Thread: Fishing Kayak

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  1. Member rds_nc's Avatar
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    #21
    Rudder will be a huge help to deal with the wind
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    #22
    I guess I'm in the minority but I don't think I would go much longer than 9' just for the weight. Mine is I think a hair over 9 and I find it perfectly stable. Its the type you sit in not on top of. I'm sure I could turn it over if I was being stupid but ive never felt I was even close to that point. Granted I could never stand up in it so if that's what you are after yeah you probably need some size.

    Mine came from a yard sale and was not intended for fishing. There is no storage or rod holders but I make due. I go with a small plano box with a few baits and put the rod on the front.

    So the moral to my story is if it were me I would make storage and rod holders a priority. Have a good place in the rear and front to either strap a crate down or a dedicated compartment with a lid. The more storage the better IMO

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    #23
    I couldn't agree more that rudders and/or skegs are extremely helpful. Incidentally, you can make a rudder out of a Walmart Cutting board and a piece of wood or aluminum, if you are handy and like to tinker with things. Doesn't take much for a simple rudder to help when drifting down a shoreline. I made three or four of them over the years.
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    #24
    Quote Originally Posted by rds_nc View Post
    Rudder will be a huge help to deal with the wind
    That is a good point. Mine has a rudder and I'm always tracking straighter and have an easier time than my friends who don't have one.

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    #25
    Anyone tried the Ascend H10? Looks like kind of a nice combination of features and a ton of space without breaking the bank. Also, anyone epoxy a transducer in like you do in a bass boat

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    #26
    I used duct seal to mount my transducer in my kayak it works great.

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  7. Member
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    #27
    I have no knowledge, good or bad, of the Ascend. Here are some reviews that I found online, though. I don't think they are for the exact same model that you referenced. https://paddling.com/reviews/product...d-fs12t-kayak/

    Paddling.com has been around for a long time and is pretty well regarded. Most of the reviews on kayaks are written by people selling them, it seems.

    As far as putting a transducer inside of any kayak, yes I have done that on two of them. Most guys use GOOP instead of Epoxy though. It works well. I doubt if epoxy would stick as well.

    Best thing is, you can scrape it off if you need to, whether for removing the 'ducer when selling the yak, or fixing something.

    You do lose accurate water temperature readings, but however inaccurate, most of the time, you are looking for variances...not specifics. i.e. warmer here, colder there.

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    #28
    Pick up a used American Wilderness Ride. It’s a sit-on-top, stable pontoon style w/rudder. You can stand on it to fish. Fished saltwater bays, freshwater lakes and ponds without issue...

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    #29
    Re The Ride. Yep, fine sturdy yak. Slower but stable. My former one had a skeg guard ( for dragging it) too.

  10. Member rds_nc's Avatar
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    #30
    I used plumbers putty about 2 months ago to put mine in the hull. I got tired of it being on an arm over the side and getting line or other stuff caught up. DI looks great. The last time out the traditional sonar looked a little weird but there was a lot of crap in the water so I don't know if it was just picking up crud and I need to adjust some settings. Bait everywhere so I was too excited to fish than mess with graph settings, lol. Hardest part was putting the drill bit to a $2500 kayak
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  11. Member 1stindoor's Avatar
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    #31
    So mine is an older model, bought it in 2013, not sure if the newer ones have stability issues. Mine is quite stable and I've stood in it quite a bit. I will readily admit it tracks like a battleship and weighs a lot. But for the price is was a good "first" kayak. I've been debating buying a new one for the last several years and had almost pulled the trigger on a new one (Bonafide) a few months ago. For me the big decision point is cost and ability to drag in and out of truck by myself. I own a boat...if I needed a trailer for my kayak it would defeat the purpose for me.
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    #32
    Couldn't agree more with " For me, the big decision point is cost and ability to drag in and out of the truck by myself. I own a boat...if I needed a trailer for my kayak it would defeat the purpose for me."

    I don't own a truck (and probably won't ever for family/travel reasons). But, if I did, then I'd buy another yak. I have two tinnys now for two different locations.

    A yak that could be slipped into or out of a truck bed would expand my fishing locations. But, if I have to haul a trailer to use the yak, I prefer my tinnys. They will go mighty shallow.

    It seems that there is no one boat/kayak/canoe/craft that fits all fishing options. Too many boats, not enough time.

  13. Member 1stindoor's Avatar
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    #33
    I use my kayak a lot in small ponds and in the middle of the woods. It's perfect for fishing those areas that are hard to reach from the shore due to the tree
    line.
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    #34
    So as I’ve started looking more I’m doing a lot of googling and YouTubing. I’m leaning towards the new pedal drive 106 topwater by old town, I feel like it’s a good balance of all the features and think the drive will be easier hands free fishing, and I feel like it’s a lot of bang for the buck....
    Those that have tried both, pedal drive vs. paddle pros and cons??
    I like the 10’ 6” range and under 100# for the same reason others have stated, I have a fully rigged bass boat, this is supposed to be easy back of the truck fishing small lakes without a launch.
    Thanks for the conversation and input, opens my eyes a lot to the things I wouldn’t have thought about

  15. Member vatreefarmer's Avatar
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    #35
    If you want a stand-up fishing capable yak, and with a built in console for a depth finder/GPS, you'll love the Wilderness ride 115 ("X" version). The seat upgrade is also like a lawn chair, so you don't have to sit all bent over. I love mine. Downside is it's heavier than most and pricey, but fishing should be fun and comfortable IMO.

    No need to install a transducer through hull, as it has a detachable console with a recess in front of you for your ducer to go straight into the water yet be completely shielded.
    https://www.wildernesssystems.com/eu...15x-max-angler
    Last edited by vatreefarmer; 08-08-2018 at 06:16 PM.
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    #36
    Do any of them have floatation to support you if you flip them or will they just sink when filled with water?

  17. Member vatreefarmer's Avatar
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    #37
    Quote Originally Posted by Wall-I View Post
    Do any of them have floatation to support you if you flip them or will they just sink when filled with water?
    Almost all SIT ON TOP style kayaks will float regardless of orientation. These aren't like canoes. They're hollow thermoplastic.
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    #38
    Re sinking...any SOT or, for that matter, SINK yaks will sink if they fill completely with water. Most likely that will never happen. For anyone particularly concerned, some guys have filled the open hull with swim noodles. I felt far safer about NOT sinking in my kayaks than in my tinnys and my tinnys have full flotation.

    Tinnys can fill up, Sit on top kayaks have scuppers that let the water flow out. Now, some people (why???) have stuffed their scuppers with foam balls. Not very bright. IMHO.
    Last edited by richg99; 08-08-2018 at 08:47 PM.

  19. Member 1stindoor's Avatar
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    #39
    I took two exercise roll pads (foam pads) and cut them each in two and wedged them into the inside of my Ascend underneath where my I place my feet when I stand up. Gives it a little more strength, and helps with flotation. I always leave two to four of my scupper plugs open to adjust the ballast a bit.
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  20. Member rds_nc's Avatar
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    #40
    My Slayer came with the scupper plugs and I leave them in all the time. They keep stuff from falling out the bottom. I got swamped by a bit motor yacht putting of a YUGE wake on the ICW. Filled my entire cockpit full of water. Reached down pulled the scuppers to drain it then slapped them back in no problem.
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    Kayak fishing in a Native Slayer Max 12.5
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