out the web sites you offered and am now more, ahhh, confused than - well there sure is a lot of options out there........
Did check out the W500 sure is a strange lookin craft; sorta like a mini catamaran. I just don't know how my size 13's would be in that 8" wide space on each side of the center. I will say though it would appear to be the most stable of them all. Wonder how it would do in a breeze and why the need for an extra long paddle?
As to the "native watercraft" to me most of them look like canoes, just not my idea of a kayak, but hey, sure did like those powered (foot & electric) verisons... But here in NY they would have to be registered (anything motorized) which in-its-self would be a pain.
Checked out those "oldtown"s also - interesting to be honest I didn't even give them a thought as to making kayaks.

One thing that I did notice though was most of them, no matter the make, had the anchor (system) on the side of the craft. To me, and going by my canoe experience, that just ain't the place for an anchor, not unless you want to wobble in the current.
Of course I made mention to a another fishing person about buying a kayak and he suggested just to buy a wide "cheap" kayak and modify it how I wanted, via a hole saw, glue, accessories, etc....... But then he has a "cheap" ???? kayak he has been trying to off load for over a year now. Then again it is a thought.......


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## B & B Farms (Jan 12, 2011)

I have an older Loon 142, which means it is 14' 2" long, I fish from it all the time. Lakes, rivers, even Lake Huron once on vaca! Even though I am a woman and not all that tall I can manage it on and off the top of my truck by myself. But I don't think they make those anymore, I paid $450 for it about 8 years ago.

As far as an anchor goes, I have a LONG line with a loop tied to the front handle, I find my spot and tie onto a branch or log...works freaking GREAT! 

Allene


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## PyroDon (Jul 30, 2006)

You could always build your own . 
lay up styrofoam glued together with great stuff .
did I mention My wife bought me the canoes in an effort to get me to stop building the untimate fishing canyak. .
I agree the anchor on the side is a waste . on my canoe I picked up an old heavy duty sea fishing reel and strung it with 300# braid for a winch, put the anchor on the bow . 
on one of the boats I built years ago I used Rc out drives and a weed eater , ended up being too loud for fishing but moved quick


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## pheasantplucker (Feb 20, 2007)

My wife & I each have an Old Town Loon. Very stable, quiet effortless. Definitely get one with foot pegs. Makes a huge difference. We fish out of ours. You wouldn't believe the places we can get to quickly and quietly...


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## Micheal (Jan 28, 2009)

Well, the matter of deciding what, which, etc has ended!!!!!!!! :bouncy:
I am now the proud (?) owner of a Pelican Escape 100. 
No, I know it's not a "fishing" kayak but hey the price was right - it was a gift and ya can't beat that....... :rock:
Now if'n you have any suggestions as to how to improve this vessel more toward fishin' I'm all ears :gossip: well eyes in this case! :typomat: :grin:


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## pheasantplucker (Feb 20, 2007)

Cool...I'm not familiar with that particular one. Do you sit in the cockpit or on top? Either way, you can outfit it for some great fishing adventures...My wife and I have small pouches that clip to the kayak. They contain all the little swivels, sinkers, hooks, leaders, etc. that we use. We use little cases like you'd use for holding drill bits and such to hold the gear. Works great, doesn't take up much room and they're quiet. Best fishes!


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## Micheal (Jan 28, 2009)

It's a "sit-in", 10 feet long, 28 inches wide, 14.5 inches depth, weighs 42 pounds, has 2 hatchs (a large one behind the seat and a small one in front of the cockpit), and will carry up to 275 pounds - which means I can carry about 80-85 lbs of ____. (gear!)
An important thing is that if I drop the rear seats in my car I can carry the kayak in my trunk with only 2-3 feet hanging out the back - no need for roof-top carrier!!!!


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

You could mount a pulley in the front or back and a rope tie point near the cockpit for the anchor.


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## travis91 (Jul 26, 2005)

i have a Hobie sit on top kayak and i love it.. its not a fishing model tho


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## YuccaFlatsRanch (May 3, 2004)

"You could mount a pulley in the front or back and a rope tie point near the cockpit for the anchor. " NO, you put a D-ring caribiner to the handles in the front and another to an anchor ring in the back and stretch a 1/4 inch rope through them making a continuous loop. This is called an anchor trolley and allows you to position the anchor wherever it is need to keep the kayak in the position needed. Do a search on "kayak anchor trolley" to see exactly how it is rigged. The best anchor is a "Bruce Claw" available from Austin kayak for under $20 including shipping. If you are going to fish in shallow waters make something called a Stake Out Stick.


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## Wis Bang 2 (Jan 12, 2010)

Michael, check out www.thepondhopper.com [Berkley Heights, NJ] guided NJ bass fishing trips in 'yaks. He has nice setups. Also www.paddlerscove.com [Washington, NJ] they sell fishing 'yaks and accessories.


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## Raven12 (Mar 5, 2011)

We had a dog that loved to lay on the sit on top model while we paddled along. Kayaks are very versatile.


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## Oldcountryboy (Feb 23, 2008)

YuccaFlatsRanch said:


> OH you NEED to take a look at the Wavewalk W-500 at www.wavewalk.com. I have one and post on their website as Gary J. It's the easiest kayak on anyone's body and it solves all of the problems of fishing from a kayak. They are made close to you in Sharon, Maine.


That's an awesome kayak, wonder how much it cost? I believe I would sell my canoe for something like that.


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## Micheal (Jan 28, 2009)

YuccaFlatsRanch, As I mentioned in an earlier post about anchoring on the side of a craft, Why would you want to anchor on a side of the craft? 
I'm only going by my canoe experience and have never had reason to "anchor" a kayak, but with the canoe an anchor off the bow or stern worked better than tying off on a side be it in the middle, in front of the rear paddler or behind the front paddler. So please enlighten me before I get to serious about drilling holes?
Also speaking of anchors - how come anchors for kayaks are so small (in size and weight)??? Guess I'm just use to using the 8 pound anchor I have for the canoe and a fishin buddy's row boat......... Will a 1 -1 1/2 pound anchor really work?
Did check out that "Bruce Claw" quite interesting, (cheap too) wonder on how it would work on stony bottoms????


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## Wis Bang 2 (Jan 12, 2010)

the trolley lets you slide the rope to adjust the position you are holding. Think of it like the anchor is on a pulley and adjusting the loop between the side and front end w/ the fixed point being the front of the 'yak.
As far as size, my pappy used two galvanized nails bent in a U and stood in a Campbells soup can filled w/ lead. He used two of 'em to hold wooden rowboats in the Delaware river...doesn't take too much to make an anchor.


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## YuccaFlatsRanch (May 3, 2004)

"I just don't know how my size 13's would be in that 8" wide space on each side of the center. I will say though it would appear to be the most stable of them all. Wonder how it would do in a breeze and why the need for an extra long paddle?"

Size 13's are no problem. I am accomodated quite well with my size 15 EEEE feet. I am 6'2" and weigh about 260. Not only is it the most stable of them all, BUT it's design (Wavewalk W500) lets you change your paddling position and stretch your back. I am soon to be 62, and its been many years since I was comfortable watching TV sitting on my butt with my legs straight out in front of me. Sitting like that in a kayak is pure torture to my back. The extra long paddle just makes it easier to paddle (longer strokes) and keeps the water that drips off of a paddle outside of the kayak where it belongs. It also helps because you are paddling from a more upright position and I won't even talk about paddling standing up.


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## Wojo (Apr 12, 2011)

I have two different kayaks I use, a hard sided and an inflatable...both Coleman branded. See pics below.

My favorite is the inflatable. It's extremely comfortable, and with the flat bottom it's nearly impossible to tip over. It's also a breeze to transport. Everything fits into an oversized duffel: Kayak, three section paddle, life vest, pump, collapsible anchor.

Hard Side










Inflatable


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