Pros and cons of sit on top Kayak vs sitting in Kayak

Original question

Sit-in definitely has a different skill set attached + a lot less stow space if you’re fishing it. I have talked with people who hand-lined from closed decks

SOTs are more practical for ocean fishing

Where is a good place to purchase from?  I noticed Dick's sporting good sells some.  Or does Dicks sell the lower end Kayaks?

Windtoys in Santa Rosa.  new owner Billy really seem to modernizing the experience.  he is selling used boats now, as well.  I just saw a Hobie Outback that he was forthcoming about.  used hard boat, but he updated it.  priced well.  you can online buy one now from him.

Hands down, do NOT fish in a sit-in kayak.  As the Admin. noted in his/her reasons, those reasons are very important.
Four more reasons:
1.  When you hook any fish of size using a rod of any length, the rod is a lever and the fish will easily tip the sit-in to the side (* danger of capsizing!).  I never capsized, but a couple of times with only a 15" fish on the rod was enough to ditch the sit-it for fishing.  And I am an experienced sit-in sea kayaker.
2.  Sit-ins are designed with a primary and secondary chine (the angle on the sides of the hull) for capsize-prevention esp. when making quick sharp turns.  A sit-in kayaker knows and uses this to complete  turns and knows how to use tip the kayak to maneuver more easily. In the ocean you would need this, but not risk dumping all your equip. and having to climb back on (self-rescue).
3.  As someone commented, sit-ins get you to a place quickly and a designed for straight directional kayaking. 
4.  Storage on a sit-in is troublesome and thus so is quick access unless the rider is only wearing a vest.  The decks of sit-ins are rounded, in rough water you might be wearing a skirt which may have to be removed to access under-deck  fish gear.
     If you are fishing, sit-on-tops are well-designed fishing "machines." 
     Absolutely, do NOT consider a sit-in for fishing!!!

My preference is paddling my 12-6 Cobra Fisn N' Dive (67 lbs.)   I have rod holders on a Rhino bar (3/4" stainless steel horizontal bar mounted in front of me) or I just jam the rod butt in my crotch.   My paddle is always leashed to the kayak and I toss the paddle overboard and grab the rod when fish is on.  Paddling, I can quickly jerk my kayak erratically forward and reverse and put terrific action on trolling lures/flies.  I can't do that with my Hobie(s) Mirage Sport.   (although hands-free is nice, I still love paddling and catch more fish in my Cobra than Hobie. ).  Also, fishing in swells, waves, and wind I can maneuver much more quickly with paddles (and be safe!) rather relying on the delay slow response of the Hobie rudder and the danger of getting dumped.
- Tom, kayak fishing since 1999

It can be done. 25 miles from Homer. Not me, too old, but of an expert kayaker and fisherman.

Yes, it can be done, but WHY if you have a choice?

SOT.

Bushy

It can be done. 25 miles from Homer. Not me, too old, but of an expert kayaker and fisherman.

That's amazing. Did he tow it back to shore, Old Man and the Sea style?

Yes. Towed to shore after being shot in the head then tied up after the insertion of a large hook to close the mouth. Usually a small island is close by to fillet the fish on and  camp for night then return to Homer. There are other places on the Cook inlet that only involve a couple mile paddle to get to that he often goes to. For long trips a SIK allows much more distance covering speed than a SOT and overnight gear is easily stowed in the sealed hatches.

That’s impressive

Before I found the stealths I was considering closed deck but too much of a skillset attached especially for surf landing or get dumped

+ no stowage

The glass sots like stealth have pretty good speed

As an old distance cyclist pedals are attractive but Hobies are on the heavy side for my taste

I've never fished from a Sit-IN-Kayak, but I find the abbreviation SINK to be a major turn off...

My very first time going out on the ocean, on the Mendo Coast, a friend lent me his old SINK (while he had a SOT Hobie) and the wind and swell kicked in big time on the way home and my SINK took on some water and then SANK! With me in it, and soon out of it swimming for my life. Not a fun experience, let me tell you.

Sit-in/Sea Kayaks can take adventage of being "tippy" to let you stay upright in rough water (secondary stability), but handling a rod or trap lines in a tippy kayak is pretty much just a lever to flip you over while your hands are off your paddle. I picked up a hobie revolution 11 for fishing/crabbing, which is pretty narrow for a fishing kayak and perhaps more tippy/better secondary stability than a lot of other fishing kayaks, but it feels solid on the water due to much better primary stability when compared to my sea kayak. Photos in this thread show it's possible, but for safety's sake I would never fish from my sea kayak