Pacemaker Fishing Forum

My bud has the 12' Redfish at school. Vic from ARC told him to get the 12' since he would be doing river, lake, and salt fishing.  The way I understood it when we were talking to Vic was that the 10ft would be more maneuverable which is why it is better for rivers.  The 14' would have more stability and speed which is why it would be good for salt.   And the then 12' is a happy medium between the two.  He has been out on the HRBT in some reall rough stuff with us and he keeps up on the long paddles with our 13' kayaks without really trying.  He fished out of it with us on rivers, lakes, and the ships and has no problems with it.  I would say the 12' because it seems to have more versatality.

You might also check with Appomattox River Co (ARC) and tell them the deal you're getting on the redfish. They are great about matching prices or substituting a similar model. I got a 2010 trident with rodholders brand new there for $620 which was less than anywhere I've ever heard of.

I had the redfish12 (hence the name) and it was great, just didn't carry enough weight for my everything and the kitchen sink approach to fishing. It maxed at 350 I believe and so my math went... 200 for me + 20 for clothes and seat + 20 for gear + live well (weight dependent on amount of water), it didn't leave much buffer for 20-30 lbs of fish. I regularly had water coming in my scuppers and staying there. That and it was a little slower than other kayaks were my only complaints. Granted, I had a crappy aluminum shaft paddle and my friend that I was comparing to had a 14 ft rocket... so I'm sure it wasn't that different with a proper paddle. It was a very stable boat, did fine in the big chop in the bay, and the seat was comfortable. If you're getting a great deal then it's definitely worth it! If you think you'll be fishing more salt than rivers, get the 14 footer. Lakes and ponds are pretty easy to maneuver in since they are calmer and flatter than the bay.

Also, if you have the option for the angler or non angler, go non. It's usually much cheaper and you can rig it the way you want. Usually all you need is some pvc and a milk crate and one scotty rod holder up front.