Ascend Fishing Kayaks

[bunnielab]

I just got into kayaking this past summer and was looking pretty hard at the Ascend yaks. I was turned off by the flex in the hull when I was sitting in it and the somewhat misaligned top/bottom sections on the display model. I ended up going with a Pompano12, which is a West Marine brand. It is very much "no frills" and at ~220lbs I am very close to the weight limit so it is a wet footed ride. However, it is built like a tank and at 60lbs for such a small boat the hull plastic is quite thick. It is very stable in general, but when I dangle my legs off the side it doesn't take much to to tip it. It is also pretty short on storage space but will still fit a crate in the back.

Overall I am pretty happy with it as my first yak and when I upgrade this spring it will be an excellent loaner to lure my friends into kayaking with.

[Backdoc]

I have something to add here. My friend Chris and I wanted to get into kayak fishing last year. We both decided to buy kayaks in July of last year. Chris bought an Ascend 12 from Bass Pro. I went to Delaware and bought a 12 foot Wilderness Systems Tarpon. Our first trip together was to fish the flats. We rounded the turn from the marina and headed for the flats. It was fairly calm. Maybe a foot chop. I was following Chris. We got about 1/2 way to the flats and he had to turn around and fish the shore line. Chris had water coming over the bow and flooding his forward storage area. I had no water issues at all in my Tarpon. Chris and I are both about the same size. 5'9" and about 150 pounds. Chris paid $700 for his and I paid $734 for mine at Wilderness Canoe Trips in Delaware. Just my input.

[silasvirus82]

thanks for the input guys. these boats sure do look tempting, but it sounds like I'll stick with my dagger until I can afford a real upgrade. I will retract my recommendation to a co-worker as well, so he doesn't make a potential mistake.

[cryptotek]

I have the FS12T and it does its job. I may upgrade in the future, but for the next couple of years at least, I think it's a great value - as long as you're aware that you won't be winning any races. Off the top of my head, the FS12T is about 70lbs. (Looked it up after posting originally. It's 77lbs.) I load/unload onto a Sedan and it's doable; a bit awkward but doable.

Separately, I've been exploring adding a trolling motor with a custom built rod holder, etc. This is only possible for me because I didn't spend $2,000 on the kayak. To each his own.

[cryptotek]

I have something to add here. My friend Chris and I wanted to get into kayak fishing last year. We both decided to buy kayaks in July of last year. Chris bought an Ascend 12 from Bass Pro. I went to Delaware and bought a 12 foot Wilderness Systems Tarpon. Our first trip together was to fish the flats. We rounded the turn from the marina and headed for the flats. It was fairly calm. Maybe a foot chop. I was following Chris. We got about 1/2 way to the flats and he had to turn around and fish the shore line. Chris had water coming over the bow and flooding his forward storage area. I had no water issues at all in my Tarpon. Chris and I are both about the same size. 5'9" and about 150 pounds. Chris paid $700 for his and I paid $734 for mine at Wilderness Canoe Trips in Delaware. Just my input.

I would not pay $700 for the FS12T. I paid about $500 from Basspro with my military discount. I wouldn't have paid more, having experienced the FS12T. But hey, still a great starter yak.

[Backdoc]

I would not pay $700 for the FS12T. I paid about $500 from Basspro with my military discount. I wouldn't have paid more, having experienced the FS12T. But hey, still a great starter yak.

I thought he paid too much for it but he had some gift cards and went ahead and got it. We fished the lower Susquehanna above the flats and he seemed just fine.

[rwh]

If you press / tap on the plastic of an Ascend or stand on the deck, you will notice that the plastic is quite a bit thinner compared to say a Wilderness Systems kayak. Also, WS kayaks are a roto molded 1 pc hull as compared to the Ascend two pc mold.

[Salty Dog]

Have had no other experiences with other yaks besides my cuda 14. No regrets, no issues, light enough to place on my hullavator, long enough for speed and excellent tracking. Now all I need to do is catch lots of fish.

[silasvirus82]

How's the standing up situation with these

[mweber02]

In my d10t I could get on my feet but couldn't stay up even long enough to cast. Not sure if it was the yak or just me. I won't be trying on the fs12t until the water is warm again, but I hear it is good for standing.

[DonV]

Another option, if you are on a budget, well reviewed and liked is the Field & Stream Eagle Talon Kayak. Can see it here. http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/pr...9#BVRRWidgetID

Just taking a few general overall looks at the Ascend versus the Talon, the Talon seems the better boat to me. Weighs 68lbs. I'd really like to paddle one just to see how it handles. Anybody have one? Any feedback?

[cryptotek]

If you press / tap on the plastic of an Ascend or stand on the deck, you will notice that the plastic is quite a bit thinner compared to say a Wilderness Systems kayak. Also, WS kayaks are a roto molded 1 pc hull as compared to the Ascend two pc mold.

This was a non-issue for me. Standing on a kayak while on a hard surface isn't how it was designed, at least in my opinion. On the water, I stood up on my kayak to test it out. I was uncomfortable, but I think it's relatively stable. You don't feel as much flex on the water.

[BeyondTheBounds]

I've owned two Ascends recently. Overall you get what you pay for, which is adequate if you are on a budget but will ultimately cost you extra money if/when you decide to upgrade. I would like to think the issues with the Ascends are just bugs that any other manufacturer has already worked out over time. Until "the boss" lets me invest in what I want, the Ascend will still get me on the water.

I bought the D10T in May of 2013 and used it through this past summer. I'm sure it was partly due to the shorter length, but it tracked miserably and would turn constantly in wind, current, or even just from the drag of reeling in a spinnerbait. The D10T also has no practical access to the inside of the hull. I couldn't even get my whole forearm in. Otherwise, for a 10' yak it has a lot of space for on-deck storage.

In November I found 3 gallons of water in the hull after it had been sitting on its side under my deck for a few weeks. I assume it was either the factory installed screws or the scuppers that leaked (Everything I installed was sealed well). Bass Pro was actually very helpful and let me return it for an exchange. Since they didnt have an exact exchange they let me pay the difference to upgrade to the FS12T.

I've only had the FS12T out once but it tracks infinitely better than the D10T. I've heard others say it paddles like a barge but it seemed to move pretty easily for me. There are still some things I wish they had done differently though...
- The seat is not sufficiently secured. Just adjusting yourself in the seat is enough to make the front bar jump out of place. I'll probably need to install a bungee system to secure it. There are also reports of the track guides breaking because the back bar is not adequately supported from underneith.
- The top of the hull around the seat seems to flex pretty easily. Not sure if it is an issue with the plastic thickness or lack of support underneith. There is a foam block in there but it does not fill the gap between the top and bottom of the hull. I've heard of people using the inflatable workout balls to provide the extra support with minimal weight.
- The overall depth of the hull is pretty shallow, which puts the water level in the scuppers a bit closer to top deck than I would like.
- The rod holder that it comes with is worthless. It is poor quality and horribly placed for paddling. Fortunately they integrated threaded inserts into the hull so you can remove them without having to reseal them. I ended up removing the mount and installed gear tracks to use for my Scotty holders.
- It could use factory installed side handles, but they are only $10 for 2 on Ack.com. I suppose it is better to install them myself so they are out of my paddle stroke.
- The kayak appears to be manufactured in two pieces (top and bottom), and the scuppers do not line up perfectly. My scuppers seem to be only slightly misaligned but others have reported that they have leaked the 1st time out.

I have not tried the FS128T and do not really want to considering the 100+ lb weight.

I second everything said about the d10t! It was my first yak, and was very very frustrating. But I am glad I bought it b/c it got me started kayak fishing. I think I only used it three months before I upgraded to my slayer propel. Some great advice from Cowpokey was to buy used, and I think that is the way to go for budget conscious buyers. I saved and got a 20% discount at HTO in Annapolis. All I had to do was become a member a one time fee of $20.

I've learned since buying gear that quality is worth every penny. FYI Delaware paddle sports has used kayaks. Check them out. Also eastern mountain sells the rentals.

MY D10T REVIEW

[Jman]

[QUOTE=DonV;103699]Another option, if you are on a budget, well reviewed and liked is the Field & Stream Eagle Talon Kayak. Can see it here. http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/pr...9#BVRRWidgetID

Just taking a few general overall looks at the Ascend versus the Talon, the Talon seems the better boat to me. Weighs 68lbs. I'd really like to paddle one just to see how it handles. Anybody have one? Any feedback?

I own the 2014 fishing Talon and it's a decent start up yak. It's relatively fast and smooth on the water, but the tracking could be improved. I have stood up on it before, but the water needs to be pretty still. I highly recommend upgrading the seat. Another thing to consider is if you are considering mounting rod holders in front. The available rail area is mostly within paddle stroke, which may make it difficult to mount the holder in sufficient reaching distance.

[DonV]

Another option, if you are on a budget, well reviewed and liked is the Field & Stream Eagle Talon Kayak. Can see it here. http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/pr...9#BVRRWidgetID

Just taking a few general overall looks at the Ascend versus the Talon, the Talon seems the better boat to me. Weighs 68lbs. I'd really like to paddle one just to see how it handles. Anybody have one? Any feedback?

I own the 2014 fishing Talon and it's a decent start up yak. It's relatively fast and smooth on the water, but the tracking could be improved. I have stood up on it before, but the water needs to be pretty still. I highly recommend upgrading the seat. Another thing to consider is if you are considering mounting rod holders in front. The available rail area is mostly within paddle stroke, which may make it difficult to mount the holder in sufficient reaching distance.

Thanks for the feedback. It's just seems to be a good bit of boat for the money and has caught my eye more than a few times. Nice to hear from someone that has one. I have semi recommended it, just based on the reviews I have read, to a few people that seemed interested in getting into kayak fishing. Sounds like a good option for the budget conscious. I'm in a Perception Pescador that I got for less than $400 and have been pleased. It's got is limitations also but overall very capable and a great way into the sport for very little money and I have no plans of upgrading as of yet.

There are some good boats out there used and new that can been had for very reasonable prices and I like to see the discussions on them. Not everybody should or can commit $1000s to something they are not even sure they are going to enjoy long term. It's nice to have some lower price options I can point possible kayak fishing candidates to.