I need help deciding between two different kayaks, the Liquid Logic Remix XP-10 and Jackson Coosa/Coosa HD. Which one will be better in Class II/III rivers? I plan to float fish the entire Lehigh river (Not on Dam release days). Any comments or feedback would be appreciated.
Either
Both are designed for rivers. The Coosa is designed for more initial stability. The Remix is more whitewatery for rougher water.
The BIG difference is the Sit-In vs. Sit on Top.
Sit on Top is HUGELY more convenient for fishing. But…also you are more exposed.
I fish most from a Dagger precursor of the Remix XP, the Dagger Approach. It is very like the Remix. I prefer a Sit-In usually.
That said, I just picked up a used Coosa…
- Big D
Follow up
I took the used Coosa out for its first trip. Here are some differences between my Dagger Approach (very similar to a LL Remix 10) and my Jackson Coosa.
First, I do not have the factory seat for the Coosa. I’ve rigged a bench seat and installed a canoe seat with a back. It worked well but is an inch or two lower than the factory seat in high position.
Approach Pros: I fit well and am comfortable. I feel ‘locked in’ when I need to by adjusting my knee position and pointing my toes on the pads. This gives me a secure feeling of control. The sit-in keeps me dryer. I have put in a rod holder at the front of the cockpit, so I can troll easily and see my rod tip. I have carved out a bit on the support post to give a ledge to put a small tackle box with terminal tackle in it, and a strap to hold it in place. It’s very maneuverable. I am comfortable fishing it in class 2 with the infrequent 2+.
Approach Cons: It is slow. This can be a good thing, but when you want to paddle back up stream to float a drift again, it’s a challenge. The drop down skeg always worries me that I’m going to catch it. Also, it gets dirt in the track and doesn’t always work that well. I almost always use a skirt with it. With the low cockpit, leans are an invitation to flooding without a skirt on. The paddle has to rest across the combing when fishing, and it often catches on the water and “tries” to fall out. There is a strap to hold it, but I generally don’t use that.
Coosa Pros: Higher seat gives better angle of view for spotting fish-holding submerged rocks and such. I felt exposed and tippy in it at first. That feeling went away quickly. I was able to lean the kayak and accept the occasional unexpected rock bump in low water without any panic. It just took a few minutes to get used to. The rod holders were handy. I used one for a rod and the other for a net. I liked the big flat deck behind the seat. It fit a small cooler for lunch and drinks readily. I dropped my camera overboard, and was able to retrieve it by just standing up in the shallow water. Getting on or off the boat was the easiest thing in the world. It was much faster than I expected from a hull meant for rivers. It was very responsive to paddle strokes, but did a pretty good job of “tracking”. I’m not a big fan of rating based on “tracking” because usually to get good tracking you give up maneuverability. That did not seem to be the case with the Coosa.
Coosa cons: It was wet. Every drip was on my leg instead of the kayak deck. My makeshift seat was hard on my butt after a few hours. There weren’t good places for strapping down my tackle bag. I just use an over-under small box for terminal tackle and a dry bag with a bunch of plastic bags of soft plastic lures shoved in it. I worked it out, but it was less convenient than my Approach. It’s heavy. Not obscenely heavy, but after a day on the water, my arthritic shoulder was not too thrilled about putting it on a car top rack.
In all - I think the Coosa will get a lot of use for river fishing.
Hope this helps.