Kayak Fisherman, I have questions

[jad2t]

I want to buy a kayak and like this one a lot. Of course, Ill be buying it from Dunham Sports for about 250 dollars cheaper.

http://futurebeach.com/index.php/kay...tm-144-12.html

It's not too big that I can't strap it on top of my Grand Cherokee (I think) but plenty big enough for me being over 6 ft tall. It has all the storage, rod holders, etc. that I need. I will be using it to fish the Caney Fork River, often below the dam and sometimes during generation. Of course, Ill stay to the left side of the wall so I won't be in the current. I also will use it around Center Hill Lake to get a lot more access than I'd have from the bank. I commonly see areas I'd love to cast to but can't access from shore fishing. I may venture to other lakes with it too but I'm planning on using it near the shore, not paddling very far away. Knowing this, do you experienced kayak fisherman see anything about this kayak that wouldn't suit my needs? I know there are nicer ones out there but I don't want to spend much more than $500. I don't need all the fancy additions, just the basics to allow me to fish the way I like but have more access than shore fishing gives me.

[Travis C.]

Originally Posted by jad2t

I don't need all the fancy additions, just the basics to allow me to fish the way I like

Boy, I have said that a time or two yet for some reason there is all this stuff around the house...

[Alphahawk]

MidTNKayakAngler will be able to give you the best advice but I will put my two cents in. I wouldn't buy until I demoed it. That holds true if you are spending 200 bucks or 2000 bucks. I don't have mine fully rigged yet as I am just doing too much fishing in it...but that is why I bought it. My concern from looking at it is the seat. I don't know if you would be comfortable in that or not. Everyone has their comfort level and I have seen same seats in much more expensive kayaks. But looks to me like you would stay wet. I know buying a kayak took me to a whole new level of fishing. I can fish all my great bank spots and I now have tons of water open to me. Owe you a PM and am working on it now.


Regards

[jad2t]

Well that kayak is sold at Dunham Sports and one just opened in Cookeville. I'm moving back there in a month and plan to buy one then so if I was interested in this one I'd be able to check it out first. When you say "demo" it, do you mean actually taking it for a test run in water somewhere? I didn't think that would be allowed.

How can you tell by this one that I would stay wet? I've read reviews on some of the really cheap kayaks where people say their butt stays wet the whole time. That would get annoying in that cold Caney Fork water, especially in cooler months!

[Alphahawk]

Originally Posted by jad2t

Well that kayak is sold at Dunham Sports and one just opened in Cookeville. I'm moving back there in a month and plan to buy one then so if I was interested in this one I'd be able to check it out first. When you say "demo" it, do you mean actually taking it for a test run in water somewhere? I didn't think that would be allowed.

How can you tell by this one that I would stay wet? I've read reviews on some of the really cheap kayaks where people say their butt stays wet the whole time. That would get annoying in that cold Caney Fork water, especially in cooler months!

Yeah get in it and paddle around for a day. I don't know if Dunhams does that but maybe you can find someone who has one of that kind and they could let you try it out. It took me 3 years to get the one I wanted. Something always came up to put it off....3 root canals...caps....surgery...and so on....just life. But I demoed the Coosa before I bought it. It has its draw backs....but all of them have something about them you don't like or want. For me I wanted comfort and stability. Just looking at that kayak I don't know how you could keep from getting your rear end soaked....but I have never been in that one. Plus that plastic hull will get awful hard sitting on it. They do sell seat pads though. Have you looked on Craig's list?....sometimes they have some good ones for sell on there. I am sure Jeremy will see this post and hopefully chime in...as well as other kayak owners.


Regards

[txnative]

The issue with the seat is that it is only a seatback, not an actual seat. Sit on top kayaks have holes in the bottom of the cockpit to allow water to drain out, but water can on occasion come up thru them. Without a full seat, your butt is going to get wet the first time you sit down and force water up thru the holes (scuppers). There are plugs designed to seal them, but I don't use them, I'd rather have a wet butt than sit in a couple inches of water (I fish in rough stuff, on occasion).

If you're looking for bare bones price, check out the 12' eagle talon at dick's. It's only drawback is the stern well won't fit a milk crate, but a file crate works fine. It retails for $499, and has an ok seat, but you'll have spare $ to buy a seat pad so your rear stays dry, or drier, and it will be infinitely more comfortable.

The seat is a big deal in kayaks. I shelled out almost $200 for a premier seat, especially since I spend anywhere from 8 to 12 hrs in my yak at a time.

If you have any other questions, ask. The more info you have on the fore-end, the better.

Chris

[Alphahawk]

Originally Posted by txnative

The issue with the seat is that it is only a seatback, not an actual seat. Sit on top kayaks have holes in the bottom of the cockpit to allow water to drain out, but water can on occasion come up thru them. Without a full seat, your butt is going to get wet the first time you sit down and force water up thru the holes (scuppers). There are plugs designed to seal them, but I don't use them, I'd rather have a wet butt than sit in a couple inches of water (I fish in rough stuff, on occasion).

If you're looking for bare bones price, check out the 12' eagle talon at dick's. It's only drawback is the stern well won't fit a milk crate, but a file crate works fine. It retails for $499, and has an ok seat, but you'll have spare $ to buy a seat pad so your rear stays dry, or drier, and it will be infinitely more comfortable.

Chris

Very well put.

[MNfisher]

Originally Posted by txnative

It's only drawback is the stern well won't fit a milk crate, but a file crate works fine.

Chris

I am curious what the milk crate or file crate is for?

[txnative]

Gear storage. I use mine to carry tackle trays, landing gear, and have attached rod holders I made out if PVC pipe to carry rods. I can carry 6 conventional and 2 fly rods on one crate, not counting the 2 molded rod holders on the kayak.

My kayaks are outfitted with two adjustable rod holders near the forward end of the cockpit, and my primary yak also has two ram tube-style holders just aft of the seat. I have a lowrance x135 depthfinder on my primary yak, and a lowrance mark 5x pro on my spare yak.


Chris

[browntrout]

Originally Posted by jad2t

I want to buy a kayak and like this one a lot. Of course, Ill be buying it from Dunham Sports for about 250 dollars cheaper.

http://futurebeach.com/index.php/kay...tm-144-12.html

It's not too big that I can't strap it on top of my Grand Cherokee (I think) but plenty big enough for me being over 6 ft tall. It has all the storage, rod holders, etc. that I need. I will be using it to fish the Caney Fork River, often below the dam and sometimes during generation. Of course, Ill stay to the left side of the wall so I won't be in the current. I also will use it around Center Hill Lake to get a lot more access than I'd have from the bank. I commonly see areas I'd love to cast to but can't access from shore fishing. I may venture to other lakes with it too but I'm planning on using it near the shore, not paddling very far away. Knowing this, do you experienced kayak fisherman see anything about this kayak that wouldn't suit my needs? I know there are nicer ones out there but I don't want to spend much more than $500. I don't need all the fancy additions, just the basics to allow me to fish the way I like but have more access than shore fishing gives me.

I would think long and hard before I bought this yak. I have fished out of a yak for the past 3 years and I personally don't think this will do what you have described that you want to do. I would wait and save a little more $ to get what you really want. Also keep your eye on Craigslist for a potential deal. Just my .02 cents worth. Good luck with it.

[BigDfromTennessee]

Here is another kayak you might want to consider:

http://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/st...-1?N=670787849

This one is made from the same mold as the Wilderness Systems Tarpon 120 from about 2009. The Tarpon 120 is a very versatile kayak and comes with a full seat.

As others have said, the kayak you linked in your post would need an add on seat bottom at a minimum and the back didn't look very substantial. Craigslist can occasionally be a gold mine for used yaks if you get lucky on the timing.

Demoing before you buy is definitely the way to go if possible but buying from a big box store usually prevents that. I demoed my Jackson Coosa before buying. It suits my style of fishing well but no kayak is perfect. There are features that are mutually exclusive such as speed and stability.

I hope you are able to get on the water soon but taking a little time on the front end will make for lots more enjoyment down the road. Best of luck to you in your search.

D

[jad2t]

Originally Posted by BigDfromTennessee

Here is another kayak you might want to consider:

http://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/st...-1?N=670787849

This one is made from the same mold as the Wilderness Systems Tarpon 120 from about 2009. The Tarpon 120 is a very versatile kayak and comes with a full seat.

As others have said, the kayak you linked in your post would need an add on seat bottom at a minimum and the back didn't look very substantial. Craigslist can occasionally be a gold mine for used yaks if you get lucky on the timing.

Demoing before you buy is definitely the way to go if possible but buying from a big box store usually prevents that. I demoed my Jackson Coosa before buying. It suits my style of fishing well but no kayak is perfect. There are features that are mutually exclusive such as speed and stability.

I hope you are able to get on the water soon but taking a little time on the front end will make for lots more enjoyment down the road. Best of luck to you in your search.

D

Fortunately I won't be buying one until I move back to Cookeville which won't be for another month so I have time to shop around and get advice from the people on this forum like yourself who are experienced kayak fisherman. That kayak you linked certainly looks like it has a more comfortable seat! Since I won't be fishing in any rough waters, mainly in lakes and the Caney Fork river, could I just buy scudder plugs to plug them up and that way won't have to worry about water coming in through them and getting my butt wet?

One thing I'm much more worried about than the speed of the kayak is the stability. Not that I'm scared to tip it over and have to swim to shore but I'm scared that I might flip it in the Caney during winter months and the whole hypothermia thing. That worries me. If tipping them once or twice is just inevitable then maybe I'll use the kayak only in warmer months when taking a dip in the river might actually feel nice!

I have found a couple on Craigslist that I like. I emailed the seller with some questions and am waiting for a response. In that case, they may actually be fine with taking me to some body of water and letting me try it out.

Given the type of fishing I plan on using this for, do you think the kayak you linked will suit my needs pretty well? If so, I'll keep looking at other kayaks similar to this one.

[Alphahawk]

One of the things I learned was to get a dry bag and put clothes in it for times should I flip in cold weather. You just get to the bank and strip off...dry off....and change clothes. I fully plan on using mine for trolling for winter crappie. The better kayaks have much wider beams now and the new tunnel hull designs that flipping is not as common as years ago. But don't let anyone tell you you can't flip so and so name kayak. Some are harder to flip than others but they all can flip. It is a tough call buying a kayak. I knew that the wind would push a Coosa around but I was not prepared for just how much. So now am in the market for a Wilderness Ride 115 to use on lakes...but am keeping the Coosa. I am hoping the new Ride 115 will come out with the so called "lawn chair' seat. Once you get used to those seats like they have in the Coosa...Hobie Pro Angler.....Native kayaks....you just don't want to sit in anything else....IMHO. I too had concerns about just how stable my kayak would be. But using it for 5 days a week on small lakes before going to the river I learned what I could do and could not do. Hope you can find a good one that suits your needs.


Regards

[jad2t]

Originally Posted by Alphahawk

One of the things I learned was to get a dry bag and put clothes in it for times should I flip in cold weather. You just get to the bank and strip off...dry off....and change clothes. I fully plan on using mine for trolling for winter crappie. The better kayaks have much wider beams now and the new tunnel hull designs that flipping is not as common as years ago. But don't let anyone tell you you can't flip so and so name kayak. Some are harder to flip than others but they all can flip. It is a tough call buying a kayak. I knew that the wind would push a Coosa around but I was not prepared for just how much. So now am in the market for a Wilderness Ride 115 to use on lakes...but am keeping the Coosa. I am hoping the new Ride 115 will come out with the so called "lawn chair' seat. Once you get used to those seats like they have in the Coosa...Hobie Pro Angler.....Native kayaks....you just don't want to sit in anything else....IMHO. I too had concerns about just how stable my kayak would be. But using it for 5 days a week on small lakes before going to the river I learned what I could do and could not do. Hope you can find a good one that suits your needs.


Regards

In the future I'd like to build some sort of easily removable (for storage and transport) stabilizer similar to what you see on some canoes with big pieces of styrofoam on each side. That will solve my tipping worries.

What do you think of plugging the scudders? Since I won't fish in any rough water, I most likely won't have a need to drain water out of them and that way won't have to worry about water coming in getting my butt wet. I imagine that would annoy me.

[Reel Tune]

The Future Beach Trophy will get you on the water, and to those places that are unable to be reached by foot. There have been many kayak anglers who started on the Future Beach Trophy, it’s not the fastest, most stable, driest, or most comfortable kayak out there, but it will get the job done.

Most of the people who decide to try to fish from a kayak decide to due to the economical standpoint. Some end up liking it, and some don’t. Some buy a 3K kayak, and decide 3 months later that kayak fishing isn’t for them. Some buy a $350 kayak and decide it is for them and using that kayak for a year, re-selling it for just less than they paid for it, and upgrading to a faster, more stable, comfortable, drier ride. Unfortunately most who go the cheap route complain that it’s too unstable, their back hurts, and they lose feeling in their toes due to poor seating position.

I have not personally paddled this kayak so I can’t say it’s going to be good or not. Some of the things I don’t care for are (small front hatch, ribbed foot rests, few and small scuppers, and poor seat. The seat can be upgraded with an aftermarket (I prefer Surf to Summit). All these things can be worked around.

I wouldn’t just jump into buying a kayak without paddling and attempting to fish out of a few first. I would hate to see you drop a lot of money into something and decide it’s not for you. Because you will need a paddle, PFD, and like others have said dry bag and other accessories. The PFD, and paddle are items that may not be cheap. You will want your PFD to fit well with the kayak, I have 3 different PFD’s for different kayaks and range from $40-$150, and I have one paddle that I really like.

I would keep an eye on Craigslist for a used setup, and like others have posted Perception from Dicks, and Ocean Kayak from West Marine are also good options. I prefer the SOT (Sit on Top) kayaks over the sit inside. Like said earlier some of the kayaks that may interest you from Dicks may be the Field and Stream Eagle Talon, Perception Sport Pescador, or Perception Sport Caster. West Marine has the Ocean Kayak Pompano, and others. I don’t know your body type, or type of waters you plan to fish to really tell you what kayaks would be best.

Longer narrower kayaks will be faster, but harder to turn which will be better for larger lakes. Shorter wider kayaks will be better for rivers, and small ponds they will be slower, and turn quicker. A good middle ground is 12’-13” and around 30” wide this would be around the dimensions of a good all around kayak.

Get out there try a few out, and don’t over analyze, it’s supposed to be fun, and simple.