So a friend is giving me a free kayak. This is gonna cost me.

[vash]

A fishing kayak.


I know which kayak I want, and I’m also older and wiser and I KNOW, testing the new potential hobby on a free boat is much smarter. If I love it, maybe buy “the one”

He also switched to all left hand bait casting reels and has 50+ new righties he will let me pick from. I am blown away the strides fishing reels have come. The low-profile reels look like so lean and mean.

This lake I jog around always has a dude in a kayak yelling “fish on” to a nearby friend. It looks awesome. I know jack squat about kayaks. I’ll wear a PFD 100% of the time.

I wish I had some local buds to show me the ropes. But no.

There are three small lakes at. Thus park. The closest one is kayak friendly. #2 is a bit far to drag a boat. I’m still young and dumb enough to try with a set of those wheels.

This could be expensive, much like a free dog

[craigster59]

Kayaks are great, you're going to love it! Some of the newer ones have so many add ons you can do. Rod holders, fish finders, trolling motors, you'll be obsessed!

[Laneco]

You are going to love this. I bought a used fishing kayak for my husband. It's surprisingly quick when he is rowing and otherwise about as stable as your living room couch. He can comfortably take one of the bulldogs with him and two in in a pinch. He takes the kayak and I grab my paddle board.

Wonderful and peaceful way to enjoy the outdoors.

angela

[sugarwood]

Youtube

[mgatepi]

We had a 2 seater for awhile...never could figure out why it was so hard to row......then I realized my wife never rowed, only made it look like she was rowing.
So from my experience, make sure you have your OWN Kayak!
Enjoy!

[vash]

just the roof rack options is mind boggling.

[craigster59]

Originally Posted by vash

just the roof rack options is mind boggling.

I came real close to buying a 16' Wenonah canoe on CL. I was looking at this rack...

https://realtruck.com/p/tracrac-tracone-universal-truck-rack/trc-27000xt/?kpid=go_cmp-9494950698_adg-91762018690_ad-420788751992_pla-326969590786_dev-c_ext-_prd-TRC-27000XT_sig-CjwKCAjwte71BRBCEiwAU_V9hy_LR8CaF6iOj93IlrY29MqgqQ _LfbjLjg3Muwm0sTRgCH7qiCuFKBoCKHIQAvD_BwE&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=Racks%20-%20Smart%20Shopping&utm_term=&gclid=CjwKCAjwte71BRBCEiwAU_V9hy_LR8CaF6iOj93IlrY2 9MqgqQ_LfbjLjg3Muwm0sTRgCH7qiCuFKBoCKHIQAvD_BwE

[Yorkie]

Originally Posted by vash

just the roof rack options is mind boggling.

I quite like these Malone J-Racks - not too expensive. Usually, I just throw the kayak in the back of the Tacoma but when we take the 4Runner Camping the J-Racks are perfect.

https://maloneautoracks.com/J-Pro-TM.html

[aigel]

What make and model? Is it ocean going?

This is on my list. For me it will be sit on top ocean going. I was getting close to pulling the trigger but then abalone season was closed indefinitely and I also have a buddy with a boat now that I go duck hunting with, so 2 out of 3 uses are not required currently. The only thing I'd use it for now would be ocean fishing / crabbing and that is not something I currently have enough time for to go do seriously.

A kayak is also pretty big - another thing sitting around needing storage ...

G

[flatbutt]

Do you actually sit IN a fishing kayak or ON it? I'm a former white water 'yaker so I ask this only because I know how easy it is to tip over a river kayak and know nothing about fishing from one.

[vash]

Originally Posted by aigel

What make and model? Is it ocean going?

This is on my list. For me it will be sit on top ocean going. I was getting close to pulling the trigger but then abalone season was closed indefinitely and I also have a buddy with a boat now that I go duck hunting with, so 2 out of 3 uses are not required currently. The only thing I'd use it for now would be ocean fishing / crabbing and that is not something I currently have enough time for to go do seriously.

A kayak is also pretty big - another thing sitting around needing storage ...

G

i think its the Ocean Kayak Trident. i'll find out soon. i am gonna do a drive by since i have to visit a project "over there". i'll take my own truck and spiderman webspin it to my yakima round bars with every motorcycle tiedown strap i own.

it will be good to see his daughter from afar. we are best buds..she is 9. we both instigated to play the long game for her to get a puppy. she learned patience and mental games. hahah..she got a puppy a few weeks ago. great great kid.

probably why i am getting the free kayak. for payback.

[Seahawk]

Just once small piece of advice from someone who has years in white water kayaks: spend a day or two on it without trying to fish off it.

I know, it sounds goofy, but I see it all the time from my perch overlooking the Potomac.

Get good with the boat first. My neighbor teaches folks the art of fishing off the type of kayak you're getting. Three steps: get good on the water without fishing equipment, fish cast sitting in the boat on dry land, go have fun fishing in the boat.

Enjoy. What a wonderful way to spend a day.

One last thing: Get the wheels for any portage distance beyond 100ft. Huge difference.

[vash]

Originally Posted by Seahawk

Just once small piece of advice from someone who has years in white water kayaks: spend a day or two on it without trying to fish off it.

I know, it sounds goofy, but I see it all the time from my perch overlooking the Potomac.

Get good with the boat first. My neighbor teaches folks the art of fishing off the type of kayak you're getting. Three steps: get good on the water without fishing equipment, fish cast sitting in the boat on dry land, go have fun fishing in the boat.

Enjoy. What a wonderful way to spend a day.

solid advice. i'll do this.

[aigel]

Originally Posted by vash

i think its the Ocean Kayak Trident. i'll find out soon. i am gonna do a drive by since i have to visit a project "over there". i'll take my own truck and spiderman webspin it to my yakima round bars with every motorcycle tiedown strap i own.

it will be good to see his daughter from afar. we are best buds..she is 9. we both instigated to play the long game for her to get a puppy. she learned patience and mental games. hahah..she got a puppy a few weeks ago. great great kid.

probably why i am getting the free kayak. for payback.

Awesome - that's a good brand I looked at indeed. I hope it is camo, so you can go duck hunting in it too!

Great story with the daughter. Nothing beats a dog for a kid. And LOL on the payback!!!

[Evans, Marv]

Years ago I bought a sit upon kayak from Costco. At first I used it to explore the bays & coastal areas but only got around to fishing from it a couple of times. The thing I really got hooked on was riding (surfing) the waves with it. If you get the chance, give it a try. I imagine there are videos on how to do it. It's really a blast!

[look 171]

Oh man, too bad I live in the southern part of the state. I have had a sit on top ocean touring kayak for a long time but no one want to go out with me. None of my friends are into it. They want to fish off a motor boat and I am not into fishing.

[jyl]

There is a brand of sit on top kayak that has foot pedals driving a sort of propulsion fin under the boat. This allows you to make headway with your hands free.

If the weather is even modestly windy and wavey, a drifting kayak is unpleasant. The boat turns in the wind, the waves start hitting it from the side, and the paddler needs to use the paddles to brace and balance and get the boat nose-in to the wind again. If your hands are occupied with a rod, that’s not great. Eventually you’ll get in trouble or drop the rod into the water as you fumble for the paddle. Unless you only go out on calm flat windless days, in which case why bother with a kayak, a canoe would be fine.

I have a very good kayak, a 17’ Feathercraft expedition boat. It is the most seaworthy kayak around, beamy and high volume. I’ve taken it on multi day trips, loaded with 100 lb of gear, launching and landing through surf, paddling in rough water, out of sight of land in the Pacific, I know the boat very well. I tried fishing from it and it didn’t work at all - might have worked on a calm lake, but in the ocean, I wanted my hands on the paddle.

Also, have a mount for the rod so you can troll. I didn’t because I was fly fishing.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by Evans, Marv

Years ago I bought a sit upon kayak from Costco. At first I used it to explore the bays & coastal areas but only got around to fishing from it a couple of times. The thing I really got hooked on was riding (surfing) the waves with it. If you get the chance, give it a try. I imagine there are videos on how to do it. It's really a blast!

I have been surf kayaking since the 70’s. Huge fun at least in we kayaks. I’ll find some pics.

Paddle as a rudder!

[tevake]

Fishing kayaking had gotten very popular. I once came accross a kayak fishing tournament at clear lake Ca. They had all sorts of gear mounted on their boats, quite tricked out.

I've been doing some kayaking here in the spring fed streams here in the Fl panhandle.
Was using my brother's 12' Hobie with the foot pedals. Now that's an excelent fishing rig. Very stable, hands free propulsion. Built in rod holders etc. it's designed specifically for fishing.
I found it to be too heavy and hard to do sharp manuvering in the tight confines of the small streams. I'm now using a 10' pelican, it's a cheepie and weighs about half what the Hobie does. It's well suited for the small streams.

At any rate Vash, do have a look at those Hobies, they are very well designed for fishing.

Cheers Richard

[craigster59]

I used to watch this show "Pacific Warriors" on the Discovery channel. Guys and gals fishing from kayaks in Hawaii, pulling in some major gamefish!

Unfortunately I think it only lasted one season but you can watch it here:

https://go.discovery.com/tv-shows/pacific-warriors