By Paul Lebowitz

Ready to hit the water and catch this kayak fishing wave? To get started, all you need is a boat. It’s a good time to buy. Just run down to a boat show or your local kayak shop and pick one out. Should be simple, right?

Sure it is, because the only truly regrettable choice is remaining a shopper when you could be out enjoying the water on your new kayak. But before you settle on your favorite color – will that be yum-yum yellow or road-hazard orange? – there are other considerations.

Fishing kayaks come in all shapes and sizes. The different designs perform… well, differently. At times, dramatically so. Put simply, long slender boats are built to go fast and far. Shorter, wider kayaks turn on a dime.

It’s time to make like Goldilocks. Stay with me; no one has to eat any nasty porridge. The idea is to look for the kayak that’s not too long, not too short, but just right for you. 

First, ask yourself where and how you’ll use your kayak most of the time. Be honest; buy for now, not some imagined future. If your skills grow or your needs change, you can always sell that sucker and upgrade.

Kayaks retain anywhere from 50 to 80 percent of their value over a couple years. After selling one, you might end up $200 short for that year or two of use. That's a bargain! Think of it this way. When learning to ski, would you start with expert equipment?

Match your kayak to your fishery. Plan to chase largemouth in the weeds? A skinny rocketship will maneuver like a bull in a china shop. Dream of going long? A short boat will seem about as quick as a sloth.

But there’s more to the decision. The other factors that come into play are your body type – larger people naturally need bigger kayaks – the availability of storage space at home, how you plan to transport it to the beach, and the difficulty of toting it about on land.

THE RIGHT RIDE? – Kayaks come in a variety of shapes and sizes, all of which have their pros and cons. If you want to go the distance, you won’t be satisfied with something that paddles like a barge. Instead, look for an OK Prowler 15, a WS Tarpon 160i, or a Hobie Mirage Adventure.

BUYING TIME – Show season is here, and with it come hot deals on new fishing kayaks. If you’re ready to buy, the time is right. Head over to a Fred Hall Show, a boat show, or a paddle shop and find your ride. PHOTO BY MARK OLSON

Ah, storage space. Maybe not a flashy topic, but for an apartment dweller, a fact of life. Where are you going to park that thing? Likewise transport. A kayak is no good if you can’t tote it to the water. Short kayaks fit neatly in a pick-up bed, but longer ‘yaks are easier to car-top. Find that hard to believe? It’s a matter of leverage. The longer the kayak, the less weight you have to lift. That’s one end at a time of course. 

Once you’ve narrowed down the general type of fishing kayak you want, be that ultra-stable, nimble, or fast, you can do some meaningful research. Find out what people your size are using. Take a clinic, sit through a seminar, or show up before launch time at a kayak fishing tournament. Identify a handful of boats that fit your description.

For example, say you want a nice ocean-going fishing craft that’ll chew up swells and go the distance. That would be something in the 15 to 16-ft. long range, maybe 28-in. wide. Plenty stable for battling big fish, yet reasonably quick. A few companies make boats that fit the bill. In this case, they’d be the Wilderness Systems Tarpon 160i, the Ocean Kayak Prowler 15, the Perception Ride 15 and the pedal-powered Hobie Mirage Adventure.

Now go check them out. Sit in the cockpit, climb all over them, and if possible, go for a test drive. Feel comfortable? If the footwells pinch or the seat is too narrow, keep looking. But if it feels good, like a well-fitting shoe, what are you waiting for? Pull the trigger, close the deal, and get to fishing.

If you’re at a show, ask if the merchant will take a refundable deposit. Get the show special, save some dough, and make sure it’s the right boat by taking it for a spin down at the shop. It’s a win-win.

Until you actually start kayak fishing, the rest is just small stuff. We’ll hit it here, briefly.

On-board storage. Nearly every contemporary fishing kayak sports a big, self-draining well in the back. That tank well is where you can strap down what should be every kayak angler’s first rod and gear holder – the venerable milk crate complete with cut-down sections of PVC pipe. It’s also where bait tanks live. Got a tank well? You’re good to go.

Hatches. Also known as another place to store stuff. This is where you put the gear you want to keep when you’re charging through the surf. Big cockpit hatches are convenient. Don’t fret if your chosen ‘yak has a single big hatch perched way up on the nose. Once you have a bit of practice, you can shimmy up there.

Rigability. Is there deck space for additional rod holders, a fish finder, or other goodies?