New to kayak fishing

[sfef84]

I am selling my old Robalo and want to get into yak fishing. What do you guys use, what features do you like, cant live without etc. I appreciate all the help.

[FP10]

drift sock, anchor, life jacket plenty of storage area

[Milkjug]

Hmmm...

Pad eyes that are recessed are nice to have.

It's good to have a yak that is somewhat easy to carry yourself

A good seat and paddle are worth their weight in gold

Water that pools up in the seat can get annoying

Rudders are nice at times if you don't mind paying extra.

Like FP said. Drift sock (great fishing tool), anchor, milk crate, are given. Keep a bottle of bug spray, sun block, and water around.

[sfef84]

Do you guys use bait tanks?

[FP10]

I don't. I use arties.

[sfef84]

What length?

[24Buds]

First how big a boy are you? I am large...ok fat! I have a Wilderness systems Tarpon160. Its s sit on top and I love it. Its a bit on the heavy side, but I never need to carry it far. As stated, a sock is great to have and storage is key. I store an extra rod on the inside, a small box of lures and a paddle. Pay the extra $ and get a good paddle. It is worth it! Like Milkjug said, a good seat is all that! I would recomend one that has open storage in the back vs the hatch like I have. I would go that way if I did it over. I think Tarpon 160I or the 140I has the open storage. An anchor is a must. Maybe a stake out stick. (on my list) The longer yak will be faster, but harder to turn without rudder. Rudders are nice, but I do fine without one. Depending on how far you want to paddle makes a difference in size. The Wilderness systems cost more than the Academy specials but if you plan on long trips, it will pay off. If you are staying close to launch sites than I think I would save a few $ and go with a less expensive model. Hope this helps a little. Also you can pick up some good used ones with all the gear you need for a fair price. Remember you will scratch it up on some shell or rocks so don't let the used one with some marks on it turn you off. Its going to happen. Good luck and let me know what you get!

[Kylie Howard]

in my opinion you should just keep it simple. as simple as possible. you dont need to take out your whole tackle box and 5 rods and a fish finder and all that. i go out with like 5 choices in plastics and a couple lures and one rod.

[sfef84]

Im 6ft 200lbs.... Its AMAZING how crazy people go with accessorizing their kayaks. I like the tarpon, malibu fishndive, xtreme, tarpon. Anyone have a herritage redfish angler? I like cruising around and dont mind paddling a couple miles at all. I think a fishfinder and gps would be nice around the mid bay reefs in deeper water in the middle of the bay. I can see why you wouldnt need one if you stuck around the beach. Anyone ever try rigging up some underwater lights on a weight at night? I think that would be pretty sweet.

That freedomhawk looks pretty sweet for sight casting, fishing in deep water where you cant wade... anyone see those or used em?

[Milkjug]

Its AMAZING how crazy people go with accessorizing their kayaks

Yeah, wait till you see the outriggers I'm building for this summer. Gonna be trollin' a wide spread

Do you want to take this yak into the surf (not glass, like 1.5-2' stuff)? If it's gonna be bay only, it'd get something faster. If you are considering ship channel and beyond-the-breakers stuff, get something wider that can handle the conditions (at the expense of some speed).

Tarpon is good. 120, 140, 160 depending on what you want.
Fish n' dive is not gonna be speedy, but will be very stable.
X-treme is a faster one I think, but I'm not sure.

I assume you're leaning towards the Wilderness Systems ones since you said it twice
I have a T-120 and I weigh a bit more than you. Good yak, I'd probably lean towards the longer ones if I wanted bay fishing only.

You could probably rig up some of the flourescent U/W lights on a car battery or two, but why not just go to Tiki, Pirates, Jamaica, etc... and fish their lights?

I would wait a bit on the fishfinder. The only time I've wished I had one is when jetty fishing, to look for structure and holes. Get out on the water first, then see how badly you want one. GPS is always a good idea.

[24Buds]

As stated simple is good. I have a hand held GPS just in case, cell phone in a water tight bag, 2 rods, one stowed in case......small net, small box of lures and beer. Maybe a water or 2 in case. I used to load up all the crap i could only to find I never used it or needed it. Go out like you are wading only now you need an anchor and a paddle. Enjoy!

[sfef84]

Yea, I am thinking of a yak that is fast enough to not kill myself paddling back to shore in a strong wind and typical westbay chop. A rudder system on a longer kayak would prob make up for a loss in maneuverability compared to a shorter kayak. Ill take efficiency and speed over maneuverability all day.

In the middle writing the post, I got sidetracked and stumbled across the Native Manta Ray 14.... that thing looks nice... the "DVC" seat LOOKS LIKE A LAY-Z-BOY... awesome

[ieahm]

The Freedom 12 from freedom hawk is a super versatile boat. My wilderness 135 and cobra f&D are now family boats. Im a believer and recommend it highly. The one and only drawback is see is perhaps full load wt capacity. Other than that, its a super stable standup platform thats a joy to fish.

[Milkjug]

I don't know about ya'll but I never really end up standing while fishing. You can't paddle around very well, and I would probably eat it if I ever had to set the hook into something.

[rtoler]

Yakity Yak Yak Yak.......

Deep subject.... There are many opinions as you will see about brands, lengths and rigging. I started out with a 12ft Redfish and sold it 6 months later for a 14ft Tarpon to get more speed and "street cred". You might want to go to some place like Fishing Tackle Unlimited (FTU) and get a look at the various styles and brands of yaks. Some of the people there are quit knowledgable and may assist in you final decision. They will also let you rent a yak and apply that rental to your purchase price. And there are places that will let you test drive for free. You might want to visit a website called Texas Kayak Fishing (TKF) also. Lots of pictures and useful information with plenty of enthusiastic kayakers!
Good luck in your persuit! You will not regret getting a kayak.