Kayak vs Bassboat

[raincheck]

1st let me say i stand must of the time on my Kayak & setting the hook is no problem for me.I never use a net anymore because there is no room 4 it & the operator.After i hook a big fish i sit back down & just lip them.I have a custom slider between my legs that after the bass is on my kayak that helps contol the fish.Then i put the fish on a stringer so as not too louse it while i photo it.If a kayak was able too have a mother ship its anyones game.Some kayak tournaments do have mother ships because on the ocean its the only way too get out 30 or 40 miles too the fish.
Terry Adolph

[peter]

1st let me say i stand must of the time on my Kayak & setting the hook is no problem for me.I never use a net anymore because there is no room 4 it & the operator.After i hook a big fish i sit back down & just lip them.I have a custom slider between my legs that after the bass is on my kayak that helps contol the fish.Then i put the fish on a stringer so as not too louse it while i photo it.If a kayak was able too have a mother ship its anyones game.Some kayak tournaments do have mother ships because on the ocean its the only way too get out 30 or 40 miles too the fish.
Terry Adolph

Forgive my ignorance. Thinking about a kayak.

Is standing and casting in a kayak an easy thing to do?
Does it take a special wide kayak?

From some photos in "the let's see your yak" thread in the kayak forum it looks like you use some closed cockpit models vs the sit on top style. Does that make a difference regarding standing? I would guess the sit ins have a lot more room for gear and can only be used in warmer water months?

[apb]

Forgive my ignorance. Thinking about a kayak.

Is standing and casting in a kayak an easy thing to do?
Does it take a special wide kayak?

From some photos in "the let's see your yak" thread in the kayak forum it looks like you use some closed cockpit models vs the sit on top style. Does that make a difference regarding standing? I would guess the sit ins have a lot more room for gear and can only be used in warmer water months?

Some kayaks are made so you can stand in them. There are also pontoon versions that allow for the stability to do this. I would never try standing in mine.

For fishing, I prefer a sit on top over a sit in kayak. Much more room in the cockpit of the sit ons. Most have below deck storage. Like any other water craft, you can make it as simple or complex as you want. I have rod holders and a depth finder set up on mine. If you have the right gear, you can fish warm weather or cold weather and anything in between.

I'm not a tournament angler, so I really cannot comment on that part. My yak is 45 pounds, unloaded, so easy to launch in places that you could not take a boat. Easy to transport in the back of my pick up. I've used in locally on the smaller lakes, rivers, creeks and even had it in saltwater in New England.

Andrew

[GeoFisher]

Some kayaks are made so you can stand in them. There are also pontoon versions that allow for the stability to do this. I would never try standing in mine.

For fishing, I prefer a sit on top over a sit in kayak. Much more room in the cockpit of the sit ons. Most have below deck storage. Like any other water craft, you can make it as simple or complex as you want. I have rod holders and a depth finder set up on mine. If you have the right gear, you can fish warm weather or cold weather and anything in between.

I'm not a tournament angler, so I really cannot comment on that part. My yak is 45 pounds, unloaded, so easy to launch in places that you could not take a boat. Easy to transport in the back of my pick up. I've used in locally on the smaller lakes, rivers, creeks and even had it in saltwater in New England.

Andrew

So, do you use spinning gear or casting gear in the yak.

I prefer spinning when I'm in the canoe. I seem to be able to control it a little more. I have taken bait casters with me, but it is REALLY tough to cast sometimes with them. The only time I really rally LOVED having a baitcaster was using swimbaits last year, and when I was drifting the bank I talked about above in the previous post. We were tossing jigs, and I was able to "roll " the cast side arm and drop the bait right in the top of some nice submerged trees. The smallies were sitting there watching stuff drift by. Practically every cast, as long as it was where it needed to be caught a fish.

That was also the year is used 20lb braid instead of 10lb fireline. That really helped horse those fish out of the trees. FUN, FUN FUN.

Later,

Geo

[Bonefish]

Slight changes in dimensions and shapes will favor different performance characteristics,. A longer kayak tracks smoother and faster. In moving through the water, the hull must separate the water at the bow, allowing it to return to the stern as smoothly as possible. A shorter kayak results will be less streamlined through the water, but the hull will be more maneuverable. A longer kayak will have more stability and load carrying capacity.

Width is a key to a good fit. A wide kayak will be more stable than a narrow one. A narrow craft is usually faster than a wide one, but will compromise some stability. A wider kayak will provide more stability for both heavier paddlers and tall paddlers with a higher center of gravity. A wider kayak will allow a paddler to spread their legs out more. This is another key component of fit. A deeper hull will be roomier for paddlers with larger legs, and increases load carrying ability. It also improves secondary stability by having more volume to help support a paddler while the kayak is on edge. A shallow hull will be less affected by wind, but will carry less.

The degree of curvature in the hull from the bow to the stern along the keel line defines the amount of rocker in a kayak. This improves the ability to maneuver the kayak, especially in rough water. While more rocker increases maneuverability, it also reduces the amount of waterline in the water, creating a less efficient hull. A kayak with little or no rocker will track very well, but can be more difficult to maneuver. The cross section determines the initial feel of the kayak. A round hull is but very unstable while a flat hull is initially stable but significantly slower. Some kayaks have a "V" hull with slightly flared sides. The "V" shape gives structural rigidity to the hull, improves tracking, has a lively feel and delivers very comfortable stability. Some kayaks have a shallow arch bottom have a little more stability.

There are a variety of cockpit styles used. Their dimensions and shapes depend on the purpose of each kayak and the comfort of the paddler. The open cockpits are very easy to get in and out. The recreational cockpits are long enough so you can easily stand on the floor in front of the seat and sit down. The keyhole cockpits blend the openness of a recreational cockpit and the integrated thigh braces of a touring cockpit, which makes them easy to enter and exit cockpit. The touring cockpits are smaller to help resist collapsing of the spray skirt if hit by a very large wave in extremely rough water. They usually include built-in thigh braces on the cockpit rim to maximize control when edging and rolling. The ocean cockpits are much smaller than a touring cockpit and are very resistant to rough water and weather conditions.

[raincheck]

So, do you use spinning gear or casting gear in the yak.

I prefer spinning when I'm in the canoe. I seem to be able to control it a little more. I have taken bait casters with me, but it is REALLY tough to cast sometimes with them. The only time I really rally LOVED having a baitcaster was using swimbaits last year, and when I was drifting the bank I talked about above in the previous post. We were tossing jigs, and I was able to "roll " the cast side arm and drop the bait right in the top of some nice submerged trees. The smallies were sitting there watching stuff drift by. Practically every cast, as long as it was where it needed to be caught a fish.

That was also the year is used 20lb braid instead of 10lb fireline. That really helped horse those fish out of the trees. FUN, FUN FUN.

Later,

Geo

I grew up using spinning gear.Now i don't use it much & its all bait casting.I use all left hand reels so the pole never leaves my casting & hook set hand just like i did with a spinning reel.I all so had too learn how too cast so my shoulder didn't kill me(bad cup)I use both hands too cast with out much movement.I think i have more control than i did with spinning reel.Thumb it too stop it & use lite line so i can throw lite baits.Bait casting reels seem too hold up better too.
Terry Adolph

[GeoFisher]

So, what do you guys think of this yak?

http://nativewatercraft.com/outfitting.cfm?boat=3. I have a buddy in Madison, WI that can get me the TEVIS version of that at cost.......

[Bonefish]

So, what do you guys think of this yak?

http://nativewatercraft.com/outfitting.cfm?boat=3. I have a buddy in Madison, WI that can get me the TEVIS version of that at cost.......

I wish I could trade my 4 to 1 of those. Very nice. At cost you can't beat it.

[GeoFisher]

I wish I could trade my 4 to 1 of those. Very nice. At cost you can't beat it.

Yea, it is not cheap...........but like my canoes, they also are not cheap.

This was created exclusively for fishing. I spent some time with the owner of the company a few years ago, and I really liked the system. Also, the Tevis version I was talking about is very, very light, which makes it easier to handle.

I'm just looking right now........probably going to get rid of one of my canoes and get a yak, just don't know what yet.

Later,

Geo

[apb]

Geo, I use baitcasters in the yak. I'm a righty, but use lefty reels. No switching hands. I only own a couple of cheap spinners and rarely use them. If you are more comfortable using the spinners in the canoe, probably the same in the yak.

As far as the yak you posted, I have never seen one up close to really give a good opinion. If you are seriously thinking about one for fishing, see if you can try out several different ones just to get a feel for what will work for you. A lot will depend on where you intend to use it. I mostly use mine in small lakes and rivers, so a smaller size paddle version works best for me. A couple of my friends use theirs mostly in saltwater. Peddle drive hobies is what they prefer in the salt. I've had mine in the salt, but have to keep a good eye on the weather/conditions.

Andrew

[SLP]

So, what do you guys think of this yak?

http://nativewatercraft.com/outfitting.cfm?boat=3. I have a buddy in Madison, WI that can get me the TEVIS version of that at cost.......

That looks awesome. I never had one so i couldn't give you an educated opinion about specifics, but it looks real nice. Does it have an option for pedals? I was looking at one where you had the option to pedal it with your feet and keep both hands free. I thought that was a neat feature.

[GeoFisher]

That looks awesome. I never had one so i couldn't give you an educated opinion about specifics, but it looks real nice. Does it have an option for pedals? I was looking at one where you had the option to pedal it with your feet and keep both hands free. I thought that was a neat feature.

Pedals are an option.....as is a motor.......I'd do the pedals, but they are different than the hobie's.