Don’t Buy a Fishing Kayak Unless You Can Handle These 9 Things

Please CONTINUE to dissuade anglers from getting kayaks. I absolutely love having fishing areas all to myself on my paddle kayak.

I'm 76 and have 82 kayak fishing trips so far this year. I have a pelican 10ss with outriggers and trolley anchor system. It weighs 45 lbs unloaded. Easy in and out of the back of my truck. I carry 2 fly rods. One with a floating line and one with a sinking line. I fish for multiple fresh water species. My flotation vest carries a couple of fly boxes and miscellaneous gear. I'm fortunate to have quite a few small lakes within a 25 mile radius. I'll fish them with the weather forecast in mind. I have been caught in some pretty Crappy weather but thanks to my outriggers I've stayed stable. You just have to know your limits. 4 hour trip and covering 2 miles is about right for me. It's my third year with around 200 trips total. I love it and hopefully I'll still be doing it when I'm 80.

I LOVE my pedal yak. With a dolly and a t-bone bed extender, it's easy peasy. Flipped mine a few times, first time out, to learn how far I could lean before it was "too far". I highly recommend anyone getting started, do this several times with an empty yak, until you can get back in it, before going out for a full day away from the banks.

Kayak fishing is super easy if you aren’t trying to rig out a kayak like it’s a bass boat. I throw mine on my rack and go anywhere. It’s also hard to fish rivers and creeks without one

“There’s nothing like fishing from a kayak…” amen to that!

I've had a fishing kayak for almost 15 years now. I have a lot of smaller lakes and slow little rivers around where I live so the kayak is perfect, I just roof-top it and go from place to place with minimal equipment. ❤

I love that you are realistic in your videos, not just showing all the positives but explaining the other side as well.

Very helpful video. You helped me conclude with certainty that kayak fishing is not for me. I suspected it would not be for several reasons. But your listing of factors was very confirming. Thanks for making this video!

Got a Wilderness 10' Tarpon fishing Kayak as we have two rivers nearby i have fished for years but only off the banks. Took a bit to get the hang of doing all the things talked about in this & it's not that bad but you do need to work & do your homework before you head out. I cannot stand up in mine as someone with a 12 ft. can but if you get tired or have to pee or just stand up just paddle over to the best looking bank & hop on out. I did buy a pair of waterproof boots which are great when the temps drop or if you just want to get in the Kayak without having wet feet all day. So this was some good advice for anyone wanting to get one of the many fishing kayaks out there ,i just went for the paddles but the the foot paddles are a good thing as long as your in deep enough water . One of the best pieces of advice if you go with or without a partner is to know the area your at very well so you don't end up in a bad situation . I love mine & it's well worth the cramped space & sore back if your out for hours on end & you will catch fish & have a blast. My kayak was around 900 bucks & the rest was for paddle ,anchor & the odds & ends you need but like the man says you can spend a lot if you go all out & to me that depends on where you fish. ❤🐟

Thanks for the insights! Would be cool to learn more about the Yak community and buying used in different regions. If there is a trusted network of resale.

Excellent information. My 1st year in a fishing kayak has been amazing. i sold over 20 rods and reels and dialed in the 7 i kept for kayak and co-angling from a bass boat. I sold around $1000 worth of lures and accessories that were in the bass boat I sold. Your videos and definitely helped me learn this year. Thank you for sharing.

Interesting comments. Wind is always a challenge. I will sometimes carry a simple 7’ anchor stick, and use it with the anchor trolley. Reason #10 - storage. Some of the best kayak deals I have gotten were from people who had no good place to put them, and got tired of it being in the way.

This was a great video, Daren! I haven't seen anyone else do this.

I just ordered a couple of Outriggers for my Kayak and can't wait for that! Looking forward to Standing while fishin smaller lakes and streams..!!

Love that you showed the Mogadore Reservoir! Was just there yesterday. Are you fishing Mogadore in this video? It looks like it!

Thanks, I had thought about it before, I don't think it is for me.

Great video. I've been figuring out all of these things over the past year of kayak angling. I'm on my 2nd boat and still don't have the one I "need" 😁

I have a 10’ bote zeppelin - can stand on it , easy to paddle , and an 8 lb anchor keeps it still. But with moderate balance you can stand and fish in any direction and it’s easy to store and will fit in your trunk . You may fall off but I don’t see it flipping cause it self bales water in the bottom of the boat so in short water is always in the bottom which also helps you not flip .

Great video and thanks for sharing!!

I have both, a Bass Traccer V17 Tournament, and a yak. They both have their place. When the dog and wife want to hangout we take the big boat, when i need a quick trip, or alone time the yak is the option lol