I’m looking to go from fishing from shore to boat. But I need an affordable way to get started.
So I was looking for a kayak or canoe. The kayak or canoe will be used on ponds and small lakes…
But storage space is also an issue so I was interested in an inflatable for now. I want to stay under < $1000
I’m 6 ft 2 in 250lbs so it needs to be hefty. lol I would prefer something with at least 350-400lbs capacity
So far I found a couple canoes. But I would like some opinions on them. How do this stand up? Are they reliable?
Sevylor Rio 1-Person Fishing Canoe
Coleman Rio Canoe Hunt Fish
I’ve also looked at pontoons & boats. Any thoughts on them?
Classic Accessories Colorado XT Pontoon Boat
Classic Accessories Clark Fork Pontoon
Fish Hunter 280 4-Person Fishing Boat with Berkley® Rod Holder
Sevylor and Coleman are more considered pool toys in quality than some of the others. Might work for you, but I personally wouldn’t.
I’ve used some Advanced Elements inflatables (but not a fishing one), and they were good for inflatables. Hobie has a very good name (but price to go with it).
Not all that familiar with any of the others.
Your desired weight limit is good for your weight.
Talk to the folks at ACK - Austin Canoe and Kayak. They are experts on fishing kayaks. They sell a wide range of kayaks and can advise you on what will work for you. They sell top rated kayaks in all sizes and price ranges and have free shipping. I get a lot of my kayak gear from them, and they are great to talk with if I ever have questions.
Fishing pontoon boats and fishing IKs will both work for you. They are difference beasts with different strengths. I started with an Outcast Pac 1000 pontoon boat. I got it for fishing, but soon discovered that I could also run up to class II whitewater with it. That led me down the path to 20 years of whitewater rafting…with “real” whitewater rafts of course. I still have this boat. It’s fun for fishing and for mild whitewater. I can carry enough gear for weekend trips. On any river that has class II rapids, it’s my boat of choice. It excels at lake fishing where you want to park and use an anchor. It spins on a dime and maneuvers easily with fins. It’s comfy for call day sitting & fishing. Any pontoon boat you buy should have a solid frame with real oarlocks and good quality valves. A frame with gear carrying capacity is important if you plan on overnighter. The pontoon boats you listed look ok. They appear to have a decent frame. Do not buy a pontoon with a built-in frame or oar locks that are attached to the tubes. Outcast is my brand of choice.
I don’t own a fishing IK, but both of my hard shell SOT kayaks are technically fishing kayaks. However, I don’t really fish from them, and I chose them because they are fast for SOTs and excel as touring kayaks. Of the two fishing IKs you listed, I’d favor the Aquaglide Blackfoot as it is longer, sleeker, probably faster, has decent valves, and comes with built in Scotty mounts to add fishing accesories. It looks like a kayak that could handle mild rivers/ whitewater and overnighters. Both the IKs you listed have drop stitch floors which will be solid enough to stand on if you have good enough balance.
The Outcast Pac 1000 pontoon boat looks good but the price is a killer for me. That makes a better case for the Colorado Pontoon Boats. From what I can find on them online from various reviews most people like them.
Many that bought the Colorado XT Pontoon Boat have modded it to have a swivel seat. I would like to know if I should do the same or not? Is the Colorado XTS Pontoon Boat with Swivel Seat worth the extra $20?
As for the IK, I’m like the Aquaglide more than Advanced Elements. Something about the Advanced Elements gear rods are concerning to me. I like the idea, but on an IK they could puncture the IK. Should I worry about that? Or am I be overly cautious?
I wouldn’t get a swivel seat. Pontoon boats spin on a dime using fins, so the swivel seat seems unnecessary to me. Plus I use my pontoon boat up to class II rapids, so I want my seat to stay rock solid. The frame on the Colorado looks good, with real oarlocks, gear space, and a mount mount. I can’t tell if it was an anchor system? That would be more important to me than a swivel seat. It appears to have Halkey-Roberts valves which are good.
For the time being I plan to stick with ponds and small lakes. The fastest water would be creeks. From what I read an anchor system is able to be mounted on either side.
If you are looking for an affordable pedal drive option like I was I have a Geaux Yak. (I’m always trying to find a deal) It’s holding up really well. I got it for right over $1K. https://geauxyaks.com.