I have to think that most anglers who stand at the threshold of leaving the bank forever behind feel a sense of awe and wonder at their first watercraft. Whether it’s a new or used flat bottom Jon boat, a v-hull, full on bass boat rig, or just a kayak or canoe, the realization that you won’t ever be stuck on the bank again has to be a crowning achievement. Having your own watercraft is different than getting to go out on your friends’ boat or renting a boat from a local marina. There is a sense of freedom and adventure that just sets it apart.

At least that’s my romanticized version of buying a fishing kayak. I’ve thought about buying a fishing kayak for around a year now. The challenge is that I’m the only one in my family who wants to fish from a kayak. Everyone else loves the idea of having a couple of kayaks to go exploring with, but no one really has any interest in fishing from one. At a minimum, we’re buying two kayaks. This presents an interesting budget challenge.

Another challenge is that I’ve never fished from a kayak so I have no real criteria for evaluating success. Again, I think that just getting off the bank is going to be enough for me to be happy with whatever purchase I make. At least for the short term. I have to assume that I will be prone to cram as much junk into and onto the kayak as possible and from there I will scale back. I don’t have any idea if I will try to fly fish from the kayak or not, but we shall see.

The first decision I’m weighing is the overall length. I think the debate between 10ft or 12ft really comes down to whether or not the 12ft adds enough stability. I don’t have any perspective or experience to answer that other than “I think so.” That get’s measured against which one would be easier to load and unload by myself for the times I travel across Arkansas. So, for now, I will just keep looking and thinking.