[dropcap]W[/dropcap]e are just getting into spring and the weather is warming up nicely. Finally, we can shake off the winter fishing clothes and tactics and ready ourselves for some great days on the water. For kayak fishing, this is one of my favorite times of year. All those inshore fish are starting to shake off the winter blues and are ready to eat. But what if you want to get into kayak fishing or wanting to upgrade to a new fishing kayak? Do you just run to your local outfitter and buy the first one that looks good? In my experience some people do that and it can work out for you.
I am a big fan of trying out a kayak before I purchase one. With this said, most outfitters are going to start up their spring demo days with the warming weather. This is your opportunity to get out on the water and tryout a bunch of different fishing kayaks. If you are in the mindset that most kayaks are all the same, you are wrong.
All higher end kayak manufacturers have put a lot of research and design into making the perfect fishing kayaks for just about everyone. Various hull designs and deck layouts create options that are conducive to the way you want to fish.
Here are a few examples of what I am talking about. If you are looking to only fish in the marsh, working the small creeks and flats for redfish, kayaks like the Native Watercraft Ultimate Slayer and Slayer ProPel and the Wilderness Systems Commander and Ride are designed for you to stand in and pole through the shallow water. This will allow you to spot redfish sooner than if you sitting down in the seat.
A sit-on-top is self-bailing, so this makes a great all-around fishing kayak. You do lose the ability to stand up and sight cast, but you are opening the door to an infinite amount of fishing locations. You can still get in the skinny water to fish for reds or you can hit an inlet and even do a little trolling offshore. A sit-on-top will also give you the ability to head out through the surf zone.
If you are looking for more a all-around fishing kayak–one that is self-bailing and that you can also stand up in–the new Native Slayer and the redesigned Wilderness Systems Ride 115FX are great choices. These kayaks allow you to stand and pole while still being a self-bailing kayak, so you can fish an inlet or even do offshore trolling. If you are looking