7 hours ago, OldManLure said:

There is something very special about silently launching at dawn and witnessing, without interrupting it, the sights and sounds of the river (or lake) and woods come to life.  Or taking out at nightfall when the growing silence is broken only by the sounds of night creatures starting their nightly ventures.  I believe a kayak (and canoe) simply provides a level of communion with the water and nature that is nearly impossible to achieve with a boat.  

 

This x2. Beautiful!

     I have had my Hobie PA 14 now for over 6 years. I have had boats in the past and after selling my last in 2015 (A 1999 Sylvan Explorer 16) I was shocked at the time at the price of boats. So I purchased a kayak to keep me on the water. Now the kayak hurts. The seating position hurts my lower back and reeks havoc on my knees. About 6 weeks ago I took delivery of a new Sun Dolphin Pro 120. I'll be installing my Minn Kota Terova Kayak 55lb trolling motor on her next spring. I'm also in the market for a used 9.9 HP outboard. I feel that the little plastic boat will be much better for me as the seating position while fishing is going to be upright. I'm anxious to get out on the water with my new boat.

Obviously this thread has simply turned into nothing but an echo chamber for yak lovers who want to crap on boat owners.

 

If it had simply stayed on course with reasons kayak owners had one instead of ripping on a boat and why they are more expensive, cumbersome, heavy, and a burden to own, it would have turned out much better.  But nope, it went off the rails.

 

Maybe I'll start a thread to highlight the advantages of a boat and then let the vultures circle in to pee on the yaks while we're at it.

14 hours ago, gim said:

The kayak crowd doesn’t believe this. They all think you have to drop 100 grand on a tricked out bass boat.

 

Heck, my Ranger is worth about $25 grand. Yes, repeat. It’s worth about $25,000. It’s not loaded up with 5 giant screens, twin power poles, a 250 horse outboard, and a bow mount with spot lock either. How is this possible?

It’s like I said in my post. Your boat is almost overkill for fun fishing. You don’t even need that large of an engine. If you were tournament fishing it might put you at a disadvantage where less than a pound separates money bags. 

7 minutes ago, gim said:

Obviously this thread has simply turned into nothing but an echo chamber for yak lovers who want to crap on boat owners.

 

If it had simply stayed on course with reasons kayak owners had one instead of ripping on a boat and why they are more expensive, cumbersome, heavy, and a burden to own, it would have turned out much better.  But nope, it went off the rails.

 

Maybe I'll start a thread to highlight the advantages of a boat and then let the vultures circle in to pee on the yaks while we're at it.

Kayakers and boaters getting along? Why don't you just ask cats and dogs to hang out together. 😂

8 minutes ago, gim said:

Obviously this thread has simply turned into nothing but an echo chamber for yak lovers who want to crap on boat owners.

 

If it had simply stayed on course with reasons kayak owners had one instead of ripping on a boat and why they are more expensive, cumbersome, heavy, and a burden to own, it would have turned out much better.  But nope, it went off the rails.

 

Maybe I'll start a thread to highlight the advantages of a boat and then let the vultures circle in to pee on the yaks while we're at it.

I don’t see how it’s yak owners bashing on boat owners. You have two wildly different groups explaining their choices.  

1 minute ago, TNBankFishing said:

It’s like I said in my post. Your boat is almost overkill for fun fishing. You don’t even need that large of an engine. If you were tournament fishing it might put you at a disadvantage where less than a pound separates money bags. 

Maybe it's the American in me or even the Gen Xer(that's probably more the reason) but as soon as somebody says I don't NEED something I want it all that much more and will do whatever it takes to get it. 😂

1 minute ago, IYAOYAS said:

Maybe it's the American in me or even the Gen Xer(that's probably more the reason) but as soon as somebody says I don't NEED something I want it all that much more and will do whatever it takes to get it. 😂

That’s the exact rabbit hole so many of us go down regardless of which platform we fish from. Does a power pole on a yak or talons on a fiberglass boat actually equate to more fish per season? Probably not much. Do we have to have them because we can? Of course. 

Just now, TNBankFishing said:

That’s the exact rabbit hole so many of us go down regardless of which platform we fish from. Does a power pole on a yak or talons on a fiberglass boat actually equate to more fish per season? Probably not much. Do we have to have them because we can? Of course. 

Touche Mon Ami

8 minutes ago, IYAOYAS said:

Kayakers and boaters getting along? Why don't you just ask cats and dogs to hang out together. 😂

Mine do.....😀

The reason I enjoy my kayak is because it gives me a much closer connection to nature and the water than being in a boat. My energy levels run in peaks and valleys, and getting out in nature on my kayak is how I recharge my batteries.

 

When I'm out there fishing for fun, my mind quite literally goes blank. I'm not thinking about work, family, or even fishing. It becomes my Zen place.

 

If you've followed me on this forum, you know I've hemmed and hawed about buying a boat. Just a month or two ago I was in the dealer showroom ready to pull the trigger on a 17 foot Lowe boat. But I backed out at the last minute. The primary reason is that I really, really like being out there on the kayak.

 

This despite the fact that it's slow as molasses out there. But to compensate, I've rigged my trailer with a winch and set it up so I can quickly put it in the water or take it out. Boat guys won't be yelling at me for blocking the ramp. By being able to do this quickly I can easily drive off to another ramp as needed.

 

Between purchases and upgrades to my kayak and trailer I have probably $20k into the whole thing. But comparing what I spend on that to just buying a Tracker is great for grins, especially among boaters that think it's ridiculous, but it's not fair. It's about the enjoyment that I get out there and what I consider my best bang for my buck.

 

Boats are great and I have nothing against them. In my opinion, they just seem more like "go, go, go" when what my mind and body need are the peace and tranquility that I found out on my kayak.

Oh boy, talk about a lot to unpack here...Winter has officially set in  

50 minutes ago, gim said:

Obviously this thread has simply turned into nothing but an echo chamber for yak lovers who want to crap on boat owners.

I respectfully disagree. Choices are being shared and the reasons for them that suit their needs and life situation. There is no right or wrong answer here. Just answers, with explanations.

I run a canoe and a boat.

IMO, they each scratch a different kind of itch. I would also like to note that no moon total darkness night ops in the canoe, are seriously next level.

A-Jay

I will add that my boat is a fish and ski and doubles as a family pleasure craft during the summer months. If I can get on the water to be honest I'm down however were going. I'll ride in a floating kiddie pool if the fish are biting. Here's my two special ladies.

 

 

 

2 hours ago, gim said:

Maybe I'll start a thread to highlight the advantages of a boat

But that’s everything 😂

On 12/17/2025 at 10:20 PM, Smirak said:

Because I live in a neighborhood where our HOA doesn’t allow anything other than a vehicle to be parked in your driveway over 48 hrs. My back yard isn’t conducive to backing a trailer into it to be behind the fence.  I can’t put an 18’ Nitro in the back of my truck either. 

You need out of that silliness, I can rent ya a place! 

1 minute ago, TnRiver46 said:

You need out of that silliness, I can rent ya a place! 

Funny you say that…a new club opened in Hardin Valley and the wife has been traveling there for the past month or so…I’ve been with her the last couple weeks. 

@Smirak, small world! The shop at my old job was in Hardin valley. My current boss lives in Hardin valley. You should have seen that area 15 yrs ago……….

 

i have a house on a lake about 45 minutes from there ! I wasn’t really thinking about renting it but for a fisherman such as yourself I would! How are you at rebuilding a wooden deck from 1988 and finishing drywall?? 😂 

1 hour ago, TnRiver46 said:

@Smirak, small world! The shop at my old job was in Hardin valley. My current boss lives in Hardin valley. You should have seen that area 15 yrs ago……….

 

i have a house on a lake about 45 minutes from there ! I wasn’t really thinking about renting it but for a fisherman such as yourself I would! How are you at rebuilding a wooden deck from 1988 and finishing drywall?? 😂 

Haha - again, funny you say that. I built a deck around our swimming pool with my dad in…you guessed it…1988!

 

i suck at drywall though 😂😂

2 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

How are you at rebuilding a wooden deck from 1988 and finishing drywall??

Seriously?!? You're killing me

I own two canoes, a canoe/kayak hybrid, and a fishing kayak. I've also owned V-hulls and jonboats with motors and other canoes and kayaks.

 

I'm not just an angler. I'm a paddler too. I've literally paddled thousands of miles with zero fishing because I love paddling that much.

 

I also love launching the traditional northwoods boat, i.e. a canoe, on northwoods water.

 

Lastly, I have spent so much time in little boats with a paddle in my hand that I can, here and there, control the boat without a paddle. When I was a whitewater paddler, I knew a guy who would chuck his paddle ashore in standing waves and control his kayak with his weight. It's a little easier to do that in a whitewater kayak, where you're leg-and-knee-braced and attached to the boat with a spray skirt, but I can do it with my little boats and it's so gratifying, close to magical, when my boat turns on a little river or bog the way I need to go without my paddle or any thought. 

On 12/16/2025 at 5:46 PM, Jig Man said:

I see a lot of posts about them.  I see several of them on the water.  Some are in places that I consider to be dangerous because of motor powered boats in the area especially the green and brown ones.  I've never been in one and am too old to even try.  I am just wondering why you kayakers use them instead of a bigger more seeable boat. 

I don't fish big waters. If I did, I would fly a red flag. But the reason I got the kayak was I was tired of competing with people in bass boats for 2 lb bass. I had a boat. I would go over to my dad's Lake Wateree, SC house and spend the night. I would get up with the chickens and hit my best spot. There would usually already be 2 boats there. Did they sleep there? I'm 3rd in line to my favorite spot! No thanks.

 

I started thinking I'd rather have a smaller craft to get into ponds and shallow spots like flooded timber that bass boats can't. I paddle with ease through weeds and stumps you can't run a trolling motor though. You'd be amazed how many big bass are in very shallow water year round. 

 

Now, to change the subject, my mom had ALS, which eventually claimed her life. I took her to the hospital and back to have a feeding tube put in. On the way out of Augusta we drove parallel to a canal and there were people kayaking, some fishing. I commented "That looks fun." She said "It looks like fun is over for me." That broke my heart. But when I got home I told my wife "I will have a fishing kayak." I didn't get it until well after she passed. But I really felt what she said.

 

So I got a kayak, the first of 3 I've owned. I started fishing smaller waters and areas you can't even get a jon boat into. I've consistently caught more and bigger bass than I ever would have chasing dinks in the big lake. To me, it's fun, good exercise, and inexpensive. I would still like a jon boat. I'm 55 and there are some limitations to sitting in the kayak all day. I need a good stretch every couple hours. 

22 hours ago, gim said:

The kayak crowd doesn’t believe this. They all think you have to drop 100 grand on a tricked out bass boat.

 

Heck, my Ranger is worth about $25 grand. Yes, repeat. It’s worth about $25,000. It’s not loaded up with 5 giant screens, twin power poles, a 250 horse outboard, and a bow mount with spot lock either. How is this possible?

But my kayak cost about $700. And it drafts a few inches. I have no electronics. I can load/unload it by hand in places with no boat ramps. There is no boat/trailer maintenance. People hear I fish from it and offer to let me fish their private property. There's big'uns in those places.

 

But mainly, it's just a matter of preference for me. When I was a kid I wanted nothing more than a Ranger bass boat. Priorities changed.

No kayak

But at night I’ll be fishing out of an inflatable 

72ish lbs for the inflatable and less than 15ish ponds for the 4 hp motor 

 

The boat is for longer trips