Newbee advice & opinions wanted

Hi all. New to the forum but a long time lurker.



I’m new to kayak fishing and can’t wait to get started. I have pretty much made up my mind and for my 1st kayak, I have chosen the Field & Stream Eagle Talon. I thought this would be a great beginners yak and after seeing it at Dick’s Sporting Goods, I liked it’s quality, price, features, etc.



My question is this: I cannot find any reviews from my peers on any of the kayak boards, forums, etc. The only reviews I have found are the customer reviews posted on Dick’s website.



Anyone have any insites, opinions, etc.



Thanks.

How far out in the ocean?

– Last Updated: Oct-07-12 10:43 AM EST –

Your profile lists ocean/sea for paddling environments. That is more about the paddler than the boat. A boat needs to suited for the water it will be on, more than the paddler that is on/in it. So beginner, paddler or boat, and well offshore on the ocean are terms that should not go together.

The boat you list here is a SOT if I have the right one. Limits the issues and obviously better suited for fishing. It is more exposed paddling for your body though - need to think some good wind blocking layers even in Florida before long.

What are your thoughts on that, and where are you in Florida? It is likely that folks on this board can point you at a place with more specialized knowledge about kayak fishing on the ocean than the kids at Dick's.

Try
Try googling “Stripers Online Surftalk”. They have a very active kayak fishing message board. It’s where I first got interested in kayaking.

my first thought is
it’s awful heavy at 68 lbs… if you can’t cartop it and get it to the water easily, you’ll end up using it less than you hoped. You might consider the Perception Sport Caster instead – 10 lb lighter, similarly sized and featured, a better known brand – also available at Dick’s.

Here’s a review and a forum
http://www.kayakfishingstuff.com/community/showthread.php?t=80502



And some other opinions …



http://forums.floridasportsman.com/showthread.php?54513-Field-and-Stream-Eagle-Talon



http://www.northwestkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=7817.0



http://www.pensacolafishingforum.com/f75/field-stream-eagle-talon-133092/



http://www.ifish.net/board/showthread.php?p=4178294



http://www.ultimatebass.com/bass-fishing-forum/index.php?topic=98859.0

re…
“Ocean” and “Sea” were the only choices I had, but I plan on using it for inshore and flats fishing-basically “skinny” water stuff.

Best to look at the kayak fishing sites
There are a bunch of finer points about this, like options for gear storage, that the kayak fishing boards can comment on best.

Flats fishing
I do lots of flats fishing (although mostly either wading or a guided flats boat). The key thing is being able to stand up to cast and maneuver (i.e., spot tailing fish and position the boat for casting). That is easier in sheltered areas between mangroves and harder in exposed flats like bays. Even in a stable sit-on-top it is not all that easy to stand up and cast, let alone land a fish. I recommend you practice in shallow water to be sure of your “sea legs”. Are you going to paddle or pole? Paddling is for getting to your location and back, poling is for maneuvering. The sites given previously will help you with these questions. By all means check them out.