Why are kayaks so popular?

[2dogkayak]

It is just my opinion, but these things are awful to fish from. I use mine for traveling up and down a slow river, but fishing from one is like fishing from a battleship. You can't stop it on a dime or change directions very easily, like you can with a pontoon or kick boat. The wind multiplies the problem. I have all three, and I use a trolling motor on all three for traveling when on the water.

The problem for me is the best fishing is in unwadeable deep water that is over a good casting distance from wadeable water. I see people wading and casting and looking in good form, but they are not catching fish, not to mention a crooked rear end at the end of the day.

I will probably keep my kayak, but it will stay in storage most of the time. The kayak is good for carrying my dogs when the go with me.

To be specific, I have a Cobra FisnNDive kayak and a Hobie 75 Float Cat. My kick boat is homemade, from commercial styrofoam.

Bill

[Gramps]

Carrying dogs sounds like a great reason to have one.

[Jonezee]

You might say Kayaks are STILL popular, given of course you live on the artic seacoast. Since man first stretced a dried out seal skin over a framework of bent branch's they have been a mode of travel for thousands of years by our northern Eskimo friends. Yes, they are still popular only the Indians used a different kind of fiberglass and Kevlar.

[dudley]

I have a donut tube, a canoe, and a sit-in kayak
The 'tube is rarely used.. hike/walk in stuff only.
The canoe is for fresh water excurtions. Extra room to stretch out, you can stand to cast ... and I love up stream poleing.
Where the kayak really shines is in the salt. The speed of the 'yak makes traveling long distances easy. Plus the 'yak is so stable that there is no worrys paddling in high seas.
Casting from a 'yak may not be a picnic, but they make up for that in fun and safety.

[Thwack]

My yak lets me travel farther and faster than my float tube. The yak lets me move better in the wind as well.

I don't see how casting from a yak is all that different than casting from a float tube...both have you right down close to water level. The trick is not try to cast the entire line.

I've caught fish literally right off the side of the kayak (within a foot of the side of it) and I can move in quietly as well. So, no need to fish 70-100 ft away from my target...

For small bits of water, the float tube is fine but I prefer the extra space and mobility of my kayak...I guess different folks have different preferences...

[Marco]

I try to avoid fishing from a kayak as I most often fish fast water and it's a ROYAL pita to control the boat and play a fish. I use it to get me TO fishing situations on/from banks that would otherwise be unreachable to me. I tie up and wade till the cows come home or move on to a better spot.
By the way, the plan usually is that my wife drops me off about 10 miles upstream and picks me up at a pull out point 6 or 7 hours later.
I love the size and freedom of the kayak.

Mark

[Joe Valencic]

My kick boat is homemade, from commercial styrofoam.

Bill

I also have a homemade craft


Comfortable and cheap (like me!).

Joe

[Eric-WD]

I also have a homemade craft

The Bunji cords are a nice touch,

I bet it works well and is comfortable

Eric

[Silverexpress]

I got a Kayak too. It's efficient, fast, and can carry my camping gear. Your right, it sucks as a fishing boat on a river.

I would probably do well with a harpoon in hand hunting seals, but there aren't any seals around where I'm at.

[billknepp]

Must not be a hobie outfitted with a mirage drive that you boys are fishing from.....I have had quite a different experince fishing from my outback...it'll turn on a dime with a flick of a finger! as the steering can be controled either with a paddle..or the use of the rudder control lever...
Have the Hobie Floatcat 75 as well..but it no longer sees water..comfy it is though...But If I want to invite a friend, he need not supply his own means of getting out a bit farther...