I have been looking at kayaks for a good bit of time now. I wanted to get a cheap kayak that would be VERY stable so I could fish out of it without worrying about turning over.
I used to think I wanted a Swifty kayak because they are only 330 bucks and supposed to be very stable. However I have since changed my mind I think. Yesterday I rented a sundance 12 foot kayak from a local store. I thought the sundance performed well, but felt too unstable for fishing. I noticed that it felt somewhat tippy and unstable when shifting my weight to the sides. It was fine for just paddling but i am not sure it would have been good for fishing. I also am worried that flipping a single hull kayak like that I would be screwed, because it would fill with water. I don’t think i could go swimming off of it either. This is kind of why i think a swifty is not totally for me. But i REALLY don’t know for sure… maybe it is??? PLEASE someone tell me if my logic does not make sense due to my ignorance. !
I was thinking that maybe a double hull kayak would be better. Are they more stable? I could flip it and just turn it back over and roll back onto it without worrying about filling it with water.
Are there any good sit of top (double hull) kayaks that i should look at in the 500 dollar range? It would be nice if i could spend even less. 
sots
sit on tops aren’t “double hull”, they just have molded cockpit instead of open cockpit. You should find an Ocean Kayak Drifter-specially made for your purpose, or a Prowler, or a big bathtub like Malibu II tandem sit on top,12’x34’’ got to be stable as a rock. i know my gf’s Prowler15 is stable enough that i can paddle it standing upright in flat water.
Sundance 12
I’ve been fishing out of a Sundance 12 for three years. I assure you that it would take much effort to tip it. It’s a very stable rec kayak.
WS Tarpons
are popular SOTs for fishing.
Stability is part boat and part boater. I comfortably fish out of a 22" wide kayak.
I recently went through the same thing.
I was looking for a stable SOT for fishing. I tested out Ocean Kayak’s Prowler 13 Angler,
Drifter Angler and something else of theirs akin to paddling a hydro-plane as it was too high off the water. The Drifter is a really great, stable platform at 32" wide. I stood up in it and didn’t tip, it’s pretty zippy, too It runs about 700.00. The Prowler 13 was a 1000.00.
After not being in a SOT for many years, I’d forgot what I was missing. All of a sudden I
couldn’t decide whether I wanted a longer SOT for day trips and speed or a shorter, more stable boat for salmon fishing and I couldn’t afford both. Within two days of originally deciding that I wanted a SOT, I found two used SOTs and bought them for less than the price of a new boat. Folks are always selling boats! I purchased a Scupper Pro and a shorter Dagger. Both can be used for fishing. All those years chuckling at some of the P.Net posters for having an entire fleet of boats and now I find myself unable to stop at four. Damn you Craig’s List!!
Interesting concept
I saw an interesting concept this weekend. Someone used a old Perception Keowee II, a tandem, for fishing, and had removed the rear seat. With the forward seat slid to the center, it is plenty stable with plenty of room for fishing stuff. I think it’s somewhere around 12 or 13 feet long and 30 or 32 inches wide. Just a thought, as you can probably get an older tandem for well under $500. Now if you want some performance out of it…forget it!
Swifty and sit on tops
I have a swifty 9.5 and I love it for fishing. Its solid stable it turns on a dime, and I have plenty of room for gear.
Added a paddle holder, and two rod holders, and its perfect for my uses.
It took me about 15 minutes to get comfortable with the “tippy” feeling, but it never bothered me once I was in it.
Now having said that I rented a sit on top tandem this weekend, and was impressed at how stable it was, but it was also very very wet. I dont think I could get used to that, now I am sure 5 people will come in and say they arent all like that, and I will beleive them. But I think sit ins are the way for me.
Check out The Ride by WS.
drifter… WS Ride…any others?
Looks like the drifter and “The Ride” are right up my alley…
any others you guys can think of that are along those lines…
i have been looking and there are just SOOOOOOOOOOOO many kayaks out there it is overwhelming
how about this one?
On sale, at West Marine for $399. At that price, you could add some fishing extras, rod holders, tackle bags, fishfinder, and have some change left over. That or buy two of these for the cost of one Prowler.
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product/10001/-1/10001/136183/10001/806/803/10
I thought this was a Perception, before. Did they change their name?
While there are some people who know
a bit about fishing from kayaks on Advice, you should also aske the question on the fishing forum. Also, check out texaskayakfishing.com and kayakfishingstuff.com. These are probably the two best general kayak fishing forums on the net these days, though there may be others more specific for the type of fishing you do. By the Way, padding.net has articles on fishing from kayaks in its archieves, you may want to check those out.
You don’t define cheap. Under $1000, you can get plenty of great kayaks with seat, paddle and possible a pfd ( the most important tool a kayaker and especially, a fishing one, can have). Check out the Ocean Kayak Prowler 13, the Wilderness Tarpon 120 and 140, Various Heritage sit on tops, the Hurricane Phoenix 140, and the Hobie Qwest. All great fishing kayaks.
If you mean under $500, the available kayaks are more limited, but as mentioned in a previous post, the Mainstream Kingfisher is a good one, under $400. If you are under 200 lbs, you may want to check out the OK Scramble XT. If you have an Academy Sporting Goods store in your neck of the woods, Academy sells them for under $400 sans seat and, of course, paddle. One SOT I don’t like is the Pelican Castaway, its under $400, but just don’t like the way its built. Others may have a different opinion.
Oh, the Swifty will do the job, my first fishing kayak was a Necky Sky 9.6’. But, the Old Town Otter is just as good for fishing and you can get one from Bass Pro for under $300.
Ok
I have owned a ride and OWN a Tarpon 160. The ride Hull slaps, but is slightly more stable then the Tarpon, how ever its also slower. I myself find the tarpon super stable, but as been said thats part boat and part boater. If you like to paddle out to the fish get a tarpon 160 angler addition, if you just want to float and fish any fat chunk of plastic will do!!!
Loon 138…
…I’ve fished out of my Loon. I usaed to put
it in the water and sleep in it.
Boringly stable.