I have been looking at the OT Cayuga146 for a fishing kayak. Also the Hurricane Santee 116 Sport. Please make a recommendation if you have experience in this area.
A Suggestion…
Find a dealer in your area and take a look at the new Native Watercraft line. (This is a new company created by the original Wilderness Systems team.) These guys know what they are doing and are making some awesome boats that are perfect for fishing. One of the 12’ models (I think the “Compass”) only weighs in the mid 30’s. My local dealer has started stocking them and I have been impressed.
Native
I’m a big fan of the Tarpons but they definitely don’t fall in your requested weight range. I’ve seen the Native Watercraft’s and I like their looks although I haven’t demoed one…yet.
Native Watercraft
Look good but no prices given on their website.
SINK
It looks like you are interested in the sit in kayaks. Hurricane also makes a sit on (SOT) called the Phoenix which is 12’ and weighs 38 lbs. My daughter has the Phoenix 120 and loves it. Current Designs has some Kestrel models, both styles, that might work.
Poke Boat
http://www.pokeboat.com/PokeBoat.htm
If you can find a used one at a good price. I use a GCI Sit Backer canoe seat in mine. Extremely stable.
Nativecraft pricing
at the Quiet Water Symposium last week an instructor I knew was working the Nativecraft display. It really is an ingenious design for kayak fishing. There was no takeaway lit, so I am going off what he said.
The seat weighs 6 or 8 lbs itself, but detaches completely, so the weight hoisted on the roof is less than 50 lbs.
The price quoted to a customer at the show was $730. The factory in NC is supposedly going into high gear for orders already received.
I might have a chance to demo this the weekend of June 22/23 and if so will report back.
Need more info.
All good suggestions, but my first thought was what type of fishing you are planning on doing in it?
I’ve never done anything but river running myself, but if you’re going to go sea fishing, I would follow the recommendation of most that suggest a SOT for safety. Might be tough to find one under that weight for what little I know of SOT’s.
If you are doing all flatwater, then I’d suggest a long, efficient SIK so you don’t wear yourself out getting from point A to B and back. You’re budget will have to go up for such efficiency and low-weight design, and you’ll trade a little stability, but I’d suggest you can learn to feel stable in just about anything w/ experience.
If you’re doing slow-river fishing like me, I’d suggest something much shorter. I myself have an 11’ Perception America 11.0. I’m a big guy, and should really have something around 14-16’ if I was concerned about efficiency, but the river I get on most has some tricky spots and I want max manuverability (sp?). I’ve tried a 15 footer that was a bear to turn in moving water.
You have to consider what you’re using it for. If all of the above from time to time, then consider at least a couple kayaks for versatility. If the budget won’t allow, find what gives you the least tradeoffs for each purpose. Go to a reputable dealer and then go to a dedicated fishing equipment dealer and weigh all of the opinions, keeping in mind that they all have their own agendas. That would be a good start to gather some more info than can really be covered here, without the give and take of a conversation.
Good luck!
Dirigo 120 weighs 53 lbs and LL Bean
sells it equipped for fishing