Hopefully the following will help those that want to get into kayak fishing without going into a dealer blindly.
I know, it’s a lot of work going around looking at and testing kayaks without buying one, though it’s safe to say that jumping into a kayak purchase with no experience or knowledge of what will fit you best may leave you wanting something better.
So far in my thinking there is no one kayak that is the best for everything. This is why companies make more than one model. If your looking to own your first kayak, your best bet is to buy one that will serve multiple purposes. Considering what waters your going to be fishing, the gear your going to need to take with you, and how big you are. A big guy in a little boat is a recipe for disaster!
I imagine that people don’t realize that a kayak is like any other vehicle, your going to want a little room to move. Around a year ago I happened across a guy that used an entirely too small kayak for fishing and rolled it by simply turning to grab a rod. He lost hundreds of dollars worth or gear because no one bothered to tell him anything about kayak fishing.
The longer and skinnier a kayak is the easier it is to tip over. The advantage to these kayaks is that they are super fast on the water. Wider kayaks are generally not as fast as their slimmer counterparts, however what you sacrifice in speed you gain in stability. You also have the choice to paddle or peddle, a very important topic. I have spent a lot of time doing both and can say that I am a die hard paddler.
Cost is usually important as most of us don’t have a ton of money to waste on things we aren’t going to enjoy or need. Another reason to test kayaks before purchase, do some fishing from one and within an hour you will either be hooked on the sport or you won’t. It’s hard, but take your time and buy the kayak for you at the price you can afford. If you rush into one to have it now, you’re likely to spend more money down the road. Even consider buying at least mid grade accessories especially when your looking at the purchase of a paddle.
These types of considerations can go on for pages however I wont bore you with a writeup as repetitive as these recent nominee debates. The last bit I will say is when your looking to make a purchase, search the internet and compare reviews. Ask for advice from pro staffers as well because they know their kayaks very well and will give you an honest assessment without trying to sell you something. The same applies to accessories, there are more and more of them being made to our delight. Do some research and ask those that have been rigging for a while, it is very fun rigging your kayak however it needs to be done for the long haul as most things are very permanent
Tight Lines,
Joshua “Kayak” Christensen
Get’n Fishy
YouTube Get’n Fishy Channel