First fishing kayak

[Hiljun]

I am thinking about buying my first kayak and would appreciate some help finding a good one. We travel for a living and are not in a givin place more than about six months at a time so I need somthing that hauls good. I will haul it atop my camper shell. I fish every where Big Bend, the Keys, the Glades, the Atlantic, all the rivers in Arkansas and where ever else we go. Any advise would be welcome. I don't know if it matters but I am 6' and about 230#.

[Steve Stinson]

I have four of them that sort of progressed over the years. I started with a Necky sit inside that I found after Hurricane Ivan in Pensacola and rigged for fishing. Then went to a Perception, and ended up with a Native Watercraft.

I would recommend a Native Watercraft or a Jackson kayak, mainly because those two have a rigid aluminum seat frame with a webbed seat. They are the only two I have fished in all day without my back hurting at the end of the day.

The other consideration is whether you want a sit on top or a sit inside model. I find it easier to get in and out of a sit on top. They are also sealed hulls, so if you run into rain or even flip over, your hull won't fill with water.

Some on here will recommend the Hobie kayaks with the pedal drive, but I drag mine over so many obstructions that I would rather just paddle.

There are a few kayak shops around here that will let you try several before you decide on one.

Good Luck.

[RCS]

There are TONS of great options for fishing kayaks. If you're in this area for now, I suggest dropping by The Wilderness Way in Crawfordville. Those guys can let you sit in a variety of different size/style kayaks, and help you get a feel for what will best suit your needs. Even if you're wanting to buy used, sitting in a few different kayaks will give you a better idea of what to keep your eyes peeled for...then it's just a matter of watching Craigslist and other classifieds. I've bought 3 kayaks going this route and found some really great deals.

I also suggest joining the forum over on fcka.net as well...lots of very knowledgeable guys from this area, and occasionally some good deals to be had on the classified section.

[silverking]

Many veteran yakkers will argue for a sit-on-top model for fishing to allow easy entry/dismount. If you plan to wade fish a lot, that might be the way to go. I use mine mainly in the winter when the water is cold, so I prefer a sit-inside. I bought a pre-owned Native Watercraft Ultimate 14.5 Solo a little over a year ago that was rigged with fore and aft spray skirts. It has a very comfortable seat and that length will span a chop without a problem. If I had to replace it, however, I would probably go with the 12-foot version to reduce the weight slightly and make loading/transport just a little easier. The NWC Ultimate is a tunnel hull design, which is very stable and allows me to stand to stretch, take a leak and look around. I don't normally cast from a standing position, although many do. I am able to get extremely skinny into the creeks/flats on super-low tides for access to waters not normally fished.

I've also fished a Hobie Pro Angler with the pedal drives. While that does free up your hands to fish and would be great for trolling/deeper water, the extra draft of the flippers defeats my goal of getting into the extreme shallows. You can pull the drives up, but you still have to deal with the pedal mechanism. The pedal style models are not the easiest to paddle, either. Native and some other makes now also offer pedal versions.

I'd suggest comparing brands on-line and making a list of the features you need before you start to seriously shop. Comfort/seating, dry storage, rod/gear storage and access are things to consider besides performance. Plan on spending some bucks on a good paddle eventually, too. It'll make the difference in terms of comfort, stamina, stealth, etc.

Hopefully others with more experience like TailTales, Flint River Pirate or Cotton will add their thoughts to give you more perspective. The used kayak market is very tight and good buys don't last very long. You have to have cash in hand and be ready to pounce. Some of the big box stores offer decent new models on sale and you might also check with Wilderness Way/TnT or Island Outfitters on SGI to see when they'll be selling their rental fleet.

[Nate]

I kayak fish and I own a Native Redfish 14 I enjoy it a lot and especially for the price I fish a lot out of it and I duck hunted out of it this year. it depends on your price range and what you are looking for but I fish with some friends and they own hobies and they are really nice and if I had the money to get one I would I have used one of my friends and they are really nice due to the fact you don't have to paddle unless your in really shallow water so your hands are free to fish and move or do anything at the same time your moving. I would talk to the guys up at wilderness way they will help you find what your looking for.

[cotton]

Wow! This is tough! You fish such diverse places! I'd buy 2. 1 for flat water and rivers. 1 for coastal. Its just like buying a boat.
Just try before you buy and you'll be fine. I love the native ultimate and slayer along with the hobies and wilderness systems.

[Luv2Yak]

I am thinking about buying my first kayak and would appreciate some help finding a good one. We travel for a living and are not in a givin place more than about six months at a time so I need somthing that hauls good. I will haul it atop my camper shell. I fish every where Big Bend, the Keys, the Glades, the Atlantic, all the rivers in Arkansas and where ever else we go. Any advise would be welcome. I don't know if it matters but I am 6' and about 230#.

Do yourself a favor: to make a well-informed decision, check out NuCanoe before you buy.

[RCS]

Just my opinion...If you're buying a kayak for the purpose of fishing in a variety of environments, there are too many makes and models set up specifically for fishing that are far superior to the nucanoe. They "can do" a number of different things, but they're expensive and lack many of the features that come standard on more fishing oriented kayaks. If that style (open, sit in) appeals to you, the Native Ultimate is a better equipped, more fishing specific kayak.

[Flint River Pirate]

I've been kayaking for a long time and the first thing that I will say is that kayaks are like shoes....you've got to find the one that fits you. I would like to caution you from buying one of the store brand kayaks because you will hate it. The cheaper kayaks tend to warp when car topping. I've had more kayaks than I can count. When I was growing up in Virginia, we paddled short sit inside kayaks. Since then, I have owned more than I can count.

Because you are a novice, I would recommend a wider kayak. The wide kayaks are slower but an unstable kayak is what turns most people away from kayaking. The narrower kayaks are faster, but are very "tippy".
Longer kayaks track better in the water but they are also much heavier! Silverking gave you some very good advice and I agree with everything he said.

I have owned 5 Hobie kayaks with the Mirage Drive, they are great but I prefer to paddle vs peddle but that's just my personal preference.

Based on everything you said, I would not go with anything longer than a 12 foot because of the portability that you require. It also looks like you will be fishing some bigger water. I highly recommend you go to the Austin Kayak site and look at the reviews of their boats. That's a very helpful site.

Take a look at the Feelfree Lure 11.5, I think you would be very pleased with that kayak....I have one and love it. I am also a big fan of Native Kayaks. If you have more questions PM me.

Dave

[bman]

Shoes are a perfect comparison... the right yak for someone else my not be right for you.

Start by borrowing or renting as many as you can to figure out what you want...
both TNT and Wilderness way in Wakulla rent them:
http://tnthideaway.com/

http://www.thewildernessway.net/