Help finding a fishing kayak

[nymphermaniac]

I have never owned a kayak, but I want to purchase one. My canoe is getting to heavy for me too mount on my vehicle and I am tired of trying to control it on the water. I will mostly use the kayak on ponds and small lakes, maybe to get around on relatively tame rivers as well. I would greatly appreciate some advice on reasonably priced, light weight fishing kayaks. There are so many options and features I am overwhelmed! I am in my mid 50s but still in good shape and I weigh about 150. Please offer me some helpful guidance. Thank you in advance.

[Plastic_worm]

It would be hard to make any real suggestions w/o knowing what type of fishing you do...from your screen name looks like maybe a fly fisher.  

If you're near a dealer today is a great day to look.  Most have sales going on, demo boats for 1/2 price, rentals, etc.  I just saw a FB post from one that said "no reasonable offer refused"

[fishinwrench]

Sorry, but you said "mid 50's" as if you were nearing geriatric stage.  Hell boy, you're in the prime of your life, quit whining about how much that canoe weighs and keep fishing out of it.  Hoisting that beast is what keeps you healthy.  

Seriously though. Why with all these "medical advancements" are there so many 50 year olds that can't do anything anymore?   When I was in my 20's I was surrounded by 55-60 year olds that smoked 2 packs of cigs a day, drank like fish,  did drugs, screwed every woman in 5 counties.... and could work me to death just keeping up with them.  Now we're all really smart, don't smoke, eat better, sleep better, take only prescribed drugs, and get more regular health exams and treatments.....yet everyone starts going to hell after 45.  It just doesn't add up.  Am I the only one to notice this?   

[nymphermaniac]

Well FW I still smoke about a pack a day, enjoy my bourbon, and I will keep the screwing part to myself.  I still fish my butt off and don't mind hiking up and down a river to get away from the crowds and enjoy some less bothered fish.  But I did some damage to my back as a kid and it goes out every now and then.  I'd rather not have one of those times be when I need to get that canoe back up onto my 4runner.  So I thought I would get all modern and look into a kayak.  

[fishinwrench]

1 hour ago, nymphermaniac said:

Well FW I still smoke about a pack a day, enjoy my bourbon, and I will keep the screwing part to myself.  I still fish my butt off and don't mind hiking up and down a river to get away from the crowds and enjoy some less bothered fish.  But I did some damage to my back as a kid and it goes out every now and then.  I'd rather not have one of those times be when I need to get that canoe back up onto my 4runner.  So I thought I would get all modern and look into a kayak.  

The only reason to keep the screwing part to yourself would be because you ain't proud enough of it.

Best place to throw your back out would be while loading or unloading the canoe, instead of 4 miles downstream in a yak.  I've done just enough yak paddling to learn that it is hard on my upper back.  Paddling a canoe involves all the muscles from your knees to your hands, kinda spreads it out.  Paddling a yak is all upper body (shoulders and arms). 

You only have to be able to lift 1/2 a canoe to load/unload it, unless you're putting it on top of a Winnebago. 

[ramman123]

OMTC in Ozark would be a good place to go, or Ozarks Extreme Outdoors/ Ozarks Archery In Reed Springs. 

Ascends At Bass Pro are worth looking into as well

 

[Al Agnew]

The difficulties are different from loading a canoe or a kayak, but just because a 70 pound kayak is shorter than a 70 pound canoe, it doesn't necessarily make it easier to load or unload.  The problem with most kayaks is that there aren't good handgrips plus good places to rest it on your shoulders.  With canoes, you have the gunwales as good handles, and the middle thwart or seat to rest on your shoulders with your head up in the canoe.  So even if you have to hoist that canoe up there on your shoulders  to lift it the rest of the way onto the vehicle, at least you can do it in two steps...hoist to your shoulders, then press it the rest of the way up if you have to.  Kayaks, you pretty much have to lift it and hold it over your head in one motion and keep it there.  And then there are all those doo dads on fishing kayaks that stick up above the level of the sides of the kayak, making it more difficult to slide it forward on the rails.  

Bottom line, I'd much rather load and unload a canoe than a kayak.  Plus, the 17 foot canoe can be lifted on one end and placed on the rails on many rack systems, still with the other end on the ground.  Then you back up to the other end and lift it.  As somebody said, you don't have to lift but half of it at a time.  A short kayak won't work well that way.

They are rather expensive, but you CAN get canoes that are as light or lighter than the lightest kayak.

On the other hand, if you're mainly fishing small lakes, the kayak will probably work a little better for actually fishing, since it is less affected by wind than a canoe.

All in all, though, you can modify your rack system to make it easier to load the canoe...not so much with a kayak.

[Flysmallie]

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[grizwilson]

Owning several of each, being in my very late 50s I can tell you it is easier to load my 17'4" tripper canoe on top of my truck than the yaks.  I have a wilderness tarpon and a perception pescaodor  weigh about 62# Kayaks are just harder to handle solo as they are bulky and difficult to use leverage.  My yaks are used on still water where I might get swamped or on higher water streams that a old man should likely should not be on but.....Thankfully I was able to purchase a Wennoah Wilderness solo before the end of Royalex which is my favorite solo boat.  IMO the best value out there is the Perception Pescador at Academy $549 got mine on sale for 399, Think Ozark Mt. Trading Co can get you in one for about 500.... or at least match Academy.  Good Paddling

g

[nymphermaniac]

On 9/7/2016 at 5:01 PM, Flysmallie said:

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Thanks so much everyone.  Maybe I will just stick with my canoe...