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Posted

Does anyone know where to see/try fishing kayaks. Looking for a place like Newbury kayak that can offer a lot of information etc - vs Kittery Trading Post.  Any personal experience on this topic is appreciated

Posted (edited)

Cabela's in Hudson MA usually has a bunch, sometimes tied up along the outside wall or on display inside. I've shopped for fishing kayaks for myself, for a family member on a lake, and for a friend who fishes for stripers off Marblehead. Reflecting on the following might help steer you to a good purchase:

 - What conditions? Choppy ocean? Placid lake? [how much freeboard, how stable...]

 - Do they want to stand to sight-cast or fly fish? [wide, extra wide, or so wide it doubles as a dock...]

 - Are they minimalists or kitchen sink fisher-persons?

 - Transportation to/from the water? Drag down the lawn from the lakehouse? Car topping? Trailer? [heavy, extra heavy, or ...]

 - How do they feel about getting in and out of a tippy kayak?

 

I ended up with a plastic fishing SUP which is perfect for my minimalist fishing use - a big flat area to stand/move around on, with a single rod and small tackle box clipped onto a deck line.

My friend ended up with a pair of Wilderness Systems Tarpon 100 kayaks which are light enough to shoulder onto J-racks on a subaru, and we use milk crates with two rod holders behind us for tackle.

My father's main criteria was something he could easily get in and out of, which wasn't obvious until we tried a few options. A sturdy strap tied to the bow toggle helps a lot.

 

A few boat types just to get you started:

Wilderness Systems Tarpon Tarpon 120 - 2020 | Wilderness Systems Kayaks | USA & Canada

Ocean Kayak Malibu Ocean Kayak Malibu 11.5 Sit-on-Top Kayak | Cabela's

Hobie Mirage pedal kayaks Kayak & Fishing Kayak | Hobie

 

If you have a chance to see a bunch in person, open one of the access hatches and get a sense for how thick/flimsy the plastic feels, and how the rigging is attached. On the low end, I found several promising options that we immediately rejected for durability issues.

Edited by Dan Foster
Posted

You can try Mountain Road Trading Post, 68 Mountain Road, Raymond, NH

They do a fishing tournament every Summer

603-895-3501

mountainroadtp.com 

Bill H

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted (edited)

I dunno. I've been fishing from a sea kayak since the '90s and it's more fun that way. You can cover distance faster, especially useful if you see a feeding blitz 1/4 mile away. I've caught Tarpon in Florida ~50 lbs (Tarpon over 40 inches MUST remain in the water, not that I could lift one into a 20 inch wide kayak).

Striper 4 House Is 38 inch a.jpg

Edited by leong

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