Hey, I am thinking about upgrading my existing kayak. The two options that I am looking at are a bass raider/pond prowler or an ascend 133x. I am going to put a trolling motor on it and mainly use it in small creeks and lakes. I do like the option of adding a second passenger (my 12 year old) but I am thinking I could put a seat on the 133x also.

for reference



Thanks

If you are taking other people on the vessel, the default would be to choose whichever has the highest weight capacity. If the capacities are equal, I’d go kayak. I like the one above.
Easier to maintain and repair. Kayaks are more maneuverable and handle rougher water better. Also, easier to paddle if you run out of juice on the battery or choose to head out without the trolling motor.

I would get a two man bass boat like a Pelican Predator if I was going to fish with two people. It's easier to add a trolling motor and you can get more range by adding a 5-6hp outboard.

If it was me and I planned on going with two people I would opt for a Bass Hunter over a yak.

More stable, more room. Its worth it.

Yes your range will be limited and batteries are a drag but sounds like you are in on a motor either way so the Bass Hunter style wins IMO. AND I have owned several bass hunter boats and more than a few kayaks so I am not whistling Dixie.

Now if it was going to be for one man, the kayak is my preferred option unless you have some physical limitation... I know some guys have bad backs. knees or what not that make several hours in a yak not really an option.

8ft Pelican pond prowler for me. 45# Minn Kota and a good battery. Got rid of the hard plastic seats and added some nice padded seats. Have spent up to 8 hours in that boat. works ok for 2 people.

That ascend 133X is top notch for what you need. Much easier to load and unload by yourself. I have 12 year old boys and yes they can "help", but they are not going to be any help lifting a bass raider type boat in to the back of a truck. The Ascend kayak is ready to rig with a trolling motor and anything else you would want on a boat. I have owner both and currently only own a tandem kayak. After a long day of fishing, the kayak is so much easier to load up and head home. If you find a boat with a trailer, that would be a game changer for sure.

No experience with the bass raider or any pond boat for that matter. But I do have experience with a couple of Ascend kayaks and both kayaks I had were very poor at weight capacity. There's been some discrepancy in whether their listed weight capacity includes the weight of the kayak. I've been told both by Ascend employees. The two I had I firmly believe the listed weight capacity did include the weight of the kayak. If this is the case with the 133x you're only looking at about 400 lbs max capacity. Not sure how that would affect your decision but something to consider.

Personally if you go kayak I would look at something like the NuCanoe Frontier 12 over the 133X.

I've gone lighter than my once-owned bass boat for the small lakes I fish. A 12' Jon boat holds 2 adults with gear comfortably and I have a 2.5 hp Merc 4-stroke and a Minn Kota tm on the transom. To launch that heavy boat much easier than from the back of my truck, I bought a $1000 10' utility trailer from Tractor Supply. Ratchet tie-down straps keep it secure even on bumpy surfaces.

Now, if you're going car-top, my 15' Grumann canoe did fine for years using oars and a trolling motor.

I have a Seaeagle380x,com inflatable 2 seat military grade 38" wide catagory 4 white water YAK! you would work hard to dump it! white caps are fun not unsafe,almost puncture proof< you can mount an electric motor on it, there are a whole list of extras you can get for it. i had mine for years, slightly expensiive but when every one else is packing up the fishing boat because the wind is blowing rough water your still fishing!!

seaeagle380x.com

Google Hotwoods. They have various model 1- 6 person mini pontoon boats and offer great quality, comfort and stability. We opted for the Alum Sport 12 and love it. Not sure where you are located but we bought ours in Emory, near lake Fork. You could probably get other locations on their Hotwoods (protatch.com) website