Bought these off FLA Native, last year when he had them up for sale. I tried to encourage you guys to get them but it was taking too long so I snatched them myself. What a deal! There are some great older model kayaks (2009) that can be found if you know what to look for and move fast. No I'm not selling, I'm just saying if you find something you like, you better snatch it fast because I'm a sucker for the skinny old stuff made by native, wilderness, ocean kayaks, and perception. Just washed them off yesterday, have never used the blue myself, only one time with my sister's grandson. The Native Manta Ray 14 was "THE" kayak to have when it came out if you lived in Florida and needed a boat that did a lot of things very well inshore or offshore. I'd already picked my Perception Illusion many years earlier but if the Manta Ray 14 had been available back then, it would have been a much harder decision.





So much good stuff going on in cockpit... easy to adjust on the fly foot pegs, lots of scupper plugs to drain water when the going gets rough, and water tight hatches.





Look at that seat... with padded arm rests and adjustable thigh support... and this was 10 years ago! Just a very well thought out kayak designed by some of the best in the business. Oh and I noticed that some young bass dude on the pro circuit signed up with Native as well.

https://nativewatercraft.com/bass-fishing-world-champion-jordan-lee-signs-native-watercraft/

Who knows the connection between Gump and Native Kayaks?




I'm loaded up and headed somewhere... can't decide but don't have to make a decision to go north, south, east, or west for at least a couple of blocks. Happy Easter...later.

I like a lot of things on the new boats, and then I go fishing in my 2006 Liquid Logic Manta Ray 12. I probably won't be changing anytime soon.

Wow.... I haven�t seen you post in ages...welcome back to the party

Ended up at Naconiche... it was slow for me. Its been slow for me for about a two years. Caught two right off the bat around noon and thought I'd get out of the wind but never got bit in still water, shallow or deep. Heard that the bass had started schooling recently but never saw anything in the places I usually find them. After a few hours of nothing went back to main lake which was much clearer water and fished the wind blown banks. Immediately started getting bit again and caught a half dozen before they quit biting an hour before dark.









Oh well, beats watching tv.

I have the same boat as you. Very pleased with it, though that comfy seat on the "new" version posted above does look pretty sweet to me.

Nice bass, Iconn4!

Nothing more fun, for me, than going out rather minimalist. A great paddling kayak, a few rods, some tackle . . . and off you go.

It'll get us all on the water a lot more in my experience. Fishing results? I find scant correlation to better results going out loaded for bear.

Paddlers are great on Naconiche. You can go places that boats can only dream about getting.

I plan to get back out there in the next month or so if I can fit it into my schedule. Great results out there have eluded me, so far. Challenge on!

Brad

Yeah, Brad, there were quiet a few paddlers on the lake today. Met an older couple unloading and found out they were going out for their first time in a kayak. I was worried about them as they had never been to the lake, much less paddled and decided to offer a few pointers. They were about to wheel their new Ocean Kayak Malibu 2 onto the "swimming beach" when I stopped them and pointed out that area was off limits. He had just gotten the kayak as a gift from company he worked and recently retired from after 40 years. It was windy around noon and advised them to go against the wind as it would make coming back in easier if they got tired. She was wearing some type of womens dress shoes and didn't want to get them wet. They had the two cheap paddles that come with the kayak, looked like 260 length. Showed them how to get in kayak by walking it out a little deeper and sitting side saddle, then bringing both feet into kayak. He had it right next to shore, held it steady and she puts foot in middle of kayak to kind of stand up and then sit down. If it hadn't been so shallow she would have dumped it. He has his own way of getting in... straddle from behind. That's a wide kayak to be straddling at his age. Of course they are so shallow the bottom is keeping it stable. Once they are both seated... they are stuck on bottom. Thought he was going to break the paddle trying to push off. Anyway they made it out without dumping... watched him paddle her. Fished where I could keep an eye on them for half an hour and then left for another area when I saw them headed back in. Don't know why their trip was so short but they made it safely in and beached inside the swimming area. They may have gone back home to get their fishing poles for all I know.