10. Native Watercraft Slayer Propel 13 Also Great

One of the more popular Slayer models, great price to performance Quick Specs Pedal Drive: Yes

Length: 13 Foot

Rod Holders: 3

The Native Watercraft Slayer 13 is very popular and is equipped with lots of handy features for fishermen. It has a sit-on-top design and, thus, allows comfortable and easy entry and exit options. It offers amazing tracking capabilities because of its hard-chinned rudder-ready hull. The hull also features a prominent keel which improves the tracking capabilities of the kayak. ​

The seating system of the kayak is comfortable and rigid and is made up of an aluminum frame with a suspension mesh that is adjustable. The seat can also be reclined and set according to the preference of the user.



Furthermore, it has a Tag Along wheel similar to the Native Watercraft Slayer Propel and has a dry storage compartment for storing anything you wish. You can also easily add rod holders or other tools for your assistance and make the kayak as convenient as you want. Pros It has an increased helm response.

The Tag Along wheel aids in transporting.

It has an adjustable seating system.

It offers secure electronic gear mounting. Cons It has a narrow beam.

Choosing The Right Fishing Kayak To learn how to choose the best fishing kayaks that are suitable for you, you will have to study the market carefully and find the yak that applies to your distinct tastes and needs. Firstly let's go through some of the materials and models so you can get familiar with what exactly you will be buying.

Looking for the best fishing kayaks under 1000? See the guide here

Brand Rankings After a lot of research we have put together a list encompassing reviews found all across the web and averaged them across all the reliable fishing products. This list is not a 100% accurate ranking of the brands. Please take this list with a grain of salt and use it more as a rough guide. One brand can have a kayak which is great and better then another even though it has a lower average rating then another brand so please keep this in mind.



BRAND Avg Rating % Fishing K Reviews Fishing Products Popular (3+ Reviews) 1. Wilderness Systems 96% 442 11 9 2. Ocean Kayak 96% 282 10 8 3. Hobie Cat 93% 103 15 12 4. Malibu 91% 108 9 8 5. Jackson Kayak 96% 60 10 6 6. Heritage Kayaks 90% 70 4 1 17. Native Watercraft 89% 78 15 8 8. Old Town 88% 52 5 3 9. Cobra Kayaks 80% 49 2 2 10. Folbot 92% 56 5 4 11. Perception 86% 52 6 5 12. Sea Eagle 84% 32 2 2 13. Feelfree Kayak 92% 48 8 3 14. Liquid Logic 94% 33 9 7 15. Future Beach 94% 26 3 2 16. Emotion Kayaks 92% 20 5 3 17. Lifetime 87% 142 5 4 18. Nu Canoe 100% 19 2 1 19. Riot Kayak 84% 13 5 2 20. Innova 90% 9 2 2 21. Bic Sport 80% 5 3 1

Models and Materials Many different materials go into the design of the best fishing kayaks, but there are four very common ones, these include the single layer linear polyethylene, three layer polyethylene, fiberglass, and Kevlar-carbon, here we will evaluate their pros and cons:

1. Single Layer Linear polyethylene



Kayaks made of single piece manufacturing, are hard, resistant to abrasion and the weather. It is a very common material used for the creation of kayaks and is highly recommended since they are often more durable than the three - layer polyethylene option.

2. Three-layer Polyethylene

As its name indicates it has three layers, the tough, glossy exterior provides a good glide on water. Within Three-layer Polyethylene the material is thicker making the buoyancy of the kayak better, providing thermal insulation “in this case for closed kayaks” and the inside layer is non-slip.

In our opinion, the Single Layer Polyethylene kayaks are much more robust, much heavier and perhaps a bit more durable due to their rough finish. Polyethylene is the main material for the construction of the majority of kayaks on the market.

3. Fiberglass



Fiberglass is a very light material, it weighs less than a kayak made from polyethylene and has excellent sliding abilities on the water. Its weaknesses include: Fragile against impacts and rods, more expensive pricing than polyethylene. This material is used for the sit in models or cruise models of kayaks.

4. Kevlar carbon



This material is extremely lightweight, lighter than fiberglass and more resistant. Its weaknesses include its high price. Labeled as the “Ferrari's” of sea kayaks and ready for competition.

Types of Angler Kayaks

​

SIT On TOP or “Open” Sit-In Closed Pedal and Sailing Rating ​

Properties Properties are polyethylene, fiberglass Polyethylene properties, fiberglass, kevlar carbon, fiberglass Polyethylene properties, fiberglass, kevlar carbon, fiberglass Rubberized fabric Price Affordable price Higher price point than an Open kayak Usually a higher price point than all others Low to high, usually cheaper then other kayaks Speed Slower than sit in kayaks Faster than open kayaks Fast pedaling Slower then the average kayak Weight Weight less then sit in kayaks unless you have many accessories Generally lighter than the open kayaks Heavy, difficult handling, use of a truck for transport to embark and disembark Usually weigh less than the average kayak Notes They are the most popular type of kayak.

Ease of attaching accessories.

Technical expertise not necessary in its management

Safe and stable Less space, to attach accessories.

Need prior training: technique of paddling, buoyancy and

Eskimo roll

Protect better from the cold Ease of attaching lots of accessories, as well as those that already come with them thanks to large onboard space

Usually come with a strong kayak seat

Less stress on arms since movement is done by pedaling Most are not suitable for fishing in the sea, however not to be too pessimistic there are some brands that were tested and said to be very comfortable and usable for fishing. These can be found in our inflatable kayaks section. Best inflatable kayak page here.



What Will You Be Using It For? Your next question requires you to consider exactly where and what you will be using your kayak for.

- What are your goals for your yak?

- Will you be using it on an open ocean/sea or will you be using it on a placid lake, or will you be using it on rivers and rapids?

- Will the water be warm water, will it be cold water?

- Will you be launching through the surf?

- Are you going to be okay with storage space or will you need enough to camp out?

Think about your endgame, what exactly are you going to need and be honest with yourself - foresee the future. You don't want to buy a kayak you will be upgrading from a couple of months later. Once you start thinking about your needs and writing them down slowly, you'll start seeing that particular kayaks pertain more to you and your goals than others.

Long Vs Wide

a good rule of thumb is - the longer and thinner a kayak is the faster it will be and vice versa. This has to do with physics and the effect of cutting through the water at a lower surface area. Getting a Long Fast Fishing Kayak Vs a Wide Stable Fishing Kayak is a big consideration. Usually, when you're looking for a kayak,. This has to do with physics and the effect of cutting through the water at a lower surface area.

Conversely, The wider kayaks, though they are slower are much more stable which is what you should be looking for as a beginner.

A lot of kayakers will find out that kayaks that seemed stable and fun to use become more mundane and slow for them after time but this is not due to the kayak itself it's because of a kayaker's improved abilities over time. Some people recommend finding a kayak then getting the next best model of what you thought you would need since as the kayaker gets better at stability, balance, and fishing, they'll want more from their kayak, and the old version may no longer cut it.

Sit On Top Or Sit In? Most fishing kayaks are geared to the sit on top kayak since they allow you to hold much more accessories and are much easier for bringing in fish and moving around. However there is a drawback, and that is how wet it can get within the boat can often fill up with water. However, with a sit-in boat, your maneuverability is more limited since you can't completely reel fish in and bring them within your kayak also the sit in models are a bit less stable in comparison.

An alternative is a more closed sit on top kayak which essentially has some enclosure but is not fully enclosed, so you have the ability to store things within it without the issue of too much water getting in. However, we recommend a sit on top kayak for the purpose of fishing.

Other Considerations

Primary Vs Secondary Stability

I had a Big Game kayak that felt as if you were going to tip over every time you moved. However, you would need to drop out of it to actually tip it over.

The reason behind this is the hull's design. It was a small v-shape at the bottom. Also, it got up and spread-out extensively and smoothly just above the water line.

Due to the buoyancy of it, the slim design at the bottom made it feel unstable. Now if you filled it right up to its weight capacity it'd remain lower while in the water and feel much less shaky.

Storage and Transport

When you're ready to purchase a fishing kayak, you'll have many different options for storing it. Whether you want to put it in your garage or you have a shed out back to hold it, you need to take into consideration its size before you take it home. For transportation, there are a lot of different options available to you. There are kayak trailers that are specially built only to hold kayaks, and these provide an excellent means of loading your boat if you don't want to deal with the hassle of a roof rack. For More detailed guide an excellent resource: www.kayaktrailersale.com

However, if you rather be more economical, a roof rack would hold a kayak well. You would need to find your exact measurements and install it on top of your car.

There are also many options for making homemade kayak trailers with a simple base these can be as cheap as $400.

A kayak bike trailer, this allows you to load your kayak onto a mini bike trailer and drive it around short distances.

Getting To The Launch Point

Getting your kayak to the launch point from a close location can present many gear options as well. The most popular option is a kayak cart which allows you to transport your kayak on a vehicle like a dolly to your location.

Rigging Your Kayak For Fishing The only difference between a kayak built for fishing and a kayak built for fishing are the rigging capabilities it has. Some fishing kayaks will come with nets at the front for holding items and fish, they will carry areas for your rod holders, for your tackle boxes and much more. Of course, if your a do it yourself person and want to save some money you can rig it yourself with a few power tools, and you can be on your way. For beginners, we recommend getting a kayak made for fishing, after all, custom work could cause holes and issues you would want to avoid.

Fishing Kayak Rod Holders Some people tend to be obsessed with having as many rod holders as they can get on a kayak and go crazy turning a kayak into something that resembles a hoarder's attic. Avoid the urge to turn your fishing kayak into a monster! Two or three fishing rod holders are usually plenty, and if you want more, well there's nothing I can tell you, your addicted!

The choices of fishing rod holders depend on personal comfort,



1. Deck Mount Rod Holder

2. Flush Mount Rod Holder

3. Homemade Contraptions

An average fishing rod holder will have either a 4 inch round base or a two to a four-inch rectangular base.

Many of the fishing kayak models will come with these already mounted but if not make sure you have the tools handy to be up to the task. The location of the mounts is going to be the most important consideration here. You may have a general idea of where your fishing rod holder will go. Don't start making holes in a great kayak before you're sure what you want. You can make marks on your kayak with a pen and try to sit in the kayak and pretend you're casting and putting down the rod; this will help you determine what exactly feels comfortable for you.

Gear Holders/Organizers You can go crazy trying to organize and sort your gear into the perfect sections, colors, and areas, you can get obsessive compulsive with this. With your kayak, there is a limit to how much you can take with you, and that's why its best to optimize to the essentials, selecting your perfect lures and favorite accessories to take out. Battle with your inner beast telling you to pack the bait holders with everything you own, use your favorite lures and the ones you have confidence in, and you can concentrate more on the fishing rather than the accessories.

Seats The Seat is something that is overlooked by a lot of people, but after personally going through hundreds of kayak reviews I see a large pattern, the seat. The seat can make or break a kayak and is usually the most complained about accessory on a kayak. Make sure you're comfortable in your seat and if your stock seat feels more like a second-hand yoga-mat I highly recommend you go out and choose a more expensive and usable one, your butt will thank you after an hour or so.

Closing Words Whichever yak you choose we are sure youll have a great time out there on the water. Kayak fishing is a incredible sport and is growing every year with more and more exiting innovations, keep checking our lists for exciting new developments and well continue to help you find the best fishing kayak out there!

The boat itself, nevertheless, weighs just 32 pounds and you can pack it in a storage hatch case for comfort. Because you don’t need to be worried about your fishing equipment being all around the place when you’re in the water, the cargo room increases the flexibility. Great spacing for a water bottle. This design has a self-bailing drain device that might end up being useful on the sea or when in white-water streams. Pace and monitoring are covered from the set of shaped skegs, that'll ensure that the canoe slides easily over the water. If your looking to stay on the cheap side and like the portability of inflatables you can see our full list of inflatable kayaks here