Kayak advice

Oh boy, down the rabbit hole we go. For quick back story, I've been fishing out of kayaks for 25+ years and currently rotate between 3 different ones depending on location and target species. A small sit in, a big sit on top with an electric motor, and a sit in sea kayak. Stability is a function of the width of the kayak and how high or low is your center of gravity. Sit on tops tend to be more stable because they tend to be wider but sit ins can also be quite stable due to the fact that your butt is at the water line. Bottom line on this, test out as many boats as you can and see what feels good. If you are fishing somewhere with waves and boat wakes, a sit in will keep you dryer until a wave is big enough to come into the yak, then you have to have a way to get the water out. That same wave on a sit on top will get you wet but the water drains right out.Sit on tops will have scuppers to let water out but depending on waves and how much you and your gear weighs water can and will come in the scuppers. I find sit ins to be easier to paddle a long distance and keep going in a straight line. I've never been in a sit in that I thought I could stand up in. Many sit on tops are wide and stable enough that you could stand up. A decent sit on top meant for fishing will have a much more comfortable seat. Not sure how long your trips are but those better seats make a difference after a couple hours. A sit in will have minimal places to put your stuff and will be paddle only. Sit on tops, past a certain price threshold, may have pedals or an electric motor to extend your range and free your hands for fishing. Do you have a budget in mind?
What kind of fishing will you use it for?
Eastern Shore mill ponds where you're never really out of sight of your vehicle? Sit in or small bargain sit on top.
Fishing the bay bridge pilings? Sit on top with pedals.
Will you be fishing around a lot of weeds or rocks that will foul or damage a propeller? Stick to a boat you paddle.

Lots of good comments here. I've been on the Susquehanna in my 24' boat and had Chris fishing next to me in his kayak. He does very well and can get around quickly.
Here is endless info on kayak fishing.
Going all out, $20,000 can be spent rigging one. It will be what you make it.
Chris is right, it can be a deep rabbit hole.
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Check out John's books. A member here.
Maybe he will post some info.
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Best of luck and be safe.

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Dwayne E said:

Been using daughters sit in kayak for a couple trips recently. Looking to purchase my own. Little hard for this old body to get in and out, but comfortable and stable to fish out of. Supper light. While searching I notice many sit on models. Questions, how is stability of sit on verse sit in? Looking for advise from users of each.

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Ok ……. I’ve been down that rabbit hole for awhile …….. I’m 72 .. obese and not as stable as I used to be. I have 4 hard yaks and 1 inflatable, the Osprey 1436. I have a hard time loading my Pro Angler because of the weight and getting in it is a slight challenge. The other yaks need stabilizers for me to feel safe. I got the inflatable 3 weeks ago and it has been the answer to my concerns. It is light, weighs 85lbs with a seat, motor mount (45 with just the yak) and 23’ of gear track so it is very easy to load. It is Very stable. So much so that I can stand easily even when launching. Mine is built extra Heavy duty with double heavy layers of fabric in all wear layers. The yak itself weighs 45 lbs where most others weigh in the 30 lbs range so you know it is well built. The adjustable height seat is very comfortable and makes it easy to stand and sit back down. It floats in @2” of water, gets 6.8 mph with a Torqeedo 1103 and you can deflate if you want to but I keep mine inflated. The Osprey 1436 is built like a tank by some of the fisherman that are the hardest on the equipment. The Osprey 1436 is @ $2000 and is well worth it. Another good one is the NRS Kuda and another NRS yak. These are good and well built but not as good as the Osprey in my personal opinion. The Kuda is on sale until 5/29 for $750. I think the inflatable is the next step in Yakin ……. Especially for us old geezers.

I don't want to rehash things that have been mentioned by other posters here. As many on this board know, I fish quite a few days each year from my kayaks (about 180 days in 2022 and 54 days so far in 2023), and have been using fishing kayaks since 2001. At 70 years old with a weak back, light weight and ease of transportation are key parameters for me.

Most manufacturers are making heavier kayaks with more features -- there is more profit margin for them. Some anglers want pedal drive, and others want electric motors for their kayaks. There is nothing wrong with those, but for my own preference, an 11' paddle kayak meets my needs pretty well. I sold one of my kayaks last week, leaving me with just one kayak - an 11' 2014 Native Watercraft Manta Ray 11. It paddles easily, is comfortable, and has adequate space for the things I want to bring with me (I don't bring much -- I am a minimalist). Even more important, I can carry it inside my minivan with the rear hatch closed.

Without having talked with Dwayne E at length to go over options and pros and cons, I suspect that his needs would be met with a 11' to 12' sit on top paddle kayak. Another class of kayaks is known as hybrids -- these have a hull bottom that is very stable and shaped like a kayak. But the upper part is more like a canoe -- there are no scupper drains in those kayaks. Native Watercraft sold thousands of their original Ultimate 12 kayaks that were simple, easy to paddle, and lightweight. Native no longer makes that model, but do offer a newer version called the Ultimate FX 12. The FX12 offers more features.

To the extent that Dwayne E or other Tidalfish members have specific questions about kayaks and kayak fishing that may require more than a few sentences of replies, I am willing to talk with you. If interested, contact me by email at [email protected].