michaelb

I am thinking paying the (high) price to upgrade to the Mustang Khimera. That is a hybrid model, that gets you 8 lbs of foam + CO2 inflation + manual inflation. I don't think I would ever need to inflate it, unless somehow I lost my boat. The light thin foam layer is all I will need. With a fishing kayak SOT, you should learn how to easily get back in the boat under all conditions (so practice in heavy waves too) as well as practicing how to get the boat right side up. I don't want pockets or very much stuff on the front of the PFD because you want that area smooth to get back in the boat. But I do like attaching my pliers to the PFD, and so my only hesitation is whether the shoulder attachment would work for that. The other key aspect for a kayak PFD is comfort when paddling; so I am hoping for something low profile in back and with a lot of arm and shoulder freedom of movement. https://mustangsurvival.com/products/khimera-dual-flotation-pfd-md7183

What about the kaku has you worried about storage space? The front hatch provides access to the entire front of the boat (including under the deck, but I have not really tried to peer under there to see if it passes through all the way). The hatch behind the seat is small in diameter but also opens up to a large storage area. The well in the back is large as well for top side storage. I love the rails, but I do wonder if they are too short and/or I would more of them, say in the area next to the seat and/or behind the seat. I love the yakgear paddle holder, but the paddle mounted takes up one entire front rail. You mentioned a transducer mount (inside the hull is probably the best overall option for the kaku), I am thinking about getting a cheap fish finder and mounting it on the rail behind me to keep it out of the way; so I would have to turn around while paddling, but could look back when drifting and fishing. The kaku has insert mounts around as well, including the ones on the back for a trolling motor mount. But there are also two inserts inside the foot area, so vertical on the front of the standing area. I drilled a cup holder and bolted it on one (I really like have a fixed cup holder, something the kaku does not have built in). I have a tie down on the other bolt hole right now, but I do wonder about using that to bolt the fish finder in the front and not putting it up on the rail.

I don't have a fish finder on my kayak currently. I wrestle with whether I need one and for what. Most of the time I am kayaking fishing, I am fishing structure and/or I know exactly where I am. How often are you going to be in deep water or unknown water? For me at least, the primary function is getting the depth and/or looking for changes in depth, so finding a drop off in deeper water. for that basic function, any one will do that shows depth. My idea of cheaper is cheaper than your idea, but I think you are wondering about the same questions. All of your options seems like good basic kayak fish finders. I would spend more and get a lithium battery for around another $100, if I end up getting one of those models. But what about the ones that use AAAs built in? Then there is no wiring and no 12v battery to deal with (you are getting a very small battery though). Easier to pull on and off the boat when you want to use it. There are cheaper options, but something like the fishtrax (I like the mounting options for this brand)? https://www.amazon.com/HawkEye-Fishtrax-Finder-Virtuview-Display/dp/B016O5IDBW/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=fishtrax&qid=1581044143&sr=8-1 they have a kayak track transducer mount you can buy, but it also works to just have it floating behind you as you paddle (I had a version like this years ago and did use it; and can't now remember why or how the unit itself stopped working).

I don't have one, and so not saying this is worth the money or a good idea, but the t-bone is curved to avoid bottoming out the bed extender on rough ground. https://boonedoxusa.com/collections/vehicle-accessories-1/products/t-bone-bed-extender I end up at put-ins that are rough enough for this to make sense.

I have 5 kayaks (+ 3 paddle boards + 2 canoes) and have been kayak fishing for about 15 years. But last year I finally bought one specific for kayak fishing. I wanted a paddle kayak, since I also bike a lot during the summer, and so wanted a boat that was reasonably fun to paddle. Fishing on a large lake, with ever present winds and waves, I also wanted something that could handle chop and rough conditions. So, with a leap of faith, I ordered the Kaku Wahoo 12.5. I was attracted to this boat based on the unusual and aggressive hull shape. I also really liked the look of the open deck, without any clutter at my feet and simple rails that I could rig as I wanted. I wanted a stadium seat as well. Overall, the boat has been great. Standing up while fishing is a game changer; I get grumpy now if it is too windy to stand. The kayak is fun and easy to paddle, and it definitely rides up and thru waves and wake with ease. It does not paddle like a wide slow barge at all (I have another boat that paddle likes that). I can hit 5 MPH if I am working really hard and can cover .5 miles averaging 4 mph; but the cruising speeds of this and most fishing kayaks is 2-3 MPH. It is stable enough to stand and fish and I love that. But that definitely involved a learning curve too, to get my balance and confidence. My guess is that the wahoo may be slightly less stable than some of the other wide boats here; a price to pay for a boat that paddles so nicely. I am pretty sure I will manage to fall in some day; when the anchor line is slack, and then the boat moves with a new wind, hitting the end of that line is a sudden stop of the boat underneath the feet. For testing, when I fall the boat mostly stays upright. this would be good for the gear on top; but in a strong wind it also means the boat could be sailing away. If I flip it, it takes some work to get it back right side up. I like a lot of the boats mentioned in this thread and would love to try them too. But the kaku is the perfect blend of paddling and fishing for my needs.

If by "big boy" you mean pike, then yes they are. I often take my time when the pike is next to the boat in the hope that they may just throw the lure out on their own and I don't have to deal with trying to pick it up. A large pike with a mouth full of trebles between your legs can be challenging (I avoid or remove trebles from lures). But large bass can be easier. they have a bigger mouth and so more room to get your thumb in there and grab them.

This may all be subjective, but I like CX premium more than CXX. CXX is tough but doesn't cast nearly as well and can be springy. I haven't tried Yo Zuri but keeping meaning too. But I like Sufix siege better than either CX or CXX; I am not sure siege qualifies as a copolymer line, it can be hard to figure out that category, but it is a tough strong line that casts really well.

I don't think you really need to set the hook. To me, the bigger issue with wacky rigged senkos is they get swallowed, so I only try to use circle hooks to reduce that and to make release hopefully easier. But in the right conditions (not weeds) they work great. My go to for little kids is to give them a wacky rigged senko under a bobber; they can miss noticing they have a fish on for a long time before I can get their attention enough to pay attention, and those little kids are not setting the hook, and they still manage to catch fish.

I use them all the time, one of my go to baits. I pretty much only use RI skinny dippers, and only in one color, green. I have tried other colors and didn't have nearly the same luck; I tried Keitechs in a lighter silver and didn't catch anything on them either. Maybe they are more color sensitive and that color is location dependent. For technique, part of what makes them so useful, is you can fish them any way. With a weighted swimbait hook, they are heavy and so can handle wind and waves. I reel them in straight, or burn them fast over weeds, or let them drop to the bottom and reel them in, or drag them along like a worm or jig. But most of the time, I start and stop on the retrieve to let them drop back down; part of why I do this is I find they get nibbled all the time. Sometimes that is a 6" perch nibbling a 5" skinny dipper; sometimes that is nice bass. Pike hit them hard, but bass do not. So I hope they hit on the drop, or when I jerk the rod after the drop. This mostly works. The hardest part for me is setting the hook. The skinny dipper is heavy plastic and the hook is buried and weedless. So getting the hookset right is tricky and I lost a lot of fish under and over setting the hook.

I would look at craigslist and get a used canoe, since they pop up all of the time. But my general take is that you don't want what you say you want. So if you are really talking about camping with gear and 2 adults and a kid (and maybe a dog?) you need a bigger boat, so 16 feet is a good minimum for a two person canoe properly capable of hauling camping gear. By "camping" do you mean you are camping out of your truck and you want a boat to play with? Are you portaging? Are you paddling big water with waves and exposed crossings of open water? How many miles would you go in a day? So yes you can take a 14 ft rec canoe on a camping trip, but it is not a tripping capable canoe. the upside is that any canoe is good for fishing. You do want to be able to sit backwards to paddle solo in order to get the trim right, and a lot cheap plastic boats with modeled seats aren't going to allow that. Smaller will be easier to load (but any canoe is probably too big for the bed of a truck), but worse in every other possible way. Lighter/faster is the opposite usually of slow and heavy and tough. So you have to pick a compromise.

This my new fishing kayak, a Kaku Kayak Wahoo 12.5. I have 5 others +2 canoes +3 paddle boards. I picked this one for its aggressive hull shape. I wanted something I could stand and fish off, but that was also fun to paddle and could handle strong winds and heavy waves in open water. I just got it and we have been flooded and cold and rainy, so I haven't paddled it that much, but it is definitely quicker than my other big boat, so it doesn't paddle like a barge, while still being stable enough to stand. Standing will take more practice though. I also like the open uncluttered deck.