About to buy my first Fishing Kayak. What boat should I choose?

I have researched for a few months and found a few boats that I think will work for me.  I am a trout/steelhead/fly fisherman and I mostly fish rivers.  What boats are recommended by this club? I am  ready to buy and am going to use my tax return on this.  Help me get the best boat for the money.

Thanks for any thoughts,


Miles

We're a club!

True

I'm gonna have to work on a secret handshake or something.

That said, being a fellow fly fisherman (with hardware tendencies) I would suggest a Hobie (Revo, Outback, or Pro Angler) so that your hands are free to wave that bug wand. It's tough to fly fish AND paddle at the same time although trolling is pretty easy if you've got a rod holder.

True

Hey! I want into the club! I'll even learn the hand shake!  I'm here to learn, and eventually share my kayak knowledge.

What about Nucanoe or Jackson Kayak?  Some of those models seem affordable and decent? I am a rook so maybe I am missing something but these models seem good...

Hey, I think we had a fish and wildlife class last year together! I have two yaks If you want to test them out before u buy. I have an old town sit in yak that's designed for fishing, and I have a Hobie quest. Give me a shout if you want to take them out fishing some time. I could really use a second person out on the water with me for safety.

Pro angler all the way... If you are fishing slower waters or lakes.  I love mine for fly fishing and any other fishing.  The stability can't be beat, and did I mention that I can stand up in it and fish?  It takes some practice, but it can be done very effectively.

Next in line is the outback.   Still very stable and a bit more versatile. Probably no standing, bug as long as you can cast without pounding the water, you'll be fine.

This can't be said enough on this site......Demo, Demo, Demo!!!  You won't know what you like until you try 'em out.

Every kayak has it good and not so good points.
If you spent your time on faster water rivers a paddle kayak might be best.
Demo all of these is you can.
Jackson Coosa and Cuda
Wilderness Systems Tarpon 120, 140 and the Ride 115 and 135.
Ocean Kayak Trident 11 and 13
Diablo Adios Kayak
If you plan on Ocean fishing or large slow moving water  a longer kayak might be your best choice.
demo a 14 to 16 foot sit on top.

When you done with these kayaks demo all the Hobies.
When you are pricing out your dream kayak keep in mind that not all kayaks come with the seat, paddle or rudder.
The Hobies will come with all those included in the price.

A rudder is not required. It is nice to have and can be added later.
 

You should stop by Next Adventure in Portland or The Kayak Shed in Hood River to demo you boats.

BTW I have the Hobie Outback and a Pungo 140 sit in. I owned a Tarpon 140 for about 3 months.

willbd

I would say to try the Wilderness Ride 135. Great boat for angling. And the ability to remove the seat to open up a casting platform is ideal for fly fishing. I own a Tarpon 120 and it is very stable but i am adding Scotty kayak stabilizers to it to make it rock solid. Just picked up the Ride 135 for someone else so i will have to wait to pass judgement on that .. But definitely try out every boat you can prior to buying.

I to used My tax refund to Buy a New kayak, I was Really Leaning to the Jackson Coosa As a Fly fisherman too Standing Up Seems Important and It has a good Rep for that..and You don't look to be a little guy and It also has a good weight rating. I was Unable to Demo kayaks as I'm Not near any Shops.Hope thats Not the Case for you,But Read and learn from the guys Here They know what their talking about. And  WE'D  All like the Hobie's PRO FISH, You'd Almost Need a trailer for it and $$$Ouch!! But thats Another story..

There are tons of good kayaks out there .... it just depends on what you want out of your boat.

If you are surf launching and going long distance 3+ miles one way 10-15 miles round trip then you want a longer narrower kayak with a good sharp keel to it so it tracks straight and and has a faster hull speed.

If you are fishing moderate to fast moving rivers, especially tight rivers. Then you want a shorter wider kayak will very little to no keel so that you can controll the boat rather than have the river control you.

A great ocean boat doesn't do well in fast rivers and a great river boat doesn't do well in the ocean. Some boats do OK in both the ocean and river but neither well.

If you want hands free fishing the Hobies are great for that but the ability to brace yourself with a paddle in a river is huge and I think this is one area where the Hobie is not the ideal boat.

Demo different boats and see what fits you best. If you want a paddle boat for the Ocean the Jackson Cuda is a great boat, so are the Ocean Kayak Trident 13 and 15. If you want a paddle boat for the rivers check out the Jackson Coosa, it is probably the most river specific fishing kayak on the market currently.

Welcome, have fun and feel free to ask lots of questions. 

Fungunnin explained it well.  There doesn't seem to be one boat that does it all and lots of good choices.  Like others suggested try as many as possible before throwing money around.

I've had a Nucanoe for a few years now and really love it.  Rob at onthewatersports.com in Salem was fantastic to buy from and had us out for a test paddle right after arriving.  Very stable to stand and cast from and accepts a trolling motor readily but gotta register it. While heavy at around 80lbs for the 12' models they are solidly built and take a pounding.  The newer Frontier model has me a little jealous with the wider deck, scuppers, track system seating, and a bow hatch.  If you are curious its definitely worth a look if you aren't considering fishing the ocean.

Fungunnin explained it well.  There doesn't seem to be one boat that does it all and lots of good choices. 

So does that mean we all should have more than one boat?  I think so

Fungunnin explained it well.  There doesn't seem to be one boat that does it all and lots of good choices. 

So does that mean we all should have more than one boat?  I think so

Guilty as charged.  Also now own an Outback as well as the wife's mini-x and a kids kayak.  Multiplying like rabbits recently but I think I'm done for a while.  Except for the new whitewater SOT from Fluid...

I understand the challenge of picking your first yak. So many great options. As has been stated this Will be your first but probably not your last yak, they tend to multiply as your horizons expand and you want to fish various types of waters.

My first yak was a Hobie Tandem Island because I wanted to sail and teach my grand kids to fish. That's a great boat but it's pricey, heavy and not suited to drifting smaller rivers or launching into lakes lacking ramps.

Based on your river fishing deisres I'd suggest the Coosa as a great first craft due to its stability and versatility as a fishing platform. It was specifically designed as a river fishing platform and is priced well below the Hobie Pro Angler. It's relatively lighter but has substantial weight capacity.

You should come to the Drew Gregory kayak fishing clinics later this month and demo the Coosa and Cuda. I have a Coosa you can try if you're in the Portland/Vancouver area. PM me if you'd like to talk about it,