Question For The Kayak Fishers

[DRIFTER_016]

I'm heading to Florida in February for 6 weeks and am going to pick up a Yak as they are much cheaper down South and it will give me another way to get out fishing while there.

So for those of you with fishing kayaks, what you got?

What do you like about your yak?

What don't you like about it?

 

The yak I'm looking at getting is a 2008 Wilderness Systems Tarpon 120.

These yaks are no longer in production under the Wilderness Systems name but are being made by a subsidiary of them and marketed under different brands (kind of like the Rapala ice augers).

 

The version I like is sold by Dick's Sporting Goods and is a pretty good deal @ $549.

The current version of Widerness' Tarpon 120 is in the $1,000 range.

 

While I would like one of those wicked Hobie PA 12's or 14's I'm not independently wealthy and I'm getting too old to lift a #100 kayak onto my roof.

 

This is the yak I'm looking at picking up.

http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=20973116&cp=4406646.4413993.4417832.4417969

 

 

I've already ordered up a bunch of accessories for which ever yak I end up with and will be taking my tools with me to do a little customization before she hits the water. Rod holders, fish finder mounts, custom crate, anchor and anchor trolley etc.

 

So tell me what you got, what upgrades have you done.

[SirCranksalot]

Can you go faster than a gator in that??? LOL

[DRIFTER_016]

Well if I can't I will have a nice new pair of gator skin boots. :rofl2:

[fishindevil]

Well if I can't I will have a nice new pair of gator skin boots. :rofl2:

[TJQ]

LOL.. Looks like fun... shouldnt you be building something?? lol

[misfish]

I,ll be following this thread Dave. The float tube is a blast,but ,high and dry would be nice at this time of year.LOL

[Bluegill]

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Edited November 6, 2014 by Bluegill

[misfish]

How do you rig the tansduser?

 

I like the more open body yaks. I cant see myself in one of those slip in hole ones.

 

Nice yak.

[DRIFTER_016]

They are much easier to self rescue when you bail overboard.

 

There are a bunch of ways to rig the transducers.

1/ Using a scupper mount and using one of the scupper holes

http://www.lowrance.com/en-US/Products/Paddlesports/

2/ Using a transducer mounting arm like this one that just connects onto a Ram mount.

http://www.rammount.com/NewProducts/ramtransducerarmmount/tabid/4459/

3/ either epoxy or silicone to the inside of the hull.

You need to be careful not to get air bubbles in the adhesive or this will not work.

You also need to clean the hull really well or it will just pop off it's mount.

 

If I end up getting a second transducer for my Garmin FF I will epoxy mount if not I have a plan to use my crate and clamp my portable transducer mount to it.

I will slide it up through the scupper hole into the clamp and just tighten it down.

[misfish]

 

3/ either epoxy or silicone to the inside of the hull.

You need to be careful not to get air bubbles in the adhesive or this will not work.

You also need to clean the hull really well or it will just pop off it's mount.

 

Same as doing the in haul on a bass boat.

 

I like the rigger idea..

 

I know that Terry uses his winter set up on his float aboat. Works well as well.

Edited October 29, 2013 by Misfish

[timmeh]

I've got that exact kayak at home here and rent one when I go down to Florida to fish the intercostal waters and mangrove creeks. So ya I really like them, stable, easy to paddle, room to take a reasonable amount of gear. I've added a rod holder, anchor, and created a rod/tackle holder out of a milk cart for my yak here. I'm also in the process of adding a fish finder for next year.

 

On a side note I rented a hobie last year and didn't like it. I forget which model, but it didn't track well, felt more unstable then I'm used to. But maybe it was the particular model I used , everyone else I've met seems to love them.

[DRIFTER_016]

My buddy has the Hobie PA14 and it's a heck of a fishing platform.

Super wide and stable.

Flat floor so standing is a breeze and it's got the Mirage peddle drive system as well as rudder.

He even has Power Pole's new Micro unit mounted on there.

It's pretty trick, though ubberly expensive.

 

http://www.hobiecat.com/mirage/mirage-pro-angler-14/

 

 

[Bluegill]

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Edited November 6, 2014 by Bluegill

[singingdog]

The Tarpon 120 is a classic fishing yak: probably more of those on the water than any other SOT. It's an ideal boat for getting out onto sheltered water, and easy to fish of of. Tough to beat at that price.

 

Rigging: every yakfisher in the world will tell you to put a few trips in before you start screwing/glueing stuff to the yak. If you do any kind of permanent mount before testing it's location, it will invariably be in exactly the right place to p&$$ you off while on the water Cruise a few of the yakfisher forums for rigging ideas....lots of folk have put in lots of hours rigging tarpons.

[mattybculp]

I purchased two kayaks this summer which were old town dirigo 120 xt sit in kayak. They had some similar kayaks there that were sit on tops with the total fishing package one even had a built in trolling motor 50lbs thrust I Believe. I chose the sit in kayak for two reasons versatility and for comfort for me. If I wanted to use the kayak in a rougher chop or in a different element other fishing I felt more comfortable in a sit in ( and anyone can slip out of this kayak regardless of size, if you tip over). You can make any kayak a fishing kayak by buying the different accessories, I have three flush mount rod holders out the back, and one scotty rod holder out the front, and I put my own anchoring system in, So I Would say comfort is number one. I have talked to a lot of guys and watched a lot of programs and I have never heard anyone down talking a wilderness systems kayak.

 

Regardless kayak is a nice change from the regular, although after kayak fishing for a week straight a boat with a motor starts to look really good. I caught a five and a half pound bass on a deep Ontario back lake this summer and that fish drug me 100 ft what a blast. INVEST/ UPGRADE TO THE MOST COMFORTABLE SEAT FOR YOU! That is my number one tip, after sitting in a kayak for 6 hours I can tell ya I was sure happy I Paid an extra 150 bucks and got the top of the line seat.!