Don't want to turn this into a "us vs them" type discussion. When I trailered my kayak, the gear rode in my vehicle so that took time to load/unload x 2. Now that I car top, the racks have to go on (5-10min), then heft the kayak up top and tie down/un tie down x 2 (10-15 min). The boat is a hook up and go...much quicker and no hefting (especially after a long days fish/paddle) and the gear stays in it. Prep time for fishing is the same regardless of what type of fishing. Kayak fishing is cheap whereas the boat costs some to use (but not much because its only a 16' x 25 HP). I prefish outta my PB for kayak tourneys and that saves A LOT of time

My decision was partly because I could not safely afford a bass boat on a military pay and I also saw the infomercial with a pro angler testing out the Hobie Outbacks a week or two before I deployed. So I spent 6 months overseas researching everything I could about kayak fishing and the Hobie brand of kayaks. Got home and had a few grand laying around due to deployment money, went out and bought my Outback within a week of being home.

Surprisingly at first I hated it, took me some time to figure out how to load it, how to fish out of it or to even learn how to maneuver in it to fish safely. After a few months of being on it I truly enjoyed fishing out of it, the kayak let me get into some super heavy timber to catch some of the biggest bass I have ever landed. They are cheaper in the long run than boats, the $1500 I spent on mine over the last 6 years would not even cover gas/maintenance on a boat and I love the exercise I can get on a day on the water. Though my favorite thing about having a kayak is my wife has one now too so we can spend more time together and I get more fishing in too .

If you live in a subdivision like ours where HOA rules prohibit on-site storage of a boat, your $1500 wouldn't hardly pay to just store a boat for more than a couple of years.

+1 on the wife ... and luckily, although my wife is not really into fishing, she is very content to just paddle while I fish ... and to be fair, we also take "paddle only" jaunts (but I have to admit, I will usually throw a rod in mine ... just in case).

Would love for my wife to go with me on fishing or paddling jaunts, but wont happen. My two little girls don't care to fish YET either.
When I set up my kayak it does take some time to put the gear in when I first get to the destination. I too carry my kayak on top of my car. I also just bought a FF, but have a desklike thing in front of me that it is attached to as well as 2 rod holder/guides on the left and right side of the desk and the tackle box in the middle of it. So I am very compact but feel very safe sitting inside my tandem. Takes a while to put on and take down but it is worth it. I can stay all day at the wake breaks and the marina on Hubbard and use many different types of lures and rigs to fish. I just love to do it. I am so close to the water and feel like I am a part of things.

One thing i have learned is that my paddle always works and no maintenance required. I don't have to worry about gas/oil,batteries, registration, trailer lights,ramps and people that can't back a boat.WoooHoooo.

I once was fishing for sandies near paddle point park,on the other side near the houses, about 20yards or so from the red wall, and catching them every 2 or 3 casts, when a couple of guys in a bass boat, who saw me, passed right between me and the shore. Ruuude. The guy who was in the back of the boat actually apologized to me as the one steering withthe trolling motor just glanced at me. No one before that or since has ever been that rude. Most are pretty nice.

I guess that is a slight negative but then again not everyone knows or understands etiquette. I know there are things that I am still learning about fishing etiquette.

My guess is that this had little/nothing to do with you being in a kayak ... rude people are going to be rude regardless of the circumstances.

That said, having been yakking less than a year now ... I worry about unintentionally violating the rules of etiquette. I just hope that common sense and being around and watching/listening to those of you who have much more experience than me will help me prevent making most of those mistakes.

In my experience, power-boats have tended to be more rude than kayak anglers. And from what I have seen is most pay no attention to the kayakers, almost as if they were not even on the lake. Very often cutting them off while they are working a bank, or coming way to close going way to fast. I know now everyone is like that, but many of them are. I still fish from a boat sometimes, but I always try to watch out to everyone. However, there have been times while I was in a boat, that I started thinking about something else and ended up doing something rude (and felt bad about it right away.)

I try to avoid PB but it is pretty much impossible, and one will cross paths with you sooner rather than later.

It's true that a kayak is looked upon as insignificant and almost as an annoyance to those in PB's and they will more ofter take the direct path rather than going around you so when one approaches it's best to stop concentrating on your fishing and pay attention to the guy in the PB until you are sure of his intentions.

Good advice ... there will be other fish

Don't forget in shallow water the PB's need to stay in the channel. This is something the yakers don't think about when they are paddling around in the middle of it and don't realize it.

Anybody can do this.




But a select few get to do this.

It's all about the sleigh ride!

screw that... that fish will drag me back to Vietnam. Do you know how hard it was for me to leave in the first place!

Oh Man! I want to catch a trophy tarpon in a yak ssoooo bad! Id give a kidney to do that!