sandtiger -
sorry for the sort of late response. am in nj, and only sporadically checking mail. fishing has been so-so, but i've still got a week to come up with at least one big haul!
anyway, as far as the yak goes, i've got a 14 foot wildnerness systems pungo. i'm very happy with it - it does what i intended it to do (a wide variety of fishing, from the shallow water parts of the bay/western shore, to the james river, to small freshwater rivers, to lakes, etc.).
it's a "sit inside" kayak, as opposed to the "sit on top" variety.
i got a sit-inside because i thought it might protect me from spray a little more than a sit-on-top, and i planned to (and actually have done quite a bit of) cooler/cold water fishing. i didn't want to have to invest in neoprene/dry suits/etc. that most sit-on-top guys use during colder months. (although i probably would be smart to do so.)
i don't use a "skirt" on my kayak, because i keep my rods and fishing gear, drinks, camera, etc. under the front deck and behind me in back of the seat, and i need that stuff to be quickly accessible. i also have a "dry storage" hatch in the back for spare clothes and other gear, which is something i liked about the pungo model.
i got the 14 footer because the longer the yak, the better it "tracks", or stays in a straight line on longer paddles. i've paddled mine as much as 12 or more miles in a day, and it tracks very well. not much side-to-side correcting. the downside is, you can't turn on a dime like you can with shorter boats, but most of my fishing is wider water anyway, so that's not a huge factor for me.
now, as far as what you should get, well, it's really up to your preferences and what you plan on using it for, as well as which kayak you enjoy paddling the most. quite a few places that sell them (and i'm really referring to specialty stores, not big box retailers like dick's or bass pro shops) will let you try out yaks before you buy. also, the guys on the kayak fishing board of this tidalfish site will be very helpful when you are really getting down to considering different models. in fact, somebody's usually getting advice about diffferent yaks at any given time, so you might get info from just checking that board out right now!
one model that seems to be very popular with the saltwater yak guys is the wilderness systems tarpon 14 or 16 foot sit on top kayak. it's specifically designed for (saltwater) fishing, and i know a couple of guys who have one, and each is very happy.
but again, a lot of it will be up to your preferences, size, intended use, and so forth.
i'll tell you one thing that's great - once you buy the yak, and the accessories you want, that's it. no more expenses. no insurance, no gas, taxes, very little maintenance (ok, maybe NO maintenance in my case!), etc. throw it on your car, and you can go ANYWHERE!
so, hope that helps a bit, will keep you posted on the fishing here in nj when i get back to va!
-joe
p.s. - interesting reading your nj stories!