Ok I am wanting something for small lakes in SC. I do not think I want a platform. Price matters but quality is more important. So what should I get Kayaka, Canoe, Pontoon, Ect. Just wanting some advice.
Thanks in Advance
Jason
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Ok I am wanting something for small lakes in SC. I do not think I want a platform. Price matters but quality is more important. So what should I get Kayaka, Canoe, Pontoon, Ect. Just wanting some advice.
Thanks in Advance
Jason
You can't beat a canoe. See if you can find a used 12 or 13ft. canoe for solo or a 15 to 17ft. for taking a fishing buddy in the boat with you.
There are trade offs between different types of fishing crafts. In terms of travel, a kayak is better than a canoe which is better than a pontoon boat. So if you are paddling a distance - particularly if the wind is blowing - then a kayak is the way to go. As a fishing platform, however, kayaks tend to sit low in the water and are not great casting platforms. Canoes are better and pontoons are best. Many people like a sit on top (SOT) kayak as a compromise. They are not as versatile a craft for travel but are better fly fishing boat than the sit in side types. I personally love flyfishing from a solo canoe - an old Old Town 119. Kind of a tub for paddling but it gets me into tight places where bass and gills hide. The wind does tend to blow it around so I use a double anchor system. For paddling distances I go with a 14' sit in kayak. One final point you want to consider is weight. A solo canoe will go about 35 to 45 pounds. A good sit in kayak will run 40 to 50 pounds. A SOT boat will usually run over 50 pounds. It you have to flip it up on a car (or worse a van or SUV) the lighter the better.
Each type has its advocates and they all are a lot of fun and get the job done.
David
Moving water (rivers), a quality cataraft / pontoon. It's like floating down the river in a lazy boy that will also handle whitewater.
Lakes, a canoe, or a hybrid...like the Native Ultimate (kinda like a canoe/kayak hybrid). If I fished still waters the most I would give the Ultimate a serious look.
How large is "small" re lakes in SC? Are we talking hundreds of acres or hundreds of feet?
I am a kayak fishing guide in Florida. I fish all over in salt water and on big and small lakes. I like a recommend a Native Watercraft Ultimate 14.5. I have paddled and fished out of canoes and all sorts of kayaks. The Native is superior in terms of speed, stability and roominess. The tunnel-hull design allows you to stand and fish comfortable -- if you so chose. The seat is very, very comfortable -- and that's very important. Natives aren't the most expensive kayaks around, but that's another plus. Mine is one of the best tracking kayaks I've ever owned.
You'll note that the 14.5's listed weight is more than 70 pounds, but because of the weigh the kayak is build, that weighted is distributed throughout the craft and it doesn't feel heavy. I can put it on top of my Expedition and unloaded easily by myself.
I would not recommend a Native for fast water.
Check them out: http://www.nativewatercraft.com/
Steve,
What about the Ultimate solo 12 footer? I need something I can toss into the bed of my small Ford Ranger. The bed is six foot but I used to have a 12 foot jon boat I could put into a six foot bed and drop the tail gate to get three more feet so the boat sat on nine feet of bed, three foot overhang. I have a topper but I don't like to "car-top" especially when I have an empty truck bed to use.
What sort of price do these things run (Yes, I noticed that they don't list prices)? Probably cost a pretty penny. Nearest dealer to me is Punta Gorda.:-(
I heartily recommend the Native Ultimate 12 (or 14). It's kind of a canoe and a kayak. Best of both worlds.
I've seen them from $750-850.
I got lucky and found one very slightly demoed with front and rear cover for $699.00!
Oh and it's made to stand in and fly fish................................. Yup, you can stand in it! Tell me another kayak you can do that with.
Now that everyone has helped you narrow it down to more choices than you started with, I'll add one more to consider. I use a Hobie Outback Mirage kayak, and it is by far the best personal fishing craft I've ever used. It's very stable, easily transported and best of all the peddle system keeps your hands free for fishing. I would suggest that it is faster than regular kayaks simply because you use your legs to propel the boat. It's super quiet, you can steer it with one finger and it's comfortable enough to sit in for hours without your back or sholders aching. I'm sure that there are better boats for moving water, but for small lakes (one to 100 acres) or medium size lakes (100 to ~500 acre), I doubt that you can beat the Hobie kayak. It is a one person boat however unless you go crazy and buy the two person version which I have never used. The only drawback is that it's more expensive than a regular kayak with a retail list price of around $1,450 loaded. If you shop around for a used one you can pick them up for under $1,000. I paid $800 for mine and it has been one of the best fishing investments I've ever made. I strongly suggest that you find some way to try out a Hobie Outback Mirage before you make your purchase.
Jim Smith
What do you want. Portability? Stability? Small, large. Hardsided, inflatable?What do you fish for? Do you plan to use it solo all the time? How much do you want to spend? The main thing I think of when I buy a new watercraft is, what can I get for the most bang for my buck. Can I use it on &&&&& Lake that's only 450 acres, or on a lake like ????? Lake that's 5500 acres. Could I use it on a river.
Do you want to put on waders or hip waders and when you're done throw it in the back of a Jetta. Get a kickboat or other inflatable. Or do you want to chuck it on top of a Ford F250. Can I put a motor on it in the future if needed? What would you feel comfortable in. Will you get rid of it in a few years for something else? Weigh all the possibilities. Check out as many websites as you can. You have a good start here.