Help me make a decision

Hey gang.  I just joined this forum yesterday and am looking for experienced advice. 

I am planning on buying a yak soon and have been reading and reading and reading.  I think I have it narrowed down to just a few boats, and a few that I have rejected with my reasons.  Any feedback on this will be greatly appreciated.

I plan on mostly fishing the Columbia, and a few of the lakes around SW washington.  I will be fishing the lower N. Fork of the Lewis river as well as the lower Kalama and maybe Cowlitz.  Which means I need to be able to turn the boat.  I also plan on paddling out for crab and bottom fish so I need to paddle distance with the ability to break through surf.  I know there is no perfect boat, but I want to be able to understand the compromises. Since you might ask.  I have paddled before, but would not say I am an experianced kayaker.

I am still trying to decide between my top 2
1. Moken 12.5
2. Ride 135

Those I have rejected and the reasons (am I thinking clearly?)
1. Cuda 14- Too long for a smaller river
2. Cuda 12- Not enough weight capacity (I'm 200 by myself)
3. Trident- More ocean than river
4. NuCanoe- I think it would be tough to paddle very far
5. Hobbie-more than I want to spend

I know there are some great boats out there, I am looking for feedback on the Moken and the Ride, and maybe something I am missing from the rest.  Thanks for your help.

The Trident 13 is an excellent river kayak, and no less worthy than the Moken 12.5 on any body of water. 
They actually have similar lines and features.

The Trident 13 is an excellent river kayak, and no less worthy than the Moken 12.5 on any body of water. 
They actually have similar lines and features.

+1 on the T13.

Not saying it won't work, but I haven't heard much about the Moken 12.5 on a river either.

And I've rather enjoyed my Predator 13 on a river.  That being said, I just picked up a Predator MX, a little shorter, but I think it will be even more river worthy.

-Allen

+2 on the T13

but I haven't heard done much about in the Moken 12.5 on a river either.

-Allen

I have 

Tridents are sweet boats. If you want a bit more stability at the sacrifice of speed you may want to check out the ride or coosa.  Check out The Kayak Shed or Next Adventure to demo them.

I have a Trident 13, and like it very much.  It's a great kayak for fishing, and I highly recommend it. 

However, I suggest you try out a Hobie Mirage Drive pedal kayak, and talk with some people who own Mirage Drive kayaks, before you choose a kayak.  I have many years of experience paddling kayaks and canoes, and used to think Mirage drive kayaks were a gimmick, for feeble elderly people with no boating skills to trundle around in on lakes.  Then a friend bought one, and I have been extremely impressed.  When he puts the pedal to the metal, so to speak, he can literally go twice as fast as I can in my Trident or any other paddle kayak.  That kayak looks like a little motorboat, and it turns quite a bit more quickly than I can turn my Trident.  You wouldn't want to use the Mirage Drive in shallow rivers, because you could damage the flippers and/or the rudder on the bottom, but if you want to fish a shallow river, you can leave the Mirage Drive at home and use a paddle.  For lake, ocean and deeper river use, it looks like it has some definite advantages.  Having both hands free for fishing is another advantage. 

After seeing Mirage Drive kayaks in action, I'm seriously considering buying one, probably the Outback, which I think is better suited for outfitting for fishing than the Revolution.  Google " Hobie Outback versus Revolution" for comparisons of those kayaks.  I just wish Hobie made a second model of Outback which is about two feet longer and somewhat narrower, or that they improved the gunwales of the Revolution to make it easier to mount fishing equipment on them.

Pmmpete speaks truth...I might be slightly biased 

PMMPETE is right on...
I own a 2011 T13 and a new 2014 Revo 13 (just picked it up a couple weeks ago).
I have used my T13 in the Columbia, I have ran from Mahaffey's to the mouth of the Kalama (I live in Oregon, but this may be my fav river) , Willamette, various large and small lakes and a bit in the salt.
It is very stable, pretty quick and a great fishing platform.
I picked up my T13, Kokatat drysuit and a carbon Werner paddle for the same price as the hobie (bday deal on suit and paddle from alder creek kayak and canoe)
that being said, While I love the T13 and have no plans to get rid of it. The Hobie is amazing, if only for the fact that your hands are free while being able to move forward. I doubt that I will ever grab the T13 for a day on the water, unless something is wrong with my mirage drive.
the T13 is a spare for friends at this point
If I were to do it again, I would probably save the cash to just buy a Hobie from the get go, but I was able to learn a lot on my Trident and still really like the yak, plus I have a ton of gear that can be used on both kayaks

+2 on the T13

but I haven't heard done much about in the Moken 12.5 on a river either.

-Allen

I have 

Do tell!

-Allen

It's a familiar story ...

First kayak was a T13 Angler, and still think it is the best all-around paddle boat for fishing.  Second kayak is a 2009 or 2010 Hobie Revo 13.  Can't beat the mirage drive, but the hull is not as durable as the T13.  Still, I haven't used the T13 in years.

PMMPETE is right on...
I own a 2011 T13 and a new 2014 Revo 13 (just picked it up a couple weeks ago).
I have used my T13 in the Columbia, I have ran from Mahaffey's to the mouth of the Kalama (I live in Oregon, but this may be my fav river) , Willamette, various large and small lakes and a bit in the salt.
It is very stable, pretty quick and a great fishing platform.
I picked up my T13, Kokatat drysuit and a carbon Werner paddle for the same price as the hobie (bday deal on suit and paddle from alder creek kayak and canoe)
that being said, While I love the T13 and have no plans to get rid of it. The Hobie is amazing, if only for the fact that your hands are free while being able to move forward. I doubt that I will ever grab the T13 for a day on the water, unless something is wrong with my mirage drive.
the T13 is a spare for friends at this point
If I were to do it again, I would probably save the cash to just buy a Hobie from the get go, but I was able to learn a lot on my Trident and still really like the yak, plus I have a ton of gear that can be used on both kayaks

An outback is not faster than a Trident. Coosa has good primary stability but the secondary sucks

For a solid jack of all trades boat you will be hard pressed to top the T13. The only down side for swift rivers is the keel. But a boat with out a keel will be awful in the salt or lake.

Sent from my Motorola Flip phone.

Even in the river, a Coosa isn't all that great, it's still got enough keel to whip you in circles and flip you in an eddy.  If you pay attention you can take just about anything down a Class II river - Even a Tarpon 160.

Interesting thoughts on the Coosa fellas.  I happen to think that the Coosa is one of the best river kayaks in its class. It's not just a short kayak being used in a river situation.  It was built for rivers.

I don't think it is lacking that much in secondary stability.  Is it a bit "loose"?  Sure, but that's a positive IMO, and not a negative.  Unlike the Cudas where I think the lack of secondary stability is a negative.

Truly paddling a river is a different beast. Features that make a good river boat, make them less of a good flat water boat.  Even the best river boats (flat bottomed whitewater kayaks) will whip you into an eddy.  It's not the boat that should make a difference in this situation, although some boats are worse at it.  It's your skills as a river paddler that defines what happens in this situation.

-Allen

The Trident 13 handles waves well and will do fine on big open rivers.  But because it has a prominent keel it turns slowly, so if you come to an area which requires any fast maneuvering, you better have an elegant line figured out in advance, because you can't whip a Trident around like a whitewater kayak.  It's more like paddling a canoe.

I never took it out on a river. Just flat water testing and when I exceeded the primary stability it was near impossible to save it. Where as I have had my Trident really far over and always been able to save it.
I think this is mostly due to the high and very high center of gravity seating options.

Sent from my Motorola Flip phone.