Been doing research on buying a kayak to start fishing with. Just want to get some suggestions on purchasing one. I really fish for striper/hybrid and crappie. My budget is 400-500 so hoping to pick one up this black friday sale.
Looking for a SOT(10ft-12ft) kayak with decent weight to load/unload and decent storage. I was eyeing the ascend sf kayak but want to hear any input on others kayaks.

Try academy on black friday they have one on sale i work there part time it is a decent one and almost $100 off if im right. Hope you join the club.

You can look on cl or on the classifieds here and prob find a pretty sweet ride for that price.

academy has OCEAN PROWLER 499.00 reg 699.00
Emotion stealth angler 299.0 reg 499.00
Academy.com

Leave money in your budget for a comfy PFD and a good paddle.

Paddle makes a HUGE difference.

A good one will add $150-200 to the budget.

But as a beginner you may not need top of the line. But I will tell you this, they are like that ring in Lord of the Rings...

You touch one and you'll want it like that smigle thing wanted his precious.

I started with the Carlisle Day Tripper (around $50 I think). It's a decent paddle but nothing like my AT Fishstix.

I'd try to get something moderately priced but you don't need to spend a lot of money on a paddle to get started.

Oh, and I still use the Day Tripper. When I've been down the Brazos River, it's shallow and has a rocky bottom in a lot of places. I use the cheap paddle because I'm pushing off of things and it handles the harsh conditions better than a composite blade. Plus if it breaks, it's cheaper to replace so don't be ashamed of going with a $50 paddle.