I have a kayak with a trolling motor graphs and a 600 pound weight limit. It was a present from my wife when I retired from the military. I always joke and tell folks that my kayak Identifies as a john boat. Heard the whole, "Why don't you just buy a boat" quip quite a few times. I already own a boat. Sometimes I just want to fish from my expensive plastic tub.  Alot of people get caught up worrying and getting upset over what someone else uses and to that I say, "If you ain't paying for it then it's probably none of your business." I don't know when we got so judgmental as a society but it seems everybody is worried about everybody else these days instead of keeping their own house in order. I'm just happy I have multiple ways to get on the water since it is literally my therapy for PTSD.

Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t judging and I didn’t read any response that was, I just had a “scratch your head” moment.  I know there are reasons for why we fish from what we do but I find it interesting how what started as an economical way to fish, got all wrapped up in the marketing and huge cost jumps to stay current with all the add-ons.  I could care less how somebody spends their cash.  If I were to be judgmental I would have to say it’s the kayak world trying to be like a bass boat and experiencing the costs that go hand in hand with that. 

1 hour ago, TOXIC said:

Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t judging and I didn’t read any response that was, I just had a “scratch your head” moment.  I know there are reasons for why we fish from what we do but I find it interesting how what started as an economical way to fish, got all wrapped up in the marketing and huge cost jumps to stay current with all the add-ons.  I could care less how somebody spends their cash.  If I were to be judgmental I would have to say it’s the kayak world trying to be like a bass boat and experiencing the costs that go hand in hand with that. 

 

You can certainly still fish economically from a small paddle kayak, especially if you're on a small body of water. But it's not a lot of fun to do that on big lakes with lots of boat traffic and the potential weather issues. Even on small lakes, it can be hard to fish with getting blown around a lot.

 

My point is, that if you REALLY like fishing and you really enjoy being on a kayak, the Kayak Monkey is probably going to get you.

10 MPH winds are about the upper limit for me using the kayak on larger waters. I have a rule that if I can look out my kitchen window and see the trees moving more than just a light sway, I'm limited to one pond that's sort of in a hollow. It's the go-to in spring when the wind is howling.

22 hours ago, ElGuapo928 said:

 

 

 

Went out fishing on Sunday, just from the bank.

 

Across this small lake, behind some downed trees I saw a guy fishing in a kayak.

 

At second glance, I thought maybe there were TWO kayaks. At third glance, I noticed he was sitting up a good two feet or so.

 

After a bit, he came out into the open in a thing just like this. Only difference was he was using his feet to pedal it.

 

He was a man probably in his 70's and I offered to help him with it. He said thanks but no thanks. 

 

I wasn't paying exact attention after that, but somehow he managed to pull it up the boat ramp with some kind of a trolley and then onto a trailer.

I just can’t see where that thing is any less work than a boat. Maybe I’m missing something?

20 minutes ago, ElGuapo928 said:

I just can’t see where that thing is any less work than a boat. Maybe I’m missing something?

 

Yeah I don't know either.

 

I see no advantage.

 

I got home and right away I started googling it as I've never seen something like this before.

 

It's a Blue Sky Boatworks, costs over $4k.

 

Like I mentioned above, it was powered by pedals and he seemed to be having difficulty in the wind. He moved around in it some but there didn't seem to be much room for it.

 

For that price, I'd much rather have a jon boat or something. 

 

Lastly, I'd guess in the near future, he won't be able to handle it physically like he was. He got it on the trailer but it wasn't easy for him.

32 minutes ago, HawkeyeSmallie said:

 

Yeah I don't know either.

 

I see no advantage.

 

I got home and right away I started googling it as I've never seen something like this before.

 

It's a Blue Sky Boatworks, costs over $4k.

 

Like I mentioned above, it was powered by pedals and he seemed to be having difficulty in the wind. He moved around in it some but there didn't seem to be much room for it.

 

For that price, I'd much rather have a jon boat or something. 

 

Lastly, I'd guess in the near future, he won't be able to handle it physically like he was. He got it on the trailer but it wasn't easy for him.

It doesn't run on gas. It probably drafts a couple inches. You can get it plenty of places you can't even get a jon boat. It is pricey. I can see the drawbacks. But I do kayak fish, so I already deal with those. It is extremely stable compared kayaks or  even a 10' jon boat.

An anchor trolley and quick clete are a nice addition. 

9 hours ago, TOXIC said:

Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t judging and I didn’t read any response that was, I just had a “scratch your head” moment.  I know there are reasons for why we fish from what we do but I find it interesting how what started as an economical way to fish, got all wrapped up in the marketing and huge cost jumps to stay current with all the add-ons.  I could care less how somebody spends their cash.  If I were to be judgmental I would have to say it’s the kayak world trying to be like a bass boat and experiencing the costs that go hand in hand with that. 

Oh I wasn't targeting you specifically I am just making a general statement. Where I live we have ALOT of power restricted lakes and kayaks are big business.  The animosity between bas boat guys and kayak guys is well known in these parts. I have actually seen a few scraps at the ramp between kayakers and boaters and I'm always scratching my head asking "Isn't this supposed to be for fun and relaxation?"

I think we should bring @Susky River Rat into this conversation.

 

Where you at river rat? 😂

 

I don't own or fish in a yak.  But what does slightly bother me is when I see one without a PFD.  Which happens frequently.  I should probably just watch my own bobber though.

6 hours ago, gim said:

I don't own or fish in a yak.  But what does slightly bother me is when I see one without a PFD.

 

Yikes! I've twice seen boats dredging for a body and the one time I tipped, I had no warming whatsoever. I was above water and then seemingly, I was immediately below water.

 

6 hours ago, IYAOYAS said:

The animosity between bas boat guys and kayak guys is well known in these parts.

 

Hmmm. All that animosity should be saved for jet skiers and wakeboaters. 

7 hours ago, IYAOYAS said:

Oh I wasn't targeting you specifically I am just making a general statement. Where I live we have ALOT of power restricted lakes and kayaks are big business.  The animosity between bas boat guys and kayak guys is well known in these parts. I have actually seen a few scraps at the ramp between kayakers and boaters and I'm always scratching my head asking "Isn't this supposed to be for fun and relaxation?"

Interesting, because almost everywhere I go I have boaters come up to me at the ramp, in the parking lot, and even on the water that want to check out my kayak and tell me how cool it is.

 

I will say this, though. When I first got into kayak fishing I never even dreamed of the setup that I have now.

1 hour ago, Kayak Koz said:

Interesting, because almost everywhere I go I have boaters come up to me at the ramp, in the parking lot, and even on the water that want to check out my kayak and tell me how cool it is.

 

I will say this, though. When I first got into kayak fishing I never even dreamed of the setup that I have now.

The most compliments I get on my Kayak are either from other kayaks guys or bank folks fishing at the ramp. I guess it's just about the location. I do however think there's one thing we can ALL agree on. Wake Boats suck and the people who drive them are nine times out of ten just as bad. 😂

Not just bad, but downright criminal!

 

Here in Florida our county sheriffs often do surveillance on busy lakes LOOKING for those criminal wake boat drivers.

 

I was on Lake Brantley years ago- a now private lake since the rich folks who live there had their HOA purchase the boat ramp and land for parking, and now that lake is locked behind an HOA gate. Public boat ramp is gone but HOA members can use it now. And now there is a marked landing strip in middle of the lake for those rich people to fly in and out as they please in their small planes.

 

But I was fishing with a buddy of mine in his jon boat and we had like 6 inches between surface of water and top of the boat railing. And on that lake are some of those- well on dry land they call them soccer moms, but out on a lake they call them ski moms with her little junior budding superstar on skis she blasts around the lake at full speed.

 

This one ski mom apparently did not like anyone getting in her way on her lake. And we were closer to shore paralleling the shore and minding our own business fishing away in shallow water too shallow for her and her little superstar. We were not in her way at all.

 

So one day we hear this noise behind us and turn around to seeing one of those wake boats heading straight for us at near full speed. As she approaches us broadside straight on, she wheels it to the right as we are throwing down the rods and reaching for the motors- both of them to start moving some how. Primarily to get out of her way or at least turn bow into oncoming 3 to 4 foot tall wall of water she intentionally was sending our way as she wheels hard right that seemed to only increase the size of the wall of water she directed at us.

 

And next thing I know I see 3 cops on jet skiis come blasting out of a canal where they were sitting and just watching the lake. They chased her down and not sure what they did to her, but I know they impounded her boat for awhile. She targeted us.

 

So its not just "bad" drivers. Some of us have to deal with criminal drivers intentionally trying to swamp us. Have not been back to Lake Brantley since.

 

But down here in Florida all lakes belong to the citizens due to riparian rights laws that go back to the very creation of this state. More and more lakes are being closed off to us for some reason and us citizens may one day need to look into some sort of legal action to regain access to what is being taken from us that we already own as citizens. The rich should not be able to shut us out of more and more lakes. But its happening all over Florida. I have a list of them that used to have public boat ramps that are now closed off to us.

On 8/27/2025 at 9:28 AM, Kayak Koz said:

You just have to start off facing in the other direction. I can't believe no one else suggested this. 😁

Genius! I put some rearview mirrors on the rig and now I'm unstoppable. Canoers fear me, rowers want to be me!

1 hour ago, FloridaFishinFool said:

But down here in Florida all lakes belong to the citizens due to riparian rights laws that go back to the very creation of this state. More and more lakes are being closed off to us for some reason and us citizens may one day need to look into some sort of legal action to regain access to what is being taken from us that we already own as citizens. The rich should not be able to shut us out of more and more lakes.

 

It's the identical situation in Maine. All Mainers own the water greater than 10 acres, but increasingly, our access is denied, which is why I have granted access to several dozen Mainers to my pond. 

 

I am so glad the wakeboarding woman was busted. She is a criminal. A thug.

I’m spending a lot of time and money this weekend fixing wake boat damage.
 

Got a shattered windshield from the idiot doing circles in the no wake pushing it under the dock, got 2 torn trolling motor isolators to replace, and a big gouge in my trailer fender from one of them backing into it. 
 

I think it should be legal to torpedo them, but that’s just me.

@gim I plead the 5th on this topic 

4 minutes ago, ElGuapo928 said:

Got a shattered windshield from the idiot doing circles in the no wake pushing it under the dock, got 2 torn trolling motor isolators to replace, and a big gouge in my trailer fender from one of them backing into it. 

 

Another thug. 

47 minutes ago, ElGuapo928 said:

I’m spending a lot of time and money this weekend fixing wake boat damage.
 

Got a shattered windshield from the idiot doing circles in the no wake pushing it under the dock, got 2 torn trolling motor isolators to replace, and a big gouge in my trailer fender from one of them backing into it. 
 

I think it should be legal to torpedo them, but that’s just me.

 

The amount of damage they cause to the lake as a whole has been well-documented.  The University of MN just completed a 2 year study.

 

Their recommendations state they should operate in at least 20 feet of water and at least 500 feet from any shoreline.

 

Of course, Mercury Marine stated they can safely operate in 10 feet of water and only 200 feet from the shoreline.  Mercury sells boat engines.  I wouldn't take their opinion for being worth more than a warm turd drying out in the sun since they have a major stake in this industry.

8 minutes ago, gim said:

 

The amount of damage they cause to the lake as a whole has been well-documented.  The University of MN just completed a 2 year study.

 

Their recommendations state they should operate in at least 20 feet of water and at least 500 feet from any shoreline.

 

Of course, Mercury Marine stated they can safely operate in 10 feet of water and only 200 feet from the shoreline.  Mercury sells boat engines.  I wouldn't take their opinion for being worth more than a warm turd drying out in the sun since they have a major stake in this industry.

Around here I’d like to see one operate 200’ from the ramp!! Most of them seem to just go in circles around the no wake buoys, while helping all of us to experience their poor taste in music (extra points to torpedo the one with “shake it off” on an endless loop).

To be fair, a few do have the courtesy to stay out in the main lake and mind their own business - but the other 95% (who live in constant fear that nobody is looking at them) give the rest a bad name.

 

If they are operating in a no wake zone, that is against the law.  I'd report it the next time I saw it.

 

The wake boat industry loves to use the claim that education is the way to go.  Its not.  Because 1) either they aren't educating enough, or 2) the wake boats still don't care.

 

It's shameful that one select demographic of the industry thinks they are exempt from ruining lakes because of personal freedom.  There is literally no other establishment in the boating realm that causes the damage they do.

 

That being said, the amount of wake boaters (and recreational traffic in general) is about to go way down here.  Once Labor Day hits, a lot of them hang it up for the season.  And looking at the forecast next week, we have a couple days where the high won't reach 70 either.  The lakes are about to be devoid of activity again...

19 minutes ago, gim said:

If they are operating in a no wake zone, that is against the law.  I'd report it the next time I saw it.

 

The wake boat industry loves to use the claim that education is the way to go.  Its not.  Because 1) either they aren't educating enough, or 2) the wake boats still don't care.

 

It's shameful that one select demographic of the industry thinks they are exempt from ruining lakes because of personal freedom.  There is literally no other establishment in the boating realm that causes the damage they do.

 

That being said, the amount of wake boaters (and recreational traffic in general) is about to go way down here.  Once Labor Day hits, a lot of them hang it up for the season.  And looking at the forecast next week, we have a couple days where the high won't reach 70 either.  The lakes are about to be devoid of activity again...

One of the biggest perks of our lakes is also their biggest downfall - absolutely zero development around them means no full time law enforcement presence.
 

The Sheriffs Office and Game and Fish pick them off from time to time, but the sheer volume of idiots is overwhelming. 

I understand that enforcement is minimal.  It's the same way here.

 

It's not gonna stop me from reporting violations, however.  When I see someone breaking a hunting or game law, I report it to TIP which is a Turn in Poachers hotline.