trully the ultimate fishing kayak Review by NJ05nismo
When I was suddenly stuck looking for a new fishing kayak after my old one was crushed by a falling tree, i found myself looking at the usual suspects of "ultimate" fishing kayaks. However during a trip to check out another boat i came across a ultimate 12 in tegris, the hull design and styling (cross between a kayak and canoe) immediately caught my attention. However it was a bit short for my liking. So after doing a bit of research i came across the 14.5. I immediately set up a demo with the 14.5 and 12. Coming from a one man canoe the first thing i noticed was the stability. No more gingerly getting into a boat, no with this boat you could practically take a running leap into the boat and not tip (i don't recommend trying it). The 14.5 is super stable, you can stand, turn, and with a tiny bit of practice walk to the front of the boat if you needed to. I did get the angler package and it was nice to have the basics already in place for when you first get into the boat, there are plenty of options to further tune the boat to your liking once you have paddled it a bit and know where you need things located.
Paddling the 14.5 is a joy, i have done long distances on it, as well as paddled down rivers and around lakes and it has done both exceptionally well. The tracking on the 14.5 is better than the 12, but you do give up some maneuverability, however it is easy to compensate for. The boat also has the ability to take along a lot of gear, which is nice if you plan on camping out, or have a destination in mind...coolers, bags, even tents and air mattresses are no problem for this kayak.
As a fishing platform it cant be beat, between a seat riser and a paddle pole for standing, its easy to spot the fish or their hiding spots from a distance and throw your choice of fly or lure directly to them. Now rather than fishing blind to cover, I'm able to place my lure in the ideal spot, which has increased my daily catches.
The fir and finish of the native boats is impeccable. I have had no issues with screws or mounts coming loose or rattling, and the seat is a marvel all its own. Besides being the most comfortable seat on the market, it also dries very quickly, all but eliminating wet butt syndrome. Having the seat mounted to a pan the way it is allows the seat to be slid around finding the perfect balance for your setup, but once its set it wont move. It also allows seat risers to be used to make it easier to stand, not to mention easier to see fish.
Many boats have come and gone from my stable over the years, from strict touring boats, to play boats, to other "ultimate" fishing boats...However the Ultimate 14.5 will be with me for many years to come... (Posted on 5/19/11)
