kayak

[knoppers]

just woundering, are kayaks stabile enough for fishing? I am thinking of getting one to get into some small trout ponds. I need something lite to carry into the spots. are there better ones, or are they all about the same?

[Brad B]

they actually make kayaks that are for fishing. Old town makes one called the Dirigo 106 Angler XT it comes with 2 flush mount rod holders. it is 10' 6" long 27.75" wide and will hold a 300LBS weight capacity. It sells for $799.99 at the Big C in Rogers. The weight is only 41 LBS

[delcecchi]

I have seen guys that fish the ocean off la jolla, California from Kayaks. One guy came in with a yellowtail and a white sea bass, each about 30 pounds. I need to figure out how to post a picture. Hang on.

ok, must have to enable html or something. What did I miss?

You should be able to paste these into browser if all else fails.

[shooter_mcgavin]

just woundering, are kayaks stabile enough for fishing? I am thinking of getting one to get into some small trout ponds. I need something lite to carry into the spots. are there better ones, or are they all about the same?

I have the Dirigo 106, and its very stable....while sitting. That's the one thing I didn't realize until my first time fishing in this kayak. Your vantage point from a kayak is not excatly conducive to sight-fishing, and standing is not an option. Other than that, kayak fishing is great for one person because its faster and more stable (while sitting) than a one-man canoe, and you can put the kayak in the bed of your pickup (if you buy a shorter one like I did).

As for which kayak to buy for fishing, that's a tough one to answer. Some prefer the sit-on-top style, which gets you up a little higher but also puts you out in the elements more. I went with the cockpit style kayak, and installed a rod holder myself instead of opting for the "angler edition". Throw an anchor in the rear hatch and put your ice fishing sonar under the bungees in front of the cockpit and you're good to go. The cup holder and dry compartment for your keys, cell phone, etc. are also nice extras in this particular kayak.

[delcecchi]

I noticed that the guys that fish the ocean tend to use the sit-on style kayaks. They typically wear waders and rain jackets although some use wet suits. Milk crates are used to hold gear.

[goblueM]

i've also fished out of a cheap Old Town Otter. fairly stable, weighs less than most fishing kayaks, and easy to store some smaller gear. if you aren't serious about using the kayak for fishing a LOT, i would recommend trying out somethign cheaper that is still stable. fishing yaks are expensive

[Write-Outdoor]

Hey there Knoppers....I've done a ton of kayak fishing over the last year in the Hobie Pro Angler and the Hobie Mirage Outback....both are great in a variety of waters and very stable. Your center of gravity is so low it's not an issue. My preference is the Pro Angler and I've even had it out on Mille Lacs. Drop me a private message or check on YouTube for kayak and Mille Lacs and you'll see first hand what I'm talking about.

[knoppers]

thanks wright and all the other posters, I will get a kayak, just going to look for the deals now.

[Redlantern]

Midwest Mountaineering is going to have an auction near the end of April. Starts the 24th, I think. Go online to their HSOforum and you can find out for sure. Should offer some test paddles on Nokomis, too.

[Buckslayer08]

I forget the brand off hand, but me and my wife both have a 9'6" kayak that only costed about $300 from Joes Sporting goods and I've never had any issues fishing from mine.

[fiddleFish]

Kayak fishing can be addicting. A cheap, lightweight 9' - 10' sit-inside kayak (SIK) would be a good choice for puddle paddling, and would probably serve you well on easy river floats. If you decide you want to fish big lakes and rivers, or cover longer distances, then a longer (14-17')sit-on-top (SOT) would be favored.

There are some great kayak fishing boards loaded with information specific to this rapidly growing sport. A web search ought to provide a treasure trove of info.