Kayak to Stand & Fish In...West Marine Cayman 11.5, BPS Ascend FS12T/FS128T or ?

[Financeguru]

Hi all, I've been globe trotting the past year or so off/on and have not been very active unfortunately but this spring/summer I'm expecting to be home bound and have more time to fish on my kayak. Anyway, I've been wanting to get a kayak where I have the option to stand and fish in confidently when I'm fishing calmer waters (local lakes, Dogue Creek, Mattawoman, Mallows Bay, etc). I currently own a Hobie Revo 13 and a West Marine Pompano 120 and the main reason for wanting to stand and fish is due to body fatigue/change of position and the option to sight and fish.

I'm not trying to break the bank and will first try to find something used first, if possible. I recently went over to West Marine's website and see that the Cayman 11.5 ($560) is supposed to stable enough to stand in. Also went over the BPS website and see the Ascend FS12T ($550) and Ascent FS128T ($750) is advertised to be able to stand in (not sure if the FS128T is more stable than the FS12T? due to the slight increased size?). These are the only ones I've looked online so far but I'd love to hear about others as well as others' experience with the Cayman and Ascend FS12T/FS128T.

I'll also add that I once owned a Cobra FishnDive kayak that was super stable and others had stood and fished on. I was able to stand on it ok but was a little uncomfy with the excessive movement from casting. It also took on a lot of water through the scuppers and so I eventually ended up selling it.

The below link is an informative and funny video where they were comparing the previous vs current versions of the FS12T. While the guy fell off the new FS12T, it seemed like it was more due to his own imbalance rather than the kayak being tippy. Also, I liked how little the FS12T moved when he jumped back on.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPvJnC9FUR8

Anyway, opinions and suggestion by all the good folks here is greatly appreciated as we gear up for the warmer weather.

Many thanks.

FG

[Memory Maker]

Have you thought about stabilizer outriggers for the revo ........ You could also make an h bar for it out of conduit for standing ..... There not much to them

[Snakehead Hunter]

Ride 115, 135
Trident 13
Feelfree kayak

Just to name a few, it's best to try it at demo day before buying.

[Financeguru]

Yes, I thought about stabilizer outriggers but from my observation, there's not much a flat standing platform on the Revo, especially with my size 13 feet, lol. Same for the Pompano 120...too much contoured area rather than a flat platform area for my feet.

Does anyone have outriggers on their Revo or Pompano/Tarpon 120 that allows to stand in fish with confidence?

[dsiekman]

What about a SUP? There are a couple built for fishing that look pretty sweet.

I stand in my PA from time to time, though not for long periods. Then again, my coordination/balance is not exactly stellar.

[Financeguru]

What about a SUP? There are a couple built for fishing that look pretty sweet.

I stand in my PA from time to time, though not for long periods. Then again, my coordination/balance is not exactly stellar.

I've tried SUPs as well as hybrid SUP/SOT kayaks, but I'm looking more for a traditional SOT kayak that I can confidently stand in off/on rather than a SUP than I would mostly stand in or sit high in.

[echo5oscar]

Look at the Jackson Coosa or Cuda. They're designed for standing, plus have the hi/low seating as well.

[AbuMasgouf]

Welcome back bro!

Hopefully will see you in the water this year!

I'd also recommend the Trident 13. There are pics and videos showing off its stability and versatility. It's also a pretty light kayak for transportation.

[BassMoore]

my dad is 61 and stands in his fs128t ascend pretty easy
you can stand in any jackson kayak
you can stand with good stability in the ride kayaks

i stand all day long in my pa 12 . jump around, walk up and stand on the front hatch for sight fishing but the only kayak close to that in stability for me is the jackson kilroy.

the lures are great to stand in
the jackson big rig is one of the best to stand in as well

all on your price point

[Shady]

Sell the Revo for a new Outback. Shouldnt cost much more than $500 net layout when all said and done

[J.A. Veil]

Take a look at these Native models too. All are designed for standing when needed.

paddle power - Slayer and Ultimate FX
pedal power - Slayer Propel 10 and Slayer Propel 13.

[Chris Castro]

Those ascends are pretty easy to stand on. I own a 28T that I use on lakes only. Some people have more difficult then others standing especially in what is considered an easy stand up kayak.

I hope nobody minds me advising not to put stabilizers on his kayak. This past year I had to help rescue a kayak angler who actually flipped one with stabilizers. The problem was he didn't have the energy to flip it back over. We where in 40 ft of water, so you can imagine the scenario if I had not been fishing close to him. I was the only one out their on the water with him and he told me a perfectly timed wave plus a small gust of wind, triangled his kayak to flip.

If you want a cost effective approach for a stand up kayak, Heritage is hard to beat for the build quality to price ratio. I don't work for Heritage, It's just my go to kayak for flats and off shore. They are cheap but built like a 1000 dollar kayak in my opinion. The very beginning is me standing up. I have other videos where I'm standing up in around 15mph wind gust.

So all in all this is a 12ft kayak which can be found around the 400-500 dollar range at academy.

[Financeguru]

Chris: Thanks for your advice re: stabilizers, I've never used them before and going that route wasn't my first preference as it would add to what I would have to carry and set up before heading out.

I went to Academy's website and checked out the Heritage SOT kayaks, seems like they have the 12' and 14' models. Both models reference a "back band that allows you to stand upright"...not sure what this is or how it helps stand upright, could you elaborate? Do you have the 12' or 14' model?

Thanks.

[Financeguru]

I'm trying to keep the price point low so I didn't look in to the PAs, Jacksons, Tridents, etc (of course, a good price on a used Predator would be awesome).

I really like the Ascend FS128T and the whole "aircraft carrier" platform look. I also like the comfy "lawn chair" type seat on it. Are there any BPS employees or folks in the know that could tell if the FS12T or FS128T go on sale at BPS or not? Or if any kayak sales are expected soon at BPS with spring around the corner?

Unlike the Pompano 120, I haven't heard or read too much about the Cayman despite searching. I'm also reading up on the Heritage kayaks from Academy that Chris mentioned earlier on this thread.

For anyone that may have one of the above mentioned stand up kayaks and don't mind, I wouldn't mind taking a 5 min spin in one as the weather gets warmer. If anyone wants to try out my Revo 13 or Pompano 120, don't hesitate to let me know.

Thanks and appreciate all the input/advice.




Appreciate everyone's input/advice.

FS

[Chris Castro]

Chris: Thanks for your advice re: stabilizers, I've never used them before and going that route wasn't my first preference as it would add to what I would have to carry and set up before heading out.

I went to Academy's website and checked out the Heritage SOT kayaks, seems like they have the 12' and 14' models. Both models reference a "back band that allows you to stand upright"...not sure what this is or how it helps stand upright, could you elaborate? Do you have the 12' or 14' model?

Thanks.

I actually have both 12 and 14. My 14 is an older model and standing up on that is nearly impossible. The newer 14 looks to be easier to stand up on although I couldn't tell you directly if it is or isn't. The 12 ft is super easy to stand up on. Mine do not come with the pull strap. This might be something included on the 2015 models and if so it's just a strap tied in front of you to grab and assist with standing up.

The straps and pull bars are starting to become popular in all of the kayaks these days. Some will come with or have the ability to buy the accessory later. A lot of anglers have issues with the standing approach so these straps, and bars help assist with initial wobble in between positioning. It's all about weight distribution and knowing how much weight your yak can take on an angle. Hopefully this helps a bit