I am fairly young and money is tight and I don’t have money for an actual boat so I was thinking of buying myself a fishing kayak but I would like a sit on top kayak with pedals. Does anyone have any recommendations for what brands I should look at or any other helpful information? I don’t know too much. Thank you!
Not sure where you are located but I have a sit on top I would let you take out to see how you like it. I have a pescador pro 120. I did a fair amount of research before buying and could try to answer any questions you have.
If you get a kayak for fishing get one with a comfortable padded seat. You may get an old small fishing boat for less than a decent kayak if you shop around. The ole red thunder a ‘14 I fish out of more than the my newer boat ran me $300. I’ve gotten much more than $300 worth of use out of it. What kind of vehicle do you use? If it’s a truck toss a 12footer in the back
I am fairly young and money is tight and I don’t have money for an actual boat so I was thinking of buying myself a fishing kayak but I would like a sit on top kayak with pedals.
You may get an old small fishing boat for less than a decent kayak if you shop around.
Native Watercraft Slayer 13 Propel Kayak 2016 – Closeout Price:
$2,398.95
BKC UH-PK11 Pedal Drive Solo Rover 10-Foot 6-Inch Fishing Kayak $2,200.00 $1,397.00 On Sale
Plus these are heavy and you may find you want a trailer.
Pelican just came out with a pedal kayak that is actually reasonably priced at about $1500. Haven’t had a chance to check them out but have heard decent reviews on them.
I think you’d be better off finding a cheap boat for what you’re going to pay for a pedal style kayak. I have the same kayak as Crappie and it’s been great for me. I got mine on sale and the end of the season last year. What’s your experience been like so far Crappie?
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/599577253881357/
2 minutes of searching on Facebook marketplace, pretty good deal!!!
I think you’d be better off finding a cheap boat for what you’re going to pay for a pedal style kayak. I have the same kayak as Crappie and it’s been great for me. I got mine on sale and the end of the season last year. What’s your experience been like so far Crappie?
I like mine a lot. Its functional and very fishable at a great price. I got mine on a great sale too. Think I paid $650 at Joe’s. I will say this directed toward the original poster I had not spent much time in a kayak before purchasing and I think what I realized after a while is that I’m just too lazy to use it over my boat lol. It’s fun dont get me wrong but it can turn into work especially if you find yourself out in high winds. What I do really like about having a kayak that I cant do in a boat is doing float trips down small creeks and rivers. I’ve floated down the crow river a few times and it’s so peaceful and fun and the fishing can be great.
Thank you all so much! I’m located in central Minnesota. As of right now I can’t decide if I want just an older boat or a kayak. Since pedal kayaks are fairly expensive does anyone have any good regular kayaks that have a comfortable and good seat? I’ve been researching a little bit myself.
I’d much rather have my kayak over a small tin boat. I have a Perception Hook 10.5 and really like it. Its definitely not for big water but for a majority of Minnesota lakes it does just fine. For my style of fishing I wish I had one that could be stood up in however, I didn’t even realize that was an option back when I purchased it. It’s also great for a leisurely float down a small river as well and not nearly as noisy as a tin boat either.
I’m in western South Dakota so the lakes (dams) aren’t very large so it’s perfect for what I need. I recently picked up a couple rod holders for it and they are great to have as well. I’m sure there are plenty of lakes you’d do well fishing in a yak. I used to fish out of a sit in kayak and I must say the sit on top is way better. Good luck in your search, you may find a good sale come later July.
For any starter it’s difficult to pin down a go to suggestion because, at this point, you don’t know to what extent you want to pursue kayak fishing. $2000 is not an insignificant price tag. I got a simpler ($700) fishing kayak because I have the opportunity to fish multiple small bodies of water near the family property that have no public access. For this application the kayak is far superior to a canoe.
You’re likely looking at two different directions: a kayak that is more versatile with respect to standing for casting, pitching, etc. but is less efficient to paddle. Or… a kayak that is better suited for travel efficiency lending itself to bigger water and trolling but is not ideal to stand in. It’s worth thinking about the kind of fishing you want to do.
One thing to point out is: everything is work. It can be difficult to maintain position in the wind while in a boat. It’s certainly a factor in a kayak. It’s also easy to not think about distance when you have an outboard but in the kayak that distance is real. You’re likely looking at a nominal travel speed of 4 mph. I haven’t tried any of the pedal drives so I don’t know how well they aid in positioning for fishing. A normal rudder is operated with your feet so I don’t know that a pedal drive becomes hands free to turn the kayak. I’m assuming it’s easier than holding a paddle in your hands. Pedal drive or not the wind will be a challenge.
Personally, kayak fishing becomes more attractive if you’re already interested in silent sports. Kayaks work great in hard to access or out of the way places. There is a certain game that is played in terms of rigging the kayak for the fishing you like to do. If it’s simply a money question a 12′ boat with a 9.9 hp will give you a world of fishing to access.
“If it’s simply a money question a 12′ boat with a 9.9 hp will give you a world of fishing to access.”
This is true. As mentioned kayaks present you with opportunities that boats cannot in some cases: access to otherwise hard to access waters, no maintenance compared to a boat/motor/trailer, fun paddling experience, exercise ect. But the boat may end up being cheaper. I have probably 1k invested in my kayak setup and i would call it a mid level entry level fishing kayak. My buddy on the other hand paid $200 for his 14′ tin boat and trailer and got a 6HP motor for free from a friend and got it running.
Go to Clear Waters Outfitting in Clearwater. They rent a few different kinds of fishing kayaks as well as canoes, kayaks and paddleboards. They also sell them. Try before you buy on a float down the river. Fantastic smallie fishing there.
Yep, everyone has a different opinion, but I agree that you’d be better off getting a 12-16 foot rowboat with a small motor on it. These can be found cheap all over the place. The kayak is fine for certain cases, but I wouldn’t want one to be my only means of getting out on the water. When it’s cold, rainy, windy, etc, you don’t want to be on the kayak.
For the amount of money the kayaks with pedals cost, my recommendation is a small boat instead. Even the smallest cars can pull the 12-14 footers.
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