Watercraft Recommendations for Puget Sound/Hood Canal?

[doublespey]

I've been looking around a bit online, and I'm leaning in the direction of a pedal kayak. I also found these inflatable kayak/skiffs that look promising.

https://www.boatstogo.com/kayaks-sk470.asp. They look pretty sturdy, take a motor, and roll up for storage. Never heard of the company, so not sure about the quality.

I have that same boat. Moves around good with a 6 or 9.8hp outboard, also does well with a 55lb thrust electric for lakes that don't allow outboards (or have a speed limit). Mine is stable enough to stand in with the inflatable floor and so far the quality has been good = no leaks or other issues with it. Plus it's light enought to roll up and throw in the back of the truck. Oars help if you want a stealthy approach.

 

[Snopro]

After being sold to a private equity group, Hobie has been having quality control, durability, and warranty issues. My pre 2018 PA14 and REVO16 are great boats.

 

[Northern]

Calling @Northern (after you get back from you destination trip, capital J!), maybe you can shed some light on this thread about your Hobie Compass. @Mud&$alt72 - Northern really gets around on her peddle Compass. I am sooooo tempted to buy one of these boats........... I fish Hood Canal a couple times a year. Herb Superb has a 16' boat, we used to have a launch site on private property but the owner closed access after too much vandalism. I think I'd be able to launch a kayak near this place and a Hobie Compass, or similar, seems like a great boat for this area.

I haven't left yet - Wednesday!

I had a ball fishing from the Compass on Hood Canal this summer, but I'm generally SUPER conservative about taking it out on the salt. I keep to calm weather and areas with minimal boat traffic. That said, the first time I ever went out in a Hobie was off Ft Worden with the Gig Harbor guys. We ventured out on mostly flat water to fish the big current off the point, and some yahoo in a huge yacht came flying through, apparently not seeing the group of 6 bright orange yaks until he was almost on top of us, at which point he braked, sending a 6 foot breaker right at us. We all pointed the yaks into the wave and held on...sailed right through and barely even got wet! That same wake, had I been wading out somewhere like Boeing Point, would have been...yikes. I bought one not too long after.
The ability to have your hands free while moving is huge for enjoyable fishing IMHO - it really is the #1 advantage over a regular yak/canoe/SUP, especially if there's current or wind pushing you around. Also, if needed, I can pedal that puppy at upwards of 6mph and beach it anywhere. I'd worry about an inflatable in the salt with all the oysters & barnacles.
I don't even carry an anchor, because again, the thought of having to pull one before a rogue wave hits freaks me out.
Effortwise (and I am nowhere near young & fit!) I can and have pedaled at comfortable trolling speeds for literally hours without tiring. My arms get tired of casting before my legs get tired of pedaling.

The down side for the OP would definitely be storage & transport. They're heavy; 80-130lbs d.o. model and options. I use a trailer. I've seen young guys cartop one, but at best it's awkward.

It might be worth it to go on one of the guided kayak trips with Gig Harbor to see if you like it before making the call.
Hope that's helpful!

 

[Zak]

Calling @Northern (after you get back from you destination trip, capital J!), maybe you can shed some light on this thread about your Hobie Compass. @Mud&$alt72 - Northern really gets around on her peddle Compass. I am sooooo tempted to buy one of these boats........... I fish Hood Canal a couple times a year. Herb Superb has a 16' boat, we used to have a launch site on private property but the owner closed access after too much vandalism. I think I'd be able to launch a kayak near this place and a Hobie Compass, or similar, seems like a great boat for this area.

Yeah, I've seen @Northern in that pedal Hobie and she is very agile on the water. She could parallel park that boat! If I was buying a small human powered boat for flyfishing the Sound, that would be at the top of my list.

Someday, I want to have a small outboard with the "GPS anchor" bow-mounted trolling motor.

 

[krusty]

Don't know about the Sound/Hood canal suitability, but I know a Hobie Passport 12R will easily handle any water the Hobie Compass can handle. The main difference is that the Passport costs less at $2K but doesn't have reverse, and is considered a bit more stable than the Compass. A Compass runs about $2.8K. Slightly different rudder configuration, and the Compass is about 10 lbs lighter than the Passport. Both have 400 lb capacity....I weigh about 225 and it supports my bulk (or my 250 lb grandson) just fine.

We've had the Passports in pretty big water with large boat wakes and whitecap winds at the northern downwind end of Priest Lake many times with nary a problem.

If you're going to fish lakes I'd consider reverse drive essential. I upgraded both our Passport 12's to reverse drive, which wasn't cheap.

I tend to have my Hobie in reverse far more than forward when fishing a lake...easier to watch what's going on with the rod tip, casting towards front is obviously easier (you can precisely control kayak orientation in reverse with the rudder), and a big fish can readily pull themselves and your boat into lakeshore weeds if you don't have reverse to counteract the pull. Even pure trolling works best in reverse.

Per @Northern advice I don't even bother to carry an anchor on the Hobies...despite years of needing them on my paddle kayaks...just don't need one to hold position.

There's good reason Hobies are the 'gold standard' in the pedal kayak world.....fast, stable, and the drives are extremely tough.

 

[Mud&$alt72]

I have that boat. Just like any boat it comes with compromises.

Are you able to cast from it while standing? In calmer waters, that is.

 

[Squatchin]

Are you able to cast from it while standing? In calmer waters, that is.

Absolutely. Its very stable. I've never had it feel like it would be tip over. The available "floor space" is quite limited in this model. Usually I will us my feet in legs to push up against the pontoons to lock myself in while casting from a standing position. I have had two people fishing from it with concern about being in each other's way. Honestly its more fun with two people than one. That way you can take turns controlling drift while the other fishes. The stock oars are not very fun, but it will go pretty quickly with a canoe paddle or two. I've had one leak in the floor and one on the pontoon, both were easily fixed with the repair kit. If you wanted maybe we could meet up at a local lake somewhere and you could take a look and see. I run both a 55lb electric and 3.5hp gas on it depending on what I'm doing

 

[Mud&$alt72]

Absolutely. Its very stable. I've never had it feel like it would be tip over. The available "floor space" is quite limited in this model. Usually I will us my feet in legs to push up against the pontoons to lock myself in while casting from a standing position. I have had two people fishing from it with concern about being in each other's way. Honestly its more fun with two people than one. That way you can take turns controlling drift while the other fishes. The stock oars are not very fun, but it will go pretty quickly with a canoe paddle or two. I've had one leak in the floor and one on the pontoon, both were easily fixed with the repair kit. If you wanted maybe we could meet up at a local lake somewhere and you could take a look and see. I run both a 55lb electric and 3.5hp gas on it depending on what I'm doing

Thanks for the offer! As I get closer to decision time, I may take you up on that.

 

[Nick Clayton]

There are plenty of reasons one would choose a smaller, human powered vessel for the sound.

But personal preference aside, and limitations such as storage/towing etc, I can't think of anything in Puget Sound that can be done with such a vessel that can't be done with a 15' aluminum boat. There are, however, many things that the boat can do that those smaller vessels simply cannot.

Just my opinion, but unless you're just drawn to a small human powered option for whatever reason (and no doubt there is something to be said for the simplicity and likely intimacy of, say, a kayak), and storage/towing/maintenance isn't a concern, I just dont see a scenario where I would choose one of those smaller options.

I definitely can't launch my 19' boat at many places where you could throw in a kayak or a SUP, but I can one hundred percent fish all of the same water and soooo much more. It also costs more to own, operate, launch and maintain a boat, so no doubt that is a factor. But for me, the complete freedom that a motor boat provides on the sound is something that truly can't be matched.

Maybe if you have the option and could borrow a small craft from a friend or something, give it a shot and see what you think. Also, if you have an opportunity to hop on with someone who owns a boat (and don't have experience fly fishing the sound from a boat), give that a try as well. Either way you go you'd be spending a decent chunk of change, so no doubt you want to make sure you make the best decision for your needs.

 

[Mud&$alt72]

There are plenty of reasons one would choose a smaller, human powered vessel for the sound.

But personal preference aside, and limitations such as storage/towing etc, I can't think of anything in Puget Sound that can be done with such a vessel that can't be done with a 15' aluminum boat. There are, however, many things that the boat can do that those smaller vessels simply cannot.

Just my opinion, but unless you're just drawn to a small human powered option for whatever reason (and no doubt there is something to be said for the simplicity and likely intimacy of, say, a kayak), and storage/towing/maintenance isn't a concern, I just dont see a scenario where I would choose one of those smaller options.

I definitely can't launch my 19' boat at many places where you could throw in a kayak or a SUP, but I can one hundred percent fish all of the same water and soooo much more. It also costs more to own, operate, launch and maintain a boat, so no doubt that is a factor. But for me, the complete freedom that a motor boat provides on the sound is something that truly can't be matched.

Maybe if you have the option and could borrow a small craft from a friend or something, give it a shot and see what you think. Also, if you have an opportunity to hop on with someone who owns a boat (and don't have experience fly fishing the sound from a boat), give that a try as well. Either way you go you'd be spending a decent chunk of change, so no doubt you want to make sure you make the best decision for your needs.

Thanks Nick, I've gotten some great advice and perspective from this thread, and a 15 to 17' boat is going to be the most practical choice. For now, I still have a lot of exploring to do on foot, so I'll work with what I have.
BTW, your YT tying videos are awesome. Thanks for putting them out there!