View Full Version : Yaks
indyboy27
06-28-2006, 07:33 AM
What would be good kayak for the chesapeake bay?
Hookin-Up
06-28-2006, 07:47 AM
check out this website....
http://www.kayakfishingstuff.com/choosing_a_fishing_kayak.asp
I recently bought a kayak for the bay. Decided to go with the Hobie Adventure so I could peddle along with paddling. Will help trolling and long trips to spots.
Depends on your wallet too the Hobie Adventure is about $1800.
good luck.
Tanner Yak
06-28-2006, 09:11 AM
I like my Wilderness Systems Tarpon 140.
http://www.paddleva.com/
Wilderness Systems 160 i cuts through the water when it gets choppy, and hte Ocean Kayak prowler 15 is pretty nice. For a slow comfortable Ride the malibu's are used by a lot of west coast anglers.
Get a real sea kayak. You can cover more distance and handle waves better. They were good enough for eskimos to use for whale hunting.
wpvboat
06-28-2006, 12:51 PM
Ross originally wrote:
Get a real sea kayak. You can cover more distance and handle waves better. They were good enough for eskimos to use for whale hunting.
Ross, WHATEVAH!
Get a sit on top, hands down. Check out the KFS site from above.
Va_Yakfisherman
06-28-2006, 03:30 PM
Ross this is a kayak fishing board, not a paddle fest board. Stick to the power boat side before youget someone hurt fishing from a sea kayak.
Go to WWW.TKAA.ORG and ask the same question. You will get the correct responses.
Darrell Hollifield
Va_Yakfisherman
TKAA Vice_President
FishingRod
06-28-2006, 03:41 PM
My vote is for the Hobie Adventure. Non-fishing model is $1700. If you buy it at the right time of year when the dealer has a sale you can get it for $1600.
If you are going with a non Hobie Mirage kayak then look at the Tarpon 140 or 160i with rudder. Ocean Kayaks are good but my personal preference is Hobie or Wilderness Systems Tarpons kayaks.
A sea kayak has worked fine for the last 10 years. Never had a desire to paddle aroune in a tupperware tub.
wkfa.org
06-28-2006, 04:22 PM
I too vote for a Tarpon! I LOVE my Wilderness T160!!! A sit on top is ideal for open water fishing, especially for those who may be prone to flipage. They cut amazingly well through the water and you can hop right back on top without having to sit in a bathtub full of water..
John "Toast" Oast
Williamsburg Kayak Fishing Association
http://wkfa.org/
I love my Tarpon 120 , but if I was being towed it should be by a Hobie Adventurer[grin].
George Z
06-28-2006, 10:46 PM
Ross originally wrote:
Get a real sea kayak. You can cover more distance and handle waves better. They were good enough for eskimos to use for whale hunting.
Also be sure to get a bilge pump, paddle float and a buddy or two to help rescue you when the big fish flips you over. And practice those eskimo rolls.
JoshKaptur
06-29-2006, 07:24 AM
I think the bottom line is that you should do some research and then try out some kayaks. I know lots of folks wouldn't mind letting you take a paddle/pedal in their kayak if they had one you were interested in, or you could go to a demo day from a dealer.
I own the adventure previously mentioned, and love it. There are lots of great options listed on the KFS page. KFS also has a "choosing a kayak" forum on their board, where if you post your height/weight and fishing destinations, they will recommend various kayaks. I can tell you know if you want to cover big water on the chesapeake you'll be hearing about the adventure, tarpon 160, prowler 15... same yaks here.
Unless you have a history in a sit in kayak, I would recommend going for a sit on top... there's a reason that so many of us gear snobs who will drop thousands of dollars on rods/reels/tackle are floating around in plastic kayaks - for most of us they are the best option. If a fiberglass/kevlar sit in kayak was the best fishing platform for me, I would have one. So would a lot of others here as well.
So look at the various choices that are 15 to 16 feet long... you'll want something that can cover distance, cut through chop, etc. I would not pay too much attention to how stable it feels... something that feels very stable will probably be wider and slower. A bike felt pretty unstable the first time I got on it, but I haven't fallen off in a LOOONG time riding it correctly. Same with the kayak... you get used to a little perceived instability (though most have a lot of secondary stability... they rock but don't tip) and before you know it you aren't even aware of it.
And if you do tip, no biggie (if you had everything leashed). Just flip it back over and climb back in... no bilge pump... no couple hundred pounds of water in your hull, etc. For what it's worth I'm pretty much a big, uncoordinated oaf... and I've never flipped my hobie adventure despite some claiming it didn't feel stable. I take that back, I did flip it in some rough surf at the beach which I had no business being out in (wanted to test the kayak), but never under normal fishing conditions. I knew I'd be flipping that day and just went to play in the waves and practice controlling the kayak in very rough conditions... didn't have any gear with me so no big deal at all.
Your mileage may vary... go for a test drive. You're welcome to try my kayak for a bit any time I'm out. Or lots of places will rent you one and then put the rental towards a purchase once you make a decision.
Josh