Greetings from East Bay

Hello All,

My name is Kevin, and I am new here.  I live in Pittsburg and work on YBI, so I have pretty easy access to a lot of water on a daily basis.  Never used a kayak for fishing before, but looking to get into it. 

I grew up in Oregon, fishing and hunting was the way of life up there - mostly trout in the mountains, rockfish/crab in the ocean, and a fair bit of salmon and steelhead in the Rogue River.  Recently, I've been getting my kids (11, 8, and 5) into fishing in the delta/bay from piers/shore.   

I've also done a little river rafting/kayaking (a LONG time ago, also mostly on the Rogue) but nothing too crazy.  Been around LOTS of boats (non-kayak) though, and paddling isn't entirely foreign to me.  I am also fairly fit, and not afraid to spend several hours paddling around in a place with potential wind/current to fight.  I do not plan to go outside of the bay, especially with the kids. 

All that said, I am looking to purchase a tandem kayak for paddling around the Bay and Delta with the kids (one at a time, being very cautious about weather/tides/loading/etc).  I've been doing some research and seem to have aligned my budget with capabilities/features available at that price, and am now just cruising CL and FB Marketplace until something pops up locally.  In essence, I am looking to spend ~$700 or so on a used tandem paddle kayak, looking for something in the 12-14ft range, with ideally at least one hatch and a fairly flat spot to mount a milk crate on the back/front.  Fishing won't be this kayak's only duties, and I really don't want to fight the tide more than I need to, so I am looking for something that paddles fairly efficiently - and I understand that there are some trade-offs between stability/speed/maneuverability/size.  If anyone has a boat they would part with that would work for me - please let me know!

Anyway - that's me and my situation right now.  A little lurking in the forum indicates there is a LOT of knowledge about kayaks, fishing from kayaks, and fishing in the places I will be fishing.   Thanks in advance for helping me out with random info bits - I am definitely new to purchasing/modifying kayaks  to suit a purpose, and will certainly need a little guidance to get there!

Hi Kevin, welcome to the madness 

Hey Kevin, welcome to NCKA! Check out the “Safety First” section for some must have information.

Hi Kevin, welcome to the madness 

Thanks!

Hey Kevin, welcome to NCKA! Check out the “Safety First” section for some must have information.

Thank you! Will definitely check that out, and I already have a running list of stuff that I plan to carry on board - I'm big on being prepared. 

Found this boat on CL, any opinions on this make/model/price? I feel like it hits most of what I'm looking for. From what I can find, price might be a little high.

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/boa/d/napa-2-person-kayak-6-months-old/7200216798.html

So, I scored a Perception Tribe 13.5, and for $400 came with 3 seats and a paddle. Picked up another paddle and some lifejacket, and now we are on business! Was gonna take a trial run at San Pablo reservoir tonight, but arrived after the 5:15 cutoff, so tomorrow afternoon will be the maiden voyage.

Up next will be outfitting this for fishing. Milk crate with rod holders behind the seat, first aid kit, and an anchor should get me rolling for the reservoirs and delta sloughs (not Sac River, but Big Break and little cuts off San Joaquin), then a marine radio, flag, exposure clothing, flares, and a few other things to get rolling in the Bay.

I will also probably add at least one hatch cover, and maybe a couple flush mount rod holders, but will fish it for a while to figure out the best spots for those.

Any recommendations for anchor type/size? There are so many choices, not sure which works best for kayaks.  I was thinking one of the smaller folding anchors, with maybe 50 or 60 feet of line.  Also, how are folks attaching their anchor? I see a lot of anchor trolleys/pulley systems, but I don't really want to mount too much stuff to the deck since this boat will see a lot of family use, and I will probably get a more purpose solo kayak later.

Anyway, thanks for any input!

Welcome to NCKA Kevin 

Welcome to NCKA Kevin 

Thanks!

Welcome Kevin to NCKA.   

Thanks! This feels like a good community, happy to be here!

Welcome Kevin!   

Welcome!