Think Twice Before Buying a Fishing Kayak – 10 Reasons It SUCKS!

For 48 hours after my first kayak trip my upper body was extremely sore.

Helpful hint: if your scared of the winds and storms dont go on days they are calling for it!!! Also Anchor wizard and micro power poles work awesome!!!

Great video Daren! I already own 2 kayaks for salt water fishing. Bonafide SS127 and Oldtown Sportsman PDL120. I absolute agree with you with the pros and cons mentioned in this video. I must say, because I can move around and find the fish, my fishing catch ratio has gone up a lot. It's almost too easy. I can fish where boats cannot go. Since my fishing buddies always see photos of me catching fish, I'd always used to say, c'mon get your kayak already bro! This past year, I got off work and loaded up the gear and the kayak. When I got to the spot I usually launch from, found it was low moon tide. The water was over 100 yards away. I already promised my 6 year old son, I was going to take him fishing with me on the kayak. I had to pull my kayak fully loaded 220lbs+ through 3" deep mud with beach cart tires, just to get to the waters edge to paddle off. Not a lot of options here in New York City by me. It's more like, you see a little opening and say, lets drop it in right there! Nothing like trekking through the sea floor with crocs. ;P I was determined! After an additional 45-50 minutes just getting to the water, we were off! We had a blast fishing that night, caught many fish. But I stopped telling my friends to get a kayak. I now tell them, this is not for everyone. If you think you can pull it over rocks to launch, offload and load it on vehicle, fight the current, wind, and waves, then go for it! I hope I can remain healthy and strong enough to do this for many more years, as I am over 50. So far for me, the positives out weigh the negatives of having a fishing kayak. Stay great, keep up the great content. Happy New Year! <O)^^><{

I went back and forth between a kayak and the little plastic 2 seater Pond Prowler. Ended up going with the Pond Prowler because it slides right into the truck bed like a kayak and my balance is terrible (stroke recovery) and the thing is incredibly stable. Do have to use a motor so that sucks. Still have a cheapo kayak I use to fish with the fam. Funny what you said about the rods behind you. I've had at least 10 massive tangles from hitting those poles behind me.

I have a 36 lbs pelican I bought off of Facebook marketplace. I can haul it through the woods to backwaters, I can lift it up mud hills when I’m climbing out of the river with it. I can throw it on top of my jeep very easily.

Yes, it cannot handle strong wind well, and it can be a little tough in choppy water.

But I fish with it multiple times a week, and can get to places regular people just cannot. I literally cross a lake and haul it 2 miles round trip to get to places well the bass have never seen bait.

Personally, I looked at kayaks, and I ended up buying a Sportspal canoe. Including a boat seat for extreme all day comfort, it's about 40 lbs for a 12 ft canoe and paddle. I throw this thing up on the roof in 2 minutes, and that's a huge deal for me.

Spot lock is awesome. I love my Autopilot 120.

My Outback hasn't let me down…been through winds, and waves…I will say that with all the videos I've watched have prepared me well.

Thanks for a great video. Heading into season six, and it's epic in many different ways. 😎 🎣

I moved from a kayak to a jon boat. I like fishing rivers. My experience with pedaling back up a a river in flood stage was no fun and exhausting. I still have a kayak but its more for carry in and electric motor only lakes.

I own a bare bones fishing yak, no pedals and on windy days it can incredibly hard to stay on spot and an anchor doesnt serve me at all lol and i am going to upgrade my boat but until i do ill just deal with it

Excellent video covering all the key considerations. I just got into kayak fishing this year because I couldn’t tow both my trailer and boat to Texas for the winter. I’m 67 years old and moderately able bodied. I have a Bonafide PWR129 with a Torqueedo and Micro Power Pole. The kayak is a very capable fishing platform, and has many benefits compared to a boat. The biggest challenge is loading and unloading. I haul it in the back of my pickup with a bed extender. I pretty much have to remove everything from the kayak for loading and unloading, and it’s still a lot of work. I have the Sidekick
wheels like you, which are an absolute must have. I find the PWR plenty stable enough to stand and fish from. In my opinion the Torqueedo and the Power Pole make a massive difference in usability and effectiveness. I have no regrets getting the kayak, you just really need to think through all the things you point out in your video. Having a kayak specific trailer would make a big difference if that worked for a person.

I absolutely love my kayaks. I bought them to fish my favorite smallmouth rivers. For simplicity and solitude. Going where I can't take my boat. Otherwise, my boat is my office. I've got all the bells and whistles. Love them both and prefer my Pursuit and Unlimited pretty plain and simple.

Video was well done Wendell 🫡

Going from a pelican kayak to a Nucanoe U10 in the spring! Great video!

Buy once cry once they say and I’m still crying 😂😂😂

Fishing in the wind just takes practice if you’re in a paddle yak . It can be frustrating but it’s worth the effort

Great video! I went form bank fishing as a teenager to bringing a fishing pole onto a paddle board which sparked the idea of getting a fishing kayak which led me down the road of 3 fishing kayaks one loaded out, one throw and go, and one thats loaded out but not with all the bells and whistles for when I bring people with me and like 50 rods and looking at getting a bass boat! lol so one thing about getting into kayak fishing is that it will lead you down a dark road of being obsessed about bass fishing! I dream about cover scats and chigger craws chasing me 😂

Solid Video Wendell!

My biggest deal was working with one thats too heavy in the wind with only pdl drive. But i work around it and dont care bc ill catch anything anywhere 😅