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| The author's new NuCanoe Pursuit on its successful maiden voyage. |
I've always wanted to design a fishing kayak, but I just
don't have that talent. I'll leave that to the folks with that expertise.
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| This tarpon was the first fish out of the new Pursuit. |
However, I've paddled quite a few different brands of
fishing kayaks over the years, and I've had a few ideas that I would like to
incorporate into a fishing design.
Most of all, I've always wanted an open cockpit, uncluttered
and simple. I'm a fly fisher and I don't need knickknacks, gadgets and gizmos
that would attract my fly line like lead filings to a magnet. I've envisioned simplicity. Clean. Smooth.
I do need a place to stow a few things, but that area
doesn't have to encompass most of the kayak.
Comfort is also a must. You could have a great kayak, but it
does you little good if your rear end is sore or your legs uncomfortable.
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| Snook on fly. |
I found my kayak last March when NuCanoe owner Blake Young
brought his new concept to town for a few days or fishing and filming.
I paddled the prototype Pursuit and fished from it for two
days. I was impressed.
However, I'm even more impressed with the finished product.
Young has come up with what I consider the finest "fishing" kayak
available today. You can check it out at
http://www.nucanoe.com/pursuit-fishing-kayak/.
The Pursuit is a well-designed, well-planned fishing craft
that is characterized by simplicity and clean lines.
In the Pursuit's case, less is more.
Let's start out with the specs:
Length: 13 feet,
5 inches
Beam: 35 inches
Height: 12 inches
Draft: 3 inches
Hull weight: 82
pounds
Max load: 500
pounds
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| One of two oversized redfish. |
At 35 inches wide, the Pursuit just might be the most stable
fishing kayak available. I'm not overstating when I tell you I can literally
tap dance on the deck.
What is particularly interesting is the kayak features a
total of 82 inches of Freedom Tracks distributed from the bow to the stern.
There 14 inches of Freedom Track in the bow, 54 in the cockpit and 18 in the
stern.
The ergonomically designed high/low seat plugs into the
track as do a myriad of accessories. You
can add as many -- or as few -- accessories as you want. If you choose, you can
add rod holders, cup holders, GPS holders, speaker holders, depth finders and
other gadgets to your tracks. It's up to you.
Rig it as you like, but the proof is in the paddling. When I
launched my Pursuit for the first time, I was amazed by the way it glided over
the water. The boat felt swift and easy to control. It tracked very straight
and was almost effortless to control.
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| The openess of the Pursuit is impressive. |
One feature that is unavailable is most other kayaks is the
Pursuit's paddle holsters. They're located toward the bow on the starboard and
port sides. They allow you to quietly slip the blade into them and stow your
paddle securely while fishing. The holsters are a refreshing change from your
typical paddle holders.
Talking about stow, I can't tell you how impressive the
Pursuit's four internal rod tubes are! I can stow four fully rigged fly rods
out of the way and protected. You can't do that in any of the other kayaks I've
owned.
While I'm a paddling purist, you do have the option of added
a trolling motor or even a small outboard (It's rated for a 2.5 HP engine) to
the Pursuit. The square stern is designed for those who prefer to power the
boat in that manner.
The spacious kayak has plenty of room for a tackle crate,
camera box, cooler and whatever else you might envision.
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| You can stow four fully rigged fly rods. |
The gear vault in the bow features a hard shell liner and
can hold whatever you like. It can serve as a cooler or can hold rain gear,
first-aid kits, tools, etc.
The boat also comes with a pair of flush-mount rod holds
behind the seat.
The only things I added were an anchor trolley system and a
taco-style paddle clip for my 9 1/2-foot pushpole.
Some might consider the boat's weight to be a negative. That
weight comes with the width and stability. It's a tradeoff I can live with.
And the weight is actually of no consideration when loading
and unloading my kayak. I use a Transport Cart (which I purchased from
NuCanoe). It plugs into the stern and makes transporting the boat to and from
the water very easy.
I'm tough to please when it comes to kayaks. I've been doing
this for a long time. When I first started to fish from a kayak in 1986, I was
usually the only paddlecraft on the water.
It's different today. When you launch your kayak, you'll
often see a veritable armada of plastic paddlers in your area.
If you're in a Pursuit, rest assured you'll stand out (and
up) from the crowd.
The Pursuit is a simple design that will turn heads and put
a smile on your face.
MAIDEN VOYAGE
I launched the Pursuit at the Buttonwood Harbor launch off
eastern Longboat Key on Sarasota Bay a couple of hours before daylight. My plan
was the fly-fish around lighted docks until dawn, then head out into the bay.
It didn't take long to "slime" my new vessel. I
hooked a small tarpon on my first cast and landed it about five minutes later.
One cast.
One hit.
One tarpon.
Can it get any better than that?
It did.
I just five more tarpon and landed one. I also added a pair
of snook.
When the action died at daylight, I paddled into the bay.
There I was able to land a few small trout and a mangrove snapper.
At mid-morning, I decided to call it a day and head back to
the launch. It has been miserably hot in this summer.
A funny thing happened as I paddled along. I saw a tail in
18 inches of water and made a few casts. I hooked a 36-inch bonnethead shark
and landed it after a few minutes.
I decided to drift the area and make a few more casts. I
caught and released a pair of 30-inch redfish.
My maiden voyage resulted in a rare Super Slam: redfish,
spotted seatrout, snook and tarpon.
I don't claim to be the greatest angler in the world, so I
just chalked up my success on this maiden voyage to the mojo of the Pursuit,
the best fishing kayak I've paddled since in all my years on the water.
PRO STAFF
I am extremely proud to have been named one of five to the
original NuCanoe Pro Staff. It's an elite group consisting of some really fine
paddlers and anglers.
My fellow Pro Staffers include my buddy Joe Mahler of Fort
Myers, Danny Barker of Citrus Spring, Drei Stroman of Fort Myers and Graham Tayloe of Birmingham, Ala.
Since I'm a Pro Staffer, you might anticipate a positive
review of the new Pursuit. However, I wouldn't be on the Pro Staff if
I wasn't more than satisfied with NuCanoe. The last thing I
want is to represent a product that I deem sub-par or inferior in any way.
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