I have never owned a kayak and I'm deciding between a short one man canoe or a kayak for a trip to the far north after retirement this year. My canoe experience is limited but my canoe mentor has given great advice as to what to look for. My hesitation is I want my hands free while I fish. What are ya'lls opinions about a fin drive pedal kayak? Does it really give more convenience to the angler as opposed to a paddle kayak that paddles must be put down to use hands? Is there a budget kayak that receives good marks from users? I'm 66 so weight is beginning to become a concern. Is there a canoe or kayak terrain cart that is recommended? I like the idea of a pedal kayak with rudder steering but I'm open to what you experts view as a good way to experience new waters.

thanks

Bob

Hello BRB,

Are you planning on car topping, trailering or truck bed transporting? Price concerns? How large of a person are you? Or you want something you can pick up under your arm and carry to water? Most of the pedal kayaks are pretty darn heavy 80-100lbs plus. There are some exceptions to that rule. The Hobie Lynx comes to mind.

Pedal kayaks really open up a lot more water to fishing or add fishability in any kind of wind. Blue Raider can you possibly give more of an idea on how your going to use your new Kayak? Last thought is to let you know that if your going sit-on-top. The quality of the seat is paramount.

Best,

FM

p.s. Here is a picture of the Lynx. It weighs 47lbs hull, 63 with seat and pedal drive.

You have good questions and hopefully I can help you with some experience.

The first is as you add equipment weight goes up. Seems obvious but a nice stable fishing paddle kayak will run ~80lbs while a pedal drive will quickly break 120lbs for a 10’. Even with a cart transportation can quickly become an issue because you’re not just taking the kayak. You have tackle and other gear plus the cart weight. My fully loaded Titan 12 was easily 200+ pounds. Your weight and the gear you plan to take is also a major factor. Many kayaks list their weight limits and I strongly recommend you follow them. Also determine if that limit includes the kayak or not.

I have gone from pedal to paddle because of the limited portability. I sold the 12’ and downsized to a 10’ and am much happier. I can still add whatever I need to fish tournaments or big water but slow floats down a local creek aren’t a nightmare now.

The used market for kayaks is great right now because of multiple factors. A lot of the Covid buyers are moving out of their kayaks, the offerings from big box stores are improved, and there has been a glut of kayaks bought over the last five years. People like me who change their mind on what they want means someone else was able to buy my used Titan with a ton of kit included.

To help you better we will need to know how you’re transporting the boat, the requirements you have for what it need to rig, and if this is a one time burner yak or something you’d like to invest in long term.

Oh yes, and regarding the question about fin drive like the Hobie mirage it is much better IMHO then the prop type pedal drive around thick weedy waters. Also you can go shallower by feathering the fins or short stroking where the fin is out almost parallel to the water.

FM

11 minutes ago, Fishingmickey said:

Oh yes, and regarding the question about fin drive like the Hobie mirage it is much better IMHO then the prop type pedal drive around thick weedy waters. Also you can go shallower by feathering the fins or short stroking where the fin is out almost parallel to the water.

FM

The only thing to keep in mind is you should always keep replacement parts with you for your drive. Fin drives have cables which can break and prop drives will break props.

The need to car top has kept me away from pedal drives thus far, otherwise I would have one, at least for lakes. For shallow rivers, i don't want anything extra hanging underneath.

It is typically no problem to free your hands while you fish by simply laying the paddle across your lap. Many kayaks also have rigging on either side that can be used to secure a paddle lengthwise if you want it completely out of the way for awhile.

I paddle and it is definitely challenging, frustrating at times and honestly...can be limiting. I use anchors, but am very strict on their use and where and when I deploy them. I'm a minimalist type angler, so many wouldn't go my way. I enjoy when it does come together as I will never get jaded always working to get on fish, but I like it that way. I don't run the normal kayak two-paddle; I use half of one and go canoe style.

1 hour ago, JonB2 said:

I don't run the normal kayak two-paddle; I use half of one and go canoe style.

Me too. A kayak paddle takes up too much room, so I paddle my kayak with a canoe paddle and my backup paddle is runt paddle, a paddle with a shortened shaft. That's all I need to retrieve my lost paddle.

Lots of good advice here. I'll add my two cents, but some of that repeats what was said earlier.

1. What's your budget? That narrows it down quickly.

2. As mentioned earlier, how will you transport it? Car topping isn't as easy when you get to our age.

3. Are you fishing big water or ponds? In big water I wouldn't go out in anything less tan 12 feet nor would I fish big water out of a paddle kayak. You'll be easily frustrated and wish you would have invested in a pedal drive.

4. Read a lot of reviews, especially those involving customer service. Some pedal kayaks look tempting, like Brooklyn Kayak - until you read about their customer service.

5. There's nothing wrong with a used kayak that's a bit dinged up.

6. Get a good PFD.

7. @Swamp Girl is a great resource for canoes.

My first kayak was an inexpensive Seastream Angler 120 pedal drive and I loved that thing. But it had limitations, including it was cheap plastic compared to my AP120 or the XTR I'm buying next. But it was still a good entry level pedal kayak.

I’m also in the bare bones crowd but I bet the pedals would be very nice if you wanted to be hands free. I have several kayaks and a canoe and they all serve a purpose. If I could only have one it would be a canoe, way more open space to move around and easy to carry. My wife has the Jackson liska kayak that I fish out of the most , it’s the Cadillac of our fleet. Paddles fairly fast, very stable , comfy chair, lots of storage. It’s heavy tho at 89ish lbs empty, I can car top it solo but I have to use a car I don’t mind scuffing or denting. It’s a 2 person lift if You want to avoid scratches. In my truck I can drop the tailgate and just life one end to set it into the bed and slide the rest of the way.

8 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

It’s heavy tho at 89ish lbs empty, I can car top it solo but I have to use a car I don’t mind scuffing or denting. It’s a 2 person lift if You want to avoid scratches. In my truck I can drop the tailgate and just life one end to set it into the bed and slide the rest of the way.

I have seen integrated rack rollers and window suction cup rollers to help with car topping, but I am nit sure of their weight capacity.

Bob, I will tell you this: You'll see no kayaks in the bush lakes of northwestern Ontario. There are reasons it's called Canoe Country, one of which you'll understand on your first portage.

I couldn't bring myself to spring for a Hobie, but I've pedaled a FeelFree Lure 11.5 for almost 10 years and an Old Town Sportsman 120 PDL PRO for this season.

The only canoe experience I have is when I fished with @Fishing Rhino. He had an Old Town w/ TM for propulsion and transported it in his pickup with a bed extender.

The FeelFree is much smaller than the Old Town, has an all day comfortable seat, and pedal drive that can be removed easily and accommodates their own electric motor. It also has a fully padded deck. I'm 60 and can lift the FeelFree's hull on my Tundra's ladder rack. It doesn't have a transducer mount built into the hull. I use a scupper mount. FeelFree also has a wheel in its keel, making it easy to transport across parking lots and packed terrain. Spare parts are readily available and their customer service is phenomenal. I want to say they're about $2,500 w/pedal drive.

The Old Town is set up better for fishing. It has rod tube and in-hull storage, accommodates a TM and about any electronics you want. The seat is fair, at best, compared to my FeelFree and there's very little deck padding. It also allows a lot of water in the floor when the pedal drive is stowed up, or removed. The FeelFree doesn't. Fully rigged, it probably weighs close to 150 pounds. I paid $3,200 for mine, on sale.

Both my kayaks are stand up stable. My Lure averages about 3.5 mph pedaling normally. The Sportsman is slightly faster @ 4 mph.

To pick one again, I'd stick with the FeelFree. Even though the Old Town in made here in the US, they skimped on a lot of small things, quality wise, that the FeelFree does better.

As far as weight, I'd say a 10' - 10.5' fits your needs better. Whether pedal or fin drive, being hands free is the only way to go.

Good luck picking out your kayak.

Wow, that's so much more info than I was ready to digest.....thanks so much to everyone for their response. I'm sorry I did not give proper info at the beginning. I'll be 66 this year but can still walk with 100lb short distances if I have to. The canoe and kayak carts will be part of my kit. I will be in a pick up and possibly even pulling my 16' Alumacraft, so the canoe/kayak can piggyback. My weight is 195 and I'm I'm over six feet if that needs to be considered. Budget is not a big concern although I do not want top end as I may not use the craft often after I return to Tennessee. I would really like to stand to fish but that may be a pipe dream at my age and the cold water environments I will visit. If I can get lucky in the used market, (which is where I plan to be), a canoe and kayak could be a possibility. Katie, I'm really listening to you about the portage issue as this is a huge concern as I plan the Ontario adventure.

Thanks again BR Family!

Full disclaimer: I am not a kayak angler. I'm a boat guy.

But if I was going to try the kayak, I would also definitely go with something hands free. I need both my hands to fish effectively and the idea of holding the yak in a position while I can fish greatly appeals to me. Plus the pedal power of moving more distance across the water while burning some calories is also a bonus.

10 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

I’m also in the bare bones crowd but I bet the pedals would be very nice if you wanted to be hands free. I have several kayaks and a canoe and they all serve a purpose. If I could only have one it would be a canoe, way more open space to move around and easy to carry. My wife has the Jackson liska kayak that I fish out of the most , it’s the Cadillac of our fleet. Paddles fairly fast, very stable , comfy chair, lots of storage. It’s heavy tho at 89ish lbs empty, I can car top it solo but I have to use a car I don’t mind scuffing or denting. It’s a 2 person lift if You want to avoid scratches. In my truck I can drop the tailgate and just life one end to set it into the bed and slide the rest of the way.

I car top my Bonafide ss107 which is roughly the same weight as your boat, do you have roof racks? I watched some smarter people than me to learn and on my GTI I’ve applied zero dents and I solo load it all the time. I’m also like 5’10 and am in a shape. It happens to be round.

Use one of your straps between the two racks on the outside edge. Tighten it hand tight and when you lift the nose lay it against that strap between the racks at an angle touching the front rack. The boat should rest on the strap and never touch the car. I have a bath mat under just in case but so far it’s been perfect. Lift the rear and slide it on. Repeat in reverse to unload it.

40 minutes ago, Blue Raider Bob said:

Wow, that's so much more info than I was ready to digest.....thanks so much to everyone for their response. I'm sorry I did not give proper info at the beginning. I'll be 66 this year but can still walk with 100lb short distances if I have to. The canoe and kayak carts will be part of my kit. I will be in a pick up and possibly even pulling my 16' Alumacraft, so the canoe/kayak can piggyback. My weight is 195 and I'm I'm over six feet if that needs to be considered. Budget is not a big concern although I do not want top end as I may not use the craft often after I return to Tennessee. I would really like to stand to fish but that may be a pipe dream at my age and the cold water environments I will visit. If I can get lucky in the used market, (which is where I plan to be), a canoe and kayak could be a possibility. Katie, I'm really listening to you about the portage issue as this is a huge concern as I plan the Ontario adventure.

Thanks again BR Family!

Considering your weight plus gear including the cart id suggest a weight limit of boat+gear of 350lbs+ to be safe.

Feelfree has the moken and lure models in the 12 foot range which would fit the bill.

A bonafide RS117, ss107, ss127 would all work great and you can easily stand in the 107/127.

Ascend Path has the weight limit.

Nucanoe U10 or unlimited would be a splurge purchase but provide a canoe like open cockpit and feel.

One thing no one mentioned is if you’re going to be remote in cold water it might be worth buying a sat phone. If you hit the drink and have little chance to get to safety quickly many sat phones or receivers have emergency buttons. You can carabiner it to your pfd in a small waterproof bag. I take one with me whenever I kayak camp or head out into big water or the ocean.

I spent my youth fishing out of a canoe. I know how to paddle one, and also know the limitations. I will never fish out of a canoe ever again. I have also fished out of many different kinds of paddle kayaks, which like canoes, I will never do again. The only way I will fish out of a canoe is with two people. One positions the boat, the other fishes. Taking turns works well, but trying to fish solo and paddle is not for me.

I know there are many people that have zero difficulties fishing while paddling, and most could outfish me on my best day, but in my opinion a peddle kayak is light years ahead of a paddle one for bass fishing. With a peddle drive, I can fish in strong winds, make casts while still being under propulsion, position my kayak while I'm casting and retrieving, and basically enjoy my day on the water with far less frustration than a boat I have to paddle.

If you fish in calm conditions, and don't mind spending more time positioning, than casting go with a paddle kayak or canoe. If you like to fish offshore, in windy conditions, or work a shoreline quickly and effectively, buy a peddle kayak.

I can also take my Hobie out on the ocean, where I can troll for miles without getting tired, and never fear for my safety.

A pedal kayak is really the way to go if you aren't going electric. You still need a paddle if you get in weeds or very shallow water. You have to pull the pedal gear up/out when you get really shallow. Remember the kayaks with flippers don't go backwards that I'm aware of. I could see the need for pedaling backwards when you hook a fish. You'll still need a hand to adjust steering. There are some battery/manual pedal kayaks. In my state you have to register any electric vessel to use it on public waters. Of course, if you really go out in the wild it might be impossible to recharge. Beyond that, I'd definitely recommend a good seat. It makes all the difference in 3 hours of discomfort and 6 hours of slightly less discomfort. LOL. If you get a kayak stable enough to stand on you can stretch your legs without getting out/off. Along those lines, I'd definitely recommend a sit on top model.

I've been using a paddle since I got rid of my old FeelFree 13' with electric motor. I don't think it makes much of a difference in how many I catch. But then I don't paddle for miles. I also don't fish big waters where it might get windy. Even so, aa 10 mph wind is about the max I'll try in my kayak. I do have a pond in a wooded area I can go to when the wind is really howling.