Kayak Recommendations

I’m looking to trade in my 80# Wenonah Backwater 15 canoe for a shorter, lighter, affordable kayak. I traded my Ford Focus with crossbars in for a Ford Transit Connect and don’t want to hoof a 80# canoe to the roof any longer. I can get my canoe inside the van though it sticks out the back 5′. However it takes up all the interior. The canoe is also too hard to paddle solo with my shoulder problems and I have been caught downstream too often with a dying trolling motor battery because I stay out too long. My thought is a 10′ kayak would fit completely inside my van but anything under 15′ would be ok for short trips. I just want to get on the water. Being able to get just a few boating docks from any access point would keep me happy. I’ve had canoes most my life and never handled a kayak. Any suggestions for something that’s easy to handle, has stability for fishing and affordable?

sit in it before you buy it. make sure the seat is padded and comfortable. used may not be a bad way to go. in my opinion if it floats used or new doesn’t really make a difference on a kayak. having done a fair amount of canoeing and kayaking any kayak will seem easy to paddle compared to the canoe. no brand preference more comfort and having a setup that you have space and places to put your stuff while fishing.

I’ll be watching this. I may need a kayak in mean time before we are in a position to get a boat. I kayak fished from a rental, but the kayak was basic and pretty small. If I got a kayak, it needs to be as roomy as possible and comfortable.

I have a Perception Sound 10.5 and I use it for duck hunting and fishing and it works great. Very affordable, stable and somewhat lightweight.

Hey all, I can help out here. I have lots of experience paddling canoes & kayaks and even more experience fishing from them.

If you want to stick with a small canoe I’d recommend the Northstar ADK. This is identical to the former Bell Bucktail but slightly less deep. https://northstarcanoes.com/canoe/adk/

The cheapest lamination in this canoe is barely 25lbs and I’ve seen one just over 12 lbs. Most people will paddle this canoe with a kayak paddle but you can also paddle it with either a bent shaft or straight shaft canoe paddle. What makes this boat killer for fishing is that it is open – unlike a kayak. You already fish out of a canoe so you know what I mean. When you land a fish, you have lots of space in front of you to deal with it. There are also a lot of options to mount gear track, rod holders, etc. on the thwarts and gunwales of a canoe.

If you are set on a kayak, I’d recommend looking at the thermoformed plastic kayaks made by Hurricane. The Santee 116 Sport would fit your bill perfectly. http://hurricaneaquasports.com/our-kayaks/recreational-kayaks/santee-116-sport/

My dad purchased this boat last year to take with him to Florida (where he spends the winter). He car tops this kayak on an Equinox and pulls it behind his motor coach. He has a damaged rotator cuff and can’t lift a lot over his head anymore. At 36 lbs. he can easily move this kayak on and off the car plus he can put his tackle and rods in it and haul it to the beach with one arm.

We mounted gear tracks, rod holders, and paddleholders on it to set him up for fishing. The seat in this kayak is second to none, he is spending 4 or 5 hours in this boat at a stretch with no issues. The hull design of this boat is far superior to the cheaper kayaks you will find out there. It tracks better and i s much easier to turn. At 36lbs, it is half the weight of similar roto-molded recreational kayaks.

Canoecopia is March 10-12 in Madison, WI. Bring your Wenonah and you can trade it in on an ADK canoe or Hurricane kayak. I’ll be working the show for Northstar canoes. http://www.canoecopia.com/canoecopia/page.asp?pgid=1001

Let me know if you have any questions. I love talking about paddling – especially to chase fish.

Fred

I can comment on the direction I went.

I ended up going with a Diablo Chupachabra. This kayak is 10.5′. If I remember correctly it was less than 60 lbs. They have a couple longer models and also make them using a roto moulded/plastic extrusion process. This however adds weight. The lighter option adds $$$. I have a chair that buckles onto the kayak and I frequently stand in the kayak while fishing so it has good initial stability.

Due to the length and width of this kayak the compromise is tracking and speed. Make no mistake this is not a kayak designed for traveling. It’s great to stand in and pitch/retrieve but if the idea is to frequently paddle distances or use it for trolling there are going to be better options.

You can look up the specs and get a sense of what kayak designed to stand in will give you and compare to some better traveling fishing kayaks.

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If you lived around here I would recommend going to Dicks then maybe Joes to try some on. Hopefully you have something near you with some options.
I have an Old Town Vapor 10 Angler. I am happy with it.

Look and see if there is a paddling club near you or someplace that rents kayaks for day use. Some dealers also hold on the water demo events where you can paddle several different models. The more models you tryout, the better choice you will be able to make.

My pelican catch 120 is fantastic. I can stand and cast with ease it track pretty good for being as wide as it is and is pretty light

Thanks for the tips friends! I just returned from Rutabaga in Madison and Ethan steered me toward the Perception Pescador 10.

http://www.rutabaga.com/perception-pescador-10

Rutabaga is willing to do an even trade for my Wenonah Backwater 15. The even trade perked my interest so I have room to invest in a better life vest and kayak paddle. The 10′ length also raised my interest since it’d completely fit inside my minivan.

Any downside opinions?

I could probably sell the canoe for $200 more but by the time I post ads and go through the hassle that value seems to dwindle to half that much. A salesman I’m not! I have my Minn Kota Traxxis 50 lb trust variable speed trolling motor up for sale at The Bait Box in Fort Atkinson.

Wilderness systems pungo 120 or angler model imo are the best all around kayak. Fishing, duck hunting, river or lake use they track well and are light weight. Large cockpit allows for easy entry and exit.

I love my Wilderness Cammando 120 (12′) hybrid. It padles like a kayak but is open like a canoe. It’s about 60 lbs. But if weight were a deciding factor then I would drop the coin on a Native hybrid, it’s only like 25 or 30 pounds.

I have 2 Old Towne kayaks. The Vapor 10 and the Vapor 12 Angler.

It is a very open cockpit, so easy to get in and out of. It is also stable. I use it on Mile Lacs and while I wouldn’t try to cross the lake or go out in the roughest of rough, I have never had a problem being out on that lake in it. I use them often for either exercise, or to have a little simpler fishing experience. It is nice sitting right on the water.

I have a Big Game Predator 2, Its about 70lbs 12’9″ but the stability is phenomenal, plus tons of options for customization. It has a 600lb capacity. Also a big seller is the seat that it comes with, nothing else i tried out compared.

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can most or all of these kayaks be used for duck hunting too? I would be interested in a kayak that can be used for fishing and duck hunting

crappie55369 wrote:

can most or all of these kayaks be used for duck hunting too? I would be interested in a kayak that can be used for fishing and duck hunting

I haven’t specifically tried mine for duck hunting but I would think the models that allow an elevated chair could work. I like the body position mobility I have in the Diablo. I can stand up, sit down and turn in a sitting position. Some of the fishing kayak models are a true sit on top and have you sitting at water level. You don’t really have any leg mobility that would allow you to swing.

Sam wrote:

My pelican catch 120 is fantastic. I can stand and cast with ease it track pretty good for being as wide as it is and is pretty light

I second the Catch 120. I love mine and just added some gear tracks and mounted my fish finder to it. It has a very comfortable, adjustable seat and isn’t too heavy. It’s 69lbs and just light enough that I can carry it and put on top of my SUV.

Thanks for the advice. I ended up trading even up for the Perception Pescador 10 angler with the approximate value of $650. Added a $130 Werner paddle and found a NRS Chinook fishing vest on sale for $65 so I should be set with everything I need to get out and start catching fish.