I am looking to buy a kayak to fish some quiet waters near my home here. (lakes, ponds and reservoirs in Massachusetts) I am looking at a Wilderness Systems 120 Pungo. Can anyone give me an opinion on this model? Also, does anyone have an opinion on what is the best color choice for fishing? Does one color spook the fish more than others?
I am new to this and really have no experience with kayaking in the past although I have some limited time in a canoe but am now looking for something that I can handle alone to get to small water. I fish mostly for largemouth bass.
Pungo…
The Pungo’s have a good reputation. I have a buddy who has a P-140 and he likes it a lot.
Fish don’t care what color your boat is. Lots of folks opt for red or orange boats for increased visibility and safety.
Sit-on-Top kayaks like the Wilderness Systems Tarpon family are more popular than sit-inside kayaks for fishing but either will get the job done.
IMO, the kings of kayak-fishing can be found at www.kayakfishingstuff.com
Good look and have fun!
With as cold as the water can get in
Mass, the sit-in provides a dryer ride. The Pungo is good, also look at the various Old Towns. The Loons are very popular and the Dirigo is also a nice looking fishing kayak. Sit in’s do quite well as fishing craft. It think the main advantage of the SOT is ease of getting on and off the kayak.
Pungo
The Pungo comes in a fishing model.
fishing kayaks
Thanks all for the info
For fishing lakes and ponds
the Pungo can’t be beat. I had a Pungo Classic for a while and it was stable, comfortable and fast. Since your looking to fish mostly flatwater with some depth, any of the Pungos would be a good choice. I demoed a Pungo 140 and found it a little big for my liking but it was fast, the 12 footer would be easier to get into tight spots…
Fihing Yak
I’ve got a WS Tarpon 120, that is the ultimate fishing yak, for warmer water. For colder water and weather, I use a small Heritage Featherlite 9’ that I can carry anywhere. The Heretige is nice, because I can sit inside and be covered from the wind and spray. There are newer yaks that weigh in at 29 lbs, which would be worth looking into as well.
Pungo
I fish from a Pungo 140. I’ve had it for 3 years. I’m quite happy with it. The weather here in Ohio is a bit too cold for a sit on top. I got the 140 beacuse I do use it for an occasional camping trip. I’ve also found that paddling at a nice, easy pace results in a perfect trolling speed. I catch an awful lot of fish this way.
One suggestion. Whatever you buy, don’t bother with a ‘fishing’ model. Get a basic model and then you can have the fun of adding fishing accessories as needed.
Jim
Yep. Good choice
I’ve paddled a Classic Pungo. I don’t like the Pungo a whole lot in moving water - those multiple hard chines give some unpredictable results. (Or perhaps I’m just a very poor paddler). I paddled the same boat on stillwater and it really shined. Wonderful boat. In the sorts of waters you describe, no worries. Even in slow-moving water that’s not tricky, I’d expect no problems.
I’d recommend against getting an “Angler” edition. Spend less on the boat then outfit it yourself. It’s fun, costs less, and you’ll have more flexibility to get the final result that suits you best. I like the Scotty Baitcaster (smaller version) rod holders. My $0.02.
- Big D
Loon 138…
has served me well over the years, the construction is very strong and almost provides an insulated effect. Their website describes the construction pretty well. Lakes and slow rivers is what this boat was made for. Try to paddle as many different boats before you decide, we paddlers come in all shapes and sizes so keep that in mind and find your own perfect kayak.
Good luck to you!