How To Pick A Fishing Kayak?

When choosing a fishing kayak, it’s crucial to consider how and where you’ll be using it. Fishing kayaks come in various shapes and sizes, and it’s essential to choose the right one to maximize enjoyment. These kayaks are designed and customized for the sport, allowing anglers to customize them with motors, pedal drives, rod holders, and more. The Wilderness Systems ATAK 120 is the best overall kayak, with a length of 12 feet 3 inches and a width of 35 inches. The Pelican Catch Catch Mode 110TR is a stable and maneuverable kayak built on a tunnel hull, offering a large standing area and room for fishing gear. When choosing a kayak, consider how and where you’ll be using it. The Kayak Angler Buyers Guide provides a comprehensive resource to help you make the right choice. Key decision points to help narrow down your choices include:

1. How and where will you be using the kayak?

2. What features will you be using the kayak for?

4. What features will you be using it for?

Is a 10 ft kayak big enough for a 6ft person?

Best size kayak for a 6 ft person. A person of average height, say 5’8″ to six feet, will find they fit properly in most average sized kayaks. It’s hard to pinpoint an exact kayak size for this size of person. The typical average length kayaks—8 to 12 feet for a recreational kayak or 12 to 14 feet for a day touring kayak—will work well for a 6-foot-tall person.

The decision ultimately comes down to personal preference so try out as many options as you can—in the conditions you’re mostly likely to be paddling in—to find what’s right for you.

VIEW ALL 8–12 FOOT RECREATIONAL KAYAKSVIEW ALL 12–14 FOOT DAY TOURING KAYAKS.

What’s the difference between a regular kayak and a fishing kayak?

Sit in Kayak vs Fishing Kayak: What’s the Difference?. The main difference between a sit in / recreational kayak and a fishing kayak is stability. You can stand on a fishing kayak, you can walk on a fishing kayak, you can land a 30lb salmon without issue on a fishing kayak.

You can do the same on a regular kayak, you’re probably just gonna get wet figuring it out since your chances of tipping are much greater.

Do you need a fancy fishing kayak to go kayak fishing? No, you don’t. Fishing kayaks do have those accessories and features that make life on the water a lot easier when you’re fishing. But in reality, you just need to bring a fishing rod on any sit in kayak and voila – you’re kayak fishing.

What color kayak is safest?

While black may be the best contrast color in poor lighting conditions (why fishermen use that color for their crab pot float flags), it has been found that international orange is the best color for most daytime conditions and varied backdrops.Bright florescent colors like lime green are also very good. Before I purchased my Legend, I asked the Coast Guard what color was the most visible to get. They said yellow is good in several lighting conditions, and that they call dark colored kayaks “speed bumps”. While a white colored kayak is very visible, especially at night, they said “a white hull and deck are very hard to pick out from whitecaps in a rescue search”.

In addition to my yellow-decked kayak and my orange life vest, I havefour readily-available signal devices in order to “be seen”:

Paddle Blade Mirrors – I have a mirror on the back of each blade, which I can use to reflect sunlight for a signal. They also flash sunlight as I paddle, making my position more evident to other boaters. I also use them to see what is behind me, without having to turn my boat around. At any auto parts store you can find the plastic, flexible, self-adhesive-backed mirrors, which you can cut to the desired shape. Mine are elongated rectangles to allow a wide view, and have held up very well over the years.

What size kayak is best for fishing?

Is a longer kayak better for fishing?. In general, the longer the kayak, the faster it will be and the more easily it will cover distances. The trade-off is a loss of maneuverability in tight spaces and difficulty in storing and transporting the kayak to launch sites. The ideal length of a fishing kayak is around 12 feet. Smaller anglers might prefer a shorter kayak, while saltwater anglers might prefer a kayak closer to 14 feet.

Can I stand up and fish from a kayak?. Extra-wide and stable fishing kayaks allow an angler to stand and fish. If you are a fly-fishermen, or if you enjoy sight-casting to fish in the shallows, stand-up capability might be very important to you in choosing a fishing kayak.

Do I need a fish finder on a kayak?. A fish finder can be very helpful when fishing from a kayak, but it isn’t necessary. It depends on what types of fishing you will be doing, and if knowing the depth and detecting fish under your kayak would be helpful.

What size kayak do I need for my height?

Recommended Kayak Length by Paddler’s HeightHeightRecreationalFishing5′ or less8′- 10’10’5′ to 5’6″8′ – 12’10’ – 12’5’7″ to 6’10’ – 12’12’ – 14’Over 6’12’14’

Selecting the right size kayak is key to having a productive kayaking experience. But what size kayak do you need? Correct kayak size depends on a number of factors including your size and intended usage. The following kayak charts will help you determine the perfect kayak size and length for your intended use.

The above chart provides a visual guide of different types of kayaks and their average length.

• White water (6′-7′) – White water kayaks are the shortest of all kayak models. They are built for superior maneuverability in fast moving current. They may be as short as 4 feet in length or as long as 9 feed for larger kayakers.
• Youth recreation (6′-8′) – On average a kayak between 6 and 8 feet will be the ideal size for a youth between 8 and 12 years of age. Youth recreation kayaks of this size may be sit-in or sit-on-top, but are usually sit-on-top.
• Sit-in recreation (9′-11′) – Sit-in or sit-on-top recreational kayaks average about 10′ long. This is the most common kayak stype and size for recreational kayaking. These kayaks easy to transport and store.
• Sit-on-top tandem (12′-13′) – Will accomodate 2 people comfortably. For open water on a lake or the ocean, the sit-on-top tandem kayak is the most popular recreational model.
• Fishing tandem (13′-15′) – The average fishing kayak is 13 feet long. Tandem fishing kayaks are typically a few feet longer. Length is important for a fishing kayak because it provides better stability, storage space, bouyancy and room to stand up.
• Ocean Surf/Sea (14′-18′) – Entry-level sea kayaks start at about 14 feet in length and go up to 19 feet for more experienced kayakers. Tandem sea kayaks may be a foot or two longer.

Is a 10 foot kayak too small?

Kayak Size for Short People. Luckily for shorter paddlers finding a kayak that fits won’t be too much of a struggle as 8 to 10 feet recreational kayaks will have enough leg room for most average-height adults. From here, if you’re choosing a sit-in kayak the next decision would be whether you want a low, medium, or high volume cockpit.

For beginner paddlers who are just learning how to paddle, then a longer cockpit is recommended. Intermediate paddlers who are after greater control of their kayak can size down to a shorter cockpit.

Kayak Size for Heavier People. For sit on top kayaks, your only concern will be the maximum weight capacity. As we said before, add up your weight and any additional gear you’ll take with you and find a kayak suitable.

What color kayak is safest for sharks?

So what would be the safest color for a fishing kayak when it comes to sharks? Well a white kayak would be the least likely to get attacked from below in a feeding type attack, and a blue one would be safest when it comes to sharks that are not hunting but swimming near the surface. If you were going to go with a solid color I’d say light blue, but ideally the best color pattern as it relates to shark safety would be a blue sided white bottomed kayak.

The topsides of course could be any color at all, as the sharks can’t see you from above, so I’d say white or a bright color would be ideal for the top.

My take is that kayaking is still in it’s infancy. When plastic kayaks first started being made the colors were a gimmick to give people choice, and bright colors are easier for people to see on the water if the lost their yak, or got in trouble. That said the colors we see now are not going to be around for ever. It’s not like you see green red or orange boats out there.

What type of kayak is best for a fisherman?

Sit-on-top kayaks are definitely the most popular of the two with serious anglers. That’s because their wide, stable platform makes it easy (easier than with a sit-inside) to accessorize and make room for all your gear.

And many sit-on-top fishing kayaks are wide and stable enough to stand up on, as well as sit. Standing gives you a break from sitting, gives you a great view of the water and offers more freedom when casting.

You’ll still want a good paddle with a pedal kayak! (photo courtesy of Ken Whiting)

Another benefit of sit-ons is their scupper holes. These are holes all the way through the kayak that let excess water out, making it impossible to swamp.

What type of kayak is best for beginners?

Sit-on-top kayaks tend to be easier to get on and off of than sit-in kayaks. Also, sit-on-top kayaks tend to feel more stable than sit-ins, especially for new paddlers who are getting used to the water.

Sit-on-top kayaks are good for warm weather because the user is likely to get wet. This style of kayak is also better for users who plan to paddle with a dog on board.

Sit-In Kayaks. Sit-in kayaks have an internal cockpit that you have to climb into to paddle. When paddling a sit-in kayak, you will have a low center of gravity and the rotation of your hips will be more involved in steering the boat.

Some sit-in kayaks that are built for whitewater paddling utilize spray skirts that cover the cockpit to prevent water from getting inside. Sit-in kayak users will experience less wind resistance than sit-on-top kayakers.

What is the best color for a fishing kayak?

Another obvious fringe benefit to paddling a kayak that stands out is enhanced safety. Boaters are much less likely to run over a bright yellow, red, orange or blue kayak. If there’s an emergency situation that requires assistance, authorities can more easily locate a colorful craft. Unfortunately, all bets are off if you paddle into a herd of nervous manatees—they don’t care what color your kayak is, either. If nothing else, you’ll take prettier pictures of your fish.

Purchasing a bright-colored boat isn’t the only way to improve visibility. Bright clothing or life jackets also enhance visibility—but not as much as the right paddle. Eyes are drawn to movement, and it’s amazing how far away a paddle with white, neon yellow or fluorescent orange blades stands out when in motion.

Paddles are standard equipment with very few new kayaks, or are often substandard and eventually need to be upgraded for more efficient models. If you have to buy one, it may as well be pretty and make you safer.

Are longer or shorter kayaks better?

Length: Longer boats cruise more efficiently and offer lots of storage space for overnight touring gear, while shorter hulls turn more quickly. A few inches in length won’t matter much, but two feet or more will be noticeable. Depth: Deeper hulls offer more room for long-legged kayakers, plus a little more storage.