Kayak Buying Tips/Advice

[Bencap]

Hello all,
I have been lurking on this forum for a couple months now as I try and figure out some of the ins and outs of kayak fishing. I am a Mid at USNA and I will be headed to Pensacola next April. I have been wanting to get into the sport for a bit, and now it looks like I will finally be able to this summer (if things reopen, that is). I have been doing a lot of research online about kayaks to look at, and with a pending move to Pcola and potentially Corpus Christi afterwards, I was looking for advice on a few kayaks to look at. I unfortunately think Hobies and some of the nice pedal drives are going to be out of my price range, so I have kept coming back to Tarpon 140s and OK 13 footers. Does anyone have any experience with these kayaks, and would these be able to work in these Annapolis, Pcola, and Corpus? I would be looking at fishing around the South river in Annapolis, and then offshore in Pcola/Corpus. Thank you for the help!

[FishMoken]

I have owned both the tarpon 140 as well as the trident. Both are great kayaks. The ocean kayak was always more of a wet ride, but I like the extra stability as well as the hatches on the trident line. Mine was the older style before the upgraded seat. The tarpon was a bit faster and I really like the gear tracks and the newer seat...air pro seat if you can get it. Also one down side of the tarpon is the hatches do leak but you can fix that with some weather strip foam from a hardware store. If I were to go out and get one today it would still be the tarpon if buying used. If you can find a decent deal on a newer upgraded trident I would do that. Both are great kayaks.

Sent from my LM-V405 using Tapatalk

[J.A. Veil]

Don't feel short changed if you choose a paddle kayak. I have owned several paddle and several pedal kayaks. At this point in time, I own only paddle kayaks. You can easily fish in the Severn River and portions of the main Chesapeake or Eastern Bay in a paddle kayak. Although I have not kayak fished near Pensacola, I have fished in many Florida locations along the Gulf Coast, Miami, Everglades, and the Keys with different kayak guides. All of them used paddle kayaks for their charters.

The brands you mentioned are reputable companies. I have not used the specific models you listed, but suspect they are fine. I am affiliated with Native Watercraft and think their products are great, but there are many other good choices out there. If you do some searching through past Snaggedline posts, you will find a wealth of information on choosing a kayak. With the severe economic hardships our society is facing now, it may be an excellent time to buy. Local dealers want to sell kayaks in their inventory and may be willing to deal on a new kayak. Individuals may be looking to sell a used kayak, which often offers more value than buying new.

[Mark]

Bencap,

Welcome to the forum.

You've gotten good advice above.

In November 2017 I paddled an Ocean Kayak Trident 13 on an outing in Port Aransas, TX which is very near Corpus Christi.

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If you are stationed there, you will thoroughly enjoy catching the plentiful redfish and speckled trout in that portion of Laguna Madre.

I thought the Ocean Kayak handled well. It had a rudder controlled by my feet. That took me a while to get used to but before long I was adjusting my track without thinking about which foot to push. I enjoyed the ride. It was comfortable, fast and sea worthy. What I didn't like was the large console in front of my seat. I thought it took up valuable deck space. But that's a personal preference. Obviously many don't mind or Ocean Kayak wouldn't offer the consoles.

I cannot address Pensacola, but I think that boat would fish very well here in the Chesapeake. It certainly was good in TX.

Given that you're going to be on the move in your Naval career, you may want to think about how you will transport and store your kayak. As a young person, the weight of the boat is likely not as an important matter to you as it would be to me. But then again it may be. I prefer the lighter kayaks.

Finally, where I fished in Port Aransas, my pedal driven Hobie Revo would have been a poor choice. Shallow oyster bars were prevalent that would have impeded or even ripped my fins from their steel shafts. My point is that paddle kayaks can go almost anywhere we need to go to find fish. But, pedal kayaks can have their limitations. Even here in the Chesapeake region, I use my paddle kayaks much more frequently than my Revo. Sometimes that's due to convenience (my paddle boats are lighter). More often it's due to the shallow water locations I like to fish.

So I don't view paddle kayaks as a limitation when it comes to catching fish. They work just fine.

Good luck to you in your choice of kayaks and most important, your career.

[mjkeith13]

Hi Bencap,

I really can't add anything beyond the great advice already provided. I've learned so much from several of the folks who've responded to your question.

I would like to foot stomp the fact that a Hobie Outback is probably not out of your price range if you look around for a recent model used kayak. I plan on adding an Outback to my one ship fleet once everything returns to a new normal. Additionally, nothing wrong with a paddle kayak as they are what you need for some of that really skinny water, which there is quite a lot of around Pensacola.

I'm not sure if its been previously mentioned but since one of your goals is to fish offshore/Beyond the breakers in the Gulf, you almost certainly need a pedal kayak. At least, that is my opinion....and experience; long story. :-)

My wife and I are retiring at the end of this year and the Pensacola area (Gulf Breeze specifically) is one of two locations we've narrowed down to move to. Kayak fishing is great year-round there, as well as surf fishing if you're into that - my latest obsession!

Congratulations on your upcoming career as a Naval Aviator. I can't imagine the craziness going on at USNA now with the current situation but rest assured that you'll be well taken care of and graduate before you know it.

Go Army - Beat Navy! USMA Class of 1988.

[Bencap]

Evening All, thank you for all the advice. Blown away by the support/help, I have learned a ton. I am going to continue to keep looking around the used market and see what I can come up with- hopefully we will all be on the water soon!

Mjkeith13-Big fan of surf fishing, grew up on Michigan piers and beaches fishing for steelhead/coho. USNA is messy now, they really haven't told us much but they're doing the best they can. Beat Army!

[Jman]

Hello all,
I am a Mid at USNA and I will be headed to Pensacola next April. I have been doing a lot of research online about kayaks to look at, and with a pending move to Pcola and potentially Corpus Christi afterwards, I was looking for advice on a few kayaks to look at. I unfortunately think Hobies and some of the nice pedal drives are going to be out of my price range, so I have kept coming back to Tarpon 140s and OK 13 footers. Does anyone have any experience with these kayaks, and would these be able to work in these Annapolis, Pcola, and Corpus? I would be looking at fishing around the South river in Annapolis, and then offshore in Pcola/Corpus.

Hi Bencap -
welcome to the forum and thank you for your service! Both the Tarpon 140s and OK13 are great for the locations you mentioned. Personally, I've used the Tarpon 120 in the mid-bay region, CBBT, and oceanfront VB. I'm sure the 140 would be even better for longer paddles. The hatches do leak a little bit, but I only noticed this when surf launching. I always liked the design of the OKs, especially for rod storage in the center console.

Not sure what your price range is, but there are some pretty sweet deals that pop up here and there. The dealers don't always post the deals online, so it can pay off to call. I got my 2015 Hobie Outback for $1400 almost brand new with upgraded drive fins.

Edit: There's a $1100 Hobie Revolution 11 out of Boyds, MD currently.

One other thing to consider is the length of the kayak for shipping when you PCS. I can't remember what the regulation is, but I think there might be a length restriction.

[ski357]

One recommendation I'd really make is seeing if you can do an on water demo of the models you're interested in, obviously once the situation allows that as a consideration. There are some great dealers in the Annapolis area that I've dealt with in the past. (Full disclosure, used sell Hobies at another dealer. No longer affiliated with Hobie, but still love them!) Are you considering the Pelican pedal drive kayak or the Lightening Strike HD, derivatives of the V1/V2 Hobie Mirage drive? I've been eyeing the Lightening for a little while now, but haven't actually seen one. Food for thought in terms of price point. Used is also a good way to go, but definitely go over early model stuff. I have a Hobie Outback, Hobie Sport, Wilderness Tsunami 145, and Wilderness Tarpon 160, caught many fish in each. They each have their pros and cons. Used is also a good way to go, but definitely go over early model stuff. If you're in the Pax River area and want to try out an Outback or Tarpon 160 when it's feasible, let me know. Tight lines and stay safe out there!