Looking for fishing kayak recommendations

[1flyfisher]

I have an excellent flyfishing kayak 4 sale if anyone is interested, it has a bottom buddy (RAM ball mount) and a pram mount, kayak anchor, also a life jacket and a paddle for sale if anyone is interested let me know. It is a 9.5 Keowee by Aquaterra. I'll throw in a guided stillwater (Pyramid, Davis, Eagle) kayak flyfishing trip with it as a package deal.......If anyone is interested make me a reasonable $$$ offer.

It's a great boat, I have fished and paddled tons of lakes and caught innumerable trout from it.....

Anybody out there have some good or bad experiences with the various brands?

Trying to understand what works well and why.

Thanks

[Flys4b8]

I have a Wilderness Pungo 14 that I've owned for several years. I got the 14' because it 'glides'....meaning you can stop paddling and it will 'coast' for quite a while. Tracks very well, and I've used it in the Delta and on the Napa River. Paddled 4-7 miles at times to cover the water....very doable. It's about 44 pounds or so..but easy to car top...biggest issue out of the water is its length...pluses/minuses to everything.

I even put a fish finder on it to up the catching rate

I really like it, but just put a new 17' jon boat together (Bill you saw at the fair last w/e)...so I'm not using much anymore...would be willing to sell it if there is interest...better than gathering dust in the garage rafters

[Jaybinder]

Check out the ask about fly fishing web site. There was a recent program about kayak fishing in Baja. The presenter gave a lot of good info on choosing the right kayak and accesories.

Plus you get to hear a Kiene's commercial! You guys should come up with some kind of jingle to play.

www.askaboutflyfishing.com

[craig]

I have a wilderness 160 that is great to fish out of. I use it the ocean with my fly rod all the time . I also fish the bays for the big spotted bass there. You can us one of two ways . Sit in it straight up or side ways with your fins. Its great for getting you there then just sit side ways on it and kick like a float tube . If you have a lot of wind I use the wind sock to slow done and a anchor system to hold me in place You can have a deep finder placed on it so you can find the edges and humps I will post some pics so you can see what I am talking about. When you sit side saddle it is very stable just for you doubters I found a site with pics of the fly rodders cdatching bone fish in San Diego Bay http://www.heartbeat-music.com/forum...d.php?tid=2954 you ll like the fish and the kayaks

[jburge]

I like your concept of having the wife peddle so you can fish. We can both peddle to where I want to fish, and then she can handle the kayak while I cast.

She loves it. I just gotta remember not to nail her with my backcasts

Do you use Switch Rods in your yak or spinning rods? I have several shorter switch rods from 5/6 to 9/10 weights.

I use my 9ft 5wt, 6 1/2ft 3wt, and on rare occasions, a tenkara rod.

Did you buy your Hobie in Sac? We want to try one before we buy it.

Yep. Wilderness Sports??? Adventure Sports??? Sorry, I forgot the name of the place. I know for a fact though that California Canoe and Kayak lets you rent, and has "try them out" days where you can get out in the water with several different boats.

Thanks, I will pm you an option to load your kayak easier.

Actually, I have it down to a science now. I have a galvanized pipe that fits inside the front rack of my Yakima setup. I pull it out, put the front end of the kayak on the extension, move around to the rear, lift the stern up onto the back rack, and just slide the bow onto the front rack. Remove the pipe, pop the end cap back on, and I'm good to go.

cdm, looks like you have some really good info here. I have to say I like the portability of the inflatables too.

John

[cdm]

Thanks for all the great input!

[Grampa Spey]

My wife, this summer, retired except for one day a week, and she was interested in the tandem Hobie Mirage Kayaks.

We bought the Oasis tandem Mirage Kayak for touring and supposedly for fishing. It is a great kayak for touring and just going around the lakes. My wife loves to go out with me to tour/peddle for a hour or two with the exception of getting the yak to and from the launch sites. The Oasis is Hobie's fasted Mirage Kayak. We peddle between 3 and 4 mph with minimal strain and can go faster for short distances. Only a couple of very good yak paddlers can keep up with the old rookies in the Oasis

After owning it, I see why Hobie hasn't tried to make the Oasis a fishing kayak. It is very long and heavy. The only way for one person to fish it is to put 35 to 50# of weight up front to balance the yak if only one person is in the yak. Then, when you are by yourself it is an absolute beast to get off a vehicle roof or even a trailer designed for yaks without the added weight. There is no way I would dream of adding the weight to balance the yak. With damaged rotator cuffs and a semi repaired knee near the age of 72, there is no joy in getting the unweight Oasis to and from the water. The long length might be of value in the ocean or good size harbors, but in our waters, it would be like putting an air craft carrier in a medium size lake in the waters I fish. We ended up buying a trailer designed to haul yaks, we don't have to lift the Yak that much, but we have to deal with a trailer and the straps to keep it secure from our driveway to the water and back.

Dry Storage at home is another problem of the bigger kayaks as well transporting them. Our kayak and its trailer/yak support bars take up more driveway space than my son's and my 13.5' Jon Boat and its trailer. I can store one or two less than 10' long yaks in the shed space in our carport or easily in our back yard by myself.

So, I will probably be buying a Hobie Mirage Sport 9.5' long and a little less than 50#'s, and/or the Freedom Hawk 12 with the removable pontoons/AMAs.

Either of these yaks can be thrown in the back of my Ridgeline Pickup and transported with the tailgate down after lashing them with a single strap. I have the Yak wheels to push pull a Yak to and from the launch area if needed.

Boat trailers, even one for a Yak are another hassle that I don't need for my fishing. My wife has become a good sailor and helper, and it still takes us about 15-20 minutes getting the Oasis off the trailer, straps stored and loading the yak with our PFD's, paddles and minimal stuff. It seems to take about 5 minutes longer getting the yak back on the trailer, emptied and strapped on tightly.

I will be by myself while fishing from a yak, so I want to just get the yak to the launch site in the back of my Ridgeline, drop it off with my gear, park my truck and get into the yak and go with minimal pain and sweat. Then, reverse the procedure to come home. So I need the shorter and lighter yaks.

This summer has convinced me that if I want to continue fishing in my area at my age (probably any age), you need a yak to get to fish. In the Napa area, the greenies, who hate any human fishing or hunting basically have made the entire Napa River off limits for walkin waders. Lake Hennessee is becoming like a prison with fences and no gates around most of the lake. The North End of Berryessa is basically no boat launching and blocks of walking to get to the lake. We will see more of this as the haters of fishers, hikers and hunters make more areas impossible to get to by foot or by a craft bigger than a yak.

Anybody out there have some good or bad experiences with the various brands?

Trying to understand what works well and why.

Thanks

[Rickey Noel Mitchell]

I should probably chime here, Grampa, I've been through many different yaks.
And my own personal preference has wound up being what I started out with a wilderness systems 160 Tarpon for saltwater and big bodies of freshwater and a solo canoe for everything else. That was (and I'm being honest when I say this) about twenty kayaks ago.
I've been happily married going 26 years. But when I tried taking my wife in a tandem canoe
that almost ended. when it came time to buy kayaks I bought her her own.
That said I have a Freedom Hawk 12 I just lower the price from $500 to $400 for sale.
check out the link.
http://www.freedomhawkkayaks.com/freedom_12.php
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[Rickey Noel Mitchell]

I should probably chime here, Grampa, I've been through many different yaks.
And my own personal preference has wound up being what I started out with a wilderness systems 160 Tarpon for saltwater and big bodies of freshwater and a solo canoe for everything else. That was (and I'm being honest when I say this) about twenty kayaks ago.
I've been happily married going 26 years. But when I tried taking my wife in a tandem canoe
that almost ended. when it came time to buy kayaks I bought her her own.
That said I have a Freedom Hawk 12 I just lower the price from $500 to $400 for sale.
check out the link.
http://www.freedomhawkkayaks.com/freedom_12.php
http://www.kayakangleronline.com/com...wk-kayaks.html
__________________

[Grampa Spey]

Several of our friends, married a lot of years, have gone the solo kayak route and those about to start Yaking will go the solo route. A few couples really surprised us and said no way would they be in the same kayak with their mates.

My wife and I have been married 49 years this month and have been know to argue about anything.

However, over the years, we know each other's strengthes and weaknesses. I was in the Navy and have had a few boats/prams over the years. This is first time that she has joined me on a boat. Up front she admits that at this time she knows nothing about water, wind and the subsurface things we need to worry about. So she is happy up to now to be up front in our Hobie Oasis Tandem and leave the steering and basic navigating decisions up to me. I'm letting her make the decisions of when to put the Mirage unit neutral when we do our shore/landing approach. She is learning to spot potential hazards and distances to the hazards or where we want to go. The Oasis is so smooth, I get the feeling that she feels like she is in her Lexus going 70 mph versus 3-4 in the Oasis. She starts warning me about situations 10-15 minutes before we get to them.

I would like to buy your Freedom Hawk 12. Is there anyway we can meet in Sacramento or halfway from you to Napa? I am into one year post op on my knee, and my time limits, doctor's and family's limits are about an hour trip driving each way with a rest between. Getting to the Watt Ave bridge is about as far as I can push the knee.

So can we meet someplace. Next week. Tuesday is a good day for me.

Thanks
Dave

I should probably chime here, Grampa, I've been through many different yaks.
And my own personal preference has wound up being what I started out with a wilderness systems 160 Tarpon for saltwater and big bodies of freshwater and a solo canoe for everything else. That was (and I'm being honest when I say this) about twenty kayaks ago.
I've been happily married going 26 years. But when I tried taking my wife in a tandem canoe
that almost ended. when it came time to buy kayaks I bought her her own.
That said I have a Freedom Hawk 12 I just lower the price from $500 to $400 for sale.
check out the link.
http://www.freedomhawkkayaks.com/freedom_12.php
http://www.kayakangleronline.com/com...wk-kayaks.html
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