Kayak Help

[fishingbuddies]

I'm in the same boat. No pun intended. I've been looking for save up for a nice Yak this summer. Instead I used the money to upgrade my Jon Boat. Anyway, I've been looking and reading and comparing... here there... everywhere. Ebay, craigslist etc... watching videos, reading reviews... etc....
I've nailed it down to this one. The Feelfree lure11.5. It LOADED with features. Super stable for standing up, and from everything I've seen and read, the best seat out there period! Spend some time on the site and read and watch the video. Do a google search to and see what others have done with their Lure yaks. Pretty bada$$. The color selections are also a definite plus. Still debating which one I want personally. Thinking Dessert Camo.

Looks like it will be my Spring Yak. Got to save up $1200 now.

http://feelfreeus.com/kayaks/fishing-kayaks/lure-11-5/

Good luck

[Capspath83]

Originally Posted by fishingbuddies

I'm in the same boat. No pun intended. I've been looking for save up for a nice Yak this summer. Instead I used the money to upgrade my Jon Boat. Anyway, I've been looking and reading and comparing... here there... everywhere. Ebay, craigslist etc... watching videos, reading reviews... etc....
I've nailed it down to this one. The Feelfree lure11.5. It LOADED with features. Super stable for standing up, and from everything I've seen and read, the best seat out there period! Spend some time on the site and read and watch the video. Do a google search to and see what others have done with their Lure yaks. Pretty bada$$. The color selections are also a definite plus. Still debating which one I want personally. Thinking Dessert Camo.

Looks like it will be my Spring Yak. Got to save up $1200 now.

http://feelfreeus.com/kayaks/fishing-kayaks/lure-11-5/

Good luck

Im liking the adjustable seat on that one. $1,200 is definitely a lot better than what Hobie is asking for.

Thanks for the suggestion!

Im also looking for a decent John boat as well. Im starting to get sick of going to the same places over and over on land.

[Ken Lyons]

It's awfully difficult to study all the ads and come to a really good decision.they're all trying to seem you something. I haven't yet read "try before you buy" but it's coming I'm sure. I have owned 5 different kayaks over the last 15 years and found them all to be compromises. Dan has probably spent more time in the water in a kayak than anyone here and he even catches fish. The Tarpon 120 is a fine compromise for most bodies of water. I'm not anxious to stand in it but is maneuverable enough for rivers and fast enough for bigger bodie of water. I have a Frontier 10 from Nu Canoe. It's easy to stand but too wide for anything but slow moving rivers. It's an absolute pig to paddle so I have a motor on itYou also have to take into account how your going to transport it. The Hobie PA weighs about 125 ponds. If you're vertically challenged putting it on the roof of most SUV's is not the most fUn you'll have standing up.
Demo's will be available from some of the retailers soon. If you don' like whatever it is you can probably sell it in the Spring for what you pay for it now. Check out the Kayak Fishing store for theIr's.

[Capspath83]

Originally Posted by Ken Lyons

It's awfully difficult to study all the ads and come to a really good decision.they're all trying to seem you something. I haven't yet read "try before you buy" but it's coming I'm sure. I have owned 5 different kayaks over the last 15 years and found them all to be compromises. Dan has probably spent more time in the water in a kayak than anyone here and he even catches fish. The Tarpon 120 is a fine compromise for most bodies of water. I'm not anxious to stand in it but is maneuverable enough for rivers and fast enough for bigger bodie of water. I have a Frontier 10 from Nu Canoe. It's easy to stand but too wide for anything but slow moving rivers. It's an absolute pig to paddle so I have a motor on itYou also have to take into account how your going to transport it. The Hobie PA weighs about 125 ponds. If you're vertically challenged putting it on the roof of most SUV's is not the most fUn you'll have standing up.
Demo's will be available from some of the retailers soon. If you don' like whatever it is you can probably sell it in the Spring for what you pay for it now. Check out the Kayak Fishing store for theIr's.

Thanks for the recommendations Ken.

Didn't realize the hobie was that heavy. I guess a trailer would be the best bet.

I am also not a very good DIY MOD guy...lol so I am a little worried about adding a downrigger on a kayak.

The feel free lure 11.5 seems to have the guide plate that I could attach one onto for when I go for salmon and lake trout.

[XXlyakattacker]

Nobody asked the most important question, how tall are you and how much do you weigh? Skunk is a little guy so he can get away with a sit inside, lol. I'm a big guy so to me a sit inside is a floating coffin. You couldn't pay me to go in salt water or the delaware in one. I have been in some pretty hairy situations on the big D between Belvidere and Pburg that would have put me on the bottom of the river in a sit in side. And the weight capacity of my yak is 600lbs. I would go with a sit on top. It's your kayak and if something goes wrong it's your life preserver. I have an ocean kayak prowler Big Game 2 and love it(except the "lifetime" hull and deck warranty is basically just a role of toilet paper). My buddy has a Jackson coosa HD and it comes ready to fish. If I were a smaller guy the HD would be an awesome start.

[briansnat]

How about something like the Jackson Kayak Big Rig Pro. You can definitely stand up on this one.
http://jacksonkayak.com/blog/kayak/big-rig-pro/

Or the Wilderness Systems A.T.A.K. Another good one for standing.
http://www.yakangler.com/fishing-kay...ystems-a-t-a-k

[msgdan]

Another thing to think about......don't look for "the most comfortable seat".....what that means is a seat that is raised off the hull of the kayak....sure it feels great, but it also raises your center of gravity about 4 to 6 inches from the hull.

I had to use a Pro angler in Panama 3 years ago and for the first time in my kayak fishing life, got pulled over by a little 30 lb. yellow fin tuna ! (held onto the rod, got back in and landed it...and ate it ! ) But also have landed many big sharks, bigger tuna, halibut and many other much bigger fish without ever even getting close to going over.

I will take the old Hobie Revolution seats and tarpon seats where I am sitting close to the water .....every time !

Danny V

[Capspath83]

Originally Posted by msgdan

Another thing to think about......don't look for "the most comfortable seat".....what that means is a seat that is raised off the hull of the kayak....sure it feels great, but it also raises your center of gravity about 4 to 6 inches from the hull.

I had to use a Pro angler in Panama 3 years ago and for the first time in my kayak fishing life, got pulled over by a little 30 lb. yellow fin tuna ! (held onto the rod, got back in and landed it...and ate it ! ) But also have landed many big sharks, bigger tuna, halibut and many other much bigger fish without ever even getting close to going over.

I will take the old Hobie Revolution seats and tarpon seats where I am sitting close to the water .....every time !

Danny V

Very true...they say they built the stability around the chair, but then again, salespeople will say whatever it takes.

[Capspath83]

Originally Posted by briansnat

How about something like the Jackson Kayak Big Rig Pro. You can definitely stand up on this one.
http://jacksonkayak.com/blog/kayak/big-rig-pro/

Or the Wilderness Systems A.T.A.K. Another good one for standing.
http://www.yakangler.com/fishing-kay...ystems-a-t-a-k

Thanks Brian.

Both of these seem pretty good as well.

I will have to do more research on them.

I appreciate all of the feedback!

[Eskimo]

.


I bought a Native Redfish 10 from the Kayak Fishing Store.

The guys at the store said a 12 foot is superior to a 10 foot kayak, but I drive a tiny car and live in a little apartment, so I need my kayak to be small, so I bought the 10-foot model.

I am very happy with the kayak, even though I can't stand up in it. I'm a klutz and would probably just fall in the water if I stood up, anyway.