Kayak Fishing

Who fishes from a kayak? I'm interested in potentially pulling the trigger and buying one.

Recommendations / Pictures appreciated.

Lets see your kayaks. Especially ones that you've rigged for fishing.

Put some thought into it before you pull the trigger What type of water will you mainly fish Fresh, salt or both. If you are going to fish mostly fresh you can get away with a smaller yak and a sit in model. If you are going in the salt you will want a sit on top and something a little longer, 12 ft or better. It is always good to try a few out before you buy. There are a few places that have demo models available, Billington Sea Kayak in Plymouth is one. Check out NewEnglandKayakFishing.com.

Thanks for the info. I'll be using it for freshwater fishing. Just moved to the S. Shore, there are tons of small ponds everywhere, many which you can't load a boat on a trailer.

I guess some of the options I'm looking for are:
- Plenty of rods. I like to carry 4-5, not sure if its possible on a kayak
- Plenty of storage for tackle
- I'm tall, 6'3" so I don't want to be completely jammed into something, I like the sit-on-top kayaks
- Comfortable. Last thing I need is to hate having to sit in this thing
- I like the idea of the anchor & trolley system
- Did I mention storage?

I'm not sure if you know Hadley at all but there is this place on route 9 that will customize a kayak for you. Be ready to spend more that 600-1000 but the guy puts what ever you want on it. If you take 91 and get off exit 19 and bear right. The place is right on your right hand side after you go over the bridge.

http://www.smihadley.com/boatrentals.html

I was planning on seeing him next year. This year I purchased a Kayak form Dicks just to try it out.

Yeah, since you're a big guy that changes things A sit on top would be a better option for you. With the right set up you can easily carry 4-5 rods. Check out the site I suggested to you, it has an entire forum on rigging a yak. If you are on the south shore also check out Monahans Marine on Rt. 53 in Weymouth. [/url]

I run the LL Bean angler edition Manatee kayak. I'm not 6'3", but I'm 5'8" and have plenty of room. The opening on these are pretty large, and overall, its pretty comfortable. I was out for 6-8 hrs this weekend both days, and took minimal breaks to stretch my legs. There are 2 built in rod holders in the back, and an adjustable one in the front. I don't really use the front one though because it gets in the way.

I also run 3-4 rods every time I go out, so 2 in the rear holders, one between my legs and 1 that I'm casting. It's usually not that annoying. There is plenty of storage behind the seat, and I usually take a few of those flat plastic lure boxes and put them on each side of the seat. I keep a life jacket crammed in there too ( when I'm not wearing it), which holds my line cutters, camera, scale, etc.



The American Flag is an aftermarket addition, that is well worth it...although I would recommend a smaller flag.

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Last edited by stevelibs on Thu Nov 08, 2012 7:33 pm; edited 1 time in total

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Last edited by stevelibs on Thu Nov 08, 2012 7:33 pm; edited 1 time in total

Steve,
I'd love a pa but they're almost $2k. I'm looking at a few wilderness systems (tarpon & ride), an OK kayak and an xfactor.

Any suggestions on any of these? Primarily the difference between the tarpon and ride. Kinda leaning that way.

I spent 5 years pondering this decision, reading all of the reviews and following the message boards (esp newenglandkayakfishing.com) and finally pulled the trigger on an OK Trident 13 last summer. Although I mostly fish fresh water I wanted something that would be large enough for salt water. After using it for a year I absolutely love everything about it except for the weight. It's not horrible but it's a struggle to get it on the roof of my van after 4 or 5 hours on the water. I have recently been playing with the idea of buying a smaller SOT, maybe 10 footer, that I could throw in the back of the van on a whim for some of my local fishing holes such as Ponkapoag, Charles River, Neponset River, etc. We shall see.

yea i use a 10 footer ascend kayak and love it and those models arent to hard on the bank.

Still looking, but here's another yak question:

I see they all generally come with scuppers. Therefore water comes in. Do you get wet while fishing? Assuming you didn't take a Dixie into the water.

Also, anyone know if you can store rods inside the center compartment of a wilderness ride 135? If so, can you still access them while on the water?

If your fishing for a long time I can tell what not to get! The Trophy 126, nice looking kayak but tough on the back.

Scupper holes are actually designed to let the water out You won't get wet unless you happen to get hit by a wave There will always be a small amount of water on the deck. Some guys plug the holes if out on calm water.

Only sit-on-top kayaks have scuppers. Whether you get wet or not depends on your weight, the weight of your gear and the weight capacity of the boat. Ideally, the yak should sit high enough so that the water doesn't rise up through the scuppers. In reality though, you're going to get some water pushed through the scuppers by wave action. When my 13.5 ft Trident is loaded with me (195 lbs) and all my gear (crate, anchor, rods, vest, fish finder & battery, cart, tackle box) I can count on having a wet ass and dress accordingly. Several weeks ago I forgot to remove my wallet from my back pocket and ruined it, along with several $20 bills.