Sit on top vs sit in?

I would recommend Might Mounts or a GearTrac for the rod holder and fish finder. Putting the transducer behind the seat is a good idea too. I have a backing plate on the Mighty Mount. These work great.

This matter is very subjective and I respect disagreement. The pole in my hand argument is interesting but I don't even think about my paddle much when fishing and therefore I don't have much of a concern about that matter. The Hobie is simply not going to make my collection right now because it's not a good choice for some of the rivers we hit. The drive would explode on the first rock it hits but I do understand the desire to fish without having to deal with a paddle. However I think there is far too much emphasis on this one subject that it begins to sound like people are getting paid by Hobie. LOL. Anyway, the way I see it, if you are comfortable in your boat then that's a good boat for you.

I'm not making an argument for hobie here I am saying that a sea kayak relies on the paddle for stability and when you are fishing you have a pole in your hand. When fighting a large fish you need extra stability. I guess my main argument would be a large king in the 30 pound range or a decent halibut. Also I don't know of many folk that are convinced their ocean boats make the best river boats .....

I didn't imply you were advertising for Hobie but that entire idea is oversold to me. I have no doubts about landing a 30lb fish in my boat, if it bites.

My ocean boat is much more suited for the river than a sit on top. I think I have put enough miles on the river this year to say that is a hands down easy conclusion to make.

I think trying to compare SOTs to SINKs in a general sense is the wrong way to look at it.

Both come in many different shapes and sizes.  For instance, it's highly unlikely (unless you are pmmpete) that any of you are talking about white water SINKs.  And I think that if you spent some time in something like a Stealth Pro Fisha, you'll find many qualities in that SOT that you've come to appreciate in a sea kayak.

Put a newbie in a 24" wide SINK sea kayak for the first day and I'll bet they'll struggle in it compared to putting them in a 30" wide SOT.

Remember, most kayak anglers are anglers first.  I'll make the claim that kayaking skills are sorely lacking in the kayak fishing community.

To each their own ... but at the end of the day, whatever gets you on the water.

-Allen

I want to see some one do this from a SINK

+1++!!!!

I want to see some one do this from a SINK

It's been done.

-Allen

I just looked at the Stealth Pro Fish and it has two critical issues that I don't like for river fishing. It's got a skeg on the bottom but if it's retractable it might be ok. The sit on top is actually the second problem. You can just turn your hips in a sit inside kayak so effortlessly and fast in order to react to water conditions that you're right, they are not comparable and that is the entire point. When you want to have one kayak for everything, it's not going to be that kind because it's not going to respond well enough in the rough river water. I am not talking about calm water that most people are but I am not saying that I will run class 4. I feel confident enough to say that about 90% of people will not be able to handle much more than class 2 river water in a sit on top. The final decision to buy my sit inside was actually because my sit on top was simply unresponsive in the river and it was at it's limits in those conditions. I also like to travel longer distances between fishing spots in the lakes and with my new boat I can do what was once much more time consuming and difficult in my other sit on tops. In the ocean currents I can actually get somewhere as opposed to sticking close to shore wondering if I'll get sucked out of a safe cove, resulting in a problem if I am not paying attention.

I think the current paradigm in kayak fishing with respect to the boats is actually questionable. Everyone is sold on the idea that you have to have a sit on top and it's the only way to go. In time I think you will see more people wanting to get the most out of their boats and some will gravitate towards a sea kayak because it actually is the most versatile.

If I get a chance to fish halibut, it will be from my yellow banana sit inside. Let the fish bite.

I just looked at the Stealth Pro Fish and it has two critical issues that I don't like for river fishing. It's got a skeg on the bottom but if it's retractable it might be ok. The sit on top is actually the second problem. You can just turn your hips in a sit inside kayak so effortlessly and fast in order to react to water conditions that you're right, they are not comparable and that is the entire point. When you want to have one kayak for everything, it's not going to be that kind because it's not going to respond well enough in the rough river water. I am not talking about calm water that most people are but I am not saying that I will run class 4. I feel confident enough to say that about 90% of people will not be able to handle much more than class 2 river water in a sit on top. The final decision to buy my sit inside was actually because my sit on top was simply unresponsive in the river and it was at it's limits in those conditions. I also like to travel longer distances between fishing spots in the lakes and with my new boat I can do what was once much more time consuming and difficult in my other sit on tops. In the ocean currents I can actually get somewhere as opposed to sticking close to shore wondering if I'll get sucked out of a safe cove, resulting in a problem if I am not paying attention.

I think the current paradigm in kayak fishing with respect to the boats is actually questionable. Everyone is sold on the idea that you have to have a sit on top and it's the only way to go. In time I think you will see more people wanting to get the most out of their boats and some will gravitate towards a sea kayak because it actually is the most versatile.

Yeah, the Stealth's are not the appropriate kayak for rivers, but I don't think sea kayaks are either.  Note, I've put relative newbies in SOT's in Class II-III whitewater.  That was much more manageable than putting them in white water kayaks

Regarding hip control, just like you can rig a sea kayak for fishing, you can rig a SOT with leg straps for hip/leg control.

I don't think you'll find one kayak for all situations.  That's why I have like 7 of them!   

-Allen

Is a sea kayak not suited for a river or not suited for you? I think that statement is very questionable from both you and Fungunnin'. In fact I suspect it is not based upon the performance of the boat but more on the mind of the user. If the sit on top kayak was more suited for the river, then the design of the river kayak would be a sit on top. I think if you floated those statements you both made to more kayakers (who are not fishermen) you'd find the consensus would actually be opposite of your suggestions.

Let me expand on this hip control strap idea. No matter how you try to rig that sit on top, that hull will never respond like a sea kayak in the rough water. It will only help a little. THe problem with the wide boats and flat bottoms is they bounce on the waves instead of slicing through them. When you bounce you are more likely to fall out.

Is a sea kayak not suited for a river or not suited for you? I think that statement is very questionable from both you and Fungunnin'. In fact I suspect it is not based upon the performance of the boat but more on the mind of the user. If the sit on top kayak was more suited for the river, then the design of the river kayak would be a sit on top. I think if you floated those statements you both made to more kayakers (who are not fishermen) you'd find the consensus would actually be opposite of your suggestions.

I've owned sea kayaks, river kayaks, SOT kayaks.  Is it just me?  Well, perhaps much of it is personal choice.  But I will say there is a reason you don't see a lot of sea kayaks in river running situations.   There is a reason there are river specific kayaks.  Even "river touring" kayaks are more similar to river kayaks than to sea kayaks.  It's about the right tool for the job.  Can one make a sea kayak work in river situations? Sure, as you've experienced.  Nothing wrong with that.

-Allen

Let me expand on this hip control strap idea. No matter how you try to rig that sit on top, that hull will never respond like a sea kayak in the rough water. It will only help a little. THe problem with the wide boats and flat bottoms is they bounce on the waves instead of slicing through them. When you bounce you are more likely to fall out.

Not true.  I've been on SOT's with straps that get you pretty good control.  Again, you can't generalize SOT all together.  Some are better in this situation than others.  Same for SINKs.  Even within that genre of kayaks, there are vast differences.  There are surfing SINKs, there are touring SINKS, there a rock gardening SINKs, etc.  So one can not generalize SINKs all together either.

-Allen

What's not true? Not true what you believe I said or what I actually said?