Kayak Ideas

[mojeezzy]

Hello everyone,

I'm new to the whole kayak fishing sport. I'm usually somewhere on shore fishing, occasionally in a boat. Now I live off of Spa Creek in Annapolis, I want to get into kayak fishing. I'm 6'2, 245lbs and seen a bunch of sit on top kayaks around 10' on sale. Being a fairly big guy, is 10' long enough? I also was wondering fishing around the bay and its rivers, how big do you need to go to feel comfortable or should I say stable.

Being that this would be my first I'm not looking to buy a yacht kayak (2-3 thousand dollars) just something to start, a couple hundred bucks.

Thanks for the advice.

[rugbyfish]

Welcome to the forum. Given your height and the waters around Annapolis, I would recommend something longer in the 12-13 foot range. A used kayak from Craigslist (or similar site) would be a good way to start that wouldn't break the bank. A friend of mine just found a Wilderness Systems Tarpon 120 on Craigslist for $400, so there are deals to be had. At the end of the day, any boat that allows you to get out and fish is a good one. If you have questions about specific brands and models, the members here are very willing to share information about their kayaks. Good luck with your search!

[Mark]

mojeezzy,

Kayaks present us with tradeoffs. Generally, the longer the boat, the faster it is, the straighter it tracks and the more weight capacity it has. Wider boats are more stable, but often slower (require more effort) to paddle or pedal. The longer and wider the boat, the heavier it is. That's important because transporting the boat on land is something prospective kayak anglers often overlook. And usually the longer and wider the boat more expensive it is.

The good news is that there are many fishing kayak models to choose from and that folks on this forum collectively own most every kind of fishing kayak in use today. You'll get an excellent range of opinions and advice here.

As Joe said above, most 12 to 13 foot boats would suffice for waters near Annapolis -- the edges of the Bay, the Severn and its creeks -- especially if you want to troll. In that case you'll want a boat that runs true (tracks straight) and is easy to propel. You'll probably want a sit-on-top model for safety although I personally own two boats that are not and I really enjoy them because they are lighter than double-hulled boats with scuppers.

If you're going to stay in Spa Creek or other smaller waters, and bottom fish or cast to shorelines, a 10 foot boat would work as would a longer one. If you're going to fish larger water, you may prefer a longer boat.

Somewhere in that series of tradeoffs is your ideal boat.

Good luck in your research and welcome to the forum.

[Steve6902]

Vibe Sea Ghost 130 about $800 for the kayak, rudder, seat and paddle. It's a Great yak.

[Jman]

There might be someone on the forum willing to let you try out there yak(s) or a demo from a dealer (doesn't have to be an expensive model), so you can see what they feel like.

Are you concerned about stability at rest or stability while paddling/pedaling? I think these are more related to the width of the kayak. When I think of the length of the kayak, I think of tracking, maneuverability, and efficiency.

[kevinfry]

iwould not advise a tarpon 120 or other copycats that size....i bought one when i was 245/6'1" and it really was not a good match, tge boat did not handle well at all. especially in rough water.

bigger&taller guys usually appreciate a boat with a 400lb + capacity. Cheaper options are Prowlers, Ascends, and some tandems that paddle well as singles. A few dollars more and you have more variety

I fished a Malibu 2 foryears and caught lots of fish.

[mchottie]

I'd also say 12' is a minimum, my first yak was in the $400-600 and served me well, but I have since upgraded to the $2-3k.

If you just want to get your feet wet, i'd say Wilderness / FeelFree / Vibe are all provne boats. Your best bet is to pickup a boat off-season for cheap, and if you don't like it you can always sell it preseason/in-season and typically not lose money. If you enjoy kayaking as much as the rest of us, you'll be looking at $2k boats rather quickly. And if you dont mind buying used, a $3k boat brand new turns into a $1500 boat rather quickly, it may need some maintenance or additional servicing, but you're still getting a deal on a fishing machine. Thats how we picked up the Outback in my signature.

[J.A. Veil]

I don't disagree with the advice offered above. But each of us has his/her own criteria for choosing the right kayak for our needs. In my case, I have owned kayaks ranging from 10' to 14.5' as well as several canoes. Today I own two Native Watercraft kayaks -- a 10' Slayer Propel 10 pedal drive kayak that I use for trolling, and an 11' Manta Ray 11 paddle kayak. I am a large person at 6'4" and 245 lbs. But I have a bad back and like being able to load and unload my kayaks quickly without lifting. Weight and length (being able to fit the kayak fully inside my minivan) are extremely important criteria for me.

If you listen only to the advice given above, you might rule out these two kayaks as being too small. For the conditions in which I use a kayak (up to 2' waves), these meet my needs very well and allow me to deal with on-land weight issues easily. Before you buy a kayak, consider lots of different factors and decide which criteria are most important for your own needs.