Fishing kayak

[mgsontour]

Hi all, any suggestions/recommendations on which sit-on, one-man, sea fishing kayak to buy? Thanks in advance

[Stephen-H]

I had two feel free single seater nomads which I fitted anchor pulley systems to & fishing rod holders they were good kayaks for going around in close around the coast of north Wales easy to launch very stable rather light as well a single person could load , unload & launch on there own they also do a wheel in the keel version as well . I think I paid just short of a £1000 for the pair with the paddles , life jackets , seats and straps for the roof bars. 

I got mine from Manchester kayaks 

https://www.manchester-canoes-and-kayaks.co.uk/

[henry d]

Minimum length of 13 feet, preferable longer. Perception triumph, Ocean Kayak prowler/trident, RTM Tempo, Viking reload, Kaskazi D2, Galaxy Sturgeon (Mk2 not earlier ones), and if you are flush a Hobie revo 16.

Personally I would get onto a website anglers afloat is good, but quiet since facebook and read up on all their sections about the various kayaks and their limitations. Then get out and speak to or paddle with some owners. Then look at the price of the safety gear and DRYSUIT before you even think of buying a kayak. You may find a good deal online but don`t buy anything that has been wheeled about with a scupper style trolley as these can wreck a kayaks watertight integrity. (then add up the cost of fishfinders, anchor trolleys etc, seat, trolley, roofbars, rod holders, etc etc)

Welcome to the money pit

[stuartyboy]

I've got the RTM Tempo. It's 15ft, weighs 26kg, very stable compared to sit in sea kayaks and is fast and easy to paddle. I can keep up with friends in their 'proper' sit in sea kayaks.

As henry d says, you will need to factor in purchasing a lot of other gear but it's easy enough to look online to see what's  available in your budget.

Never scrimp on safety equipment and training to deal with the unexpected. A mile off shore is a long, long way in a kayak if things go wrong. 

 

[Stephen-H]

If your on Facebook check out sea kayaking anglesey as well they offer courses in safety at sea , have a go days with qualified instructors & a lot of really good information about it all 

[mgsontour]

Thanks, I'll go read up on what you say

[henry d]

I too have the RTM Tempo, it`s a great kayak, but it took some getting used to for a first kayak.

Remember to spend time doing re-entry drills regularly!

[mgsontour]

On 07/05/2019 at 13:12, henry d said:

Minimum length of 13 feet, preferable longer. Perception triumph, Ocean Kayak prowler/trident, RTM Tempo, Viking reload, Kaskazi D2, Galaxy Sturgeon (Mk2 not earlier ones), and if you are flush a Hobie revo 16.

Personally I would get onto a website anglers afloat is good, but quiet since facebook and read up on all their sections about the various kayaks and their limitations. Then get out and speak to or paddle with some owners. Then look at the price of the safety gear and DRYSUIT before you even think of buying a kayak. You may find a good deal online but don`t buy anything that has been wheeled about with a scupper style trolley as these can wreck a kayaks watertight integrity. (then add up the cost of fishfinders, anchor trolleys etc, seat, trolley, roofbars, rod holders, etc etc)

Welcome to the money pit

I must say, after reading up everything you say seems spot-on! Where do you buy most of your gear if I may ask? Cheers

[henry d]

If I were starting up now I would be browsing eBay and gumtree as kayak fishing has a high drop out rate. You can pick up almost everything you need in a single purchase. It is especially good if you are on a budget, if you have the money then you can look at wetsuit outlet for dry suits and boots and pfd. Paddles are specific to you and your kayak and good research on sea kayak websites will stop you making an expensive mistake. Force 4 is a chandlery and has all sorts of gear you might need and if you go for a fish finder get browsing just after all the new ones come out as there are bargains to be had.

[mgsontour]

13 hours ago, henry d said:

If I were starting up now I would be browsing eBay and gumtree as kayak fishing has a high drop out rate. You can pick up almost everything you need in a single purchase. It is especially good if you are on a budget, if you have the money then you can look at wetsuit outlet for dry suits and boots and pfd. Paddles are specific to you and your kayak and good research on sea kayak websites will stop you making an expensive mistake. Force 4 is a chandlery and has all sorts of gear you might need and if you go for a fish finder get browsing just after all the new ones come out as there are bargains to be had. 

Appreciate your time and experience; thank you very much

[chrisjpainter]

Second hand is definitely the way to go if you're patient. I got my current one (Ocean Kayak Prowler Ultra 4.3) off gumtree and had to travel a wee bit to get it, but it was exactly what I was after. 14ft, ruddered up and came with paddle, fish finder, drysuit, trolley, anchor trolley, rocket tubes and pfd all included for £600. As it happened I didn't need any of that stuff, so just sold the rest and just kept the yak, but it was a great deal for the right boat. 

a couple of other things to think about are your weight and what kind of stability you're looking to get. Ones with good primary stability are great for beginners as they give a very stable feel on flat water and are easy to be in when you're learning the ropes. The downside is they're slower through the water. Good secondary stability makes it feel a little more tippy at first and is unsettling for new kayakers. It takes a while to get used to them, but they're a lot faster through the water and more stable if it gets a bit choppy. Give yourself a good margin below a kayak's state max carrying weight. If you're a heavy chap/chappess, then get something that has a higher capacity, as that will help you feel a bit more stable!

For your first few trips, try not to over-complicate things! Don't fish, just paddle and get used to your boat and how it rides. Then gradually work your way into fishing from it. A world of headaches and tangles is waiting for you and you won't appreciate what they are until you have met them, so meet them gradually - not in one big horrid mess of paddle leashes, rod leashes, hooks embedded in your pfd, a stuck anchor and nowhere to put the third rod whilst you unhook the fish on the first and remove the hook from the PFD that's on the second!

Henry D is bang on the money with the through-scupper trolleys. I think they must force the plastic to twist in ways it's not supposed to and that cracks it, but underneath, so you don't see it until you're out in the water and are no longer paddling a kayak but a submarine... 

The kit list for a yak fisher can be pretty endless, but get the safety stuff nailed first - or you might end up being one of those idiots we all moan about on Saving Lives at Sea, when the RNLI come out to rescue you but really just want to hit you with something unforgiving 

Oh and definitely join http://anglersafloat.proboards.com/

Here's my rig...

Edited May 15, 2019 by chrisjpainter

[henry d]

Is that a home made flag Chris?

[chrisjpainter]

3 hours ago, henry d said:

Is that a home made flag Chris?

It is. the flag is sized to be a little bit bigger than the Railblaza one you can buy. The pole is an old fishing rod (so two piece for convenience) and it's got a camera mount on it for my action camera. The flag is made out of an old emergency bivvy bag that's been cut to shape

[henry d]

May just go for a standard one attached to my rear hatch, that way I won't forget to close it before launching (yes I did do that!)

[chrisjpainter]

2 minutes ago, henry d said:

May just go for a standard one attached to my rear hatch, that way I won't forget to close it before launching (yes I did do that!)

That's an excellent mistake!

To be honest I'd say that would be a better place anyway. Although my one gives a camera position, the seat does push back on it on occasion. I've pondered the idea of putting the flag at the back and finding somewhere else for the camera mount, but we'll see. Gives me something else to fiddle with anyway!

mgsontour, take note! this is what it's like owning a fishing kayak. there are mini projects all over the place once you have one. There's endless scope to modify stuff when the tides or weather aren't playing ball!

[henry d]

Changing the hatch on my RTM Tempo for a bigger one for instance, new battery lead connections due to corrosion, better cord for the anchor trolley on the Hobie...etc etc

[mgsontour]

Yes I'm reading with interest, I enjoy making tools/things that do a job better than bought standard size.

Can one of you send me a pic of a scupper trolley? So I know what to avoid

Given I'm 6foot tall and weigh 17stone I'm not build for speed in any walk of life, however, I'm reasonably fit. . . can you shorten a recommendation list please? I want to use it on the lively estuary of the river Wyre near Fleetwood which is covered in mussle beds which are pretty sharp but the bass love them

I do have water-craft skills underwater and yachting but like to broaden my horizons and get close to nature

Thanks again for your help

 

 

 

[henry d]

Avoid THIS TYPE where the legs go up through the scupper holes, even if they have rubber to stop too much pressure on the holes. THESE are good, and THESE are good for lots of soft sand.

I`d go for the cheaper end of the market if you think it will get scraped badly, my tempo looks like it has been in a frenzied knife attack from barnicle encrusted rocks, so (in no particular order) Galaxy Sturgeon, perception triumph, or older Ocean kayaks (4.3m or longer prowler/trident).

I would echo Chris`s advice about getting to paddle the craft first and fish much later particularly on a river such as that as it has a big tidal flow iirc.

[mgsontour]

Nice one (again) I'll go research some more!!!

[chrisjpainter]

This is a great guide, again by another member of anglers afloat.

http://www.kayakfishing.blog/blog/fishing-kayak-buyers-guide 

The Wilderness Systems Tarpon 140 could also be worth a look. that's got such a nice seat on it too.

[mgsontour]

Cheers lads, I'm reading. . . . wife going nuts!!!

[chrisjpainter]

3 hours ago, mgsontour said:

Cheers lads, I'm reading. . . . wife going nuts!!!

get her one too! problem solved.

[mgsontour]

O no no no, she wants bl***dy horse, obviously we need to also buy a 4wd and box to transport it and ( ( just guessing at this point ) it needs a friend so double box, menage to exercise when she can't ride it down the beach at high tide, a couple of stables and move to a detached house a couple of miles away that has just onto the market so she can watch them just in case the get nicked ) seems more thought out than my idea of a kayak to catch a couple of bass for dinner since I can't go pigeon shooting!!!

[chrisjpainter]

26 minutes ago, mgsontour said:

O no no no, she wants bl***dy horse, obviously we need to also buy a 4wd and box to transport it and ( ( just guessing at this point ) it needs a friend so double box, menage to exercise when she can't ride it down the beach at high tide, a couple of stables and move to a detached house a couple of miles away that has just onto the market so she can watch them just in case the get nicked ) seems more thought out than my idea of a kayak to catch a couple of bass for dinner since I can't go pigeon shooting!!!

My partner rides. It makes me feel better about big expenditure on the yak, because I know it's a drop in the ocean compared to what keeping Woody costs!

[henry d]

It wasn`t my thought process, but looking back on how I got into kayak fishing, it was pretty sneaky.

We bought a canoe to explore the rivers and lochs up here and she absolutely loved it, she even enjoyed fishing from it. Then I found out about kayak fishing just before my mother passed away and she left a couple of grand to us, so I got my first kayak (and the shed load of gear that goes with it). We still had the canoe as well so I had to build a bespoke shed to house them. Due to me prefering to lure fish I found it was a nightmare sometimes getting the drift right even with a drogue, so I was checking out Hobies and eventually I got one at a reduced price, game changer! It also meant selling the canoe, but the hobie fitted right into the canoes old place My daughter and a friend of my wife`s are asking to go out soon, my wife said she would like to as well but in warmer/calmer waters, prob september.

Money pit...and it looks like double trouble for you!