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coinman66

Canoe, Kayak, or Pontoon?

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Didnt know where to post this question, but here i go. Want to buy a used watercraft for fly fishing ponds and small creeks. Which is the way to go? Im leaning towards a 1 man potoon but wanted to know how easy it would be to float downstream and then paddle back upstream? How bout a kayak. sit in or sit on top model? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks

Frank

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Hi Frank,

 

Personal preference is definitely a Kayak, more versatile. Try before you buy is a must, go along to a demo day or hire a few models before you commit.

There's no such thing as the perfect fly fishing craft they all have pros and cons.

I ended up with a Hobie Revo after much research and trying out different yaks.

 

Having hands free is a big plus, if your fishing tidal or flowing water and position yourself well it just takes 2 kicks on the pedals to be back in the hot zone to hit that snag again. No need to strip the line in pick up a paddle, position the kayak/canoe put the paddle down, pick the rod up work line out and recast. I think you get the picture.

 

If you end up in a kayak think about the pros and cons of a sit on top vs a sit inside.

Sit on top - Plus: easier to get on and out of especially in deeper water. Higher ride makes casting easier than sitting low. Line management is usually easier providing a big flat platform. Very stable and light weight. Weight is a definite issue if you are getting it on and off the roof yourself, is there any portage involved? After paddling all day and fly casting that awkward shaped 25kg yak all of a sudden becomes a lot harder to lift onto your truck.

Minus: Wet ride, compromise on speed and sometimes tracking, some are better than others regarding tracking.

 

Sit inside - Plus: Dry ride, more comfortable in colder weather. White water options if your that way inclined depending on the yak you buy.

Minus: Harder to get in and out of especially in deeper water, less stable unless you get a barge shaped hull. You lose the nice flat line management platform. Lower in the water column makes casting harder.

 

With a sit on top you can get out and wade the flats. You can either tether the boat to a sand spike and go for a fish or if you're covering some ground tie the boat to your belt and tow it behind you whilst you wade a shore or flat. Just a bit of food for thought there's lots of info out there, you can always PM me with questions if you like.

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I fly fish out of a kayak as well...I have had 3 different ones so far...I have a 10 ft sit inside, I had a 14 ft Freedom Hawk, and I now have a Commander 120. All of the boats have pros and cons....Longer crafts are faster, track better and handle rougher water better. Smaller crafts are easier to negotiate in streams around rocks and such. Sit insides don't allow much room for movement but are drier rides. Sit on tops tend to be heavier, but are much more stable....you will get wet in them though.....Tracking is an important issue with kayaks...No matter what you think now, once you get out there and paddle, if you are fighting with the boat it takes some of the fun away....The Freedom Hawk was like that....It is big, cumbersome, tracks horrible, difficult to maneuver and was extremely wet. It was however stable to stand...My Commander is awesome. It tracks well, plenty of room for gear storage, fairly dry, stable to stand and fish, negotiates boulders, rapids, slow water, fast water, wakes from motor boats.....Try them all out and see what is comfortable for you...One of the most important things is the right paddle, don't cheap out on a light weight paddle....It becomes very heavy on the way back upstream.....A comfortable seat is worth its weight in gold.....Good luck...

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I fish a kayak, just simply because that is what I have. I would love to have a real nice canoe, but seeing as I'm 16 and have no job, I don't think that that is realistic.

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Do some research on the native Ultimate series of kayaks. They are a hybrid canoe/kayak. Due to the hull design they are easy to stand up in and they have the most comfortable seat for extended time on the water. I fly fish out of a number of different designs down in the Everglades; Wilderness Systems Tarpon 120/160, Heritage Redfish 12/14, Native Ultimate 12/14, etc. If it's for cruising as much as fishing you may want to check out some of the pedal-powered designs. However, I dislike them because it complicates line management. This may not be a problem if you a fishing smaller water where you won't be making long casts. But if you are making longer casts (>60') you'll be dealing with a lot of stripped line that gets around the pedals.

 

Good luck - lots of options out there

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Yea them pontoons have no such control on the ponds especially if windy. Slow to paddle and the oars just get in the way with your fly line. I even had a Star raft that stank to.

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This is a no brainer. KAYAK!!

I got a 12 Ultimate and planning on picking up a Freedom Hawk after selling my bass boat.

 

I have to agree, I think they are the most versatile choice. I fish a little bit of everything, ponds, lakes, and rivers/streams, and I can take my kayak almost anywhere! I think the SOT kayaks are better suited for fly fishing, but SOT vs SIK is sort of a personal opinion. Everyone has one and none of them are wrong, it's whatever suits you and what you will be doing. My SIK (Future Beach Angler 160 from Dunham's) has a lot of storage space, is very stable, easy to paddle and control, it has not failed me in any way. It's handy with the SOT design, for me, to be able to situate myself for easier casting. I can turn in it and sit side saddle with my legs hanging off one side, and the SOT design makes it easy for me to get in and out of the boat.

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I have lower back pain issues. Just wondering how comforatable these SOT kayaks were? The inflatable pontoons just look more comforatable. What could i get for $500 or less?

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I have lower back pain issues. Just wondering how comforatable these SOT kayaks were? The inflatable pontoons just look more comforatable. What could i get for $500 or less?

 

Mine retailed at $499 at Dunham's. It's not the Cadillac of kayaks, but it has been great for me.

 

As for back trouble, I can't say a SOT kayak would not be tough on your back because I don't have back issues. It's comfy for me, even without the little padded back rest if I choose not to put it in or forget to take it. All I could say about that is that it would be easy to hop out and stretch, easy to shift positions while fishing if you get uncomfortable, and can easily store approximately 4.8 year's worth of Motrin in the storage hatches. :D

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i would go for a kayak. a pontoon is made more for float trips on rivers. they are hard to paddle back up river. if you wanted one for a lake then i would add a trolling motor. i use i kayak and love it for all that you talked about

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I have back issues. Without the add on and adjustable seat(with a back) I purchased for my canoe, I wouldn't be able to use it for very long at all.

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