Fishing Kayak-what do you guys use.

[p.j. petiniot]

I am getting ready to purchase a kayak for my son and Ito fish from. Since making the move from Indiana to south Fla I figured it was a necessity.

[Michael Exl]

NuCanoe Frontier 12 or Jackson Big Tuna

[Anonymous]

PJ.

Do a search on the board.

[p.j. petiniot]

Tim–

I was siting in the passenger seat of my Yukon Denali on my way back to Florida when I posted this from my iPhone–

I didn’t dare take my eyes off the road long enough to do a full blown search–;)

[david frank]

As Kayaks are used for many outdoor activities, as it is used for diving,
fishing, wilderness exploration and for many purposes during rain and

[Bob Riggins]

How old is your son?

[Clay Smith]

What makes the tandem yak’s such poor performers?

Am I allowed to call them yak’s if I don’t know why tandem’s suck?

[Bob Riggins]

Kayaks are too small for two people to comfortably fish from;

[Clay Smith]

Bob,

So what I just read there is for the two of us buy a canoe

[Peter E.]

If there are two of you then I would suggest the Native Ultimate 14.5. The tandem model is easy to fish out of for two people and when there is just you fishing it converts into a solo.

I would agree though, i would ask how big your son is and what sort of fishing you are planning on doing.

[Clay Smith]

He is 4 so gotta be 2 of us in the boat at least for a couple more years.

[Peter E.]

I have owned the Ultimate 14.5 and have used it tandem and solo. I loved it. The only hold was the boat in wave action. I feel that had I had a spray skirt I would have been golden though.

[Zach Matthews]

The consensus for striper fishing my area seems to be the Wilderness Systems Tarpon 12 or 14.

[Clay Smith]

Now I have to add canoes to the consideration.

Geeze Zach now I may never pull the trigger on a watercraft

[R Black]

I bought a used Hobie Pro Angler.

[Clay Smith]

Does anyone have exerience in the Old Towne Saranac?

[Abe Mathews]

I demoed a few last year, including the Wilderness Commander, Native 14.5, Tarpon 140, Ride 135, and Jackson Cuda.  For me, with intended uses of bass fishing on local reservoirs, striper fishing below TVA dams, and saltwater fishing for trout and reds in the Pensacola area and bones in the Keys, I decided that the Cuda was the “goldilocks” boat.  Every boat is a compromise.  The Tarpon was faster but not stable enough for me to fish standing up.  The Ride was very stable, but felt like it topped out slower regardless of how hard I pushed.  I wasn’t comfortable at all in the Wildy Commander (ergos), and I didn’t want to take a hybrid canoe across the bays in Pensacola.

The Cuda wasn’t the fastest, or the most stable, or the lightest.  But it has an exceptionally comfortable seat, and a ton of features that are well thought out for a fisherman.  While the boat is setup primarily for gear fishermen, fly rods fit in the two outside rod racks.  There is some rigging that can be fly line wrap magnets, so you have to be aware and potentially make a couple mods.  Here’s my Cuda getting ready to chase some bass:

If you notice the seat is in the “high” position, which makes for a much better casting platform, at the expense of distance paddling comfort.  You can adjust this position on the water.  Also notice behind the paddle on the right side, that’s a vertical Plano 3700.  The Cuda has molded in slots to fit both 3600 and 3700 series boxes, so I’ve transfered my bass and saltwater flies to boxes that size (using Neal Osborn’s box construction guide).  I’m very pleased with this choice.  And it’s effective.

I’m currently getting it ready for the first saltwater trip – chasing reds and trout in Pensacola next week.  The first place I paddled a Cuda was Pensacola, and it was an effective platform there as well.  Can’t wait.

[Author]

Posts