Buying A Kayak

[bigredbirdfan]

Are there certain boat colors to avoid for fishing canoes or kayaks?

[Greg]

One kayak I didn't see mentioned was the manatee brand? Does anyone own one? They make an angler edition that sure looks like a good one:

http://www.llbean.com/webapp/wcs/stores/se...3-sub2&np=Y

They also sell the same one without all the fishing add ons for $100 less (399).

I'd sure like to try one.

Greg

[Al Agnew]

Are there certain boat colors to avoid for fishing canoes or kayaks?

Nope, I don't think color matters at all. If the boat is close enough for the fish to see it, they won't care what color it is. Heck, the bass pros catch lots of fish out of all colors of metal flake boats. Some people advocate getting a red one so that if you're on a body of water with lots of motorboats the boat drivers can see you better. Every canoe I've ever owned was either green or cream-colored.

[Wayne SW/MO]

They also sell the same one without all the fishing add ons for $100 less (399).

You would likely find that one without could be rigged for you, rather than for someone who fishes elsewhere. The biggest downfall in my opinion to rigging your own is impatience. If you would fish out of it a half dozen times before you develop your own plan, I think you would be happy you did it yourself.

I got in a hurry on one of mine and I have a rod holder I've used once.

[bigredbirdfan]

Nope, I don't think color matters at all. If the boat is close enough for the fish to see it, they won't care what color it is. Heck, the bass pros catch lots of fish out of all colors of metal flake boats. Some people advocate getting a red one so that if you're on a body of water with lots of motorboats the boat drivers can see you better. Every canoe I've ever owned was either green or cream-colored.

The local Wenonah dealer has an ivory vagabond they would deal on. At 14'6" is it large enough to camp out of for several days or should I go bigger?

[Al Agnew]

The local Wenonah dealer has an ivory vagabond they would deal on. At 14'6" is it large enough to camp out of for several days or should I go bigger?

Depends upon your camping gear, I guess. I've used my Vagabond for three day trips, carrying a good sized tent, tarp for ground cover, two sleeping pads, a sleeping bag, clothing, and all my food in a big cooler. I did not carry a lot of cooking gear, which would be the only other thing you might have to carry--for summer trips I'd rather fish early and late than spend time cooking food, so I take stuff I can eat cold.

[LB&M]

I'm fairly new to this site and just noticed this thread. Here is my take on it. First I should say I'm in my upper 60's and use mine for fishing streams, creeks and small lakes. I used a Old Town Osprey for many years and really liked it. Now I use an Ultimate 12 and, for me, it is much better than the canoe. Extremely stable and a great fishing platform. The fact you are sitting low takes a little getting used to but that is where the stability comes from (along with the tunnel hull) I don't stand in mine and have no problem fly fishing from it. I don't load mine down with much of what you see in "fishing" kayaks. I found the comments about it being heavy a little surprising but I guess compared to a Pack it is a little heavy. I have no trouble loading mine alone on top of a very large 3/4 ton diesel pickup. One of the features of the Ultimate is the removable seat. It pops right out and reduces the weight considerably. I just like (for my needs) the hybrid kayak design of the Ultimate. I have taken it on some float trips in Oklahoma and on the White in Arkansas and it handles great. My wife has a Wilderness System Tarpon 100 and I like to fish from it better than the canoe. But the Ultimate blows it away. I do not take extended, camping float trips. If I did I would take a canoe (but not the Pack) for the cargo capacity. Kayak fishing is very big in Texas, the Gulf Coast and California. You rarely see anyone in a canoe or Sit in kayak in their tournaments. The SOTs rule. This is just my opinion based on my experience and the way I use mine.

[Guest]

deleted

[bigredbirdfan]

I'm fairly new to this site and just noticed this thread. Here is my take on it. First I should say I'm in my upper 60's and use mine for fishing streams, creeks and small lakes. I used a Old Town Osprey for many years and really liked it. Now I use an Ultimate 12 and, for me, it is much better than the canoe. Extremely stable and a great fishing platform. The fact you are sitting low takes a little getting used to but that is where the stability comes from (along with the tunnel hull) I don't stand in mine and have no problem fly fishing from it. I don't load mine down with much of what you see in "fishing" kayaks. I found the comments about it being heavy a little surprising but I guess compared to a Pack it is a little heavy. I have no trouble loading mine alone on top of a very large 3/4 ton diesel pickup. One of the features of the Ultimate is the removable seat. It pops right out and reduces the weight considerably. I just like (for my needs) the hybrid kayak design of the Ultimate. I have taken it on some float trips in Oklahoma and on the White in Arkansas and it handles great. My wife has a Wilderness System Tarpon 100 and I like to fish from it better than the canoe. But the Ultimate blows it away. I do not take extended, camping float trips. If I did I would take a canoe (but not the Pack) for the cargo capacity. Kayak fishing is very big in Texas, the Gulf Coast and California. You rarely see anyone in a canoe or Sit in kayak in their tournaments. The SOTs rule. This is just my opinion based on my experience and the way I use mine.

First of all we are glad you are here.

Do you have the seat riser? Curious how much better that makes it.

[Al Agnew]

I'm fairly new to this site and just noticed this thread. Here is my take on it. First I should say I'm in my upper 60's and use mine for fishing streams, creeks and small lakes. I used a Old Town Osprey for many years and really liked it. Now I use an Ultimate 12 and, for me, it is much better than the canoe. Extremely stable and a great fishing platform. The fact you are sitting low takes a little getting used to but that is where the stability comes from (along with the tunnel hull) I don't stand in mine and have no problem fly fishing from it. I don't load mine down with much of what you see in "fishing" kayaks. I found the comments about it being heavy a little surprising but I guess compared to a Pack it is a little heavy. I have no trouble loading mine alone on top of a very large 3/4 ton diesel pickup. One of the features of the Ultimate is the removable seat. It pops right out and reduces the weight considerably. I just like (for my needs) the hybrid kayak design of the Ultimate. I have taken it on some float trips in Oklahoma and on the White in Arkansas and it handles great. My wife has a Wilderness System Tarpon 100 and I like to fish from it better than the canoe. But the Ultimate blows it away. I do not take extended, camping float trips. If I did I would take a canoe (but not the Pack) for the cargo capacity. Kayak fishing is very big in Texas, the Gulf Coast and California. You rarely see anyone in a canoe or Sit in kayak in their tournaments. The SOTs rule. This is just my opinion based on my experience and the way I use mine.

To each his own, but just one note. The Osprey is a short, wide tandem canoe. The Ultimate 12 is a dedicated solo craft. Comparing one to the other is comparing apples to oranges. Most people who dismiss canoes have only spent a lot (or a little) time in tandem canoes. The difference between paddling ANY canoe that is designed to be a tandem, and one that is designed to be paddled solo, is considerable. Try paddling a Pack, or a Wenonah Vagabond, or a Mohawk Solo 13 or Solo 14. You will be surprised at how easy it is to make it move the way you want it to.

I think that the biggest reason that canoes are not often used for fishing along the Gulf Coast is the wind factor. Canoes ARE much more affected by wind, which is seldom a real problem on Ozark streams but often is on bigger bodies of water. When I tout the advantages of solo canoe, I'm talking about stream fishing, not fishing big lakes, really big rivers, whitewater streams, or the ocean.

Loading and unloading is not the only factor in considering the weight of your craft. I often fish places where access is difficult--long, steep carries to the water, through brush or down rip rap beneath bridges. The difference between carrying 40 pounds of river craft and 70 pounds or more is considerable. And I also often float marginal streams where I have to do some portaging around log jams, or over concrete slab bridges, and again the weight is important.

Oops...that was more than one note!