Advice on Choosing the Right Kayak

Budget is $1000.  For freshwater and saltwater.  Sit on top.

What is an appropriate length for a saltwater fishing kayak?
Are peddle powered worth going over budget for?

I'm not completely a fish out of water here as of fished from different styles in fresh, salt, current, etc.  but is there anything that I should know for purchasing a kayak which I will be using in the Ocean, lakes, rivers around norcal just like most of the guys here.  Hull design, length, seat upgrades, lifejacket/wetsuit? etc.?  I know about the search feature and will probably get around to using it but just wanted some first hand advice on maybe something you were unsure about when purchasing your first kayak for norcal fishing/hunting and figured out.  Right now it looks like I will just go to Dicks Sporting goods and get the kayak, paddle, and beach wheels without getting too fancy yet or find a good used setup.

Dont buy yet, shop around try some out, see what fits you best, i used to paddle for years, after getting into a couple hobies, i wont go back. There are places to rent them to try as well

Wait for someone to sell a kayak on the forum. There are some great deals like the Predator MX for $750.00 WITH a Werner paddle (That's a 200.00 paddle).
3 of the 6 kayaks I owned were previously owned.
 Buy a used one and save yourself some money plus it will most likely be rigged nicely already.

$1000 for kayak and gear? I don't think a peddle kayak will fit in your budget. 12 feet is barely long enough for the ocean and not too long for lakes and rivers. I started out with a Wilderness Tarpon 120 and used it for everything. Rockfish and crabbing, Sturgeon, Stripers and Trout. Recently I upgraded to a Wilderness Thresher 140. I still use the Tarpon for Trout fishing and the Thresher for the rest.

Rodg...This is tougher than I thought.  Whenever I fished out of a rental I/we just used whatever we were dealt and made it work.  Now that I'm going to be owning one I'm thinking about things like length, hull design, seat, rod holders, etc. etc. etc....even the color lol!

Rodg...This is tougher than I thought.  Whenever I fished out of a rental I/we just used whatever we were dealt and made it work.  Now that I'm going to be owning one I'm thinking about things like length, hull design, seat, rod holders, etc. etc. etc....even the color lol!

Remember you can't really get one kayak that excels at everything. My Thresher is great in the ocean but more difficult to turn when I'm approaching my anchor while sturgeon fishing. Give it a few days and I'm sure you'll get some good suggestions. Figure out what your priorities are and try to go to a paddlefest this spring and test paddle some different Kayaks.

I figured out my priorities, saved a little more and sprung on a pedal yak. 2018 Hobie Revolution 13.

Upgraded to turbo fins and the larger rudder and putting an ??H-Rail?? on the side to mount a rod holder and a depth-finder.  If it's possible to fit a Scotty downrigger on it too then that may go on as well.

Picking it up next week from Wind Toys in Santa Rosa so I still have time to figure out exactly where, what and how I want to situate things.

If you can't already guess, my priority is going to be chasing chrome, thresher shark, rock fish, white sea bass, striper, and halibut off of the Northern Cali Coast...Maybe ease my way into tuna at some point too.

This may sound silly but originally picked the blueish "slaight" color and then moments later changed my mind to dune thinking it would hide any blemishes better....Now I'm saying f hiding the scratches, if i'm going to be out all day in it then I want something that is easy on the eyes, so maybe back to blueish.

I figured out my priorities, saved a little more and sprung on a pedal yak. 2018 Hobie Revolution 13.

Good choice and, yes, you can certainly put a downrigger on that. I'd recommend putting the DR forward so you don't have to do contortions every time you want to crank it up.

Go with blue...

Good choice.

I have my DR mounted in a Scotty mount inside the side pocket.

If it's your first kayak, don't think about pedal-power - it's not worth the extra expense.  Learn how to fish from a kayak before spending as much for the pedal drive alone as you'll spend for an entire paddle-powered kayak - pus a paddle.

A Hobie was the third kayak I owned.  My fourth was an OK Trident, and I'm never going back.

For the ocean, 12 to 13 feet is about right, and 13 feet is better than 12 feet.

Great choice on the Revo 13.   I love mine.  Its very sea worthy.