I’m a sea kayak guide and do a lot of paddling. When I’m fishing I don’t want to touch a paddle, let the motor do the work. When it’s windy with fast currents I’m extra glad it’s there.
You nailed it. The category of kayaks is expanding. Traditional paddle kayaks are still around but some of us that started out paddling everywhere aren’t physically capable of paddling anymore so we started finding ways to add motors. The industry said oh so you want motors, here you go. You want to be able to stand and fish ok here you go and so on. I started kayaking decades ago with an Ocean kayak. Now I have something that isn’t quite a kayak or a boat it’s somewhere in between. I don’t even know what to call it. It’s 2 narrow kayak hulls connected by a deck and it’s made by Jackson Kayak. I have 2 motors on it because it’s 48” wide and I don’t paddle anymore. Kayaks are evolving. That doesn’t mean paddle kayaks don’t exist but there certainly is more attention on fishing kayaks and powered kayaks. There’s plenty of room on the water for all of us. Just get out there and enjoy on your kayak or not kayak thingy or boat whatever.
Yep. The new 6’8” wide kayak, ha! To be honest I was planning on going from 48” wide to 72” with the BSB 360 kayak/boat thing before I bought the FastCat14.
I look at it like this Alex: if you are a serious fisherman then the way you fish will evolve and eventually you will move from other platforms to new ones. Some of us will stay with paddle kayaks, Gheenoes or Jon boats, others to the new monsters .
You basically get the right tool for the job. If I want to do a 30-mile run, I wouldn't pick a kayak, but if I'm fishing an area within 5 miles, I would. I'm loving the new inflatable series I'm doing. I'm planning a 50-mile fishing trip, and there's no way I would do that on a kayak. You can, but I wouldn't. I have a 10ft Tuffy which is basically like a skiff. It can go 20 mph, get into inches of water, and has a push pole and bow motor. I love it, but I can't find the time to take it out with all the stuff I have to film all the time. I thought about getting a 16-ish fishing skiff but then remembered how I'm not able to use the Tuffy. But then I also remember I want to take my family out in one boat, so we may have the solution coming soon! I have the Fishskiff 16 now, and it can take 3 people. Lucas can sit on his seat in front of me. But I don't know... I do want to add a boat on a trailer that can take the whole family. It may be coming.
Explained it all you did. I don't want a " boat" because Im lazy. I don't want to work on it all the time to get the boat to run right. Throw more money into. Winterize it for 4- 5 months out of the year up here in Ohio. Paying for trailer tags every year. Overcrowding on the ramps up here. Give me kayak. Less maintenance , you don't ramp and go fish where a "boat" can't go period.
I don't fish, but instead photograph and video. Kayaks like my Bonafide 107 allow much more opportunities stability-wise than traditional 'yaks, and a comfortable seat as well. I like your "spinning rant", the constant movement reminded me of being on the water, drifting along while having a conversation.
kayak means different things to different people. I might have some personal prejudices - from years of pumping out miles on flatwater, countless rivers of white water, and no small number of days in small craft warnings in a sea kayak at the coast (not enough days dragging out shark bait though). Getting older aside, loosing most of the skills I learned - hard to beat the joy of nature while being skirted up in a decked boat. But, they really don't fish that well. Have more than a couple hours in sit on tops - they have their place. Less control than a decked boat generally, but I have had a couple that I could roll easily enough. But I have also enjoyed strapping on a large electric (or better yet, a 6hp outboard) to a boat that I could easily stand on my seat if I wanted to. Still have not found my perfect fishing kayak - everything is a compromise - and I have used some on all 4 points of the spectrum. Current favorites are a fast offshore sit on top, a light and controllable sea kayak (really loved my old sea kayak playboat - but got too fat for it, and body does not flex like it used to), and a kayak that is basically a micro motor skiff. Main thing is to use what puts a smile on your face and get on the water. Will say some of these boats are getting heavy - last one is 145lbs without the motor. Still trying to figure out how to get it on my roof rack. Bed of the truck is easy - but hard to tow a trailer like that.
Aliex, well said! That was one of your best videos - you described the present state of the kayak fishing industry exceptionally well! I agree wholeheartedly! For example, I'm loving my NK300 on my 8 yr old Slayer Propel. I've elected to leave the pedal drive home lately. However, I'm in the market for a very lightweight trolling motor to add to the pedal drive slot. That motor will allow small fishing movements (trolling) and a backup to my paddle if the NK300 should fail. I fished here in SE Louisiana a couple of weeks ago on a 92 degree day. When I got back to the launch I felt good, not drained from the heat! Last year with the pedal drive only a similar trip would have me whipped out! I love my kayak motor!
@@michaell1665 bingo!!! This comment is 100% true, I like these 18# weight 36# NV series from Newport Vessels, $140 I bet it can move the slayer at 3 to 4 mph (amazon affiliate) amzn.to/3ZCMKHg
Excellent video. There are many types of kayaks, fishing, touring, whitewater ect. I personally own a Vibe SG 130, Nucanoe Unlimited, Stellar 14S, Eddyline Nighthawk 17.5, Swift Saranac and a eddyline Sandpiper 130. All have different purposes and I enjoy each one. The fishing/kayak industry is just expanding what can be done using the basic platform.
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS FINALLYYYY SOMEONE THAT GETS IT! you can't have a kayak for everything, you have a kayak for this, another for that, I get it that we can't have everything so sometimes we have to make decisions. Still one kayak will not fit everything
one thing you didn't address about boats is maintenance. Kayaks are pretty much maintenance free and the little maintenance it does require is typically user serviceable. Boats, maybe not a jon boat, but a legit fishing boat, require regular and ongoing maintenance. The cost of fuel, the cost of registration is typically more in most states compared to those states that require a kayak be registered, the cost of oil, filters, lower unit grease, and when something breaks that is not user serviceable, which is inevitable, you're looking at a MINIMUM of $125/hr maintenance, not to mention lost time on the water because at least here in Texas, you're lucky to get your boat back within 6 weeks. Boats are great, but there's no comparison to a decked out fishing kayak that might cost you 5 figures, to a jon boat. They aren't even in the same league. A decked out 10k kayak is top of the line. For a fair comparison you'd have to compare it to a Skeeter or something like that, which adds another zero at least. Jon boats are dangerous aluminum bathtubs that have no self bailing, aren't even that stable, and if you get water and you don't have a bilge you could be in serious trouble whereas the majority of kayaks are self draining. Not even a close comparison. It drives me nuts when people are like "JuSt GeT a BoAt!" I have a 21' Skeeter and I actually prefer my kayak the majority of the time because it's way less hassle, doesn't DESTROY my gas mileage when towing, isn't over 30' long when trailered, isn't restricted to ramps, the list goes on. Obviously, a boat has speed advantage if you have a gas motor on it, but it just means you have to be more strategic in how you fish from your kayak because you don't have the luxury of changing positions across the lake on a whim.
Great observations! Before adding a motor to my kayak I tended to stay within 2 or 3 miles of the launch. However, I learned to fish that close in water extensively and there were several trips here in SE Louisiana where I'm outcatching 22'+ boaters when we get back to the dock. There are always the guys in big boats fishing 20 - 25 miles from the launch who do well - that's a lot of gasoline!!!
The kayak fishing industry is turning into what a lot of areas of the fishing industry has turned into. They now primarily cater to largemouth bass fishermen. Bass fishermen want their kayak to feel like their bass boat. All primary stability and a huge weight capacity so they can bring $30 grand worth of fishing tackle and a dozen rods with them, plus motors, plus electronics, live scopes, and so on.
For me its about the fishing not the kayaking, I can get places most boats cant. I trailer mine so i disagree about must be able to load in the bed of a truck. Mine would not fit. Its also about being a 1 man fishing machine that i dont have to run all over the deck to get/do stuff. I can reach every thing from my seat to fish and travel. I can stand if i want to but i dont have to walk around. I mainly fish very shallow hard bottom rivers, the only boats that can handle this is airboats and they cant go up the back creeks off the river due to over hangs. But i can also go chase striper or crappie in the same rig. The purest dont seem to get it..
@@AliexFolgueira Yep one of the main things i love about my rig. Iam to old to run around a 21 foot bass boat anymore lol. Plus as said the boat could even think about going where i like to go lol.
you said cant be metal... I always wondered what if... Some one took and press formed sheet metal into a kayak shaped mold. So its still kayak shaped but now its metal.
@@AliexFolgueira Just a thought lol. Disadvantage would be aluminum while strong than plastic has no bounce back. So if you dent it its dented. I know L2F used fiberglass. I think my next will be glass over foam diy. But modeled similar to the new xtr.
@@AliexFolgueira nice 👍 that’s a great way to get views and subs, very smart aliex. Just make videos about is it a kayak ? or is it a boat ? You will have everyone arguing there opinions on what the definition of a kayak is 😂. Another hot topic is FFS, is it cheating ? Or is it a tool ?
tried those but didnt get much traction, I took down the second video, xtra vs tactical that one did well 4500 views for a new channel is impressive, but i will put it here it belongs her=e
You can not call a kayak made out of metal a kayak......bro are you serious.....one tip for channel, it s not about quantity of videos it s all about quality....
@@AliexFolgueira no need to be offended....long time viewer here....don t think you are making progress with channel like you wanted, just look at the numbers....
You are right I'm not where I wanted but I didn't count on the kayak business falling from a cliff after covid, I wish it was 2019 lol but Let's take a look at the numbers: 40,000,000 views, this channel has generated. Right now it makes enough money to support my family. Compare my views to other fishing channels. Take Beach Bum, for example; he has 1 million views in the last 90 days. I have 1.5 million, and that includes Shorts. If we only consider long-form videos, we're even. Take quality above all else. Lawson Lindsay has 500,000 views in the last 90 days versus me with over a million long-form views. That being said, I've decided to make fewer videos. I'm going to put all the kayak review videos into two: one short video here, one long video in the new channel. I will upload additional videos here as I see fit. I may upload daily for a week or nothing for a month; we'll see. Winter is coming.
I’m a sea kayak guide and do a lot of paddling. When I’m fishing I don’t want to touch a paddle, let the motor do the work. When it’s windy with fast currents I’m extra glad it’s there.
thats 100% right! lets go!
You nailed it. The category of kayaks is expanding. Traditional paddle kayaks are still around but some of us that started out paddling everywhere aren’t physically capable of paddling anymore so we started finding ways to add motors. The industry said oh so you want motors, here you go. You want to be able to stand and fish ok here you go and so on. I started kayaking decades ago with an Ocean kayak. Now I have something that isn’t quite a kayak or a boat it’s somewhere in between. I don’t even know what to call it. It’s 2 narrow kayak hulls connected by a deck and it’s made by Jackson Kayak. I have 2 motors on it because it’s 48” wide and I don’t paddle anymore. Kayaks are evolving. That doesn’t mean paddle kayaks don’t exist but there certainly is more attention on fishing kayaks and powered kayaks. There’s plenty of room on the water for all of us. Just get out there and enjoy on your kayak or not kayak thingy or boat whatever.
The cat12 it is a fishing kayak! should we name the Cat14 one as well? haha
Yep. The new 6’8” wide kayak, ha! To be honest I was planning on going from 48” wide to 72” with the BSB 360 kayak/boat thing before I bought the FastCat14.
I look at it like this Alex: if you are a serious fisherman then the way you fish will evolve and eventually you will move from other platforms to new ones. Some of us will stay with paddle kayaks, Gheenoes or Jon boats, others to the new monsters
.
You basically get the right tool for the job. If I want to do a 30-mile run, I wouldn't pick a kayak, but if I'm fishing an area within 5 miles, I would. I'm loving the new inflatable series I'm doing. I'm planning a 50-mile fishing trip, and there's no way I would do that on a kayak. You can, but I wouldn't.
I have a 10ft Tuffy which is basically like a skiff. It can go 20 mph, get into inches of water, and has a push pole and bow motor. I love it, but I can't find the time to take it out with all the stuff I have to film all the time. I thought about getting a 16-ish fishing skiff but then remembered how I'm not able to use the Tuffy. But then I also remember I want to take my family out in one boat, so we may have the solution coming soon!
I have the Fishskiff 16 now, and it can take 3 people. Lucas can sit on his seat in front of me. But I don't know... I do want to add a boat on a trailer that can take the whole family. It may be coming.
Explained it all you did. I don't want a " boat" because Im lazy.
I don't want to work on it all the time to get the boat to run right. Throw more money into. Winterize it for 4- 5 months out of the year up here in Ohio. Paying for trailer tags every year.
Overcrowding on the ramps up here. Give me kayak. Less maintenance , you don't ramp and go fish where a "boat" can't go period.
Yup
I don't fish, but instead photograph and video. Kayaks like my Bonafide 107 allow much more opportunities stability-wise than traditional 'yaks, and a comfortable seat as well.
I like your "spinning rant", the constant movement reminded me of being on the water, drifting along while having a conversation.
kayak means different things to different people. I might have some personal prejudices - from years of pumping out miles on flatwater, countless rivers of white water, and no small number of days in small craft warnings in a sea kayak at the coast (not enough days dragging out shark bait though). Getting older aside, loosing most of the skills I learned - hard to beat the joy of nature while being skirted up in a decked boat. But, they really don't fish that well. Have more than a couple hours in sit on tops - they have their place. Less control than a decked boat generally, but I have had a couple that I could roll easily enough. But I have also enjoyed strapping on a large electric (or better yet, a 6hp outboard) to a boat that I could easily stand on my seat if I wanted to. Still have not found my perfect fishing kayak - everything is a compromise - and I have used some on all 4 points of the spectrum. Current favorites are a fast offshore sit on top, a light and controllable sea kayak (really loved my old sea kayak playboat - but got too fat for it, and body does not flex like it used to), and a kayak that is basically a micro motor skiff. Main thing is to use what puts a smile on your face and get on the water. Will say some of these boats are getting heavy - last one is 145lbs without the motor. Still trying to figure out how to get it on my roof rack. Bed of the truck is easy - but hard to tow a trailer like that.
Aliex, well said! That was one of your best videos - you described the present state of the kayak fishing industry exceptionally well! I agree wholeheartedly! For example, I'm loving my NK300 on my 8 yr old Slayer Propel. I've elected to leave the pedal drive home lately. However, I'm in the market for a very lightweight trolling motor to add to the pedal drive slot. That motor will allow small fishing movements (trolling) and a backup to my paddle if the NK300 should fail. I fished here in SE Louisiana a couple of weeks ago on a 92 degree day. When I got back to the launch I felt good, not drained from the heat! Last year with the pedal drive only a similar trip would have me whipped out! I love my kayak motor!
@@michaell1665 bingo!!! This comment is 100% true, I like these 18# weight 36# NV series from Newport Vessels, $140 I bet it can move the slayer at 3 to 4 mph (amazon affiliate) amzn.to/3ZCMKHg
Excellent video. There are many types of kayaks, fishing, touring, whitewater ect. I personally own a Vibe SG 130, Nucanoe Unlimited, Stellar 14S, Eddyline Nighthawk 17.5, Swift Saranac and a eddyline Sandpiper 130. All have different purposes and I enjoy each one. The fishing/kayak industry is just expanding what can be done using the basic platform.
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS FINALLYYYY SOMEONE THAT GETS IT! you can't have a kayak for everything, you have a kayak for this, another for that, I get it that we can't have everything so sometimes we have to make decisions. Still one kayak will not fit everything
one thing you didn't address about boats is maintenance. Kayaks are pretty much maintenance free and the little maintenance it does require is typically user serviceable. Boats, maybe not a jon boat, but a legit fishing boat, require regular and ongoing maintenance. The cost of fuel, the cost of registration is typically more in most states compared to those states that require a kayak be registered, the cost of oil, filters, lower unit grease, and when something breaks that is not user serviceable, which is inevitable, you're looking at a MINIMUM of $125/hr maintenance, not to mention lost time on the water because at least here in Texas, you're lucky to get your boat back within 6 weeks. Boats are great, but there's no comparison to a decked out fishing kayak that might cost you 5 figures, to a jon boat. They aren't even in the same league. A decked out 10k kayak is top of the line. For a fair comparison you'd have to compare it to a Skeeter or something like that, which adds another zero at least. Jon boats are dangerous aluminum bathtubs that have no self bailing, aren't even that stable, and if you get water and you don't have a bilge you could be in serious trouble whereas the majority of kayaks are self draining. Not even a close comparison. It drives me nuts when people are like "JuSt GeT a BoAt!" I have a 21' Skeeter and I actually prefer my kayak the majority of the time because it's way less hassle, doesn't DESTROY my gas mileage when towing, isn't over 30' long when trailered, isn't restricted to ramps, the list goes on. Obviously, a boat has speed advantage if you have a gas motor on it, but it just means you have to be more strategic in how you fish from your kayak because you don't have the luxury of changing positions across the lake on a whim.
excellently written, thats a video worthy of being in the channel! haha
Great observations! Before adding a motor to my kayak I tended to stay within 2 or 3 miles of the launch. However, I learned to fish that close in water extensively and there were several trips here in SE Louisiana where I'm outcatching 22'+ boaters when we get back to the dock. There are always the guys in big boats fishing 20 - 25 miles from the launch who do well - that's a lot of gasoline!!!
Unfortunately thanks to dumb laws. If you put a trolling motor or tiny electric motor on a kayak it has to be registered as a boat.
The kayak fishing industry is turning into what a lot of areas of the fishing industry has turned into. They now primarily cater to largemouth bass fishermen. Bass fishermen want their kayak to feel like their bass boat. All primary stability and a huge weight capacity so they can bring $30 grand worth of fishing tackle and a dozen rods with them, plus motors, plus electronics, live scopes, and so on.
@@mattman_outside true true, I like it though
Great video keep up the good work.its all about fishing when am on the water.
@@andrewilliams1518 that's right
For me its about the fishing not the kayaking, I can get places most boats cant. I trailer mine so i disagree about must be able to load in the bed of a truck. Mine would not fit.
Its also about being a 1 man fishing machine that i dont have to run all over the deck to get/do stuff.
I can reach every thing from my seat to fish and travel. I can stand if i want to but i dont have to walk around.
I mainly fish very shallow hard bottom rivers, the only boats that can handle this is airboats and they cant go up the back creeks off the river due to over hangs.
But i can also go chase striper or crappie in the same rig.
The purest dont seem to get it..
Yup you can set it up to be a hands free fishing machine with everything you need next to you boom, no need to jump around
@@AliexFolgueira Yep one of the main things i love about my rig.
Iam to old to run around a 21 foot bass boat anymore lol. Plus as said the boat could even think about going where i like to go lol.
a kayak is a type of boat lol
@@FishingWithDummies78 bingo
Kayaks and Fishing Kayaks are two different categories. Especially these days.
Boom
you said cant be metal... I always wondered what if... Some one took and press formed sheet metal into a kayak shaped mold.
So its still kayak shaped but now its metal.
@@NiteWolfeFishing you got metal canoes right? Maybe it works lol 😂
@@AliexFolgueira Just a thought lol.
Disadvantage would be aluminum while strong than plastic has no bounce back. So if you dent it its dented.
I know L2F used fiberglass.
I think my next will be glass over foam diy.
But modeled similar to the new xtr.
This is an older video right ? I swear you’ve uploaded this before or am I trippin 😂 ??
@@Daiwa_Is_King end of July, it was on the new channel but didn't fit the cotent, so I put it here
@@AliexFolgueiraok I knew I wasn’t trippin 😂
haha I originally put it in new channel to get new subs, cus I knew this video would get quick views, got the subs, removed lol
@@AliexFolgueira nice 👍 that’s a great way to get views and subs, very smart aliex. Just make videos about is it a kayak ? or is it a boat ? You will have everyone arguing there opinions on what the definition of a kayak is 😂. Another hot topic is FFS, is it cheating ? Or is it a tool ?
tried those but didnt get much traction, I took down the second video, xtra vs tactical that one did well 4500 views for a new channel is impressive, but i will put it here it belongs her=e
When are you gonna start flipping kayaks again Aliex??
@@TexasPapa13 hard kayak? Haven't gotten anything new after iCast, I bet I will have some new stuff next year
@@AliexFolgueira have you flipped a pwr or titan x yet? I can’t remember lol. If you can flip the xtr130 I’ll be super impressed.
@@AliexFolgueira how hard you think the wilderness tactical and xtr130 will Be to flip?
Good vid..next vid what is a woman.. far left needs help on tht 1😂
@@brewtankoutdoors1432 lol 😂 after that are kayak racist? Lol 😂
You can not call a kayak made out of metal a kayak......bro are you serious.....one tip for channel, it s not about quantity of videos it s all about quality....
What is quality? just because you don't agreed with something I said in a video does not mean it is not QUALITY!
@@AliexFolgueira no need to be offended....long time viewer here....don t think you are making progress with channel like you wanted, just look at the numbers....
You are right I'm not where I wanted but I didn't count on the kayak business falling from a cliff after covid, I wish it was 2019 lol but Let's take a look at the numbers: 40,000,000 views, this channel has generated. Right now it makes enough money to support my family. Compare my views to other fishing channels. Take Beach Bum, for example; he has 1 million views in the last 90 days. I have 1.5 million, and that includes Shorts. If we only consider long-form videos, we're even.
Take quality above all else. Lawson Lindsay has 500,000 views in the last 90 days versus me with over a million long-form views.
That being said, I've decided to make fewer videos. I'm going to put all the kayak review videos into two: one short video here, one long video in the new channel. I will upload additional videos here as I see fit. I may upload daily for a week or nothing for a month; we'll see. Winter is coming.
Metal kayaks are just canoes lol
They are miniboats..kayaks Carrie no motors..
says who?
All kayaks are boats