Boatless Fishing Forum, Reports, Info

So ive read back all the posts of peoples recomendations for a first time yak. Question... I only weigh 140 lbs. DO I want a shorter/smaller kayak so its easier for me to manage?

Where do you plan on using it most? Small water, then yeah smaller boat is good. I prefer 12+ for paddling around the islands. Those old heavy boats of yesteryear aren't as common anymore. Tried out the santa cruz awhile back, for being oddly shaped it moved around like a cloud.

and if i wanted something versitile that i could take offshore id want it bigger?

I have a ocean kayak scrambler 11 and I love it! Just try out different yaks before you buy one so you can find one you like!

Leadslinger wrote: Those old heavy boats of yesteryear aren't as common anymore. Tried out the santa cruz awhile back, for being oddly shaped it moved around like a cloud.

Thats a strange statement, those old 14'+ heavy weights of yesteryear weighd in from 55-70 pounds, try finding a new 14' kayak. One of the best paddling kayaks of yesteryear was the Tarpon 160. I had an old school OK ScupperPro 14'+ a couple inches, weigh'd in at 55 pounds and would paddle as well or better than most others out there.
Todays design trend is heavier and wider, (barges by old school standards).

Like said depending on what you plan to do at 140 pounds, how long are you, unless you are 6'+ you could easily be happy with 12' kayaks like the West Marine Pompano or other similar models. They paddle well are more than stable enough for fishing.
If you are planing on going offshore look into a 14' kayak.

Well then I reckon I'm just getting stronger (checks out his guns...nope) they sure seem less heavy now. Felt like those boats of my youth had lead keels.

Funny you say barge, I demo'd a Hobie a few weeks back and as I came back to the dock that was exact response to the shop owner after he asked how I liked it.

I am 6'3" and weigh about 185 lbs, I have a Pescador 12 that I use for offshore fishing and also inshore and the intercoastal. I love my yak!

im 5'7. is there a place around ft lauderdale that demos kayaks? i saw a place by the keys that does it.

FBO in Key Largo

-or-

South River Outfitters in Stuart

Both are on the water and do onsite demo's

Liquid Surf & Sail has several vendors kayaks in their showroom, not on the water but maybe they do demo's.

Do a bit of research on several online-forums, beware of sales people they are selling what they stock

I don't think your height matters all that much.

If you're planning on decking it out and using it offshore a lot, get a hobie so you can peddle out.

I personally have an ocean kayak trident 11 it's pretty solid. I've taken up to about 4 miles offshore and plenty of inshore fishing. I think if I had to do it over again I'd go for the 13 since it has better tracking, but honestly I'd probably just skip it all and get a hobie so I could peddle.

Vertical jigging is kinda brutal after paddling hard for an hour to get to your spot and another 2 hours getting back on track.

That being said I love my ocean kayak, it's stable, light, and is pretty well rigged for what I need. You could check out the ultra series from them too they are awesome.

how do u guys go about getting live bait? do u use a bucket and a bubbler or sabiki when ur out there? it would be difficult to rig a livewell on a kayak it looks like.

As far as bait, see my post in Bait Bucket forum http://youtu.be/7IULjwSVJ8w?list=UUHMYO ... PI9a3xUj_Q

That's a nice setup, Dragon!

Nice? That's a work of art. Beautiful well thought out piece Dragon

I like the title "Poor Man's..." 5 gallon bucket and $10 bubbler. That's what the real poor guys like myself are using...

Nice work! The ingenuity on this site is priceless.

Poseidon10/31 wrote:I like the title "Poor Man's..." 5 gallon bucket and $10 bubbler. That's what the real poor guys like myself are using...

How many gogs can you keep alive in a 5 gallon bucket?

I keep 10 in that one no problem. Make sure you get a yak that has capability for a rudder. Current offshore can wipe you out in no time. Also, I have an 11.5 and have no issues with going offshore. You want STABILITY (wide) not speed offshore.

12ft is versatile for inshore and offshore. The longer the kayak the better it tracks but a pain to turn in tight spots inshore wise. Ive owned a 12ft ws tarpon. A 13.5 ok trident which I prefer. If youve narrowed it down demo what you can.

Thanks for your advice. Still looking. Not really tryin to spend 1000 $ for a hobie although they appear best

HJared wrote:Thanks for your advice. Still looking. Not really tryin to spend 1000 $ for a hobie although they appear best

Ahh Hobie !! Yes, its what traditional paddlers are missing out. Part of the fun is upgrading and rigging but see what fits your budget. Goodluck

Saw this on CL today.. Ok ScupperPro.... one of the best paddling & fishing kayaks of its day.. lite 55 pounds, paddle great, work well inshore & offshore, only drawback is it ain;t easy to stand.
Listed at $600.00, If you want reference of actual fishing reports and photo's look up RDS/bugdoc's post on this board he does a lot of beach launch's.

http://miami.craigslist.org/brw/spo/4722409384.html

awesome thanks. From what i can tell its better to have a sit on top vs sit in?

I was planning on buying a yak myself. I was gonna go with a hobie, just because everyone who has a paddle kayak ends up getting a hobie. But then I realized how much $ I would be wasting on a yak and decided to just save my $ and get a boat. That's my 2 cents

HJared wrote:awesome thanks. From what i can tell its better to have a sit on top vs sit in?

SOT is kind of preferred here in S. Florida for fishing...

I've never thought about getting a pedal kayak, just won't work in the shallows I fish in....

Looks like they lowered the price to asking $450.00 on CL... now thats a great deal.....
CL - ScupperPro

krash wrote:Saw this on CL today.. Ok ScupperPro.... one of the best paddling & fishing kayaks of its day.. lite 55 pounds, paddle great, work well inshore & offshore, only drawback is it ain;t easy to stand.
Listed at $600.00, If you want reference of actual fishing reports and photo's look up RDS/bugdoc's post on this board he does a lot of beach launch's.

http://miami.craigslist.org/brw/spo/4722409384.html

krash wrote:Looks like they lowered the price to asking $450.00 on CL... now thats a great deal.....
CL - ScupperPro

krash wrote:Saw this on CL today.. Ok ScupperPro.... one of the best paddling & fishing kayaks of its day.. lite 55 pounds, paddle great, work well inshore & offshore, only drawback is it ain;t easy to stand.
Listed at $600.00, If you want reference of actual fishing reports and photo's look up RDS/bugdoc's post on this board he does a lot of beach launch's.

http://miami.craigslist.org/brw/spo/4722409384.html

I have that same kayak mold pretty much, except its a RTM Tempo Angler. Very easy kayak to paddle and you can really pick up some speed. Only drawbacks are like you said its a bit tippy and wouldnt recommend standing in it. Also back storage area has an odd shape that wont fit a traditional milkcrate. Its also about 15 feet long, something to consider when thinking about storage.

http://miami.craigslist.org/mdc/spo/4725358749.html

Tarpon 140 gets my vote