Swimbait kayak

[VolunteerSwimbaits]

I would like to exercise the thought of buying a kayak for swimbait fishing. Now I am a 17 year old with limited income, so nothing crazy, but wondering if there is any suggestions?

I would really like the foot pedals, and dome basic storage. I would like the idea of being able to stand up in it. 

No idea on what one might cost, but under $500 is a must.

Thanks!

[northeast_trev]

under 500 is going to make it difficult to get a brand new yak, i would suggest looking used. I was able to scoop up my 2016 Feelfree Lure 10 for $800 with an HDS 9 and a few other upgrades, hundreds less than brand new. Call local places that rent kayaks, they may be willing to sell their used inventory, or can connect you with someone that is.

Pedal drive is different than a foot pedal/rudder system. You may be able to find one with the rudder in your price range, but pedal drive yaks tend to be 11' or more and will cost considerably more for the average tech. yaks like Hobie, Jackson, Old Town pred will run you significantly more $$ 

some nice yaks that might be found for somewhere near your range

Feelfree Lure

Wilderness Systems Ride SX, Tarpon, Pungo

Ascend (BPS brand)

keep in mind you'll want to be able to stand up, which is easier in some than others. Standing exposes you to more wind, and you're gonna get blown around. A longer kayak will help with some of these tracking issues, but will most likely cost you more. Being in a 10' with no rudder, i am consistenly wishing i went longer to get the pedal drive and or rudder that is not available for my model. Another thing to consider is the overall weight of the kayak. My 10ft weighs 88lbs without anything in it, so think about how you will be transporting this thing. Pickup truck is easy, car top can be more of a challenge. Also consider where you fish, if there is not typically a nice launch, you're gonna be dragging. So add $$ for a kayak dolly or buy a feelfree with the wheel in the keel. 

hopefully this helps! when i started SB fishing i was in a standard touring kayak. Bought the Feelfree in 2017 and after two seasons i developed some of these pro's and cons. Some may be able to add more helpful info. After two years i've learned one main thing, do your research, read reviews, and save for the one you want. Don't settle if you don't have to. 

 

For what it's worth, you can get a Pelican Bass Raider or Coleman Crawdad or other similar plastic boats WITH trolling motors for around $500. Sometimes you could score on an aluminum Jonny too. Craigslist and FB marketplace are your friends

Edited February 6, 2019 by northeast_trev

[VolunteerSwimbaits]

Awesome, thanks @northeast_trev

[Born 2 fish]

I just have a cheap tamarack angler I think I paid 350 new I installed a paddle holder and a small fish finder. It works but I bring 2 rods and only a few bait's.

[Jonister]

Give it some time and keep saving! If you find the right yak and it is made with quality, it will last you a very long time. My kayak is probably the best fishing purchase I have made. It took me a while not only to get the funds but also to find the right yak for my style of fishing. A lot of places will let you rent for a small test price. Well worth the test, especially on pedal and higher end paddle craft. From what I've seen, most if not all pedal drives are quite high In price. Good for fishing but hard on the bank. Good luck! Dont rush a decision! 

[BOZ]

@VolunteerSwimbaits, @northeast_trev Basically hit the nail on the head. Fishing from a kayak is awesome, but if you jump the gun on your first purchase it can be more trouble than it’s worth. I’ve owned three. My first one was a budget kayak from Academy. It was turd, but it got me on the water and I put a lot of fish in that boat. It had zero stability, no deck space, zero adequate storage spaces but it was light and easy to transport. My second kayak was the Jackson Cruise Angler 12”. I still have this boat. This is a great beginner boat at a reasonable price. It had in Hull storage, flush mount rod holders, gear track, and huge tank well. It is also a fast boat. In the end I decided this is a better flat water boat and being that I fish moving water 99% of the time I needed a more stable and open platform so I switched to NuCanoe. I now paddle and fish from a NuCanoe Flint. Amazing little boat with a sub 1000$ price tag. I mean first trip out I was standing up while fishing and netting fish in moving water. Do your homework, think about what you need in a boat vs what you want and make an educated purchase. You’ll be glad you did later on.

 

[morgantm16]

Jordan what would you be using to haul it in and what kind of water are we talking about fishing?  If you can haul a little flat bottom aluminum boat around in say the bed of a truck and can find one used with a trolling motor, that may be much more easy to fish out of standing up than a kayak.  I primarily fish from a boat, but with the limited use i have in my wilderness system tarpon and ride 115, I don't know that I could stand up and fish without taking a few swims and dumping my gear.  For the money it would take to get a stable enough kayak for me to be comfortable standing up, I think you could swing getting a little flat bottom or scamp if you have the means to get it around. 

Also I you're planning on getting in really narrow water, I could see where a kayak might be the only option.  That's really the only time I use mine is when I can't take the boat.  The main time I use my kayaks is in creeks.  Sometimes I use a kayak to fish in watershed lakes that don't allow motors, but even then you can normally use a trolling motor power scamp. 

[thastickybandit]

32 minutes ago, morgantm16 said:

Jordan what would you be using to haul it in and what kind of water are we talking about fishing?  If you can haul a little flat bottom aluminum boat around in say the bed of a truck and can find one used with a trolling motor, that may be much more easy to fish out of standing up than a kayak.  I primarily fish from a boat, but with the limited use i have in my wilderness system tarpon and ride 115, I don't know that I could stand up and fish without taking a few swims and dumping my gear.  For the money it would take to get a stable enough kayak for me to be comfortable standing up, I think you could swing getting a little flat bottom or scamp if you have the means to get it around. 

Also I you're planning on getting in really narrow water, I could see where a kayak might be the only option.  That's really the only time I use mine is when I can't take the boat.  The main time I use my kayaks is in creeks.  Sometimes I use a kayak to fish in watershed lakes that don't allow motors, but even then you can normally use a trolling motor power scamp. 

If he decides to go this route it would be worth checking your state's regulations. I know in my state if you have an electric motor the boat has to be registered. Registrations for boats are usually cheap though. 

If this route interest you I see 2 man bass buggy's all the time on craigslist around the price you posted. It may be worth searching Coleman crawdad as well. 

[VolunteerSwimbaits]

@morgantm16 @thastickybandit

You both bring up great points. Buying a kayak/boat is not something that i am 100% set on, but just thinking about how i would do it f i did. I think now a flat bottom would be the best choice. No reason that i need a yak, big open water is the majority of my lakes.

Thanks for all the input and information!

[northeast_trev]

Now that you're thinking about it, you gotta do it. It's the best thing you can do for your fishing

The worst day on the water is better than the best day at work IMO

[ferrulewax]

Owning both a Yak and other crafts, if I were you I would look for a jon boat, or even better, a Gheenoe/riverhawk. I see riverhawks and gheenoes frequently under 500$ with a trailer, and they are awesome fishing vessels. Add a used craigslist trolling motor, and you have a much more comfortable (IMO) boat to fish from that a yak in most scenarios. I love my yak for hard to reach places, and rivers expecially, but prefer larger boats when possible. 

Keep in mind that even a Jon boat or riverhawk does not belong on Big water with heavy boat traffic, particularly if there is wind or pleasure boaters. Keep your craft in sheltered coves and smaller areas of the lake, away from the main traffic and you will be fine in a yak or smaller craft. 

[KillaCam]

Hey there bud, im glad your looking into getting a yak for fishing its an awesome hobbie and once you get started it's hard to stop.  The amount of water you'll now be able to cover will do awesome things for your fishing game!  When it comes to yaks it's like anything else, you get what you pay for! I got my first yak back a few years ago, my freshman year in college and I to had a very low budget, mine was a pelican castaway 12 ft I found on craigslist. I bought it off the guy for 200 bucks!  It was worth every penny!  However a few years down the line, i'm still in school, so still budgeting, however just last year i decided to pull the trigger and buy a 2017 hobie outback which i financed! I payed like 250 a month and was able to pay it off in like 6 or 7 months! Let me tell you, you will never regret your purchase of one of these yaks, they speak for themselves!! IMO you're better off paying the extra money and getting a world renowned yak that will last a life time and is known for its incredible performance and its amazing attention to detail! The ability to fish and not have to carry a damn paddle in your hand will make you very happy every time you get on the water, not to mention the ability to stand comfortably especially when throwing big baits.  Go check Fast lane kayaks down in mission bay at Dana Landing the crew down there is very helpful and they always have used yakes that you ca even get for cheaper!!

[Randykast]

Get a used Hobie PA 12.  You can get a used one for 1500-2200 depending on the pedal drive, model year, and conditions.  I'm on the 2017 Hobie PA 12 and I like it for swimbaiting.  I can stand on one leg, pedal with the other, and keep on casting down the bank.   

Skip to the end of the video when I talk about the kayak setup.

 

[Randykast]

Also, don't waste your $500.  Save it and and get the kayak you want when you have the money.  If the $500 is non-negotiable, I would get a used Ascend FS12T.  That was my first kayak, and it's quite stable for what it is.

[NEbucketmouth19]

5 hours ago, Randykast said:

Also, don't waste your $500.  Save it and and get the kayak you want when you have the money.  If the $500 is non-negotiable, I would get a used Ascend FS12T.  That was my first kayak, and it's quite stable for what it is.

This, I fish out of an FS10 sit-in and have heavily customized it and love it but the FS12T is probably the only true "budget" fishing kayak out there that you can comfortably stand in I think. 

I'm still in college myself so I won't be upgrading any time soon but I would keep your eyes on the used market or some of the kayak fishing pages. 500 unfortunately is not that much if you're looking at new kayaks, and it basically takes pedal drives completely out. But I imagine there are probably some guys who have some of the original pedal drive kayaks that launched the whole "craze" that are looking to upgrade to a newer model that may sell a heavily used one within your price range. 

That said, getting off the shore any way you can will be beneficial. But if you don't want to settle for a sit-in paddle kayak I would just save up.