Could Be Getting My First Kayak 2024
Slipknot_Fan666 reply :
I've had my quad on Craigslist for sale for a while and today I got offered three nice (to me) kayaks. Two ten footers and one eight footer. The one I'm gonna keep for myself is a 10ft sit in Pelican. How are the sit in's for fishing? I've been wanting a fishing kayak for a while and this one I'll just do my best to set up for fishing. Also, any tips on gear I should get for it or any kind of handy tips to make it more fishing friendly would be much appreciated. He's going to throw in paddles for each kayak as well and I'm gonna buy a nice life jacket. I'm a good swimmer, but drowning is my second biggest fear. Lol
Hanover_Yakker reply :
I personally wouldn't just on principle of the Sit Inside Kayak - too risky for my tastes. You as the paddler can do everything right and all it takes is someone in a powerboat screaming around a bend in the river or a point to catch you unaware. A wake is easy to manage with experience in a SOT, a swamped sit inside kayak, canoe or small boat is quite different. Sit on Tops are much safer. I'd pass if it were me. While the Pelicans are decent hulls, you can find better values out there. The local warehouse store here sells new Pelicans for under $300.
Slipknot_Fan666 reply :
On 7/14/2015 at 5:28 AM, Hanover_Yakker said:I personally wouldn't just on principle of the Sit Inside Kayak - too risky for my tastes. You as the paddler can do everything right and all it takes is someone in a powerboat screaming around a bend in the river or a point to catch you unaware. A wake is easy to manage with experience in a SOT, a swamped sit inside kayak, canoe or small boat is quite different. Sit on Tops are much safer. I'd pass if it were me. While the Pelicans are decent hulls, you can find better values out there. The local warehouse store here sells new Pelicans for under $300.
I'd definitely prefer to have a sit on, but everyone with the sit on tops are wanting to trade for other kayaks. Lol this is only one of two decent deals I've been offered for the quad, and I wish I would've taken the first, but my dad screwed that one up. I may wait. Having troubles with the quad right now anyways so I'm sure that'll deter the guy if I change my mind.
Darren. reply :
I second Hanover's comment.
My first kayak was a Pelican SOT that I picked up
for $299 at BJ's Wholesale. Served me well for a
while, came with rod holders, car top cushions and
straps, plus a paddle (h.e.a.v.y.).
That kayak helped me determine how I wanted to
fish from a kayak and led me to my current yak.
I had to upgrade the paddle as the cheap one that
came with it tired me out after mere minutes....
Caliyak reply :
I would take it. This could be a good starter yak. You can upgrade later. You also have some extra yaks for friends and family. You can add a fish finder, rod holders and go into spots boats can't. Plus, the fish don't discriminate on sot or sit inside. LOL
Key to a yak, catch fish and have fun doing it.
Slipknot_Fan666 reply :
On 7/14/2015 at 6:15 AM, Caliyak said:I would take it. This could be a good starter yak. You can upgrade later. You also have some extra yaks for friends and family. You can add a fish finder, rod holders and go into spots boats can't. Plus, the fish don't discriminate on sot or sit inside. LOL
Key to a yak, catch fish and have fun doing it.
Any good accessories I could throw on? Fish finder may not be an option for a while. Lol I'm giving the smaller of the three to my mom, the blue one to my dad, and the red one, which is the newest and my favorite color, will be mine. Lol I've been looking to get rid of my quad for a while and I've been wanting a kayak for even longer.
Caliyak reply :
See, one quad made three people happy. I'm a simple person so fish finder under $70 is enough. Two rod holders from Scotty. Again, its about fishing not the toys. LOL
Make the deal and start your addiction.
Slipknot_Fan666 reply :
On 7/14/2015 at 6:29 AM, Caliyak said:See, one quad made three people happy. I'm a simple person so fish finder under $70 is enough. Two rod holders from Scotty. Again, its about fishing not the toys. LOL
Make the deal and start your addiction.
Lol I didn't know they made fish finders that cheap. I thought the cheapest would be around a few hundred.
Caliyak reply :
I got the Garmin 100. I got a plastic cutting board and created an arm for the transducer. Put it together and bam!!!
Slipknot_Fan666 reply :
On 7/14/2015 at 11:41 AM, Caliyak said:I got the Garmin 100. I got a plastic cutting board and created an arm for the transducer. Put it together and bam!!!
BTW, the red kayak is a Pelican Maverick 100 I believe. Red on top, white on bottom.
Caliyak reply :
I just googled it, nice. You need a milk crate for the back storage area. You can place you finder and holders on that front panel area. A lot of potential. One important item to have, the sham-wow to pick up the water that will collect inside your yak.
kjfishman reply :
I fish out of sit in and happy with it. Someone mentioned concerns about being trapped in the kayak if you dump it. Not a concern if your fishing out of a kayak with a large cockpit.(yes I know from experience) Also when the weather is on the cool side you stay much drier. And when i when it is extremely hot you stay a bit cooler when your legs aren't completely exposed. I wouldn't trade of my Loon 138 for a sit on. There are times a sit on would be nice and if I bought an additional yak I would get one.
You should find some folks from this forum in your area that will let you take their yaks for a spin and see what will work for you.
Slipknot_Fan666 reply :
On 7/14/2015 at 12:26 PM, Caliyak said:I just googled it, nice. You need a milk crate for the back storage area. You can place you finder and holders on that front panel area. A lot of potential. One important item to have, the sham-wow to pick up the water that will collect inside your yak.
Thanks for the suggestions bud!
On 7/14/2015 at 9:38 PM, kjfishman said:I fish out of sit in and happy with it. Someone mentioned concerns about being trapped in the kayak if you dump it. Not a concern if your fishing out of a kayak with a large cockpit.(yes I know from experience) Also when the weather is on the cool side you stay much drier. And when i when it is extremely hot you stay a bit cooler when your legs aren't completely exposed. I wouldn't trade of my Loon 138 for a sit on. There are times a sit on would be nice and if I bought an additional yak I would get one.
You should find some folks from this forum in your area that will let you take their yaks for a spin and see what will work for you.
I would, but I don't like using other peoples stuff. Lol
flyfisher reply :
On 7/14/2015 at 10:04 PM, Demonic Forrest said:Thanks for the suggestions bud!
I would, but I don't like using other peoples stuff. Lol
it could be a real expensive lesson just because you don't like using other people's things. You can generally tell in a short period of time if you will like fishing out of a kayak or not, or at least that is my experience.
Slipknot_Fan666 reply :
On 7/14/2015 at 10:08 PM, flyfisher said:it could be a real expensive lesson just because you don't like using other people's things. You can generally tell in a short period of time if you will like fishing out of a kayak or not, or at least that is my experience.
I'm sure I'll enjoy it, mainly because the bank fishing here isn't all too great and even if the fishing sucks I'll enjoy kayaking. If I get tired of it after a while, I can just sell them and get a rifle like I was wanting.
flyfisher reply :
it's not about enjoying kayaking as much as it is enjoying the kayak itself
Slipknot_Fan666 reply :
On 7/14/2015 at 10:14 PM, flyfisher said:it's not about enjoying kayaking as much as it is enjoying the kayak itself
If you don't enjoy kayaking then you can't enjoy the kayak.
flyfisher reply :
On 7/14/2015 at 10:11 PM, Demonic Forrest said:I'm sure I'll enjoy it, mainly because the bank fishing here isn't all too great and even if the fishing sucks I'll enjoy kayaking. If I get tired of it after a while, I can just sell them and get a rifle like I was wanting.
On 7/14/2015 at 10:39 PM, Demonic Forrest said:If you don't enjoy kayaking then you can't enjoy the kayak.
My response was based off your comments but yo can do whatever you want because i have a feeling you will anyways no matter what kind of advice anyone gives you on here.
J Francho reply :
I don't enjow kayaking AT ALL. I do like fishing from a kayak. Good luck in your search, gonna be hard to find what you like without seat time. Otherwise, you'll just get used to what you bought, for better or worse. Lots of advice that you asked for, so take it.
FrogFreak reply :
I have two sit ins and enjoy them. I find that they are stable since you sit lower than a sit on top. My advice is to wait to rig your yak until you've went out a couple times. I've talked to folks who rigged before they knew what they wanted and where they wanted things and they regretted it. I have really simplified my rigging over the years. Less is more!
Slipknot_Fan666 reply :
On 7/14/2015 at 10:57 PM, FrogFreak said:I have two sit ins and enjoy them. I find that they are stable since you sit lower than a sit on top. My advice is to wait to rig your yak until you've went out a couple times. I've talked to folks who rigged before they knew what they wanted and where they wanted things and they regretted it. I have really simplified my rigging over the years. Less is more!
Yeah, I probably won't go too crazy on the rigging anyways. Maybe a cheap fishfinder, rod holders, and some stuff for storage. Plus a paddle leash, rod leash, and a net.
flyfisher reply :
Personally i hate leashes in a kayak. It is just one more thing to get tangled and can create a safety hazard should you flip. Paddles float and there are rod floats if yo are concerned about losing them. In my first year or two of kayaking i did lose 2 rods but that was my fault as i did not think through the layout and rod locations. Since then I have been lucky not to lose any. Now if i was fishing a lot of rivers where flipping was common i would get floats and not leashes but for now, I am good.
Slipknot_Fan666 reply :
On 7/15/2015 at 7:36 AM, flyfisher said:Personally i hate leashes in a kayak. It is just one more thing to get tangled and can create a safety hazard should you flip. Paddles float and there are rod floats if yo are concerned about losing them. In my first year or two of kayaking i did lose 2 rods but that was my fault as i did not think through the layout and rod locations. Since then I have been lucky not to lose any. Now if i was fishing a lot of rivers where flipping was common i would get floats and not leashes but for now, I am good.
I didn't think about the leashes being a safety hazard, but now that I think about it I can see why. I gotta get a decent PFD. I also would like an anchor since I'll be fishing rivers and the current drags you around.
J Francho reply :
No anchor in current, unless you want to sink your boat. Use a stakeout pole on the slower, inside of bends.
Slipknot_Fan666 reply :
On 7/15/2015 at 9:15 AM, J Francho said:No anchor in current, unless you want to sink your boat. Use a stakeout pole on the slower, inside of bends.
Alright, thanks for the tip. I may say a lot of stupid things. Don't know much about these...
J Francho reply :
That's what we're here for. 
Caliyak reply :
On 7/14/2015 at 10:57 PM, FrogFreak said:I have two sit ins and enjoy them. I find that they are stable since you sit lower than a sit on top. My advice is to wait to rig your yak until you've went out a couple times. I've talked to folks who rigged before they knew what they wanted and where they wanted things and they regretted it. I have really simplified my rigging over the years. Less is more!
This was me. I bought everything that I thought I needed. After my first trip, went out with one plano box and two poles
Slipknot_Fan666 reply :
On 7/15/2015 at 10:39 AM, Caliyak said:This was me. I bought everything that I thought I needed. After my first trip, went out with one plano box and two poles
Do you mean that's all you bought or that's all you decided you needed after the first trip out with everything you bought?
Anyways, got to try mine out today. Didn't do much fishing. I was mainly just getting a feel for the kayak and exploring. Think I have a decent idea of what I need.
J Francho reply :
Kayak fishing can mean a broad range of mentalities in regards to gear, depending on who you ask. I'm by no means a minimalist, but I do keep it simple. I like 2-5 rods, a few Plano boxes, and a small speed bag of plastics. I roll with an anchor, a stakeout, and I do have graph with GPS and SI, though that doesn't always go with me. The trick is to bring just what you think you might need. No more, no less. Sometimes that's two rods, and basic safety gear. Other times, it's a lot more. It's all up to how you like to fish.
Slipknot_Fan666 reply :
On 7/16/2015 at 4:00 AM, J Francho said:Kayak fishing can mean a broad range of mentalities in regards to gear, depending on who you ask. I'm by no means a minimalist, but I do keep it simple. I like 2-5 rods, a few Plano boxes, and a small speed bag of plastics. I roll with an anchor, a stakeout, and I do have graph with GPS and SI, though that doesn't always go with me. The trick is to bring just what you think you might need. No more, no less. Sometimes that's two rods, and basic safety gear. Other times, it's a lot more. It's all up to how you like to fish.
The main things I'm worried out are a better seat and a rod holder or two. I have plenty of room in between my legs for a tackle bag, but I think I'll get one or two of the bigger Plano boxes to put the main baits I use in and just store them where my bag was today. Now that I think about it, a paddle holder would be nice too. Other than that, there are a few mods I can think of that can either wait until I get the money for them or upgrade to a nicer fishing kayak.
Slipknot_Fan666 reply :
This is one of the pics my mom took of me today. Found an old pontoon in a creek.
Caliyak reply :
I went out with everything and then decided to cut back. So I have gear sitting in my garage ready when needed.
Slipknot_Fan666 reply :
On 7/16/2015 at 7:50 AM, Caliyak said:I went out with everything and then decided to cut back. So I have gear sitting in my garage ready when needed.
I think I'll buy the main things that I know I'll need and then slowly build up on other stuff until I'm happy with my setup.
Caliyak reply :
Nice pic and looks cool to paddle. Let me be the first to warn you, kayaking and buying toys is addicting. You will need an intervention soon. LOL
Slipknot_Fan666 reply :
On 7/16/2015 at 9:11 AM, Caliyak said:Nice pic and looks cool to paddle. Let me be the first to warn you, kayaking and buying toys is addicting. You will need an intervention soon. LOL
Lol I think I'm already addicted. Just spent $62 at Academy Sports. Bought a rod holder, paddle holder, waterproof phone carrier, and 50 pound Suffix Performance braid (only used braid a few times).
Slipknot_Fan666 reply :
Went out again today. Done a decent amount of fishing, but not as much as I'd liked to have done. The paddle holder made things way more convenient and way nicer. I can't wait to get the rod holder set up. I think the next mod may be a cheap fish finder.
AdamsEye reply :
I would put an anchor trolley, anchor and or stake out pole on that list too.
Slipknot_Fan666 reply :
On 7/17/2015 at 10:44 AM, AdamsEye said:I would put an anchor trolley, anchor and or stake out pole on that list too.
I was gonna get a stakeout pole. J said the anchor wouldn't be good for currents.
Slipknot_Fan666 reply :
I didn't wanna make another post and be annoying, so I'll just put this in here. I'm kinda aggravated right now. Ever since I've got these I've been trying to get my dad to go with us and he hasn't done it. I understand he works five days a week and has back problems, but it'd be nice to go fishing with him. We were gonna go yesterday but it was already almost dark so I told him we'd wait. Just started to load up to go today and it's about to storm. I'm pretty frustrated right now.
flyfisher reply :
Can't complain about the weather. It sounds ike your dad is interested in going so just be patient and it will happen and when it does, enjoy every minute of it 
I am assuming he isn't much of a fisherman but maybe he will become one and you will have a fishing buddy for years to come
Slipknot_Fan666 reply :
On 7/21/2015 at 8:24 AM, flyfisher said:Can't complain about the weather. It sounds ike your dad is interested in going so just be patient and it will happen and when it does, enjoy every minute of it
I am assuming he isn't much of a fisherman but maybe he will become one and you will have a fishing buddy for years to come
He actually enjoys fishing but he has bad back problems and he stays on the heating pad as soon as he gets home from work. Plus he hasn't been wanting to go because the heat index has been 105+ the past few days. Maybe I can get him to go tomorrow or this weekend.
Basspro3106 reply :
On 7/16/2015 at 6:59 AM, Slipknot_Fan666 said:This is one of the pics my mom took of me today. Found an old pontoon in a creek.
Its good to see you wearing your PFD. Not wearing one is just stupid.
Slipknot_Fan666 reply :
On 7/21/2015 at 8:50 AM, Basspro3106 said:Its good to see you wearing your PFD. Not wearing one is just stupid.
My second worst fear is drowning, so I'm not going out without one. Lol I'm trying to decide whether to get one of the high dollar ones so I can be more comfortable, a new rod and reel setup, or some other things I've been wanting for a while.
Basspro3106 reply :
If you can fish comfortably a couple of hours on your current pfd then Id go with the new rod and reel set up
Slipknot_Fan666 reply :
On 7/21/2015 at 10:53 AM, Basspro3106 said:If you can fish comfortably a couple of hours on your current pfd then Id go with the new rod and reel set up
I can fish that long with it, just not very comfortably. I enjoy the fishing enough that I don't pay much attention though. Lol
Slipknot_Fan666 reply :
I've been fishing a lot out of this kayak lately, and I'm loving it, but I absolutely cannot find bass. I've been finding myself getting anxious to get a bite and yesterday set the hook on something and had to reach in the water to save my jig. Any tips for finding bass? Where I've been fishing isn't very deep at all. I can just put the paddle in the water and touch the bottom, and I can't drive very far to get better spots because I don't have my license.
Hanover_Yakker reply :
When it's this hot during the summer months, you need to find areas that either have a lot of cover overhead (think lily pads), overhanging trees or things like docks. Absent of that, you need to venture out into the 8-15' range and slow your presentations down as the day wears on. Your best bets are first thing in the morning, overnight or late in the day as the sun sets. I fish a small pond where the average depth is 2-3' but there are a ton of overhanging trees providing relief from the summer sun.
I still catch them on reaction baits, like swim jigs, top water frogs and spooks or suspending jerkbaits but those tend to be the aggressive ones. The more savvy ones are going to take some coaxing. I'm targeting the big girls over 20", so my approach may not work in your area.
Slipknot_Fan666 reply :
On 7/24/2015 at 1:27 AM, Hanover_Yakker said:When it's this hot during the summer months, you need to find areas that either have a lot of cover overhead (think lily pads), overhanging trees or things like docks. Absent of that, you need to venture out into the 8-15' range and slow your presentations down as the day wears on. Your best bets are first thing in the morning, overnight or late in the day as the sun sets. I fish a small pond where the average depth is 2-3' but there are a ton of overhanging trees providing relief from the summer sun.
I still catch them on reaction baits, like swim jigs, top water frogs and spooks or suspending jerkbaits but those tend to be the aggressive ones. The more savvy ones are going to take some coaxing. I'm targeting the big girls over 20", so my approach may not work in your area.
I've been trying to find some overhanging trees, but there isn't much. I may be able to carry it to the marina and fish their docks. It's just a pretty good ways away and that's why I haven't done it. Thanks for the tip!
flyfisher reply :
On 7/24/2015 at 1:37 AM, Slipknot_Fan666 said:I've been trying to find some overhanging trees, but there isn't much. I may be able to carry it to the marina and fish their docks. It's just a pretty good ways away and that's why I haven't done it. Thanks for the tip!
is this a different lake than you have been fishing and if not then why not just paddle over there?
Slipknot_Fan666 reply :
On 7/25/2015 at 1:51 AM, flyfisher said:is this a different lake than you have been fishing and if not then why not just paddle over there?
I fish the river. Closest lake is probably Lake Guntersville. It'd be a long paddle. Takes about 15-20 minutes to drive there. I may be young, but I'm not in good shape, so that'd probably kill me. Lol
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