Looking for some advise

[Steve6902]

If you are only and I mean ONLY fish rivers then the 110 is fine. However if you ever plan to fish the bay go with the 130. I'm 6'3" at 280 and had plenty of room and comfort in my 130. I would go with the 130 just because I like the space. As for transport, I have a bed extender from Harbor Freight and just put it in the truck bed. Check out Vibes web site and their FB page.

[Mark]

There are certain tradeoffs in kayaks that are inescapable.

The longer the boat (same style), the more carrying capacity it has, the faster it is and the better it tracks. Also the longer the boat, the heavier it is, the harder it is to pivot and the more it costs.

These are the main factors everyone on this forum has come to grips with in making their purchase decisions.

Whichever boat you eventually choose, you will adapt to the above factors...or you will sell or not use it.

[paulg]

There are certain tradeoffs in kayaks that are inescapable.

The longer the boat (same style), the more carrying capacity it has, the faster it is and the better it tracks. Also the longer the boat, the heavier it is, the harder it is to pivot and the more it costs.

These are the main factors everyone on this forum has come to grips with in making their purchase decisions.

Whichever boat you eventually choose, you will adapt to the above factors...or you will sell or not use it.

Yeah that seems to be the pickle, but with vibe the cost and weight doesnt seem to be too much more between the 110 and 130.

[rugbyfish]

I'm with Steve, if you plan to fish the bay or any kind of open water, go with the 130. I also like the added space. I transport mine on a rack attached to my truck bed (basically a ladder rack).

[Mark]

Yeah that seems to be the pickle, but with vibe the cost and weight doesnt seem to be too much more between the 110 and 130.

That 12 pound variance will feel a lot heavier after a long day of paddling.

However, as I said in my first post, longer is better if you intend to take it into the Bay.

Good luck,

[yakscientist]

Also don't feel like you only have to go with a sit-on-top, there are plenty of 12'+ sit insides that are just fine for kayak fishing. My sit-inside model is discontinued, but I really like the stability that sitting so low provides. If I had the funds I would certainly go the sit-on-top route (and probably pedal) for my next kayak, but I've been all over the Bay, the Delaware Bay, and Jamaica Bay as well and caught many fish. I've never felt nervous as far as water getting into the boat is concerned, but I would say my biggest complaint is the lack of compartments. I bring a lot of stuff, lots of tools (some for the unlikely event of too much water needing to be pumped out), and a fair amount of tackle, so the kayak tends to look cluttered. But I've got everything pretty much setup the way I would like, and I got it at a great price (free) since it was a gift. Oh and it only weighs 60 pounds, you're not going to find many sit-on-tops that are lighter than that.

[paulg]

So much to consider , I assume with a 13 ft kayak you will need some sort of wheel cart?

[Oldbayrunner]

There are some other factors to consider besides the length, such as the width. A narrower yak will be faster, a wider yak will slower paddling. If you plan on stand up fishing then a wider yak will be more stable. Then features come in to play. Some have a center consol or hatches that one can store tackle etc. Others have a more open deck which I find it easier to stand up on. Then one has to consider if one wants to paddle all the time or have some type of propulsion. A day out on the bay when the wind and current kicks up can make one wish they had something on a paddle back to the launch. So option; to start off with propulsion, if not then what and how easy would it be to upgrade to something at a later date. Some kayaks are easier to add something then others. What may seem heavy and cumbersome to one may not be to another. I have a heavy kayak I car top and have simple items I use to make it easier to load. I prefer Cartopping because I don't want to deal with a trailer and paying launch fees where I don't have to without a trailer.

My suggestion before you buy new or used is to see if your can demo different brands to find out which you prefer better then either buy that new or used. There are a lot of really good expensive and affordable kayaks available in todays market. So plan you budget add a little stretch to it and choose what you feel comfortable with.

It's not so much the length of the kayak but the weight as to using a cart or not. Even a shorter kayak can be heavy such as the 12 Pro Angler. Plus if you plan on loading your yak up prior to launching then a loaded kayak regardless of weight on a cart makes it easier handle to and from your vehicle. Now what type of cart and its wheels depends on the terrain.

[Steve6902]

As for a cart that just depends how much you want to carry. I now have a Hobie outback depending on how close the water is I just drag it. Sometimes I use a cart. It just depends how much crap I carry. You can buy carts fairly cheap up to a couple hundred bucks. Or you can go on YouTube University and learn how to make your own.

[paulg]

I was looking at some local vendors with kayaks in my price range, what do you guys think about the Pescador Pro12, I didn't see much information on them.

[baitball]

I saw a few Wilderness systems for sale on here, are they decent kayaks? Sorry I don't no much about the different manufactures and their quality

I can vouch for WS boats. They make good, solid, paddle kayaks. Some of their newer models are even touting the use of a drop-in electric motor, although admittedly, these are terribly expensive.

+1 on buying used for your first kayak. Here’s why:

Your first few months/season will involve getting your proverbial feet wet in the hobby. You will be experimenting and defining your own particular style. You will think something looks right or makes sense while sitting on land, and once you get the boat in the water you will discover it doesn’t work out quite the way you intended. It will be easier to make all these adjustments on a boat you haven’t spent a mint on.

For me, personally, I was glad my first fishing kayak was paddle-powered and a few years old – It made me appreciate the convenience of a pedal-powered boat so much more once I had the funds and decided the hobby was something I wanted to commit to.

Let me explain. The logistics of having to put the paddle down in order to attend to my rod, or the opposite – put the rod down so as to paddle and hold a spot – was a constant routine in a paddle kayak. This routine became tedious, especially if I was in a river with current running. In order to address this problem, I installed an anchor trolley so I could hold over a spot. Dropping an anchor helped me hold a spot, but now I had to reel in the anchor line each time I wanted to move. So I then decided to use the same anchor trolley and attach a simple, wire “branch gripper/anchor” so I could tie up to trees, a sunken log, or even a bridge piling without the time and space needed to retrieve the anchor and its line. After I solved that problem, I wanted to modify where I carried my rods. And the list goes on and on…

My point is just take your time, minimize your investment, figure out what you like (or don’t) about your first fishing kayak, and use that first boat to experiment and make mistakes. Your experimentation will help you later on when you want to modify your more expensive boat. If you use this approach, your decision – when the time comes – to commit and buy a more expensive pedal-powered boat will be more informed and much easier to make. The hardest decision at that point will be choosing the color. :-)

[paulg]

I can vouch for WS boats. They make good, solid, paddle kayaks. Some of their newer models are even touting the use of a drop-in electric motor, although admittedly, these are terribly expensive.

+1 on buying used for your first kayak. Here’s why:

Your first few months/season will involve getting your proverbial feet wet in the hobby. You will be experimenting and defining your own particular style. You will think something looks right or makes sense while sitting on land, and once you get the boat in the water you will discover it doesn’t work out quite the way you intended. It will be easier to make all these adjustments on a boat you haven’t spent a mint on.

For me, personally, I was glad my first fishing kayak was paddle-powered and a few years old – It made me appreciate the convenience of a pedal-powered boat so much more once I had the funds and decided the hobby was something I wanted to commit to.

Let me explain. The logistics of having to put the paddle down in order to attend to my rod, or the opposite – put the rod down so as to paddle and hold a spot – was a constant routine in a paddle kayak. This routine became tedious, especially if I was in a river with current running. In order to address this problem, I installed an anchor trolley so I could hold over a spot. Dropping an anchor helped me hold a spot, but now I had to reel in the anchor line each time I wanted to move. So I then decided to use the same anchor trolley and attach a simple, wire “branch gripper/anchor” so I could tie up to trees, a sunken log, or even a bridge piling without the time and space needed to retrieve the anchor and its line. After I solved that problem, I wanted to modify where I carried my rods. And the list goes on and on…

My point is just take your time, minimize your investment, figure out what you like (or don’t) about your first fishing kayak, and use that first boat to experiment and make mistakes. Your experimentation will help you later on when you want to modify your more expensive boat. If you use this approach, your decision – when the time comes – to commit and buy a more expensive pedal-powered boat will be more informed and much easier to make. The hardest decision at that point will be choosing the color. :-)

Sounds like some great advise! Thank you!

[paulg]

Also if anyone is selling a kayak please let me know, I am looking under 1000.
Thanks!

[DonV]

I'm going to go counter to most of the other advice here. From what you said originally, freshwater was going to be your thing with some bay use. It seems now that the talk has almost morphed into a strictly bay boat and you may want to rethink slow down and consider your options carefully. You don't want to make a purchase you are going to regret and get a kayak that may limit you in what you want to use it for. It could even discourage you from wanting to use it. You may be getting off base with a kayak that will be only shine on large open water and the added length and weight is going to be cumbersome and limiting for other uses. I do think everyone's advice that if you do want to do the bay 13 and up is where you should be is correct but just think you should consider what you are realistically going to do. Anything under you are going to feel small out there.

Few people here fish stricly the open bay. The majority of the fishing is done in tributaries of the bay with a mix of freshwater mixed in. Plenty of fish to be had and places to explore without heading out mid bay or open ocean. Don't get me wrong if you do think you would do the majority of your fishing out in large open water the 13 foot or even larger kayak is going to be your best option. Personally I have a 12' and even at 58 lbs the weight can be bothersome loading, unloading and getting to some of the of the not quite easy to get to out of the way places I may want to launch. 13 for on a freshwater river such as the Potomac or Susquehanna is going to less maneuverable to dodge hazards and just more boat than you need in those type of fishing situations. I just find that I don't enjoy the open water fishing and seem to have better luck in and know a bit more about shallower situations. I'm also somewhat of a chicken and really don't like being in situations where the shore is not visible. Maybe if I had a bigger kayak that would change somewhat yet I still don't really think I would feel the need to venture out into open water when plenty of fishing can be had at much closer locations.

I have had my small twelve out in the bay and why not quite always inspiring confidence it gets me there. I've even had it in the surf. It handles all the tributaries of the bay I fish. It handles smaller rocky rivers adequately. It a good general purpose size and weight. Once again don't get me wrong there are times where I would sure like to have that added length and capability but on the other hand there are times a even smaller lighter kayak would be more appropriate. With it being light I can drag or throw if off the truck to get in a pond at the side of the road if I like. You don't mention your age but that is a factor to consider, you may not have a problem with a larger kayak and added weight but it definitely becomes an issue with age and the loading and unloading can become tedious.

If you really want a cheap option to get your toes in the water quickly Dicks has a sale on the Eagle Talon at $399 right now. While not a top of the line boat it gets some really great reviews considering it's price. Down side I see is that it is heavy for it size and many complaints about seat comfort.
You can see it here. https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p...fsgltlnstkypsk

At the same after seeing the recommendations on the Vibes and their prices the extra spent would seem well worth it just to have a decent seat and they are some real bargains that I hadn't looked at in a while.

[rugbyfish]

The seat on the Vibe was worth the price for me personally, it is much more comfortable than any other kayak I've paddled. My old kayak was terribly uncomfortable, and definitely discouraged me from taking it out, as you mentioned. Paulg, I see your location is listed as Catonsville. I'm just a few minutes from there, so if you'd like to check out the Sea Ghost in person, send me a PM.