Fishing Kayak vs inflatable pontoon boat

[Bigwoodsman]

I have a sit in kayak, that in all honesty have only used once, will try it again this weekend. Not sure I like how I sit so low in it. Will try it again before I quit. Not sure how I'd fly fish out of it or fish, seems way to unstable. I do like the speed that the kayaks move and the maneuverability.

Questions,

Are fishing kayaks more stable than sit in kayaks?

I've been looking at inflatable pontoon boats. Love the way the operator sits higher on the water, seems to me that it would be more stable then the kayaks.

Looking for pro's and con's on both.

BW

[HuyFishin]

Originally Posted by Bigwoodsman

I have a sit in kayak, that in all honesty have only used once, will try it again this weekend. Not sure I like how I sit so low in it. Will try it again before I quit. Not sure how I'd fly fish out of it or fish, seems way to unstable. I do like the speed that the kayaks move and the maneuverability.

Questions,

Are fishing kayaks more stable than sit in kayaks?

I've been looking at inflatable pontoon boats. Love the way the operator sits higher on the water, seems to me that it would be more stable then the kayaks.

Looking for pro's and con's on both.

BW

fishing specific sit on top kayaks are much more stable. If your kayak is fast then its most likely not stable. Fishing kayaks you should be able to stand on with no issues.

As for comparing it to pontoons I have next to no experience in them.

[58thecat]

Fishing kayak 12 feet long and 34 inches wide is a very stable platform.


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[jungleboy]

I had a pontoon for a while they are ok but I found the least bit of a breeze and it would blow you across the lake. Very stable though.
You’re not going to stand up and fish in a pontoon while I have seen guys standing in a sit on top kayak.
Personally I would take a small 8’ zodiac style boat over either one and stick and electric motor on the back

[Smoky buck]

First off stability will vary depending on the quality and model but fishing kayaks can be extremely stable. My wife has poor balance and she can stand up in her Hobie compass. The compass is no near as stable as some of the other fishing kayaks either

If you like the speed and ability to cover ground a pedal drive kayak is great. They can also handle rougher water than most expect. I have no hesitation to fish big water with mine

I have owned the pontoon boat and they are great on small bodies of water but lack the ability to cover ground. They also don’t manage as well if a lake blows up and you need to get back

I would definitely recommend a fishing kayak if you are going to look at a decent quality one not a Canadian tire special. A pedal drive is definitely worth it too

[mikevv]

I have never used a kayak but I just bought a Fastcat 12, I have used it 5 times in the past month and love it. I put a 40 lb electric motor on it and have no trouble in the wind. I took it out the other day in a good wind to see how it would make out and was very happy.
Just my 2 cents,
Mike

[aulrich]

The sit-on-top fishing kayaks I have been on are way more stable than the sit in's I have been on.

No experience with inflatables, one deciding factor is transportation and storage if you are tight on space with either of those an inflatable may be better since it can go into a smaller footprint.

[dutchman]

I have a basic 12' fishing kayak. Has sort of a lawn chair type seat and is very comfy. It's not as fast as a regular kayak but it's VERY stable. Carries a lot of gear. When I first got it, I even put on a wet suit and went out for a little tipping experiment. It was "almost" impossible to capsize. Took a lot of effort doing it on purpose. But I also wanted to see if it ever did happen, that I could flip it upright and climb back on (which was pretty easy).
Don't own a pontoon, but have seen a couple guys with electric motors which push them around quite well.

[lmtada]

For stability, add outriggers, simple to make or purchase. I added outriggers to my canoe. Can now stand up and cast. Also installed a electric motor, onto back of canoe. Works great. 6” pvc with approx 4’ length both sides, and attach ends to pvc with glue, then attach to a bar across boat.

[Talking moose]

Originally Posted by dutchman

I have a basic 12' fishing kayak. Has sort of a lawn chair type seat and is very comfy. It's not as fast as a regular kayak but it's VERY stable. Carries a lot of gear. When I first got it, I even put on a wet suit and went out for a little tipping experiment. It was "almost" impossible to capsize. Took a lot of effort doing it on purpose. But I also wanted to see if it ever did happen, that I could flip it upright and climb back on (which was pretty easy).
Don't own a pontoon, but have seen a couple guys with electric motors which push them around quite well.

Same one I got. Love it

[thumper]

I've had Hobie fishing kayaks for 20+ years now. I find them very stable, but I've never felt steady enough in any boat to stand and cast! I like being able to slide a kayak into almost any water, and with a set of cart wheels - can easily drag it a fair distance. In the mountains, I've gone a km+ and up the trail switch-backs, and on the prairies, skid it through thick cat-tail shore-lines to hunt ducks! Very versatile. I used to carry one or two of them on a roof/truck rack in upright positions, leaving them almost fully rigged. Tough to do with an inflatable boat. As I aged, that became more difficult so I use a light kayak trailer now. Another thing that makes it tough for seniors in a fishing kayak, is twisting around to access the gear behind the seat. I'm not a flexible as I used to be! Now I also have a 10' Pelican Bass Raider for small water or calm bays on larger lakes. I'm still very stable, but sitting much higher, and can easily turn around 360 degrees to access all parts of the boat.

[fordtruckin]

What type of water are you using this on? In a river or smaller lake I’d take the pontoon in a heart beat. Kayak would go on bigger water. As mentioned the pontoons can get blown around pretty good. You can put a trolling motor on them easily and put around decently. Even seen guys hook up a helix 5 on them. Kayaks I’ve seen a few of the peddle type but no where near as popular on rivers.

[Dark Wing]

Originally Posted by mikevv

I have never used a kayak but I just bought a Fastcat 12, I have used it 5 times in the past month and love it. I put a 40 lb electric motor on it and have no trouble in the wind. I took it out the other day in a good wind to see how it would make out and was very happy.
Just my 2 cents,
Mike

I love fishing out of my Pelican catch 130 HD. The only thing I find is I stiffen up pretty bad after a couple of hours on the water. I was looking at Sea Eagles inflatables as well. The fastcat at looked nice and the fish skiff also caught my eye as well.

[Bigwoodsman]

Originally Posted by fordtruckin

What type of water are you using this on? In a river or smaller lake I’d take the pontoon in a heart beat. Kayak would go on bigger water. As mentioned the pontoons can get blown around pretty good. You can put a trolling motor on them easily and put around decently. Even seen guys hook up a helix 5 on them. Kayaks I’ve seen a few of the peddle type but no where near as popular on rivers.

I fish mostly rivers, creeks and small lakes. I do have a 33lbs Minkota electric. The style of fishing I prefer leads me towards the pontoon. I’m usually in waders and would like to cover more water, then beach or anchor. My preferred method of fishing is with a fly rod.

Thanks for all the input and experiences.

BW