Hey all, i would love some insight. So i used to own a perception outlaw 11.5 kayak. I had a 30lbs Min kota trolling motor attached to the rear and used cables and a steering arm to navigate my local river, ponds, and intercostal. I LOVED my set up. Very stable to stand up and fish. My main goal being out on the water is to fish. But the MAJOR downside to this approach was maneuverability, weight(the kayak alone was 77lbs), storage, and time to set up and break down. I had it live on a trailer suited for it. I struggled to get anywhere far because of my unique setup, but i very much enjoyed myself out on the water. I was limited to calm waters. Waves or wind made my journey 2x longer. So I always gave myself ample time to get back. Cutting into my fishing time. Paddling was very difficult in those conditions and made me feel like i was going no where in current or wind. Long story short i had to sell my setup due to being short on cash at the time. I hate that i had to get rid of it but it was impractical sometimes. Ive looked into pedal kayaks, Inflatables, and last resort a small boat. Im in the process of home buying so i don’t want to necessarily obtain a boat yet. So here’s my current mindset of getting back out there.
Id prefer if i can haul it in my truck bed. 6.5’ limited storage space, i dont want to be limited to launching only at boat launches.
I want to be able to go far distances or stay out on the water for longer periods of time. Id highly be interested in pedals but not a must. Mounting a motor again is not ruled out either.
Stability is a must. I like to stand sometimes to cast. I dont want to worry about tipping over or not handling some minors waves.
Budget is unknown at the moment but nothing crazy. I like to browse marketplace and find most of my stuff.
Space for gear. I was used to having 4 rods and my tackle. I had I fish finder too but none of this is a must. Preferably at least two rods to take out with me. And my tackle.
If you made it this far, thank you for the read and advice. I hope yall can steer me in the right direction.