What kayak should I buy?

[Ozwalt]

Hello all. I'm looking for a bit of advice. I'm a fly fishing guide currently specializing in wade trips on the Meramec River in Missouri, but I'd like to add float trips to my menu of services. I've worked out a deal with a local outfitter to rent boats to my clients and provide shuttle service, but I'd prefer to purchase a kayak for myself -- if my client and I are in the same boat, liability goes through the roof. I need a durable kayak with some kind of storage options for carrying fly fishing rods/gear and lunch for 2-3 people, but I'm just not willing to spend a fortune. The river is usually pretty sedate, but there are plenty of log jams to maneuver around. Any suggestions? Many thanks in advance.

[aussiebasser]

hi Ozwalt, are you walt the trout hunter? im a bass fisherman based out of st louis i think most ppl will agree the sit on tops are by far easier and more comfortable as for brands on the sit on tops alot of the guys on here would be better suited to comment, i currently fish a old town dirigo which is a sit in but extremely stable i fish in alot of the parts of the big river and a few other small streams for large and small mouth as for multiply people in the yak or anything like that im definatly not the expert but as i said im in the area and if you wanna try a trip in a dirigo let me know i have one we bought for my wife to use and she has a busy schedule so most the time im solo and have a spare any way hope this helps.
Cheers
Kev

[Ozwalt]

Originally Posted by aussiebasser

...are you walt the trout hunter?

Indeed I am! Good to hear from you Kevin.

For guiding purposes, I need to be able to transport myself safely and also haul the equipment for 2 clients and myself (basically 3 fly rods and lunch). Some sort of rod storage or rack would probably be sufficient. If two clients were to rent a canoe, no big deal, they can haul the freight. But, I usually guide just one client, and they'd be using a sit-on kayak from a local outfitter (unless they own their own). I also need to be prepared for the case where two clients opt for rental kayaks instead of a canoe. The sit-on's just don't provide me the ability to bring along rods & such, unless we break everything down and strap it to my back every time we change fishing spots. I know there's some perfect kayak options out there for me, but I only trust salespeople to put me in the boat they want to sell.

And thanks for the offer Kev. I may have to take you up on it!

[Siebler]

Lets get some more information about you. What height/ weight are you? Any Kayak Experience? Are you looking for a boat that is going to offer a lot of stability or more efficiency?

With a bit more of information we can get you some suggestions on kayaks.

Not all salespeople want to sell you the most expensive kayak. Myself and all the other guys at OEX/ Kayak Fishing Supplies will help you get into the right kayak for you.

[Ozwalt]

4'8" 390 pounds. Is that a problem?

Always glad to meet people in sales who are more interested in long-term business relationships than just the next paycheck. Unfortunately, I think you might be outnumbered by the latter, but I'll bet you already know that!

I'm 6 foot, and weight is usually 240ish. I have some kayak & canoe experience, but nothing technical. In a former life I was an adventure therapist, I've taught loads of teenagers the basics of canoeing & whatnot, but no whitewater experience to speak of. You'd probably call me your basic recreational floater, but with a lot more time on a river than most of them. Stability is important -- can't afford a spill if I'm carting client equipment -- but the river I'm fishing is not an especially challenging river. If I dump the boat, it's because I did something stupid. The river is occasionally class 2, with almost all the challenges being due to massive log jams & timber lay downs. The river floods big every spring. Normal baseline flow is about 300cfs, but twice this spring it was over 20,000 cfs. This changes the river every year and adds new obstacles that I'll need to maneuver. I won't take clients on the river if it's above 600cfs, though.

Thanks in advance for the help.

[Siebler]

I would take a look at the Wilderness Systems Ride or if you want a more maneuverable boat the Malibu Stealth-12. Both boats have many storage options, a weight capacity that will handle you no problem, and they are very stable.

[Ozwalt]

Thanks Siebler. I'll take a look.

(Go Chargers)