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24 Hours Ago; It Happened

8K views 35 replies 14 participants last post by  Ninja Rooster 
#1 ·
I have a boat. 18 foot center console. 3 years old with a 115hp Mercury. For some reason; I got the wild idea to see if my friend still had his old kayak and wanted to come east and hit the water. I figured we wouldn’t have the crowds or go through the hassle of the boat ramp. But, I had my reservations.

Of course the irrational ones came first. You know the kind. Scenes from “Jaws”, “Anaconda” and “Lake Placid” pop in your head. Then the personal criticisms “well, I’m out of shape” and “I’ll tip over in it”.

Well, This past Saturday morning at 5:30am, I put my 6 foot 230 pound frame in a kayak for the first time. My friend in his Perception Pescador Pilot and I in his cousins Perception Pescador caught us limit on crappie. It was a great day.

The kayak was more fun than I thought. We probably paddled 4-5 miles and I definitely felt it this morning. Feels like I was at the gym all day.

I even have my wife interested in them. We went to Academy and looked today. I liked the Pelican The Catch 130 with and I also liked the Perception I was in.

Looking online, I see a large number of confusing reviews and I’m working to peel them back. I’ve spent all day on YouTube. I would like to add kayak fishing to my life and maybe get my wife more involved. She doesn’t like my boat because it’s uncomfortable......it’s for fishing haha. But, kayak fishing offers something different than a power boat. Something about it seems a bit more relaxing than taking my big boat out and even if not fishing; kayaking alone is fun.

I’ll try to read up on here and see what people recommend. I don’t want a beginner kayak with minimal bells and whistles; even though I technically am a beginner, but I also don’t want the creme of the crop in the $4K range. I think $500-$2000 is about where I’ll be. Looking for suggestions if you got them or some cool stories if you have those too.

Thanks!
 
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#4 ·
I will take a look at the Nucanoe. I had looked at the old town kayak as well as a 13’ Brooklyn with peddle Drive. Not too bad. Just don’t know if I really need peddle Drive.
 
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#3 ·
I would look for a used pedal yak. They usually are not good paddle yaks but if fishing is your end game there is nothing like being able to be hands free and concentrate on fishing rather than cast,reel,put rod down, pick up paddle, adjust direction, reel some more, paddle,repeat.

If you are not in a hurry there are some deals out there. Cost wise you will probably be in the $1000+ range for a pedal yak.
~JOE~
 
#5 ·
Thanks. I’ve looked for some used around here and saw a couple I though were decent deals. Little skeptical of anything used. I’m also struggling with whether or not I really need peddle Drive. Just seems to take up a whole lot of space.

Im headed to the NCAngler classifieds now haha
 
#11 ·
I'll keep looking for both. Still trying to determine if the prop kind or fin kind are best and why they're different. Youtube is full of opinions so Im watching alot of vids.
 
#8 ·
I fished for years using a paddle. The first time I got in my Hobie I immediately knew it was the way to go. If I didn’t fish then a paddle boat would suffice. I would rather have a fishing rod in my hand than a paddle.

You should try and at least demo some boats before you buy. I know a number of people that bought a yak and later found it wasn’t really what they wanted and ended up getting a better one.

You are welcome to try mine out for a test spin if you are ever in Youngsville.
~JOE~
 
#12 ·
I appreciate that. I've been looking for demo's in my area. Not too many offered. I found many that have already past.
 
#9 ·
Don’t give up on a new boat. You are coming into sale season, and could score a big savings. This time last year I got my Perception Pescador Pilot (peddle) on sale for $350 off at West Marine. Great Outdoor Provision Company, and Austin Canoe and Kayak, are already advertising some good sale prices now. Just keep checking in on their websites. Good luck!
 
#13 ·
Got them all saved to my favorites tab. The Pelican The Catch 130 is peddle or paddle and is listed at Academy for $1499. Want to look at it closer but is on the wall. I want to make sure which ever one I get has a decent amount of cockpit space for tools. As stupid as this sounds.....I also want a cup holder.
 
#14 ·
Opinion..

Pedal vs Paddle - Pedal is definitely faster, and allows your hands to be free for casting. But totally useless on rocky rivers, heavier, and requires regular maintenance. If you want to get into places with your kayak that you can't with your boat (and you may quickly find that the Uhwarrie is calling your name, or the Yadkin, or the Dan, or the New River) the paddle may be a better choice. You can introduce yourself to the addiction of smallmouth bassing… Incredible fun. Your call, but I don't find the pedal to be useful for me.


A few kayaks to look at.. I am assuming you value stability and openness over speed. All are in the 70-90lb weight range, and suitable for larger people.

- My kayak is a NuCanoe Frontier 12. Nothing is as stable, and it is as open as you want. I do NOT like their current mesh seat... You can save a few hundred dollars by buying it without the seat, and buying a NuCanoe tall base and a Jon Boat seat from Walmart.

- Take a good look at the Bonafide SS127. Nice boats


- The Old Town topwater is nice


Jackson has a Mayfly which is expensive, but very capable. I lke that one a lot.


G/L. Academy has mainly the beginner kayaks you mention...
 
#15 ·
Ok, First question
Pedal vs Paddle.

Pedal..Pros: cover more ground faster,Not as much wear and tear on the shoulders,arms. Cons: moving parts to break,most pedal drive boats have difficulty in shallow water because you would have to pull the pedal unit up to go shallow on most boats,leaving you to paddle, COST
Paddle: Pros: A tad quieter,Good in shallower water,Upper body workout,COST Cons: Slower,a tad less maneuverable (not all paddle boats have a rudder).
This is a very short list of Pros/Cons for both kinds of boats.
I have paddled and pedaled a lot of different boats and I haven't found a pedal boat that is comfortable for me. It seems that the foot pedals make me feel like my knees are under my chin,or, I am laying flat on my back pedaling,neither of which is appealing to me.
I went with the Jackson Big Rig. Its set up for fishing,it carries a huge weight capacity is stable enough to stand in, and is comfortable to me. That boat is in your stated price range as well.
I am also in the process of getting a Native SlayerXC. It is also set up for fishing, wide and stable and comfy. This boat is a bit smaller than the Big Rig,but still stable.
GetOutdoors, in Greensboro does kayak demos at least once a month in the area local to the Triad area. You can test paddle a ton of different boats and see what id comfy to you. Comfort is the biggest deciding factor to me. I dont care what bells and whistles a boat has, if it isn't comfortable, you wont use it.
 
#20 ·
Ok, First question
Pedal vs Paddle.

Pedal..Pros: cover more ground faster,Not as much wear and tear on the shoulders,arms. Cons: moving parts to break,most pedal drive boats have difficulty in shallow water because you would have to pull the pedal unit up to go shallow on most boats,leaving you to paddle, COST

I disagree on the Cons, I have never removed my Mirage Drive on my Hobie for shallow water. I have feathered the drive in very shallow water and just tuck them in flat on the hull a couple times. Maintenance is a breeze just rinse off and spray lube the chain after every saltwater trip. Mine are now 7 years old and I would trust them anywhere without a second thought.

Im not saying buy a Hobie just take your time getting seat time in on your top choices for a kayak. I bought my wife a 2013 Hobie outback she used it only once. 6 months later I purchased a Hobie Pro Angler 12 for her that she absolutely loves for comfort and ease of pedaling over paddling. Looking forward to your post on your new kayak fishing adventures.
 
#16 ·
Keep in mind that on the Hobies the fins fold up flat to the hull which allows access to shallow water. Not bottom scraping shallow but shallow none the less. Also the drive on the Hobie pulls totally out in about 2 seconds which then gives you the access to more water.

Obviously I’m biased to Hobie because I own one.
~JOE~
 
#21 ·
I know the Hobies are one of the few pedal drive boats that have taken shallow water fishing into account which is why I said most pedal boats. Hobie, I think, has a drive system that is far superior to any other pedal boat on the market. I looked at the Hobie boats before purchasing the Big Rig and they are super nice,but they are a little more $$wise than I wanted to spend. For the price of a Hobie,a Native Titan or a Jackson Big Rig HD/FD, you could buy a john boat and motor that would go faster and farther than a kayak. To me that kind of defeats the purpose of kayaking. Thats just me though :)
 
#22 ·
I'm with you on your opinions of how the cost of a pedal drive is insane. I should own a boat but the freedom of going to places boats can’t go and not needing a boat launch is a plus or me. I love floating around in the kayak taking in the beautiful views with no boat motor noise just the sounds of nature puts my soul and thoughts in a way I can’t put into words.
 
#27 ·
I see you're getting a lot of replies, and that's no surprise. No need to respond to this one - it's a little different.
When I got fishing yak, my wife said she'd like to come along; that hasn't worked out often, but i'm pretty happy with the rig I got anyway.
It's a LifeTime Sportfisher tandem. Holds 2, easily adjusts for 1. Has a stern built for a motor mount, where you can put a battery and trolling motor (extra) (very handy if you need to head upstream or upwind if tired). Trimaran hull probably stable enough to stand up in to cast, in calm water. Kayak, trolling motor, 2 minimite batteries, motor mount all for about $1,000.
 
#32 ·
I've enjoyed my Frontier 12 and if you look long enough and act fast enough you can find a good deal. The 360 seat is the bomb. You can swivel to any angle. I beat the daylights out of my battle scarred example and there is never water getting into the hull. I didn't like the plastic seat base (it creaked) so I got a slightly higher powder coated aluminium one that is a bit higher and allows storage under the seat. They handle like a battleship and no fun in a stout headwind but don't be scared to buy a used one, especially if it has rod holders, a decent paddle or an anchor system etc. They have a square stern too and can take a 2 1\2 HB motor. It is almost impossible to tip one. I step into it from shore and can throw a cast net from it (carefully).

Sent from my K88 using Tapatalk
 
#33 ·
But the Hobies ARE most pedal boats because they invented it -years ago . I would never buy one of the propeller drive units simply because of the way they only work fully deployed. Hobie's propulsion in shallow water by the flutter kick makes all the difference. The seats are comfy and the room and storage capability of the Pro Angler is second to none. But, being a coastal fisherman, it makes total sense to me, possibly not to others, especially shallow rivers.
 
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#34 ·
So, it’s been a long couple months. Thousands of YouTube vids and comparing had led me down to the final two. The decision between the two of them was difficult. Ultimately, I’m weeks away from making the purchase. As long as my demo pans out; here she is.

Bonafide SS127 Special Edition Fusion

 

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#35 ·
Those Bonafide kayaks look, well, bonafide! I've been eyeballing them as well. I'm very satisfied w/ the RIDE 135, it fits my type of fishing really well (shallow marsh, some river creeks) but if I get in the market for another kayak anytime soon the SS127 will be at the top of my considerations. Keep us informed please!
 
#36 ·
Had my demo yesterday morning. We took the Bonefide SS127 out on the lake between raindrops. The water was very choppy due to the winds with some small white caps from time to time. I am very glad the conditions were as they were because I really got a feel for the kayak. All in all, I think I was out for about an hour. The gentlemen from Great Outdoor Provision in Greensboro waited for me at shore and answered all of my questions.

I first tested it with the seat in the highest position. I liked this position the best. I was absolutely floored at just how stable this boat was; I am about 6’1 235 pounds. I though the boat would be top heavy but it was not. I tested reaching around to the back storage area; I leaned to the right and to the left to simulate landing actions. I was able to stand up and sit back down. (First time doing that is a little hairy hahaha). All in all, was great. The other seat positions are comfortable but it’s all in how you want to be. The seat is comfortable from what I could tell for the limited time I was on the water.

Due to the wind it was hard to gauge tracking but, the boat moved well under paddle power. I have a pinched nerve in my upper back at the moment and it sends shooting pain into my chest and right arm but all was ok in the kayak. Not perfect but for the condition of myself and the weather this kayak is a beast.

I did make a purchase. The one I chose is at their sister store and they will get it to me at no charge. I chose the SS127 in the limited edition Fusion like is pictured above.


After months and months of research and videos and forums; I’m glad it’s over and will tell anyone looking for a kayak to demo the SS127 before you decide.

Great Outdoor Provision charges $50 to rent for the weekend and if you decide to buy; the charge goes toward your boat. The guys and gals in Greensboro are great to deal with. Now I can safely buy the items on my Amazon kayak fishing wish list hahahahahaha!

Take care and thanks to all who gave me info and their opinions.
 
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