The Best/Most Popular Fishing Kayak Models?

What's so familiar about the Tempo Craig?
The cost of the Abaco is about $1150.00 for a sweet fishing package and $1295.00 with the rudder/upgrade and footrest assembly.  That's a few bucks higher or lower than other fishing models and price competative with all.  I pretty well described what is so special about the Abaco (In the link I posted-design, special details and finish, unique features plus extraordinary quality and construction) and for fear of overselling will let the Abaco and the anglers lend testimony to its superiority.  The 13'8" Abaco is the only boat in that model, it fits a wide range of anglers.  The K Largo will satisfy the needs of bigger anglers.

I've been curious about RTMs for a long time and would like to visit a Bay Area dealer.  They are regularly featured at Kayak Angler Magazine.  I know they are imported but with the prices you mentioned the OK and WS are priced a lot lower.  Local dealers regularly offer special sales all the time.

Thanks for the info Dennis! The Tempo's hull looks quite a bit like the scupper pro. The top deck layout and the front bow underneath. Looks almost indentical.

I don't know the whole story, but it involved RTM at one point producing OK's for the European market, and when OK left that market, the molds were left with RTM.  Maybe Spike can clarify.

-Allen

The prowler 15 is my favorite. Wish I could keep mine forever. I did look at Tiny's boat at Tiki. I loved the color, and the layout looked good too. I dont fish or hunt with much gear on my kayak, but this one looked to be a nice ride. I would consider buying one in the near future, or perhaps someone needs a prostaff member to parade one around the NCKA and Fish Sniffer community! Not to mention the hunting groups. I plan on shooting a lot from kayaks this fall, and hunt deer from it next year as well. Turkeys too.

If you ever bringing kayaks through the Lodi area please swing by my shop. I would be very interested to check these boats out up close and possibly paddle them.

Headwaters Kayak
847 N Cluff Ave.
Lodi CA 95240
Sorry I missed Tiki, I would have loved to seen Tiny's kayak.

Lucky13 had a Tempo and sold it at the Classified a while back for $400.  I was very impressed with its construction.
We are out at Quarry Lakes one time and I was on my Revo.  We were experimenting on whose kayak was faster and he out sprinted me with out a sweat.  See the Flickr pics.

http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php/topic,26460.msg281325.html#msg281325

Truck on up to Trinidad this Saturday with your exotic new rides, Spike!   

Allen-I have no idea what the history of the Tempo and Scupper are.  I know the Tempo has been available in Florida for at least 3 years and Captain Jimbo in Ft. Lauderdale has been touting the Tango as a Scupper alternative for twice that. 
The sport generally started with original Scuppers and Aquatera Prisms.  I think the tempo is more like a classic than a pro, that’s the feel it gave me.  Truth is, IMO kayak design from all the manufacturers has surpassed the overall fishability of all the early models.  Ultimately, it’s just a matter of personal preference, needs plus affordability and a handful of other RTM models round that out perfectly.   Had I not gone into the business, I doubt I would have ever moved away from the Scupper Classic (unless I got too fat).  Until I saw the Abaco.
Dealers- There is indeed a Sonoma County shop on tap, I’m waiting on their purchase order to announce it.  No rush, the boats don’t get here until Mid December.  Bob Sands Tackle in Van Nuys indicated they will carry the line in the L.A. area.  Dealer placements in Orange and San Diego counties, the central coast and Valley and a few other areas are working forward. Dealer inquiries are welcome.  There will only be a limited number of key RTM dealers established regionally in California.  All of those will be specialty shops.  In the meantime, anglers without a shop will be able to purchase either from a “shipping dealer” or “Factory Warehouse Direct” until the dealer network is in place. 
Headwaters- Lodi sounds good to me. I emailed you through the shop addy about 3 weeks ago.  We’ll hook-up!
There have been a lot of changes to the retail kayak section since I started and I went 10 years or more without looking at it again until recently.  It’s a lot harder for kayak and tackle shops today and not just because of the economy.  Kayak and tackle shops are in danger of near extinction like plumbing and hardware stores the way I see it.   RTM has a lot of respect for dealers.  With a saturation of fishing models to choose from, multiple dealers within driving range, big name stores selling the same lines at a lower price and online discount kayak sellers shipping to your door, I’m guessing RTM Kayaks are going to give our dealers a big boost.  RTM maintains a strict Minimum Advertised Price Policy and while a shop can actually sell you a boat at whatever price they want, dealers indicate they won’t be discounting the RTM line. 
More about the pricing-
Compared to the published MSRPs, the pricing is close and competitive with OK and WS.  With a rudder assembly installed, I recently noted the Abaco is priced lower than some.  Given the quality of RTM and the fishing model amenities, I believe anglers get a lot more fishing kayak for their money.  That quality was a major factor in my taking on the line.  As much as I’d like to represent a least expensive premier line of fishing kayaks…that didn’t happen.  As far as price point, I believe the Tempo, Disco Angler and a few other models will pick up that slack for new kayak buyers.     
Because the Abaco is a new product and the RTM brand is new to most everyone, especially the shops, it’s going to take awhile to get up and running.  Since the shipping time from France to here is about 5 weeks, I hope to quickly gauge what they need to warehouse on the west coast so we don’t keep people waiting for their new boats.  With strong demand, it may take a few cycles to figure that out.
Please let me know if you are interested in a test drive at Bodega Bay or on the Sonoma coast with a free surf launch lesson included.  I have the Abaco, K Largo and Ocean Quatro tandem on hand for demos.  Abaco demos are also available in San Francisco by appointment.  I’m really excited about the K Largo (Big Man model) and would appreciate any feedback.  Feel free to contact me anytime for more info.
It is a handsome boat Chadrock and the Abaco paddles better than it looks too.  I think you will be amazed.
I appreciuate the invites and pro-staff offers and will address them all down the road.  Luckily, this puts me on the road a lot more and FISHING!
Thanks for your time all and
Continued Good Fishing!
Spike

Thanks for the info Dennis! The Tempo's hull looks quite a bit like the scupper pro. The top deck layout and the front bow underneath. Looks almost indentical.

I don't know the whole story, but it involved RTM at one point producing OK's for the European market, and when OK left that market, the molds were left with RTM.  Maybe Spike can clarify.

-Allen

I did not mean to imply any shady dealings here.  I believe the molds were left to RTM as part of a full business agreement, all on the up and up.

-Allen

That looked like the Coastal Kayak Fishing School en espanol.  It takes me 2 hours to belt out what that guy said in 3:38.
Thanks Bigfoot, I'll have all this stuff at Kayakfishing.com soon.

I have an "all in fun"  correction:  Kayak fishing didn't begin with the Scupper.  It started way before that with desperate and poor anglers (like me), who paddled out on big old funky long boards to try to catch a fish.   When I first saw a Scupper Classic, I was like OMG............a dream come true!

I'm truly amazed how this sport has taken off.  People used to look at me like they couldn't believe it.   It's all so cool!

I paddle a Tarpon 160 and am now rigging up a SINK (a 16' Dagger Magellan) for fishing.  I'm headed the opposite way as everyone else.

Dave

I've seen RTM's advertised on Ebay as identical to Malibu Two's, so I can see the OK connection. I think it was Tiny who had one at the Tiki Striper event. the 13'+ model. Looked cool.  I think that with so many great models out there, whomever makes a competatively priced yak (under $1K) that is lighter (closer to 40 pounds) without sacrifising performance or durability, they will be the winner.
Spike - Bring the 13' fishing model to our next Pay It Forward benefit. We can expand last year's charity race between the Scupper and the Rapter to include multiple manufacturers and race current fishing models against eachother. It would be a good real world way to show the values of RTM  versus the more established manufacturers.

Spike - Bring the 13' fishing model to our next Pay It Forward benefit. We can expand last year's charity race between the Scupper and the Rapter to include multiple manufacturers and race current fishing models against eachother. It would be a good real world way to show the values of RTM  versus the more established manufacturers.

  Oh  Yeah... !!!

Someone mentioned they would have one boat for inland bass fishing that they could stand in and one longer, faster boat for the salt bays.  That is exactly what we heard from all the anglers we got feedback from on our fishing kayaks at Jackson Kayak and that is exactly what we have built.  We started with the standing friendly Coosa last year that did very well. 

http://jacksonkayak.com/jk-kayaks/kayak-fishing/coosa/

Then, we made our longer, bigger body of water boat - the Cuda - this year and it will be in stores in about 2 weeks.  Here is a promo video of a prototype that was about 80% done.



Anyway, just wanted to toss those options out there as well given that they are perfectly suited for the west and northwesk kayak fishing situations.  We also have a solo/tandem coming out in the first quarter of 2012 that has a no-electronics or pump bait well in it that uses the water your paddling in to keep your bait fresh.  Pretty cool concept and boat to keep in mind as well. 

All the other boats mentioned are great options as well and have worked well for many for years so like everyone else said just get out there and test as many as you can and remember that you likely will know more after you own one for a while and your 2nd or 3rd purchase will be more along the lines of what you really need after you've learned your style. 

I'm getting quite an education here and appreciate everyone's contribution and wanted to say "Thanks". 

Dave w, that correction is totally acurate. The late Fred Hall (Fishing Shows) said longboarders in Florida had it going too in the `60's.

Yesterday I learned my Abaco width was a typo and today, I figured out the boat I had in my rotation and thought was a Tempo, was not.  After taking a deep look at the Tempo, it looks like a Scupper Classic/Pro hybrd and I'm megaexcited to see it.  Under $900 bucks with a fishing package.  I'll find out next week what the story behind it is.
LilRiverMan, I think I'll need someone sleeker to race that Abaco.  Like Tiny.  Thanks, see you there.
Eric, thanks for the invite, I gotta run down to So Cal early Sunday for a few fishless days and will touch base next week.

Again, my thanks to everyone for your comments.  And thanks too to Craig whose pathological love for this sport inspired some great feedback.